40W 980nm Laser diode array for cutter/engraver?

[Jagged]

I have been looking at purchasing a Chinese 40w CO2 laser engraver. I'm quite familiar with buying from China and the QC issues, etc.

I have found a supplier who is reportedly selling 40w 980nm Diode Laser bars somewhere in the $100-300US range, which considering shipping cost/risk on a laser tube, is not terribly expensive. I suspect the units are "binned" units.

Before I approach the seller I'd like to have a better idea if they are suitable for my application. There does not seem to be a lot of information on the net on these lasers.

Can these laser diode arrays be run continuously?
What is the expected life time?
What are the cooling requirements? (I have seen water blocks attached)
Am I going to have issues cutting plastics / wood with 980nm (compared to 1060nm)?

What is the safety requirements for 980nm? 1060nm is reasonably opaque to most plastics so it is easy to install a safe viewing window, I assume this is not the case with 980nm?

High current, low voltage power supply (thinking SMPS from computer power supply parts) shouldn't be too hard for me to build, but if anyone has any idea's around voltage spike protection or schematics I'd be very interested in them.

 

[joeyss]

You can buy plastic that blocks 980nm since it is part of IR filters. It'll look clear to you, but it still blocks IR.

 

[Cyparagon]

You forgot a zero on the CO2 wavelength.

The beam that comes out of diode arrays is not very laser-like. The focal point will be too large to do any useful cutting.

 

[Multimode]

Hi,

A diode won't cut clear perspex / polycarbonate etc, where a C02 will.
The cutting performance will vary between the two depending on the material you are processing.