Indigo Imperator - A 6500 mW 450nm Optical Corrected Monster With Thorlabs 3x BE

[Minamoto Kobayashi]

Hello forum.
Yesssss .. another painful and suffered birth came to light!
This time me and CDBEAM 777 met a very big dose of problems and issues.
A considerable amount of misfortune has also intervened to complicate our existence even more.
But now the masterpiece is ready to be unveiled.
As usual you will not be disappointed by the build.
As a big new I have learned very well how to design beautiful hosts with 3D CADs and how to use a
massive, complicated and pricey CNC milling machine.
Sorry, we have skipped to shot a lot of passages during the build, so there are only a few photos.
This was also due because the project was interrupted several times and some photos were lost.

Well ... breath to the trumpets and roll the drums, it begins!


INDIGO IMPERATOR PROJECT.
---------------------------------

MINAMOTO KOBAYASHI: commissioner, 3D CAD design, logo design, CNC operator, aluminum machining, weldings, canopy machining, final optical alignment, assembling, testing;
CDBEAM 777: name concept, 2D CAD design, DTR copper module modification, copper ultra mount machining, acrylic lens holder machining, some holes in the host, first canopy machining, first optical alignment;
THORLABS: incredibly fast, kindly and professional technical support, beam expander, extra collimation lens, little cherries, candy and biscuits ;
TECHLIFE: CNC rent, teacher;
DTR: Nichia NUBM44 diode, 405-G2 lens;
X-Wossee: Blackbuck 8 laser driver @ 4.75A, some nice advices and good support;
PODO from Sanwu lasers: Spiker host plus extra part;
OPT LASERS: corrective optics;
FLAMINPYRO: pill, contact spring;
MarKING company: logo and characters engraving;
BADBOYBILLY: host idea.


And now, the introduction directly from CDBEAM 777:

Indigo Imperator - a joint collaboration build.
--------------------------------------------------

The Indigo Imperator is the latest build using the difficult to optically correct NUBM044 LD.
This build was a co-operative effort between myself and Minamoto.
The build consisted of :

1. A single NUBM044 Laser Diode;
2. An optically corrected beam path with two cylindrical lens set-up from Opt Lasers;
3. A new Terrawatt Labs LD mount design called the "Ultra Mount " which is a solid Copper mount which incorporates the DTR 20mm LD mount;
4. A Sanwu host which uses three 26650 LiPo cell in a series arrangement;
5. A 8A Blackbuck driver set at 4.75A;
6. A Thorlabs 3X Beam Expander;
7. A G2 Collimation lens;
8. A solid aluminum cylinder section we call the H-BE (Host to Beam Expander), which is the platform for the LD/LD Mount , LD driver and Cylindrical lenses/Cylindrical lens mount.

The H-BE also is the bridge between the host/battery compartment and the Beam Expander component.
The Beam Expander is fixed to the front of the H-BE and the host/battery compartment is fixed to the rear of the H-BE.
Let me note that the cylindrical lens compartment "cut-out" geometry is not a new design: Badboybilly used this concept back in May 2017.
It works great for eliminating much of the side light effects generated by the cylindrical lenses and or their holder. Thanx BBB.
Those disclaimers noted: this build does utilize the new Terrawatt Labs LD holder, the "Ultra Mount".
There is a separate thread regarding the design philosophies of the Ultra Mount: see the thread in the laser projector section.
Pitch, yaw and radial alignment are easy with this mount design.
I did the 2D CAD work, design/machining of the "ultra mount and acrylic cylindrical Lens mount.
I was responsible for the first optical arrangement and alignment.
The general design elements of the main aluminum section was a joint effort. This section is called the H-BE.
CAD work was my contribution with some aspects being added by Minamoto. The H-BE unit was CNC machined by Minamoto.
The unit OD is polished to a beautiful mirror finish.
Minamoto has become quite THE machinist, for he did the machining of the H-BE, and it is absolutely perfect.
Doing a build all at one location is a challenge.
Doing a build on two different continents ... WOW ... quite a challenge !!!
But we got it done!
With adequate attention to detail, even with several thousand mile shop to shop distance, all fit in a perfect harmony.
The combination of polished aluminum, copper, acrylic with the great looks of the Sanwu host are a great look!
We have used the H-BE platform concept in previous builds and it continues to be a solid and valuable design.
All said the H-BE is just a container to fix and align all the optical and electrical components.
In closing, thank you Minamoto for commissioning this work.
In the area of machining I fear the student has become the Master!
More lessons learned, we share and we push the build envelope, just a little bigger.


Thanx for reading.
CDBeam 10/2017

P.S.: since I have eliminated a 1/2 KG of esclamation points from the original CDBEAM introduction, for those who need them you can find them grouped here:

<!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!>

:crackup::crackup:


And now, the most juicy part.


The CNCed awesome massive aluminum host:

Ultra Mount 20mm Bore Hole Operation:

Module opening up the diode seat:

Module with NUBM044 diode installed:

Raw ultramount turret and DTR 20mm module:

Finished ultramount turret with DTR 20mm module+diode installed:

Mount being radially aligned:

Machined acrylic lens holder:

Turret mounted, driver glued and connected:

Since the pill negative contacts was too weak to sustain so much amperes, I was forced to found an alternative solid negative path:

Probe glued:

Corrective optics aligned, glued and mounted:

Battery compartment adaptation:

A strong and precise clicky switch:

Battery compartment unmounted:

Professional Thorlabs fixed magnification 3x beam expander:

Since I wish to obtain a focusing point closer to the BE exit, I added a Thorlabs 500mm converging lens just before the BE entrance thru a small lens holder:

A machined perfect-fit acrylic canopy:

The Indigo Imperator fully assembled:

Indigo Imperator mounted on Manfrotto tripod:

A touch of class, the logo engraved on the ring:

.. and the rest of datas on the other ring:

Corrective optics enlightened by the beam:

The corrected dot shape against a wall:

Same as above, but filtered. I obtained a very nice rounded dot:

The beam shape thru the output BE lens:

The beamshots in the night. The camera sensor caught a violet tonality, but in the real life the colour is a nice blue without any violet shade:

The impressive output power just after the 405-G2 lens:

The incredible output power after 2 corrective optics, one converging lens and the three lenses inside the BE:

The performance graph:

And for the interested people, all the CAD designs:

Many thanks for all the people involved in this mammoth project.
For the momment this was my last project, because I switched my few free time to the dangerous pyro world.
You can read about my new builds very soon in the "other" section of this forum.
This is not a goodbye, it is only a long break :na:.

See ya soon.
Richard.

 

[Alaskan]

Re: Indigo Imperator - A 6500 mW 450nm Monster Optical Corrected With Thorlabs 3x BE

What a monster, beautiful work! Now I see what he has been so busy doing

 

[Minamoto Kobayashi]

Re: Indigo Imperator - A 6500 mW 450nm Monster Optical Corrected With Thorlabs 3x BE

Hi my friend!
Yes I disappeared for many reasons. One of them was this build LOL.

Wow I see that You are now a Super Moderator .. my best wishes!
It seems that I missed a lot of news lately

 

[Alaskan]

Re: Indigo Imperator - A 6500 mW 450nm Monster Optical Corrected With Thorlabs 3x BE

Hi, super moderator just means I need to be more careful what I do and say here, probably a good thing. I haven't really been using the moderator functions much, approved a BST sale today, locked a couple of threads, that's all in three months.

 

[badboybilly]

Very nice buddy, very big but very nice I like it a lot, that is one time consuming project,
I like seeing your projects man keep it up!

 

[Alaskan]

When you build something like this, ever consider having duplicates made and sell them to fund the project? I want one

E: I forgot to ask, what is the divergence?

 

[lasersbee]

That is one nice and neat build. Very clean solder
connections.....and 7 watts of output.:gj:

Jerry

 

[steve001]

Impressive

 

[BowtieGuy]

Minamoto, you never fail to impress, and you've done it again here!
Your attention to detail and use of high quality componants always results in a superb build!
:gj: +rep

PS - I've kept the exclamation points down to two to keep the weight down. :crackup:

 

[RedCowboy]

Very nice work, enjoy it. :beer:

 

[Encap]

Awesome and complicated piece of custom work, as always, from you.

Unique and beautiful hand held laser -- enjoy it :gj:

+rep

 

[paul1598419]

Just awesome work, Minamoto. Your machining skills are unmatched. I can see all the work you put into this amazing "handheld" laser. I use the word handheld loosely as it must be quite large. The cyl corrected beam also beam expanded gives great beam profiles and wonderful beam shots. + Rep when it allows me.

 

[Eracoy]

This is just the type of content that we all love. You have given us inspiration, as well as drool...

Keep up the machining and the imagination.

 

[paul1598419]

OP states he did much of the machining himself with some done by Bob, CDBEAM, and Thor Labs. I believe the bulk of the host is his. Pretty impressive. + Rep, Finally. :yh:

 

[Minamoto Kobayashi]

Hello.
Yes, this time I did also the H-BE (host to Beam Expander) with a CNC cutter.
In a (near?) future I think to build everything. I have learned much lessons here, especially from CDBEAM777, that will always be my greatest teacher.
But there are at least two things to curb my desire to do a lot.
First of all, now I'm alone because both my parents are dead by a cancer. I live alone and I do not have brothers, sisters, relatives, wife, girlfriend, and so on, so I must follow
everything of my life only in the company of myself (and my russian hamster LOL). In these conditions I have very little time to follow hobbies, and actually I'm doing nice things
about the pyro worlds that steal almost all my free time.
Second, the rent of a professional CNC is pricey, about 50 euros every hour. The time to build the H-BE was about 4 hours, so 200 euros only for the head. Plus the 1 meter aluminum bar that I was forced to buy. Plus other two hours to design the 3D model with CAD and convert the datas for the CNC. The 2D CAD design has engaged CDBEAM for a lot of time, and rightly I had to pay him for the time involved.
Now I had the H-BE ready to be replicated, so no CADs costs anymore, but the CNC is not always available. For who is interested to the head, the price will be too high: 200 euros for the rent plus aluminum piece plus 4 working hours plus delivery costs. Few users can afford a similar price only for an head.
Finally, the head is heavy, so the laser will be not so portable as the nice lasers made by Badboybilly, for example.
To balance the head weight is necessary to use a heavy long battery host, like the one used in the Sanwu's Spiker plus another 1/2 host. The final weight is impressive, surely not portable as a common handheld.

 

[paul1598419]

I am sorry to hear you are so alone, Minamoto. I am too much of the time, but used to it as I am getting on in age. You certainly do beautiful work and you deserve all the Kudos you have received. I hope your circumstances change for the better, as it is difficult to be all alone in this world.