Inside Industrial CO2 Laser Marking Systems: A Teardown
0:00 Introduction: Mike introduces three acquired Markem-Imaje industrial laser marking systems, highlighting their RF-excited, air-cooled CO2 laser technology.
0:18 System Overview: The Smartlase C150 system uses Windows CE, while the 7031 system relies on Windows XP Embedded. Both systems are designed for marking products on conveyor belts.
1:48 Conveyor Tracking: The 7031 system demonstrates its ability to track objects on a conveyor belt using an encoder and proximity sensor for synchronized marking.
2:25 Built-in Diagnostics: The 7031's software offers various test modes, including individual tests for shutters, galvanometers, and the laser itself, which proved useful for troubleshooting.
3:40 Laser Power: CO2 lasers in these systems use PWM for power adjustment, but lack direct control over raw laser power, possibly due to the RF excitation system.
4:15 System Architecture (7031): The 7031 system includes an embedded PC, a custom IO board, and a board for galvanometer control and data handling.
6:11 Connector Variety: The Markem-Imaje systems use a wide variety of industrial connectors, ensuring that each connector can only be plugged into its intended socket, preventing errors during maintenance.
8:04 Laser Cooling: The Coherent C-Series laser uses a substantial heatsink and fan assembly for cooling, but the design makes fan replacement difficult due to excessive sealant.
12:11 Power Supply Configuration: The 7031 system includes redundant 48V power supplies for the laser, potentially operating in parallel.
12:47 Safety Features: The system incorporates multiple safety features, including emergency stop buttons, interlocks, and a physical laser shutter with position sensors.
15:04 Compact C150 Head: The C150 laser head is more compact than the 7031's, utilizes positive drive screws for easier access, and features a captive umbilical cable.
17:24 C150 Head Internals: The C150 head contains a Synrad laser tube, a PCB with interconnect circuitry, an FPGA, and a Freescale Coldfire processor, potentially handling some of the galvanometer control.
19:01 Laser Tube Comparison: The Synrad laser tube in the C150 appears to have a modified output coupler and potentially a double-path laser beam configuration compared to the Coherent laser.
20:48 Galvanometer Control Board: The C150's galvanometer control board is analog-based, with LM386 audio amplifiers driving the galvanometers, suggesting a voice coil-like operation.
23:39 Optical Feedback: The galvanometer system employs custom photodiodes and a light-blocking vein to provide optical feedback for closed-loop position control.
26:16 Future Plans: Mike plans to further explore the lasers in a future video, potentially investigating power measurement and repurposing possibilities due to their ease of use compared to traditional CO2 laser tubes.