Advantages of using Blue Galvo Scan Laser / Why Galvo Scan Laser?
Novel Combination of Blue Lasers and Galvo Scanning System offered by Opt Lasers drives higher performance in industry production lines and workshops. Thanks to a combination of blue lasers and Galvo Scanning systems Opt Lasers is delivering one of the most efficient solutions that can be customized and applied to a variety of production processes.
Galvo System Advantages:
- Rapid engraving compared to slower XY positioning mechanisms
- Small amount of moving mechanical parts (no bearing, guides etc)
- Long Working Distance and flexible scan area
- Great Depth of Focus - easily adjustable working distance
- Low power consumption
Blue Laser Advantages:
- Lifetime up to 30 000h
- High electrical to optical efficiency - up to 30% vs 7% for CO2 lasers
- High blue wavelength absorption, often 30x higher than IR and CO2 lasers
- Low amount of generated heat, no need for water cooling
Opt Lasers Blue Lasers:
- High Blue Laser absorption, High wall plug efficiency of a blue laser and galvo scanning heads create one of the most effective lasers for surface processing
- Compact size, can be used as a stationary system or implemented into a moving mechanism or robot
- Control Industry standard, easy to apply into industrial lines, robots and CNC machines
- Minimal maintenance, no consumable parts
- Low supply voltage 12-48V improves safety
- Visible wavelength improves workers awareness and safety
- Remarkably high wall plug efficiency
- Cost-effective thanks to all of the above
Opt Lasers Blue Galvo Engraving Laser Head
Opt Lasers is capable of providing high-power blue and violet (400 – 450nm) laser heads for galvanometric scanning heads. Besides laser heads we are capable of providing: galvo scan heads, f-theta focusing lenses with different working distances, controllers, laser diode drivers, mounts and adapters.
In house machine shop, laboratory, engineering department and production line allow us to quickly move from an idea, to a prototype and a final product.
Applications
Food processing/Labeling/Marking
Almost all organic / natural materials are characterized by high absorption of blue (450nm) light. Thanks to this, engraving and surface processing of many organic materials is possible. It is possible to engrave fruit and vegetables, as well as nut shells, leaves, roots and branches. Different effects are possible depending on the engraving speed. The compact design allows the engraving system to be mounted on conveyor belts and the long working distance helps to keep the optical system clean.
Plants, crops and weed laser processing
Blue light has a high absorption by organic matter and it’s proven by research that blue lasers can be successfully used to destroy unwanted plants and shoots, as well as weed seeds. The installation of compact laser systems allows to fight against weeds and control crops without using pesticides. This solution is much more environmentally friendly due to the elimination of pesticides, and significantly reduces fuel consumption, because the machines do not have to return and transport a huge amount of spray to the growing area. Thanks to the high mechanical stability of the Opt Lasers engraving system, it does not require tuning and is resistant to vibration. The thermal conductivity of organic materials allows the use of high power lasers with an increased laser spot.
Wood, ceramics, plastics, and metal engraving
Similar to the use of standard blue laser heads, such a galvanometric system can be used to engrave a variety of materials, such as wood ceramics, plastics and metals. The speed of engraving and the effect will depend on the parameters of the laser beam, i.e. the laser module itself, its power and optical parameters, and the scanning parameters. Raster or vector engraving is possible depending on the effect needed.
Thin materials, textiles and films cutting
Galvanometric scanning systems from Opt Lasers are perfect for cutting thin materials such as films, foils or textiles. Heat shrinkable materials, thermally conductive pads, paper and textile filters, protective films or foils used in industry often require precise cutting to the element with which they will work. Textile fabrics, nets, mats or artificial and natural leather also require similar preparation. Laser cutting is invaluable in such situations, and the compactness of the entire system facilitates its installation in machines and production lines.
Laser Soldering and Welding
Blue lasers are ideal for working with materials that have a high absorption rate of short wavelengths in the visible light range. Materials that show much higher absorption compared to infrared lasers include brass, copper, nickel, gold and titanium. With blue lasers, it is possible to weld copper with gold and solder with metal binders such as tin. Very often in these processes the power delivered to the material is important, and the power density of the laser is less important. Therefore, it is possible to use a laser with a larger beam focused to a larger spot size, but with much higher power.
Laser Powder Sintering
Selective laser sintering is one of the most promising additive manufacturing technology technologies with great possibilities. However, some applications are limited by absorption of NIR lasers which are used in SLS and SLA machines. Thanks to the short wavelength, laser sintering is possible for many different materials which are hard or impossible to sinter with NIR and IR lasers. Additionally, higher additive manufacturing precision can be obtained with blue and violet lasers due to the nature of shorter wavelengths.
Product Line Specifications
| Item | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Optical Power | 2 to 50 W |
| Center Wavelength | 405 / 445 / 525 nm |
| Working Distance | 120 - 360 mm (4.2-14.2") |
| Beam Spot Width | <50 - 1000 µm (0.0019 - 0.039") |
| Weight | 3 - 5kg (4.4 - 11 lbs.) |
| PSU Voltage | 12 - 24 VDC |
| Modulation Bandwidth | 100 kHz |
What is a Galvanometer optical scanner?
Galvanometric scan head, often called galvo, at its core consists of a set of motorized mirrors that deflect the input beam. Due to such design the scan head doesn’t need to be moved to change the position of the beam, as is the case with, for example, CNC machines, which increases the precision of beam positioning. Most galvos have two such rotating mirrors, allowing the beam to move on the XY plane. This movement is fast and highly repeatable, which makes galvo scanners ideal for use in, among others, industrial marking, welding or cutting.
What is an F-Theta Lens?
F-theta lenses are special, multi-element design lenses (objectives) that displace the outgoing beam proportionally to the product of focal length and scan angle (f•θ). As a result, the focal point is always located at the same height (in contrast to spherical lenses that image on a circular plane). High quality lenses maintain a largely unchanged spot size throughout the whole marking area. By using a lens with a short focal length the working distance can be very short, decreasing the size of the entire system, while a long focal length will result in a large working area.
How does it work?
Customizable Galvo Laser System Features
Whenever you need a custom or customized galvo laser system or galvo laser source, our team will thoughtfully design a model that matches your individual needs and surpasses your expectations. Consequently, you will get a product that gives you unrivaled process efficiency and lets you outperform your competition.
Our galvo laser systems can be customized with respect to the following features:
- Full customization of our range
- Custom galvo laser power and/or wavelength
- Possibility of optical output with multiple wavelengths
- Custom optics, optomechanics or electronics
- Custom beam characteristics
- Shape or weight optimization
- Active or passive cooling
- Possibility of private labeling
- Custom working distance and working area
- Manual or motorised linear guide column
- Possibility of a galvo controller that can also act as a 3-axis CNC machine motion controller
- Increased Maximum Operating Temperature
Custom Galvo Laser Applications:
- Targeting peak power absorption for unrivaled performance
- Targeting a specific working distance or working area
- Operating temperature targeting (e.g. higher operating temperature)
- Operating environment targeting (e.g. aqueous work environment)
If you are interested in learning more about our galvo systems or have any questions about our products and services, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our knowledgeable and friendly team is always available to help you find the best solution for your application.