The final lens is what is known as an F-theta lens, a lens which is constructed in a manner which allows it to have a flat focal plane as well as having a linear relationship between focal length and scanning angle. It must have been an incredible challenge to develop such a lens, as from what I have read a traditional flat field lens will impart nonlinearity in the scanning angle as the focal length changes, resulting in angular error which scales as tanθ over the change in focal length.
I could watch that laser engrave all day! My laser engraver is very cheap and moves the whole laser assembly along the X/Y axes, it's amazing how quickly and effortlessly the proper ones do their job.
its very common for industrial power supplies to be designed for parallel use. they often have a sense terminal to allow for even load sharing. using them in parallel is sometimes more economical and easier to integrate than getting the next size up.
The hard coax "hairpin" transformers on each side of the FET pair are used as transformers. The one on the left is to feed the gates. and the one on the right is the output.
that galvo board @21:15 looks like a "Cambridge Technology Dual Servo Driver 673 Series" we have used those a bunch at work, they are calibrated to the galvo they drive, you even order them as a complete set. Doing the calibration of all those pots takes hours because they all influence each other
Nice transformer voodoo in the RF PA. From the single-ended exciter to the AB pair that'll be your input balun then after the PA there's the output balun (see how one end is grounded). The long coax in combination with the inductor looks like a low pass filter, but there's probably some shunt matching goodness happening too as the RF then heads straight into the cavity feedthrough. Can't see a bridge in there for measuring reflected power but I suspect there are some penetrations into the cavity to sniff for feedback.
from my days messing with CB radio amplifiers, those solid coax loops either side of the transistor are likely transformers to match impedance in and out. usually they would be a ferrrite core deal . the other coax along the top side of the casing looks like phase matching, just a length of line.
I have seen batteries in galvo motor controllers before. I have also seen them in CNC controllers so they can keep counting the encoders when the machine is off so it does not need to ever rehome, that being said it seems like rehoming a galvo would take just a second at most.
I took apart a Inkjet based version of a Markem Imaje unit. Beautiful internals. Also had a very nice 400W 24V power transformer for the heating elements in the ink tank and print head. The unit had water dripped on it and many of the ICs had corrosion. Got it free
@@RicoElectrico No, next to the black connector (I believe it's a mini-fit jr.). Also visible at 21:21. It has a small 2 legged (ultra-mini-SIP?) type devices glued on the side closest to the camera, which is probably a thermistor or perhaps a diode used for temp sensing.
Always enjoy your videos. If you could slow the camera movements down a smidge that would be awesome. I figure you are in a hurry/busy but lots of the interesting stuff is a blur to me
Sweet! Looks like a good score, especially with the controllers! The optics in these cost £££ new! The Synrad and similar heads are really nice, great as benchtop Lasers!
Would imagine that device would of had intensive EMI testing. Loved seeing the wrecked electronics, looking at PCBs always reminds me of how big cities work on a mini scale.
These are some of the fastest marking lasers in the industry. The company is part of Dover Diversified, the same company which once made elevators and also owns the world's largest producer of petrol dispensing components (OPW).
We had a few Markem printers at my previous job but they were thermal inkjet. As you mentioned there is a lot of support built in for automated conveyor belt labelling applications. The Markem controller enclosures seem to be pretty well made; nice brushed stainless with hinged cover to allow easy access.
Theoretically you can get rf tubes refilled ( not that I ever foiund anyone to do it) so potentially you can recharge them and bring them back to full power again. Equally, a 30w laser has the cutting power of a 50-60w due to the beam being much finer, making them ideal for engraving. Im so jealous right now :D
The coax might be some weird impedance coaxial cable doing impedance transformation to match the impedance of the laser tube to the impedance of the rf output fet. The coax next tonthe fet is for sure the 180 degree phase shift push pull transformer for thr two halves of the FET. Rather common topology on vhf amplifiers
I started work experience in the 80's operating a Markem machine, putting the type numbers on IC's. But that was an ink stamping machine! But do slow the cam down, I watched this on my big lounge telly and half way through I felt dizzy.
Yeah these lasers have a constant power and you only can PWM them. For laser cutters you can also adjust the PWM frequency, like in the Zing 40 Watt laser cutter.
The Coherent lasers have no digital interfaces. There's power, an enabling signal, sometimes an interlock, and a PWM input that you "tickle" at a very small duty cycle(either for pre-ionization or just signal presence), and then go up to actually lase. Power is exclusively PWM, and that's passed through to the beam.
What was the RF amplifier section (the large white package with golden tabs with xformers above and below it)? Does it run very high frequency (RF) to the tube rather than DC?
Possibly the damaged one was used in a food-related industry, perhaps something with grain? Otherwise I doubt there would be much reason for the critters to nestle up in a bearing factory.
Very interesting, those connectors are chunky and pricey. The case for the laser is a very nice bit of CNC work. Lots of storys about the birds, are they from the film studios, a zoo, or a bird breeder? They are spreading out a little father than they once did too. Great video
I get your feelings about the fans. However to be fair, they are Sanyo Denki fans. Those are about as good as it gets. They are basically guarenteed by the manufacturer to last at least 70,000 hours at 40C ambient. They'll almost certainly outlive the tube.
These things are the bane of every tool user's existence. Markings become unreadable with the slightest bit of rust, grease, etc. Embossing is much better!
I find that if I make the video small on my screen, so that there's lots of unmoving screen contents surrounding the video with crazy movement, it's far easier to watch.
Putting a raw chicken drumstick in the beam would be a great way to show what it would do to a hand if it were to get in the way. My bet is on 3rd degree burn. 😮
*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. I used gemini-1.5-pro-exp-0827 on rocketrecap dot com to summarize the transcript. Cost (if I didn't use the free tier): $0.04 Input tokens: 25465 Output tokens: 701
I tend to say that youtubers are caring about their AV gear too much but here I agree. There is so much interesting detail in stuff Mike's showing. Better picture quality would be much anticipated
Always a pleasure to watch another of your teardown vids Mike. I learn something every time.
The final lens is what is known as an F-theta lens, a lens which is constructed in a manner which allows it to have a flat focal plane as well as having a linear relationship between focal length and scanning angle. It must have been an incredible challenge to develop such a lens, as from what I have read a traditional flat field lens will impart nonlinearity in the scanning angle as the focal length changes, resulting in angular error which scales as tanθ over the change in focal length.
Yay, a video from Mike 🎉
I could watch that laser engrave all day! My laser engraver is very cheap and moves the whole laser assembly along the X/Y axes, it's amazing how quickly and effortlessly the proper ones do their job.
its very common for industrial power supplies to be designed for parallel use. they often have a sense terminal to allow for even load sharing. using them in parallel is sometimes more economical and easier to integrate than getting the next size up.
4:00: You hit the first test line perfectly by just pulling the sheet around. Well done.
The hard coax "hairpin" transformers on each side of the FET pair are used as transformers. The one on the left is to feed the gates. and the one on the right is the output.
that galvo board @21:15 looks like a "Cambridge Technology Dual Servo Driver 673 Series" we have used those a bunch at work, they are calibrated to the galvo they drive, you even order them as a complete set. Doing the calibration of all those pots takes hours because they all influence each other
Nice transformer voodoo in the RF PA. From the single-ended exciter to the AB pair that'll be your input balun then after the PA there's the output balun (see how one end is grounded). The long coax in combination with the inductor looks like a low pass filter, but there's probably some shunt matching goodness happening too as the RF then heads straight into the cavity feedthrough. Can't see a bridge in there for measuring reflected power but I suspect there are some penetrations into the cavity to sniff for feedback.
from my days messing with CB radio amplifiers, those solid coax loops either side of the transistor are likely transformers to match impedance in and out. usually they would be a ferrrite core deal . the other coax along the top side of the casing looks like phase matching, just a length of line.
I have seen batteries in galvo motor controllers before. I have also seen them in CNC controllers so they can keep counting the encoders when the machine is off so it does not need to ever rehome, that being said it seems like rehoming a galvo would take just a second at most.
Galvos have a absolute position feedback, no need to home them.
I took apart a Inkjet based version of a Markem Imaje unit. Beautiful internals. Also had a very nice 400W 24V power transformer for the heating elements in the ink tank and print head. The unit had water dripped on it and many of the ICs had corrosion. Got it free
21:50 Interesting to see they even fitted some temperature sensors on the power connectors. Nice touch!
Do you mean that thing next to the white Molex connector? That's a loop style test point.
@@RicoElectrico No, next to the black connector (I believe it's a mini-fit jr.). Also visible at 21:21.
It has a small 2 legged (ultra-mini-SIP?) type devices glued on the side closest to the camera, which is probably a thermistor or perhaps a diode used for temp sensing.
Always enjoy your videos. If you could slow the camera movements down a smidge that would be awesome. I figure you are in a hurry/busy but lots of the interesting stuff is a blur to me
I try to use a tripod where possible but was very short of space here
Sweet! Looks like a good score, especially with the controllers! The optics in these cost £££ new! The Synrad and similar heads are really nice, great as benchtop Lasers!
I work at a botteling plant , we use them for coding bottles, they are never turner off
Would imagine that device would of had intensive EMI testing. Loved seeing the wrecked electronics, looking at PCBs always reminds me of how big cities work on a mini scale.
These are some of the fastest marking lasers in the industry. The company is part of Dover Diversified, the same company which once made elevators and also owns the world's largest producer of petrol dispensing components (OPW).
We had a few Markem printers at my previous job but they were thermal inkjet. As you mentioned there is a lot of support built in for automated conveyor belt labelling applications. The Markem controller enclosures seem to be pretty well made; nice brushed stainless with hinged cover to allow easy access.
Theoretically you can get rf tubes refilled ( not that I ever foiund anyone to do it) so potentially you can recharge them and bring them back to full power again. Equally, a 30w laser has the cutting power of a 50-60w due to the beam being much finer, making them ideal for engraving. Im so jealous right now :D
The coax might be some weird impedance coaxial cable doing impedance transformation to match the impedance of the laser tube to the impedance of the rf output fet. The coax next tonthe fet is for sure the 180 degree phase shift push pull transformer for thr two halves of the FET. Rather common topology on vhf amplifiers
Cool, we have the c350's at work. Always wanted to see a more indepth teardown. Thanks!
Check the caps on the pc processor card. They are buggers for bursting
The driver board is an old Cambridge Technology Dual Servo Driver 673 Series with 6200H Galvanometers (Cambridge Technology is now Novanta Photonics)
Make some fake-labelled ICs with it!
Beat me to the same comment 😅
Remark TL082 as OPA1633
???
profit
Nice, thank you... Glad to see you doing Laser stuff more...
Those lengths of coax either side of the power transistor in the PSU will be 1/4 wave impedance matching sections.
these are made in my home town, they definitely underpay the factory workers once you consider the cost of these units
good to know these vhf transistors have beryllium in them, take care ;) .. thanks for the video !!!
I started work experience in the 80's operating a Markem machine, putting the type numbers on IC's. But that was an ink stamping machine! But do slow the cam down, I watched this on my big lounge telly and half way through I felt dizzy.
I love the RF activated tubes, I almost got to take a 90W one home that had died but I managed to fix the machine lol
Yeah these lasers have a constant power and you only can PWM them. For laser cutters you can also adjust the PWM frequency, like in the Zing 40 Watt laser cutter.
The Coherent lasers have no digital interfaces. There's power, an enabling signal, sometimes an interlock, and a PWM input that you "tickle" at a very small duty cycle(either for pre-ionization or just signal presence), and then go up to actually lase. Power is exclusively PWM, and that's passed through to the beam.
What was the RF amplifier section (the large white package with golden tabs with xformers above and below it)? Does it run very high frequency (RF) to the tube rather than DC?
Most of these are in the VHF band. The round white part is the preamp and the rectangle is a dual FET package.
Possibly the damaged one was used in a food-related industry, perhaps something with grain? Otherwise I doubt there would be much reason for the critters to nestle up in a bearing factory.
Not got a clue aout any of this but I do like to see in thing that I won’t get to see in
11:35 I have a Scanlab galvo from a 150W Nd-Yag 523NM laser with the normal F-theta lens, Scanlab are a known brand in the field.
I wonder if theis laser is powerfull enough to light etch copper to make DIY PCB ?
copper vapes are not very DIY imho
The driver board and glavos are made by Cambridge Technology.
EDIT: looks like they are now novanta photonics.
Very interesting, those connectors are chunky and pricey. The case for the laser is a very nice bit of CNC work.
Lots of storys about the birds, are they from the film studios, a zoo, or a bird breeder? They are spreading out a little father than they once did too. Great video
I get your feelings about the fans. However to be fair, they are Sanyo Denki fans. Those are about as good as it gets. They are basically guarenteed by the manufacturer to last at least 70,000 hours at 40C ambient. They'll almost certainly outlive the tube.
or until they get full of gunk
Could at least have filters on the fans that are cleanable.
WoopWoop! Laser teardown. =3
Peggle
so much analog goodness
17:15 Its so messed up to see parakeets in UK!
You buy the most awesome toys !
22:00 it looks like they're even measuring connector temperature!
nice thats some awesome great those coherent heads are the bees knees will last a long time
watching your videos makes me feel like a simpleton
You could have it draw a huge spiral, and make it into a video with Johnny Cash’s “Ring of 🔥 Fire” dubbed over it 🙃🙂
These things are the bane of every tool user's existence. Markings become unreadable with the slightest bit of rust, grease, etc. Embossing is much better!
I'm sure, this is a pretty interesting video, but I get motion sick very easily. So I have to skip this one 😀
I find that if I make the video small on my screen, so that there's lots of unmoving screen contents surrounding the video with crazy movement, it's far easier to watch.
Putting a raw chicken drumstick in the beam would be a great way to show what it would do to a hand if it were to get in the way.
My bet is on 3rd degree burn. 😮
a lot of infrared lasers will shoot straight through flesh as our bodies don't absorb much of it
Tattoo machine. Lol
PEW PEW PEW
*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.
I used gemini-1.5-pro-exp-0827 on rocketrecap dot com to summarize the transcript.
Cost (if I didn't use the free tier): $0.04
Input tokens: 25465
Output tokens: 701
Please buy a better camera or use your phone's camera
I tend to say that youtubers are caring about their AV gear too much but here I agree. There is so much interesting detail in stuff Mike's showing. Better picture quality would be much anticipated
ha, i used to work for markem imaje