35 mw HeNe Laser Ballast Resistor Insulation Upgrade Instructions

Transcription

1 35 mw HeNe Laser Ballast Resistor Insulation Upgrade Instructions

2 A video that demonstrates the laser upgrade process can be found at: instructions

3 General Notes Please contact Brian Turner with any questions Office phone: Take detailed notes and photos Make sure you can go backwards at any point to restore laser Take appropriate safety precautions Do not perform disassembly or assembly to a laser that is plugged in Take appropriate precautions to insure no laser exposure to eyes or skin The laser tube has substantial glass material and is fragile Take care not to break glass The HV modules output in excess of 3 KV

4 Supplies and Tools in Kit 2 Insulating tubes 1 Loctite Superflex Red 80 ml tube 1 Spacer 2 LABEL 35 MW SIDE PANEL 1 TAPE, KAPTON, 1" 1 Drilled Spanner Screwdriver for Number 6 Cushion-Grip Screwdriver Number 2 Phillips, 8-1/2" Overall Length DEG 6-32 TAMPER-RESISTANT SCREW 12 FHCS 100 deg 6-32 x 3/16" 1 Needle-nosed pliers 8 5/64 cap screw 1 5/64" Hex L-key 2 1/16 hex ball driver Users will need to have a razor blade or sharp knife, scissors and a selfsupporting diffusive surface to use as a beam block on hand

5 Introduction: Definitions to get spatially oriented In this document, FRONT is defined by the end of the system where the laser light emerges. BACK indicates the electrical input, key switch and fan. Back Front Laser Output

6 Step 1: Remove top cover Unplug laser at wall and at back panel. Remove long sticker on each side of laser to expose Phillips head screws. Remove the six Phillips head screws along the seam of each side. Do not remove the screw near the back end. (indicated in green) Remove the 5 security screws from the front aperture plate. Carefully remove the aperture plate by pulling the plate forward. Remove the two security screws on the back plate. Carefully remove the top cover by pulling upwards. Set top cover aside Remove Screws from aperture plate Remove Screws from back plate

7 Step 2: Remove bottom cover Carefully turn the laser on the side and remove feet and four security screws on the bottom of the laser. (see picture below) Leave back endplate circuitry attached. Remove the bottom cover and set aside. Turn the laser back to upright position for the next operation.

8 CAUTION! The HV pin (anode pin) is a fragile glass to metal seal. Care must be used in the following steps! Anode pin FRAGILE

9 Step 3: Disengage Back HV lead from Laser Tube Position the laser such that there is access to the underside of the dust cover. e.g. Rotate the laser on its side, put the laser on blocks, or hang the back portion of the laser off the end of a table. Starting from HV unit, find the thick red wire and trace it to the back end of the laser. (See picture of laser as example) HV red wire Dust cover Remove dust cover by pulling the cap straight off along the axis of the laser tube. Using knife or razor blade, cut along slot so the red HV wire can be removed. Take care not to cut or nick the red insulation of the wire. Using the supplied needle nosed pliers, remove red wire from anode pin by gently pulling the wire out along the same axis as the laser tube. Carefully cut and remove all the tie wraps and tape supporting the red HV wire. Remove all tape from the dust cover.

10 Step 4: Upgrade insulation on back end Slide short glass tube over the resistors attached to the red HV wire. Center the tube over the resistors. Using the supplied needle nosed pliers, carefully attach the red HV wire on the anode pin of the laser tube. The wire should be pushed gently along the axis of the laser tube. Use extreme caution as the anode pin is a glass to metal seal and extremely fragile! Used supplied tape to seal the slot of the dust cover. Insert end cap into open end of dust cover.

11 Step 5: Removal of front end stiffener assembly Using the supplied 5/32 hex allen key, remove four button screws from each side of the laser assembly. Remove the stiffener assembly by pulling it forward along the axis of the laser tube Stiffener assembly Remove 4 cap head screws Each side

12 Step 6: Disengage Front HV lead from Laser Tube Starting from HV unit, find the thick red wire and trace it to the back end of the laser. (See picture of laser as example) Dust cover HV red wire Using knife or razor blade, cut along slot so the red HV wire can be removed. Take care not to cut or nick the red insulation of the wire. Using the supplied needle nosed pliers, remove red wire from anode pin by gently pulling the wire out along the same axis as the laser tube. Carefully cut and remove all the tie wraps and tape supporting the red HV wire. Remove all tape from the dust cover.

13 Step 7: Upgrade insulation on front end Slide long glass tube over the resistors attached to the red HV wire. Center the tube over the resistors. Using the supplied needle nosed pliers, carefully attach the red HV wire on the anode pin of the laser tube. The wire should be pushed gently along the axis of the laser tube. Use extreme caution as the anode pin is a glass to metal seal and extremely fragile. Used supplied tape to seal the slot of the dust cover.

14 Step 8: Apply RTV Using supplied red RTV, place two portions of RTV next to the front HV supply as indicated. Set spacer on ledge between portions. Next place one portion of RTV on the back tube mount as indicated. SPACER RTV RTV

15 Step 9: Adhere and cure glass insulations tubes in place Set resistor tube on top of spacer and parallel to the ledge of the HV supply carrier as indicated in the picture. Ensure the front end of the tube does not protrude beyond the white dust cover Allow the RTV to cure for at least 12 hours. Remove spacer. Set resistor tube diagonally across the tube mount as indicated. Ensure the tube does not protrude laterally beyond the side walls of the laser chassis. Allow the RTV to cure for at least 12 hours.

16 Step 10: Test laser Place a beam block at front end of laser. Ensure that no wires are pinched underneath the laser chassis. Insert AC cord into back panel receptacle. Plug laser into AC power. Turn key switch. After about 10 seconds, visible glow should be observed from both dust covers and laser emission should be observed from front end. If no glow is observed, return to Step 5. If no glow is observed after second attempt contact REO. After testing, turn key switch off and unplug laser at wall and at back panel.

17 Step 11: Attach front end stiffener assembly Position the stiffener assembly by aligning tapped holes with through holes on laser chassis. Using the supplied 5/32 hex allen key, insert four button screws from each side of the laser assembly. Stiffener assembly Insert 4 cap head screws Each side

18 Step 12: Attach bottom cover Align the bottom cover with the laser chassis. Note that the holes in the bottom cover are closer to the front as compared to the back. Turn the laser and cover on the sides. In order to align holes, lift the laser chassis (not tube) relative to the bottom cover. (refer to lower right picture) Insert four(security) screws and four thread feet. Make sure security screws are tight.

19 Step 13: Attach top cover and end plates Inspect to make sure all wires are inside the laser housing and no wires will be pinched or cut by attaching the top cover. Insert the protruding portion of the front aperture plate into the dust cover. Use four security screws along the bottom of the front aperture plate to attach it to the stiffener assembly. Carefully place the top cover on the laser. Use one security screw on the top edge of the front aperture plate to attach it to the top cover. Use two security screws to on the back plate to attach to the top cover. Use six Phillips head screws on each side to attach the top cover to the bottom cover Adhere side label to each side of laser.

20 Step 14: Laser Power Optimization Locate the two access holes for the alignment screws. These are located on the side of the laser housing approximately 175mm from the back of the unit at the top edge of the side label. Insert one 1/16 hex ball driver into each access hole and set up the optical power meter to monitor the laser output levels. Carefully turn one of the adjustment screws enough to produce a measurable change in the laser output power. If the laser power increases, continue to turn the screw until a maximum power output is achieved. If the laser power decreases, turn the screw in the opposite direction until a maximum power output is achieved. Repeat the above steps for the second adjustment screw. Continue adjusting drivers iteratively until maximum power is reached.