Collimator and HPDFO

[Joseph Tovar]

Hi all,

I had a couple of quick question regarding the collimator that goes with the HPDFO lens for the ULS engravers. The instructions for the HPDFO states that the collimator is required for the HPDFO to work properly.

1)Can someone tell me what the collimator does and why it's required to use the HPDFO?

2)Once the the collimator is installed, will this accessory change the way laser operates with the standard 2" lens? In otherwords, I have settings saved for my defualt engraver, but with the collimator installed, will I need to create new settings?

Thanks!

[Scott Shepherd]

I can't answer #1, but for #2, the answer is "no, not really". I have it installed and do not use the HPDFO. It's said to make the beam more consistent across the entire table. I haven't noticed any changes needed on settings. Are you having an issue that would be causing you to install it? If so, what issues. I know the path we went down, so if it's the same thing, I can offer some suggestions.

[Dan Hintz]

Steve got #2, so I'll get #1...

The collimator takes a small, slightly increasing in diameter beam (say 6mm at the source), expands it to something larger (say 12mm), and keeps it uniform in diameter across the entire table.

[Joseph Tovar]

Thanks for the info guys...

-Scott, I'm not having any issues, at least not yet. I just picked up the HPDFO accessory and was just wondering if I would need to create new settings once the collimator was installed when just using my standard 2" lens. I've spent a lot of time creating many different custom settings for my materials and was hoping not to have to do it again. Just curious, but you said you have one installed, but don't use the HPDFO attachment. Any reason why you have the collimator then?

[Scott Shepherd]

Yes, we cut a lot of parts that have some critical dimensions on them, quite small, and they felt that the collimator would help in consistency across the table.

[John Noell]

Steve got #2, so I'll get #1...

The collimator takes a small, slightly increasing in diameter beam (say 6mm at the source), expands it to something larger (say 12mm), and keeps it uniform in diameter across the entire table.

I always thought a collimator narrowed the beam, not expanded. (Wikipedia thinks so also.)

[Joseph Tovar]

Yes, we cut a lot of parts that have some critical dimensions on them, quite small, and they felt that the collimator would help in consistency across the table.

Hi Scott,

What kinds of material and what type of graphics/work...Cutting, Scribing, or etching? Did you notice a difference after installing it? Do you have any before and after pics of the same work produced?

Thanks for your time.

[Dan Hintz]

I always thought a collimator narrowed the beam, not expanded. (Wikipedia thinks so also.)

From Wikipedia (ugh, I'm quoting Wikis ):

To "narrow" can mean either to cause the directions of motion to become more aligned in a specific direction (i.e. collimated or parallel) or to cause the spatial cross section of the beam to become smaller.

The collimator first widens the beam (cone shape), then it shrinks it again into a beam with parallel sides. This assures the beam power is the same across the entire table (assuming proper alignment of both beam and the focusing optics).

On that note, I keep meaning to look up ULS's patent on the HPDFO unit... I can't imagine they're patenting the action of collimating a beam, something that has been done by physicists for God knows how many years.

[Lee DeRaud]

On that note, I keep meaning to look up ULS's patent on the HPDFO unit... I can't imagine they're patenting the action of collimating a beam, something that has been done by physicists for God knows how many years.

According to this, since 1865.