Abstract
The output of high power lasers used for material processing presents extreme radiation hazards. In normal operation this hazard is removed by the use of local shielding to prevent accidental exposure and system design to ensure efficient coupling of radiation into the workpiece. Faults in laser beam delivery or utilization can give rise to hazardous levels of laser radiation. A passive hazard control strategy requires that the laser system be enclosed such that the full laser power cannot burn through the housing under fault conditions. Usually this approach is too restrictive. Instead, active control strategies can be used in which a fault condition is detected and the laser cut off. This reduces the requirements for protective housing. In this work a distinction is drawn between reactive and proactive strategies. Reactive strategies rely on detecting the effects of an errant laser beam, whereas proactive strategies can anticipate as well as detect fault conditions. This can avoid the need for a hazardous situation to exist. A proactive strategy in which the laser beam is sampled at the final turning mirror is described in this work. Two control systems have been demonstrated; the first checks that beam power is within preset limits, the second monitors incoming beam power and position, and the radiation reflected back from the cutting head. In addition to their safety functions the accurate monitoring of power provides an additional benefit to the laser user.
Published Version
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