the laser system would be used for cutting 1 mm-tick
filter-paper soaked in body fluids. The primary target of the project
was to investigate the possibility of replacing the customer's existing
mechanical cutter by the laser-assisted tool. Of particular importance
to the project's success was the ability of the laser system to
cut the organic material (paper) without igniting it. This condition
is more critical that in the metal processing systems, owing to
the poor thermal conductivity of the paper which promotes heat build-up
in the material. In addition, due to the short supply of biological
material, the width of the cut kerf needed to be well below 1 mm.
Modulight was entrusted with the design and assembly of the laser
system, optics, and drive electronics. We opted for a high power
diode laser system, encased in a fiber-pigtailed package. The
high performance laser design emerges from our well-established
high power product line, being akin to our already recognized
Watt-level laser bars. Following assembly, the system was subjected
to extensive tests and the results far exceeded the expectations.
With optimized parameters, the laser cutter produces 140 µm-wide
sharp cuts at a speed of 3 cm/s. We went even further on to develop
a complete robotic system that ensures a reliable and automatic
handling of the samples. This system is now under consideration
for field deployment by the customer.
For more information please contact our Application Engineer,
Dr. Matei Rusu matei.rusu@modulight.com.
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