Laser Safety - Ventilation, Care, and Not So Common Sense
The first concern of operating any machine is that the operator and surrounding persons are not in any danger.
Please be safe...!!! Keep all access doors closed during operation. Wear Laser-Safety glasses whenever an access panel is open and the machine is powered. Do not use paper for aligning the laser path. Paper burns and catches fire too easily. Please use a thin wooden plate, plastic sheet, plexiglass, or cardboard.
As an owner or operator of the machine, you must ensure that the machine area is properly ventilated. The laser machine works by method of using light energy to obliterate materials in the path of the light beam. The obliterated materials become fumes, gas, and/or micron-sized particles. The fumes, gas, and particles will have an identifiable smell and may be respirable such that they could cause nausea and sickness. Proper ventilation must be observed to ensure no harm to persons in the areas.
If you smell gas (any combustible gas ..such as propane), do not operate the laser machine. The laser light would be more dangerous than an open flame. The condensed light of the laser would be expected to ignite a combustible gas.
Our second concern is that the machine is protected from danger of a damaged device.
Do NOT over-ride any of the safety interlocks! The safety interlocks ensure that the laser will not fire in the situation that could injure an operator or damage the machine. The laser machines may have multiple safety interlocks. The main access panel has a limit switch to detect when the door is opened. The laser machine will complete movements, but the laser will not fire.
The Water pump system has a flow detect to ensure water is being pumped through the laser tube. If the flow detector fails, does not detect water pressure then the laser will not fire. Bypassing the flow detector could leave your laser tube vulnerable to damage by overheating without the cooling water.
Do not access the laser tube and electronics panels during operation. The laser tube and electronics panels contain voltages that may be dangerous to a person. The laser power supply generates exceedingly high voltage in order to excite the CO2 gas inside the laser tube. The laser light itself is a radiation that will cause damage to materials in the local area. Direct or indirect exposure is expected to cause extreme acute damage to all materials. With the safety system and sealed enclosure, the laser system is safe and has been tested to NOT harm the operator.
Do not place materials or appendages in the path of the laser light beam. The laser light beam is not as focused until it passes through the focal lens, but is still dangerous enough to cause fire and acute permanent damage to materials which it may contact.
Do not place materials or appendages in the path of the moving axis. Materials placed in the path of the moving axis cause collisions in which the axis or components of the axis get damaged. Binding or misalignment of the axis and laser path can occur due to collision.
Make sure the axis limit switches are accessible and not obstructed. The machine may be reset and told to go home. During the home routine, the limit switches are required for telling the machines its end of travel. Without the proper operation of the limit switches, the machine will attempt to continue motion and may damage itself.
Our third concern is that the you have the proper supplies handy.
Check out our suggested tools and supplies to keep your laser in top-notch shape.
