Beam expander + beam combiner

[Tech_Marco]

FYI, it may take more than 10 days as the manufacture don't have it in stock. Instead, they will custom made for me. So, I'll be expecting 3 weeks. I don't know the price yet as lens is bigger now.

Let me now if you guys need 2X or 3X.

Marco

[Guldberg]

A 2x 10/25 mm would be great. This would work on both our machine and the one we will build based on the XLE 900 XY table

[liaoh75]

Hi Marco,

I'll take the same.

David

[Tech_Marco]

Long story short, 10mm/25mm need special order and expensive. For 2X, it's $250 and $315 for 3X expander.
But, if it's 10mm/19mm, it's $145 and $175 for 2X and 3X respectively.

Remember that for a 100W laser tube, the laser beam diameter could be as big as 6~7mm while a 130W Reci tube is 8~9mm.

So, please update me if anyone still need it

Marco

[baccus61]

Hi Guldberg,
When you get a beam combiner for your laser you will need a glass lens for your red pointer. All the small laser pointers I have bought have had acrylic lenses in them and the beam combiner lens reflects a certain amount of laser beam back into the pointer which melts the lens. I have melted 5 lenses on my pointer in the last year but only if I set the power over 50 watts. I have a good quality coated beam combiner lens from IVII optics. (or Coherent)
Get a pointer lens made for the 3-5 watt high powered hand held green laser pointers. (banned here in Australia) The ones I bought have, I think, 5 or 7 elements in them which seems like they are pretty well built.

Since I have replaced mine I haven't had any problems with the pointer yet and it's been 4 months. I don't run my 100 watt tube over 80 watts so you might have issues with your 150 watt one. I hope not though.

Marco might be able to order some glass lenses for his pointers which I think are 9mm but he will have to check that first.

I have a 1200 x 850 table and haven't used the whole lot for cutting yet so I am unsure if I need a beam expander or not. I will keep an eye on this thread and see what you guys like and don't like about them. My focusing lenses are 18mm so I might just scrape in with a 2x expander if I wanted one.
Rich.

[Tech_Marco]

See current 2X and 3X beam expander.

2X: 10mm/10mm lens (in/out)
3X: 10mm/19mm lens (in/out)

I was told that there was 2.5x available with 10mm/28mm lens.
Also, another model of 2x is available with 10mm/19mm lens


Marco

[Tech_Marco]

Hi Guldberg,
When you get a beam combiner for your laser you will need a glass lens for your red pointer. All the small laser pointers I have bought have had acrylic lenses in them and the beam combiner lens reflects a certain amount of laser beam back into the pointer which melts the lens. I have melted 5 lenses on my pointer in the last year but only if I set the power over 50 watts. I have a good quality coated beam combiner lens from IVII optics. (or Coherent)
Get a pointer lens made for the 3-5 watt high powered hand held green laser pointers. (banned here in Australia) The ones I bought have, I think, 5 or 7 elements in them which seems like they are pretty well built.

Since I have replaced mine I haven't had any problems with the pointer yet and it's been 4 months. I don't run my 100 watt tube over 80 watts so you might have issues with your 150 watt one. I hope not though.

Marco might be able to order some glass lenses for his pointers which I think are 9mm but he will have to check that first.

I have a 1200 x 850 table and haven't used the whole lot for cutting yet so I am unsure if I need a beam expander or not. I will keep an eye on this thread and see what you guys like and don't like about them. My focusing lenses are 18mm so I might just scrape in with a 2x expander if I wanted one.
Rich.

Currently I have a piece of sample. If interested, I'll post it here.
Also, I'm working a deal with the opti company for providing more specail lens and mirrors. And the combiner lens is on my wish list


Marco

[Guldberg]

Im still in for a 10/25 expander

[Guldberg]

Any news on the expander? Could really use one.

[Tech_Marco]

Can't be that quick as they are customizing it for me. New moding and new tooling all counted. At least take a month to do it.

Marco

[Guldberg]

Okay. Just blew our RECI w6 yesterday, so needed to make an order. We will get it on the next order then.

[Tech_Marco]

Blew your W6 ?! How many hrs it last? Where did you buy it? From me?

Marco

[Tech_Marco]

Folks, beam combiner of 20mm and 25mm arrived. The lens mount was ordered and it should come in about 2~ 3 weeks

A new design of 2X and 2.5X beam expander also came and it's so beautiful. See the picture of the 2.5X!!

[TimGS]

• Where do you install the Beam Expander?
  Do you have any "installed Beam Expander" Pictures?
  What Size Beam expander would one need for an 80W Reci tube?
  What Size would the Mirrors have to be?
  What Size would the Focus lens have to be?
  Do you sell the Lenses as a set/kit?
  Does the professional head that comes with your "XLE 600*900 X-Y Stages complete kit for DIY CO2 Laser" need any modifications to use a Beam Expander?

Thank You for your help and the education

[Tech_Marco]

Here is an artical sent from my customer (Jacob) to discusse what is beam expander

http://www.eurolaser.com/products/syste ... omponents/

I don't have a picture for a machine with beam expander installed but I'm planning to build one with my XLE1200X1800 stage. I want to use it to cut aluminum with special attachment. It's going to be my next project

It's up to your call to determine what size of beam expander you need. For a 80W Reci tube, the beam diameter is about 7mm~8mm
Assuming you use "2X", so the beam after the expander is going tobe 16mm. When a 25mm reflection mirror is installed, the area that can cover by putting 45 degree is Cos(45') x 25 = 25mm x 0.707 = 17.6mm. (note, this is my assumption by using trigonometry Sin Cos theory). But, a 20mm lens will get you 14mm and it's not enough to cover the 16mm beam. So, a 18mm ZnSe focus lens is barely to fit the beam. So, I'll go for 20mm ZnSe focus lens and it's perfect for using 25mm mirror set and the 25mm/20mm laser head

I just imported 2.5X, 2X beam expander. 1.5X is coming also per a customer request. The mount for the beam expander can be customized by using your laser machine on aryclic. Its quite easy to do it.

The XY stages comes with it's laser head mount and it's solid make. You need to create your own mount for the beam expander. It is easy as the beam expander is always having a case to contain the lens set


Marco