Copyright: (c) 2004 New Wave Research


Contents
LaserExec Help Contents

Installation of LaserExec

Using LaserExec

Controls:

•	Interlock Indicators

•	Laser Fire Mode Button

•	Laser On Off Switch

•	Laser Output Control

•	Laser Rep Rate Control

•	Output Level Switch

•	PFN Voltage Control

•	Diode Current Control

•	Wavelength Selector

•	XY Aperture Controls

•	Status Display Panels

Settings:

•	Recalling Laser Settings

•	Saving Laser Settings


Installation

LaserExec is normally supplied with an installation program which will copy the necessary files to your computer and setup the shortcuts to the program in your Start menu. LaserExec runs on Windows 95, 98, NT4, and Windows 2000, and does not copy files into your computer's Windows or System directory.

LaserExec was developed in Object Pascal using Borland Delphi, and makes use of the New Wave Research Laser Software Developer's Kit. Contact New Wave Research for information on how you can develop your own software solutions to control our lasers.


Using LaserExec

When you select LaserExec from your Start menu, the program will start up and search the available serial ports (COM ports) on your computer, looking for a laser. Make sure the laser is connected to one of the computer's COM ports, and that the laser is turned on. If LaserExec doesn't find a laser, all the controls will be disabled. You can select Initialize from the Laser menu to make the program search the COM ports again and try to find and initialize the laser.


Laser On Off Switch

This switch turns the laser power supply on and off (it does NOT fire the laser). When the power supply is turned on, the coolant pump and fan will run. The switch will light up in bright yellow when the laser is on. The laser must be turned on for at least 10 seconds before it can be fired.


Laser Fire Mode Button

Used to select the laser firing mode. Click on the button to cycle through the choices, or click on the down arrow to pick a choice from the drop-down list. Available modes are:

•	Continuous - continuous pulse output at the current rep rate.

•	Burst - will fire a preset number of pulses at the current rep rate, and then stop. You can set the number of shots to fire by selecting Shots per Burst from the Laser menu, or by right-clicking on the mode button and choosing the Shots per Burst menu.

•	One-shot - will fire a single pulse.


Laser Fire Button

Press this button to initiate firing the laser. All safety interlocks must be satisfied, and the laser power supply must be on before the laser can be fired.


Laser Rep Rate Control

Sets the pulse-repetition rate of the laser. You can either click on the up/down arrows to increment/decrement the rep rate, or click on the button and then type in a value. The rep rate is only valid when the laser is in Continuous or Burst fire mode.


Output Range Switch

Some lasers are equipped with a optical filter wheel which has filters with two different levels of energy attenuation for each wavelength. On these lasers, the output range switch is used to switch between the High energy filter, and the Low energy filter, allowing for finer control of the laser energy at both the upper and lower range.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.


PFN Voltage Control

On some lasers, you can vary the PFN (pulse forming network) voltage to control the output energy of the laser. Use the up/down arrows to increment/decrement the voltage, or click on the control and type in a value.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.


Diode Current Controls

On some lasers, you can vary the diode current to control the output energy of the laser. Use the up/down arrows to increment/decrement the current, or click on the control and type in a value.

Only diode-pumped lasers have diode current controls.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.


Laser Output Control

Use this control to set the laser output energy to a value between 0% (minimum output) and 100% (maximum output). You click on the up/down arrows to change the output level, or click on the control and type in a value.


Wavelength Selector

On lasers with multiple output wavelengths, click directly on this control to switch wavelengths, or click on the down arrow to select the wavelength from a drop-down list.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.


Interlock Indicators

These indicators will light up when one of the safety or status interlocks is activated. In general, the laser cannot be fired while any of these interlocks are activated.  In addition, the laser will automatically stop firing if an interlock trips while the laser is firing. The individual interlocks are:

•	START - This indicator will light up in green while the laser power supply is initializing, after being turned on. The laser cannot be fired while this indicator is lit.

•	FLOW - Lights up in red when there is insufficient coolant flow in the laser. It is normal for this indicator to be activated when the laser power supply is off, since there is no coolant flow in that situation.

•	TEMP - When activated, this indicator will be red, signaling that the laser has overheated.

•	EXT (External) - Indicates that the user-defined external interlock on the back of the laser power supply has been activated. This interlock must normally be shorted (electrically closed) to be satisfied.

•	WORK - Another user-defined interlock on the back of the laser. This interlock must normally be shorted (electrically closed) to be satisfied.

The optional indicators below are physically grouped with the above interlock indicators, but they do not represent true interlock conditions.

•	Burst lock (Air-cooled lasers only)- lights up in yellow when laser is cooling down after a burst of shots.

•	Coolant Low (Option for QuikLaze/Polaris models with firmware 4.00 and later)- lights up in yellow when coolant is low.  This is a warning, rather than an error condition.  The laser will still continue to run in this condition, until there is an interlock condition, such as a flow or temperature interlock.  The purpose of this status indicator is to provide advance warning before the laser reaches an inoperable state.


Status Display Panels

These panels display status information, such as the shot counter, laser hour counter, temperature reading, and coolant flow rate.

Not all these status values are supported by all lasers, so your display may vary from the example.


Saving Laser Settings

You can save all the current settings (laser energy, wavelength, mode, rep rate etc...) by choosing Save Settings... from the File menu and typing in a file name.


Recalling Laser Settings

You can recall a set of saved settings (laser energy, wavelength, mode, rep rate etc...) by choosing Recall Settings from the File menu and choosing a file. When recalled, the laser is setup to match the recalled settings.


XY Aperture Controls

On systems equipped with XY shutter apertures, use these controls to set the shutter positions. 0% = fully closed, 100% = fully opened.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.


Rotary Polarizer

On systems equipped with a rotary polarizer, this control will adjust the rotation in two degree increments.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.


LED Illuminator

On systems equipped with an LED illuminator, this control will adjust the brightness in .5% increments.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.


Pulse Mode Control

On systems that support long pulse mode, this control will toggle between long pulse and short pulse mode.

THIS CONTROL WILL ONLY APPEAR IF YOUR LASER IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY OPTIONS.