NWR EzLaze
John McMaster's notes from repairing and calibrating misc units. For more information contact john@mcmaster.tech
Note: New Wave Research was acquired by Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. (ESI)
Contents
Tilt plate
These often get separated from units so we made some reproductions. Want one? Contact john@mcmaster.tech
Variations:
- An LCS-II: observe 2 mounting screws
- An ezlaze: observe 3 or so mounting screws
An LCS-II unit:
- Ball bearing
- 4.73 mm (0.19" => probably 3/16")
- Maybe this
- Pivot set screws
- Qty: 2
- Use 2.5 mm driver
- Special machined screw w/ bearing on end
- Bearing: 3.3 mm OD (0.13")
- Thread: M5
- Total length: 9.3 mm
- Threaded length: 7.2 mm
- Material: stainless
- Kevin: glue ball bearing on the end
- 4 mm bearings
- Spring SHCS
- Qty: 2
- M4 x 20 mm
- Material: stainless
- Belleville washers: 14
- Arrange as 7 pairs stacked against each other
- Maybe this would work?
- Material thickness: 0.46 mm (0.018")
- Total thickness: 0.67 mm (0.026")
- ID: 4.33 mm (0.17")
- OD: 8.4 mm (0.33")
- Set screws
- Qty: 2
- Use 2.0 mm driver
- M4 x 8 mm
- Material: black steel
Objective
Canonical objective for these is Mitutoyo M Plan Apo. Could something else work?
Candidates:
- Search terms
- "M Plan Apo"
- LWD objective
- long working distance objective
- Mitutoyo M Plan Apo
- B&L Industrial
- Wrong thread
- Not infinity
- Seem to have a weird design, as explained in the US3471218A patent
- ...but cheap and might be good enough
- Optem
- Seiwa
- Sigma Koki
- USMCO
- USMC
- V-Technology
- New Wave
- As in NWR? Are these intended for ezlaze?
- Correct Tokyo (Seiwa)
- Olympus BHM
- Correct thread size
- Very cheap
- Incorrect focus length (180mm, instead of 200mm)
- LWD variants
- LWD M S Plan
- 20x (WD=7mm)
- 50x (WD=3mm)
- LWD M S Plan
- non-LWD variants with maybe enough working distance (only 20x and up)
- M S Plan
- 20x (WD=3mm)
- 50x (WD=0.47mm)
- M D Plan
- 20x (WD=1mm)
- M D Ach
- 20x (WD=1.1mm)
- 50x (WD=0.45mm)
- Neo S Plan
- 20x (WD=3mm)
- 50x (WD=0.5mm)
- Neo D Plan
- 20x (WD=1mm)
- M S Plan
To test:
- Inspect objective
- Run image quality test (MTF?)
- Long duration test...maybe 1000 shots at max power?
- Inspect objective
- Run image quality test (MTF?)
Results
Compatible:
- Mitutoyo M Plan Apo
Okay (seem compatible from initial testing, but no extensive tests done):
- ...
Incompatible:
- Edmund Optics HR (source: McMaster tried the 10x)
Cabling
DB25
- Has a slot instead of a round cable hole
- 3M 3485-2300
Power connector
- Got blank shell and cut slot w/ hacksaw. Then melted new plastic in to close up the side
Noisy/slow crystal/filter selection investigation
Symptom: the filter wheel that contains wavelength selection and high/low takes longer to settle than usual and overshoots a few times before settling down
Thoughts:
- Motor problem?
- Pot problem?
- PID parameters can be adjusted? Are there any trim pots?
- No spare units to scavenge parts off of
Motor
- 1616E012S T 265
Repair / calibration
Uneven cut
With the uneven cut, is possible the laser is misalign and will need to be optimize and realign. The possible misalignment can cause by the Q-SW (pocket cell) is deteriorating and may need replace. For the XY aperture shutter, we will replace both Motors and Potentiometer.
Flashlamp replace
Flashlamp rated for 30 million shots. Skeptical replacing it was going to help, but tried anyway. Didn't seem to improve power output. Maybe its the uneven cut issue above?
7/32" allen key for side of flashlamp housing
2 mm for screwing cover in for the long buried screw near the HV generator
1.3 mm allen for the short ones
mcmaster original lamp says: LL7039/88
Lamp part numbers:
- New Wave Research 0002-0036
- LL7039
- Printed on lamp: LL7039/88
- Who's part number is this?
- Total length: ~78 mm
- Arc length: ~46 mm
- Diameter: ~4.97 mm
Vendor / part | Date | Price | Lead time |
---|---|---|---|
1 EU, opt 1 | 2019-09 | £122.00 | 10 weeks |
1 EU, opt 2 | 2019-09 | £185.70 | 10-12 weeks |
1 US | 2009-12 | $215 | 2 days
May be wrong part. Not sure if billing is correct |
2 | 2019-09 | $245 | 2 days |
3 | 2019-09 | $197.36 | 2 days |
Spare lamp box says "Lamp no: LL7039"
- https://usermanual.wiki/Document/LaserLampsIPLlampls.1504005633/view: Laser SOS Group, Continuum Minilite 10, 20, early models, 203–0037
Suggested vendors:
- https://www.tjslasers.com/flash-lamp-flashlamps-Nd-YAG-Lasers
- https://www.lasersos.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Laser-Lamps-catalog.pdf
- LL6811 Medilite 1
- LL7886 Solo PIV 0002-0036, Tempest, Gemini
2019-09-25
Visit Kevin, got:
- 2x ezlaze laser head
- 1x ESI power meter head
- 1x power meter head w/ controller
Tests on my ezlaze:
- DB25 only: motors twitch at startup. Interlock lit red, cannot turn on
- Both connectors: motors twitch at startup. Interlock lit red. However, press "ON" moves from red interlock to yellow emission
- When hitting "ON", a loud relay is heard in the controller
Kevin-1 (K1):
- Missing tilt plate
- Missing tilt plate screws
- No camera adapter
- Motors do not twitch at power up
- Unable to bring out of interlock
- Missing shutter
- LCSII....ah not exactly the same
Kevin-2 (K2)
- Motors twitch at startup
- Bent power connector. Was able to bend back into shape
- Mounting plate screws but no mounting plate
- Has shutter
- EZLAZE 532/355
- Beam profile uneven (as seen through laser glasses). TODO: point at camera?
- Sensor 3" from laser, 10 sec average
- 500L: 65 uJ
- 1000L: 124 uJ
- 500H: 192 uJ
- 1000H: 382 uJ
ESI power meter
- Battery: Everyday 504, NEDA 2220, 15V
2019-10-28
Documenting backlog. Especially around Pockells cell / EOM repair
Open question about q-switch polarity. Tried putting my (mostly bad) EOM in my laser forwards/backwards and positive/negative polarity. Only forward positive configuration fires. Not sure if polarity reversal is bad
Scrapped ezlaze Kevin had in dire shape to get sacrificial q-switch. Housing very different, but core looked the same. Unfortunately, does not seem to work in my original laser. Also tried reversing it, but didn't help. NOTE: Kevin has a second identical loose EOM assembly. We should try it
Played briefly with transferring fluid from sacrificial larger EOM. Had issue with bubble, also still unclear if fluid matched correctly
Pockels cell research:
- Probably made by Qioptiq, but may be branded Gsanger or LINOS
Due to a series of acquisitions, Qioptiq
has an impressive history and pedigree, benefi ting
from the knowledge and experience of LINOS,
Point Source, Rodenstock Precision Optics, Spindler
& Hoyer, Gsänger, Optem, Pilkington, Avimo and
others.
Did a lot of research on the fluid. Index matching fluid (IMF) is required due to the high efficiencies required to make a cavity resonate.
https://microwiki.org/media/qti/qti_an_dry_pockels_cell_vs_wet_pockels_cells.pdf
- Great paper on IMF choices
- TLDR: FC-43 for most applications, but more exotic choices if you don't care about carcinogens and/or cost
Ordering:
- quantumtech.com: "We have index matching fluid $175 for 30ml bottle and available from stock. We charge for repair would be approximately $400. "
- Tried to order FC-43 from Sigma, but they denied my order
- https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/sial/77299
- Heptacosafluorotributylamine (Fluorinert™ FC-43)
- 5 mL: 52.60
- 25 mL: 235.00
ezlaze
mcmaster unit
IOA unit
TODO: add pictures (if someone gives them to me...)
eBay ntxsupply unit (EZ-LAZE 532/355)
"New Wave Research EZ-LAZE 532 / 355 Power Supply & Control Panel & Foot Pedal"
Need power supply, this unit sounds very similar to mine and has the right connections. In negotiations to try to get this.
Overview:
Control box:
Power supply:
eBay outback6 unit (EZ-LAZE 532)
"G102838 New Wave Research EZ-LAZE/532 Laser w/Power Supply & Controller"
A possibility, but its a complete system which means it will command a higher price...probably harder to break it up just to get the PS
Overview:
Controller:
Pedal:
Power supply:
Laser head:
eBay express_test unit (EZ-LAZE LCS-II 532/355)
System looks a little different
ezlaze2
cl.cam.ac.uk
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~sps32/laser_cutter.pdf
Has a great teardown and some really useful info about system problems
ezlaze3
Source:
Main Features
Air-cooled architecture
- No cooling water
- Compact, Lightweight
- No maintenance required
Selectable wavelengths allow cutting
and machining of a wide range of materials:
- 1064 nm, 532 nm, 355 nm or 266 nm
3-axis control of cut size and orientation.
From 2μm x 2μm (with 100X objective)
to 50μm x 50μm (with 50X objective).
Rotation through 180°.
Simple operation via remote control box
with a 6.5cm x 7.5cm LCD screen displaying
menu-based commands or via RS232 interface.
Precise energy control over a wide range.
Internal LED spot marker.
Compatible with most major brands
of FA microscopes (Mitutoyo, Motic, Seiwa).
3 Operating modes:
- Single shot
- Continuous (1 Hz)
- Burst (max. of 10 sec. at 5 Hz).
Standard configuration includes:
Laser Head
Standard Energy
XY Shutter (Std. Resolution)
Power Supply
Remote Control
2.4m umbilical
Video spot marker
Foot switch
Options:
High Pulse Energy
Rotating Shutter
High Resolution Shutter
Motorized Polarizer
Horizontal Mount Laser
Head with Robot-length
Umbilical
Internal Spot Marker
Microscope & Accessories
QuikLaze
I asked for a ezlaze manual and was given a quicklaze manual...w/e. Looks like they share a lot of common components
Interesting excerpt from manual:
The QuikLaze is designed to operate on specially modified
Mitutoyo FS60Y and FS50 and Ready products A-Zoom and
S-Scope microscopes. Become familiar with your microscope
before attempting to install the QuikLaze.
The quicklaze power supply looks pretty similar to the ezlaze power supply...possibly compatibile
eBay surplusexiting complete 532
Overview:
Power supply:
Controller:
Head:
eBay surplusexiting prism_electronics2 bad power supply
eBay s.scherets
A less common stand alone system. Rackmount power supply
They called it a quicklaze but I think its actually an ezlaze?
References
- http://www.esi.com/Products/Semiconductor/FlatPanelDisplayRepairFailureAnalysis/EzLaze.aspx
- http://www.eolite.com/Products/SolidStateLasers/EZLazeSeries.aspx#Overview
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLxaHyNIv4
- Internals working
- https://microwiki.org/media/nwr/
- https://microwiki.org/media/continuum/