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Chapter 5
Installation
Detailed descriptions of the signals and connectors for the Excelsior laser
system are provided in Chapter 4, “Controls, Indicators, and Connections.”
Examples of how to operate the laser using either the controls on the power
supply/controller itself or via external signals applied to the CONTrol interface connector on the power supply are given in Chapter 6, “Operation.”
A control cable provides control, power, monitoring and diagnostic signals
between the laser head and the power supply. Depending on the system,
either a 15-pin to 15-pin cable is provided (Standard CDRH systems) or a
26-pin to 26-pin cable is provided (XC CDRH systems). The cable is
attached between the LASER connector on the back of the power supply
and the connector on the laser head. If external control is desired, the user
must provide a cable with a 15-pin D-sub connector on one end for connection to the CONTrol interface connector on the back of the power supply.
Power
The power supply provides low-noise, regulated, high current to the laser
head to drive the diode laser. The power supply is auto-ranging and
requires a single-phase ac electrical source of 90–264 Vac at 47 to 63 Hz.
The Excelsior-PS-CDRH requires a maximum of 40 W of ac power and is
capable of providing 13 W of dc power to a standard laser head. The Excelsior-PS-XC-CDRH requires a maximum of 70 W of ac power and is capable of providing 28 W of dc power to an XC laser head.
Thermal Management
Management of the heat load produced by the laser is critical to maintaining its specified output. The laser head must be mounted on a heatsink
capable of maintaining its baseplate temperature below 50°C but greater
than 10°C. The diode pump laser in the laser head will produce several
watts of waste heat that must be removed through the baseplate by the heatsink (see Figure 5-1).
Cooler ambient temperatures for the environment of the laser will make the
job of dissipating waste heat through the baseplate easier (see Figure 5-2).
The Excelsior power supply produces a significant current load to power
the thermo-electric cooler (TEC) inside the laser head. Consequently, a
reliable means to remove waste heat from the power supply must be provided as well. The relatively large heatsink on the side of the power supply
is sufficient to remove heat from the inside of the housing as long as the
ambient temperature meets the following specifications.
5-1