How to make a spinner from an old laser pointer. What can a metal laser cutter be made from? Operating principle of the machine

Hello ladies and gentlemen. Today I am opening a series of articles devoted to high-power lasers, because Habrasearch says that people are looking for such articles. I want to tell you how you can make a fairly powerful laser at home, and also teach you how to use this power not just for the sake of “shine on the clouds.”

Warning!

The article describes the production of a powerful laser (300mW ~ power of 500 Chinese pointers), which can harm your health and the health of others! Be extremely careful! Use special safety glasses and do not point the laser beam at people or animals!

On Habré, articles about portable Dragon Lasers, such as Hulk, appeared only a couple of times. In this article I will tell you how you can make a laser that is not inferior in power to most models sold in this store.

First you need to prepare all the components:

• - a non-working (or working) DVD-RW drive with a write speed of 16x or higher;
• — capacitors 100 pF and 100 mF;
• — resistor 2-5 Ohm;
• - three AAA battery;
• - soldering iron and wires;
• — collimator (or Chinese pointer);
• — steel LED lamp.

This minimum required to make a simple driver model. The driver is, in fact, a board that will output our laser diode to the required power. You should not connect the power source directly to the laser diode - it will break down. The laser diode must be powered with current, not voltage.

A collimator is, in fact, a module with a lens that reduces all radiation into a narrow beam. Ready-made collimators can be purchased at radio stores. These immediately have a convenient place to install a laser diode, and the cost is 200-500 rubles.

You can also use a collimator from a Chinese pointer, however, the laser diode will be difficult to attach, and the collimator body itself will most likely be made of metallized plastic. This means our diode will not cool well. But this is also possible. This option can be found at the end of the article.

First you need to get the laser diode itself. This is a very fragile and small part of our DVD-RW drive - be careful. A powerful red laser diode is located in the carriage of our drive. You can distinguish it from a weak one by its larger radiator than that of a conventional IR diode.

It is recommended to use an antistatic wrist strap as the laser diode is very sensitive to static voltage. If there is no bracelet, then you can wrap the diode leads with thin wire while it waits for installation in the case.

According to this scheme, you need to solder the driver.

Don't mix up the polarity! The laser diode will also fail instantly if the polarity of the supplied power is incorrect.

The diagram shows a 200 mF capacitor, however, for portability, 50-100 mF is quite enough.

Before installing the laser diode and assembling everything into the housing, check the functionality of the driver. Connect another laser diode (non-working or the second one from the drive) and measure the current with a multimeter. Depending on the speed characteristics, the current strength must be chosen correctly. For 16 models, 300-350mA is quite suitable. For the fastest 22x, you can even supply 500mA, but with a completely different driver, the manufacture of which I plan to describe in another article.

Looks terrible, but it works!

Aesthetics.

A laser assembled by weight can only be boasted of in front of the same crazy techno-maniacs, but for beauty and convenience it is better to assemble it in a convenient case. Here it’s better to choose for yourself how you like it. I mounted the entire circuit into a regular LED flashlight. Its dimensions do not exceed 10x4cm. However, I do not recommend carrying it with you: you never know what claims the relevant authorities may make. It is better to store it in a special case so that the sensitive lens does not become dusty.

This is an option with minimal costs— a collimator from a Chinese pointer is used:

Using a factory-made module will allow you to get the following results:

The laser beam is visible in the evening:

And, of course, in the dark:

Maybe.

Yes, in the following articles I want to tell and show how such lasers can be used. How to make much more powerful specimens, capable of cutting metal and wood, and not just lighting matches and melting plastic. How to make holograms and scan objects to create 3D Studio Max models. How to make powerful green or blue lasers. The scope of application of lasers is quite wide, and one article cannot do it here.

Attention! Don't forget about safety precautions! Lasers are not a toy! Take care of your eyes!

Making a powerful burning laser with your own hands is not a difficult task, however, in addition to the ability to use a soldering iron, you will need to be attentive and careful in your approach. It’s worth noting right away that deep knowledge from the field of electrical engineering is not needed here, and you can make a device even at home. The main thing when working is to take precautions, since exposure to a laser beam is harmful to the eyes and skin.

A laser is a dangerous toy that can cause harm to health if used carelessly. Do not point the laser at people or animals!

What will you need?

Any laser can be divided into several components:

• light flux emitter;
• optics;
• power supply;
• current supply stabilizer (driver).

To make a powerful homemade laser, you will need to consider all these components separately. The most practical and easiest to assemble is a laser based on a laser diode, which we will consider in this article.

Where can I get a diode for a laser?

The working element of any laser is a laser diode. You can buy it at almost any radio store, or get it from a non-working CD drive. The fact is that drive inoperability is rarely associated with failure of the laser diode. If you have a broken drive, you can extra costs get it required element. But you need to take into account that its type and properties depend on the modification of the drive.

The weakest laser operating in infrared range, installed in CD-ROM drives. Its power is only enough to read CDs, and the beam is almost invisible and is not capable of burning objects. The CD-RW has a built-in more powerful laser diode, suitable for burning and designed for the same wavelength. It is considered the most dangerous, as it emits a beam in a zone of the spectrum invisible to the eye.

The DVD-ROM drive is equipped with two weak laser diodes, the energy of which is only enough to read CDs and DVDs. The DVD-RW burner has a red laser high power. Its beam is visible in any light and can easily ignite certain objects.

The BD-ROM contains a violet or blue laser, which is similar in parameters to the analogue from the DVD-ROM. From BD-RE recorders you can get the most powerful laser diode with a beautiful violet or blue beam capable of burning. However, finding such a drive for disassembly is quite difficult, and a working device is expensive.

The most suitable one is a laser diode taken from a DVD-RW drive. The highest quality laser diodes are installed in LG, Sony and Samsung drives.

The higher the recording speed DVD drive and, the more powerful the laser diode installed in it.

Drive disassembly

Having the drive in front of you, first remove the top cover by unscrewing 4 screws. Then remove the movable mechanism, which is located in the center and connected to printed circuit board flexible cable. The next goal is a laser diode, securely pressed into a radiator made of aluminum or duralumin alloy. It is recommended to provide protection against static electricity before dismantling it. To do this, the leads of the laser diode are soldered or wrapped with thin copper wire.

Next, there are two options. The first involves operating a finished laser in the form of a stationary installation together with a standard radiator. The second option is to assemble the device in the body of a portable flashlight or laser pointer. In this case, you will have to apply force to cut through or saw the radiator without damaging the radiating element.

Driver

Laser power supply must be handled responsibly. As with LEDs, it must be a stabilized current source. On the Internet there are many circuits powered by a battery or accumulator through a limiting resistor. The sufficiency of this solution is questionable, since the voltage on the battery or battery changes depending on the charge level. Accordingly, the current flowing through the laser emitting diode will deviate greatly from the nominal value. As a result, the device will not work efficiently at low currents, and at high currents it will lead to a rapid decrease in the intensity of its radiation.

The best option is to use a simple current stabilizer built on the basis. This microcircuit belongs to the category of universal integrated stabilizers with the ability to independently set the output current and voltage. The microcircuit operates in a wide range of input voltages: from 3 to 40 volts.

An analogue of LM317 is the domestic chip KR142EN12.

For the first laboratory experiment, the diagram below is suitable. The only resistor in the circuit is calculated using the formula: R=I/1.25, where I is rated current laser (reference value).

Sometimes a polar capacitor of 2200 μF x 16 V and a non-polar capacitor of 0.1 μF are installed at the output of the stabilizer in parallel with the diode. Their participation is justified if voltage is supplied to the input from stationary unit power supply, which can allow minor AC components and impulse noise to pass through. One of these circuits, powered by a Krona battery or a small battery, is presented below.

The diagram shows the approximate value of resistor R1. To accurately calculate it, you must use the above formula.

Having collected electrical diagram, you can make a preliminary switch on and, as proof of the circuit’s operability, observe a bright red diffuse light emitting diode. Having measured its actual current and body temperature, it is worth thinking about the need to install a radiator. If the laser will be used in permanent installation at high currents long time, then it is necessary to provide passive cooling. Now there is very little left to achieve the goal: focus and get a narrow beam of high power.

Optics

In scientific terms, it's time to build a simple collimator, a device for producing beams of parallel light rays. Ideal option For this purpose there will be a standard lens taken from the drive. With its help you can obtain a fairly thin laser beam with a diameter of about 1 mm. The amount of energy of such a beam is enough to burn through paper, fabric and cardboard in a matter of seconds, melt plastic and burn through wood. If you focus a thinner beam, this laser can cut plywood and plexiglass. But setting up and securely attaching the lens to the drive is quite difficult due to its small focal length.

It is much easier to build a collimator based on a laser pointer. In addition, its case can accommodate a driver and a small battery. The output will be a beam with a diameter of about 1.5 mm and a smaller burning effect. In foggy weather or heavy snowfall, you can observe incredible lighting effects, directing the light stream into the sky.

Through the online store you can purchase a ready-made collimator, specifically designed for mounting and tuning a laser. Its body will serve as a radiator. Knowing the sizes of everyone components device, you can buy a cheap LED flashlight and use its housing.

In conclusion, I would like to add a few phrases about the danger laser radiation. First, never point the laser beam into the eyes of people or animals. This leads to serious visual impairment. Secondly, wear green glasses when experimenting with the red laser. They block most of the red portion of the spectrum from passing through. The amount of light transmitted through the glasses depends on the wavelength of the radiation. Look from the side at the laser beam without protective equipment allowed only for a short time. Otherwise, eye pain may occur.

Read also

When you mention a laser, most people immediately remember episodes from science fiction films. However, such an invention has long been firmly established in our lives and is not something fantastic. The laser has found its application in many areas, from medicine and manufacturing to entertainment. Therefore, many people are wondering whether and how to make a laser themselves.

Making a laser at home

Depending on the specifics and requirements put forward, lasers can be completely different, both in size (from pocket pointers to the size of a football field), and in power, the working media used and other parameters. Of course, it is impossible to make a powerful production beam yourself at home, since these are not only technically complex devices, but also very difficult to maintain things. But you can make a simple, but reliable and powerful laser with your own hands from a regular DVD-RW drive.

Principle of operation

The word "laser" came to us from in English“laser”, which is an abbreviation of the first letters of a much more complex name: light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation and literally translates as “light amplification through stimulated emission”. It can also be called an optical quantum generator. There are many types of lasers, and their scope of application is extremely wide.

The principle of its operation is to convert one energy (light, chemical, electrical) into the energy of various radiation fluxes, that is, it is based on the phenomenon of forced or induced radiation.

Conventionally, the operating principle is shown in the following drawing:

Materials required for work

When describing the basics of laser operation, everything looks complicated and unclear. In fact, making a laser with your own hands at home is extremely simple. You will need some components and tools:

1. The most basic thing you need to create a laser is a DVD-RW drive, that is, a burner drive from a computer or player. The higher the recording speed, the more powerful the product itself will be. It is preferable to take drives with a speed of 22X, since its power is the highest, about 300 mW. At the same time, they differ in color: red, green, purple. As for non-writing ROMs, they are too weak. It’s also worth paying attention to the fact that after manipulating the drive, it will no longer work, so you should take either one that is already out of order, but with a working laser, or one that you won’t be sorry to say goodbye to.
2. You will also need a current stabilizer, although there is a desire to do without it. But it is worth knowing that all diodes (and laser diodes are no exception) “prefer” not voltage, but current. The cheapest and most preferred options are the NCP1529 pulse converter or the LM317 microcircuit (analogous to KR142EN12).
3. The output resistor is selected depending on the supply current of the laser diode. It is calculated using the formula: R=I/1.25, where I is the rated current of the laser.
4. Two capacitors: 0.1 µF and 100 µF.
5. Collimator or laser pointer.
6. AAA standard batteries.
7. Wires.
8. Tools: soldering iron, screwdrivers, pliers, etc.

Removing the laser diode from the DVD drive

The main part that needs to be removed is the laser from the DVD drive. This is not difficult to do, but it is worth knowing some nuances that will help avoid possible misunderstandings during work.

First of all, the DVD drive needs to be disassembled to get to the carriage on which the laser diodes are located. One of them is a reader - it is too low-power. The second writer is exactly what you need to make a laser from a DVD drive.

On the carriage, the diode is installed on the radiator and securely fastened. If you don’t plan to use another radiator, then the existing one is quite suitable. Therefore, you need to remove them together. Otherwise, carefully cut off the legs at the entrance to the radiator.

Since diodes are extremely sensitive to static, it is a good idea to protect them. For this thin wire you need to wind the legs of the laser diode together.

All that remains is to put all the details together, and the ROM itself is no longer needed.

Assembling the laser device

It is necessary to connect the diode removed from the LED to the converter, observing the polarity, since otherwise the laser diode will immediately fail and become unsuitable for further use.

WITH reverse side diode, a collimator is installed so that the light can be concentrated into one beam. Although, instead, you can use the lens included in the rum, or the lens that the laser pointer already contains. But in this case, you will have to make adjustments to get the required focus.

On the other side of the converter, wires are soldered, connecting to the contacts of the case where the batteries will be installed.

This diagram will help you complete a laser from a DVD drive with your own hands:

When all components are connected, you can check the functionality of the resulting device. If everything works, then all that remains is to place the entire structure in the housing and securely fasten it there.

Homemade body design

You can approach the manufacture of the case in different ways. For example, a case from Chinese lantern. You can also use a ready-made laser pointer body. But optimal solution It may turn out to be homemade, made from an aluminum profile.

Aluminum itself is lightweight and, at the same time, very easy to process. The entire structure will be conveniently located in it. It will also be convenient to secure it. If necessary, you can always easily cut out the required piece or bend it in accordance with the required parameters.

Safety and Testing

When all the work is completed, it is time to test the resulting powerful laser. It is not recommended to do this indoors. Therefore, it is better to go outside to a deserted place. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the device made is several hundred times more powerful than a conventional laser pointer, and this requires using it with extreme caution. Do not direct the beam at people or animals; be careful that the beam does not reflect or get into your eyes. When using a red laser beam, it is recommended to wear green glasses; this will significantly reduce the risk of vision damage in unexpected cases. After all, it is not recommended to look at laser beams even from the outside.

Do not direct the laser beam at flammable or explosive objects and substances.

With a properly configured lens, the created device can easily cut plastic bags, burn on wood, burst air balloons and even burn - a kind of combat laser. It's incredible what you can do with a DVD drive. Therefore, when testing a manufactured device, you should always remember safety precautions.

Who in childhood did not dream of laser? Some men still dream. Regular laser pointers with low power are no longer relevant for a long time, since their power leaves much to be desired. There are 2 options left: buy an expensive laser or make it at home using improvised materials.

There are the following methods for making a laser yourself:

• From an old or broken DVD drive
• From computer mouse and a flashlight
• From a kit of parts purchased at an electronics store

How to make a laser at home from an old oneDVDdrive

How to make a laser from a computer mouse

The power of a laser made from computer mouse will be much less than the laser power produced by the previous method. The manufacturing procedure is not very different.

1. First, find an old or unwanted mouse with a visible laser of any color. Mice with an invisible glow are not suitable for obvious reasons.
2. Next, carefully disassemble it. Inside you will notice a laser that will have to be soldered using a soldering iron.
3. Now repeat steps 3-5 from the instructions above. The difference between such lasers, we repeat, is only in power.

Modern technologies and technical devices The work of repairmen, builders and interior designers is made much more convenient and comfortable. Laser cutting of metal today is considered quite reasonable advanced technology, which is used for metal processing. Its use allows you to obtain unlimited, never-before-seen opportunities for the manufacture of metal products of various configurations and designs.

Laser cutting procedure

Laser cutting of metal is the most progressive and promising technique, thanks to which high-quality elements are created, although it is a relatively young technology. The procedure is carried out using technically focused high-power lasers, which are characterized by a high beam concentration and are capable of cutting any materials - from wood to metal.

In this case, oxides are formed on the surface of the metal, increasing energy absorption and causing the temperature to reach the melting point. At the point of contact, the laser beam creates high temperature, as a result of which the metal melts, and beyond the boundary of the contact area it only heats up. At the same time, an active gas is supplied, most often oxygen, which blows out combustion products and causes an increase in cutting speed. The laser cutting video shows that by blowing out oxides and liquid metal, oxygen heats the next layers.

This process continues until the metal is cut through to its full depth. A stream of oxygen can actively cool the metal near the cut line. The small heat affected area allows for the creation of parallel edges at short distances - up to approximately 0.2 millimeters. Often, in order to achieve the required accuracy of the cutting operation, the work process is controlled by a computer, through which any product can be programmed.

Basically, devices based on gas and solid-state lasers are used for laser cutting of sheet metal. The laser cut of the metal comes out perfectly smooth, without deformations that are present during a mechanical cut. In addition, laser cutting technology allows for significant precision, minimal waste and fast execution.

Advantages of laser cutting

Due to its advantages, the metal laser cutting technique is the most popular on the market. It is this procedure that has greatly facilitated the work with carbide materials, which are very difficult to process and often lead to deterioration in quality after processing. Non-ferrous metals, steel and aluminum alloys are most suitable for laser cutting.

The laser cutting machine simplifies the processing of thick sheets, thick alloy materials and parts complex shapes parts, and also cut holes in ultra-hard materials of small diameter. The geometry of the products is limited solely by the imagination of the design. On the other hand, due to the specifics of non-contact metal laser cutting technology, it is possible to cut fragile and thin materials.
To automate the functioning of the system, you only need to prepare a file for your computer. Since there is no mechanical impact on the material, metal products do not require further mechanical processing.

Another advantage of laser cutting of metal is that thanks to software cutting of sheet metal, it is possible to reduce the cost of producing a small batch of products, because there is no need to manufacture foundry molds. Simple control of working tools allows you to cut contours in volumetric and flat parts. If you compare laser cutting of metal with your own hands with plasma, then today preference is given to the first option, because laser cutting metal is much cheaper.

Using laser cutting

The procedure for laser cutting of metal can be used not only for cutting directly, but also for engraving a variety of products. Laser cutting is also intended for small-scale production. For this purpose, it is customary to use equipment that is characterized by low laser power and small size.

If the task is to produce a series of parts, it is worth working with a more powerful installation - laser system, which includes a laser, coordinate table and a computer with a special software to support vector graphics.

Using such equipment it is possible to carry out quite complex tasks with minimal errors (0.001 millimeters). technological processes, for example, laser cutting of volumetric parts and cutting along complex contours.

Using a similar technology, materials are cut into sheets - structural and stainless steel, aluminum, wood and even plastic. The work is carried out in a short period of time with an affordable price for laser cutting of metal and impeccable quality. Laser cutting allows you to produce parts that have complex contours and produce products such as a variety of logos, signs, souvenirs and decorative elements.

Laser cutting machine

Laser cutting equipment is quite standard. The machine consists of a work table and a laser cutting head that moves in its plane. The process of moving the laser head is ensured by high-precision drives along perpendicular guides to obtain a clear contour of the part.

Operating principle of the machine

The metal laser cutting machine is equipped with cutting optics for oxide-free metal cutting. Optical system Focusing helps maintain a given focus position, which helps to result in a more precise and clear processing contour. The movement of the cutting head is controlled by means of a special computer program cutting

Using the program, the sequence of current and subsequent operations is specified. This program regulates the radiation force depending on the cutting depth and therefore allows you to produce the most complex decorative elements and parts for various techniques. To automatically cut sheet metal, you must have a drawing file that is transferred to the cutting machine computer.

For work laser equipment minor costs required electrical energy, and high cutting speed and the absence of consumable components create the conditions for an efficient workflow. The productivity of the machine can be increased by increasing the radiation power, which is adjusted during operation. Cost of laser cutting of metal using special machine depends on the thickness of the sheet and the length of the cutting line.

Technological principles are used that are based on the design of gas and fiber lasers that are capable of operating in continuous and pulsed modes. Work on the machine is carried out by burning through sheet material laser beam.

Due to the absence of direct contact between the product and the cutting head, the equipment safely processes fragile products, carbide material, and easily cuts thin sheet steel into high speed, it is advantageous to produce products in small batches. When laser cutting non-ferrous or ferrous metal, there is no physical deformation or microcracks on the surface of the finished product.

Prices for a new generation laser cutting machine vary greatly and depend on the manufacturer’s brand and installed additional equipment. To install this complex there is no need to specially prepare for the foundation; the machine can be placed in any convenient place, which will provide technological access to it.

Purpose of laser equipment

Laser cutting machines are classified according to operating parameters - radiation intensity, type of workpiece material, pressure and composition of the cutting gas jet. Equipment for laser cutting of metal is divided into the following types of cutting: oxygen, laser-assisted oxygen, evaporative, etc. inert gas, thermal spalling. Issued specialized machines for laser cutting of pipes, which are suitable for any profiles, and processing can be carried out directly along the entire length of the workpiece.

Laser machines have proven themselves to be excellent when cutting steel sheets 0.2-25 millimeters thick, stainless steel 0.2-30 millimeters thick, aluminum alloys 0.2-20 millimeters thick, brass 0.2-12 millimeters thick, copper 0.2-15 millimeters thick. For processing different materials are used Various types technologies and lasers, photos of laser cutting of metal can be viewed online.

Found the machine widest application for the manufacture of metal parts, decorative elements interior, when working with ductile and soft metals. Cost of a laser cutting machine correct operation justifies itself and quickly pays for itself. Products manufactured using laser-equipped machines are economically feasible and highly profitable.

Thus, laser cutting is an advanced technology in the world of metal working, which is gaining momentum every day. This technique allows you to significantly simplify the work process. In addition, the processed metal has a high-quality cut; there are no microcracks or deformations on it.