M.E. Equipment Matching Funds proposal for 2008

12/17/07 -- requested quote from Universal laser systems for X2-660. -mrc

• Asked to include air/gas assist option
• X2-660.pdf: X2-660 brochure
• StanfordX2-660_120W.pdf: Quotation

• Proposal needs to be submitted by Jan 11, 2008. Must include a short writeup with rationale and a vendor quotation with the actual cost.
• Matching formula is typically 50% SOE, 25% ME, 25% Design.

Objective: Obtain a good new laser cutter for M.E. that will complement the old one in PRL.

Desired features: (?) means I'm not sure how important this is

• reliable!
• faster cutting than existing (?)
• similar workspace to existing (?) roughly 2' x 3'
• cut equal or greater range of materials
• better resolution, smaller beam size (?)
• rotary attachment for cylindrical and conical surfaces (I think this would be quite interesting)
• other features?
• gas (nitrogen) blanket option while cutting (?)

Possible vendors

Universal Laser Systems. This is apparently the system that Brent Gillespie (former Design Div. student, now professor at U. Mich) got for his department: http://www.ulsinc.com/english/laser_systems/product_line/x660.html

• Brent's email note about it: brent_laser.rtf
• At a glance, the 660 system, 120 watts, looks about right. I did not see specifications on beam size and resolution...
• I would like to get to rotary attachment accessory so that one could engrave or cut on cylindrical and tapered surfaces as well as flat sheets.

Beam Dynamics -- This is the system in Ken Salisbury's lab at Clark center.

• They don't appear to have anything smaller than 4' x 4' bed. It seems they are set up for "industrial" laser cutting. The system in Salisbury's lab is more than I think we can handle in PRL. It includes bottled oxygen for cutting steel, liquid nitrogen for cutting everything else, ducting and filters to exhaust into room air, etc. It occupies roughly 8' x 8' of space.
• Having at least the option to cut under a nitrogen gas flow seems like maybe a good idea (no fires!). I wonder if this is an option for other laser cutters.

LaserCamm is the company that made the original machine in the Stanford PRL.

• http://www.lasercamm.com/specs2.htm -- I have to say that I'm not convinced they have kept up with the practical state of the art.

World Lasers seems to have similar products to ulsinc.com above. Looking at LR3624 with 36" x 24" bed. They quote equivalent to 1000dpi resolution.

Laser Photonics is yet another maker of laser cutters. But they seem to be more in the category of the Beam Dynamics big industrial machines.

There are also many vendors of quite small laser cutters aimed at hobbyist shops. These seem mostly to cut paper, thin plastic, etc. up to about 11" x 17". They don't look sturdy enough for the kind of use our machine will get.

-- MarkCutkosky - 12 Dec 2007