Laser Safety
96
Arex™ 400
Classification and danger level
Regulations have established different classes of Lasers, based on their ability to
cause human injury. These classes ranges from Class 1 (basically safe in all con-
ditions) to Class 4 (dangerous in several conditions).
Lasers that can produce risk to human being, not only from direct or reflected
radiation but also from scattered radiation, bel
ong to Class 4. These lasers
sources can also present risk of causing fires through ignition of flammable
materials. For these reasons the Customer must, when integrating the laser
marker into their machine, implement all necessary measures to contain laser
radiation and ensure compliance with applicable safety regulations. All operators
using lasers systems should also use appropriated individual protection devices
such as goggles, etc.
W
ARNING
The Arex™ 400 laser marker contain Class 4 invisible laser sources. Refer to applicable
regulations (including Laser Safety and Machine safety) for recommendations for com-
pliance of your machine with integration and
use of such Class lasers type.
Degree of risk with radiation viewing conditions
If F-Theta scan lens is removed from scan head the output radiation is a colli-
mated intense coherent laser beam. The image
of such a beam, created by any
lens is then a very small spot with extremely high power and energy density.
Such a beam is also focalized by the human eye and thus result in irreversible
damage to the retina. The output radiation of the laser marker, with the F-Theta
scan lens, is not a collimated beam but a convergent (before focus plane) and
divergent (after focus plane) laser beam. The degree of convergence and diver-
gence depends on the F-theta scan lens specifications and thus varies with the
dif
ferent laser marker models. While marking the laser radiation is typically scat-
tered at the object being marked. Special attention must my taken with objects
w
ith high reflectivity to the laser wavelength range since such objects may not
only reflect the laser radiation but also change its characteristics according to
the shape of such surface (that can work as a lens element). Thus the risk related
with laser radiation depends on the characteristics of the beam at which the
human is exposed.
In the following sections the risk degree to human eye, related with different
v
iewing conditions, is qualitatively described. Please note that this is intended
only as awareness on such risks.
W
ARNING
It is responsibility of Customer to makes an independent risk evaluation and to imple-
ment the necessary safety measures, according to applicable regulations, pertinent
to
Class 4 Lasers.
Direct viewing of the laser beam
This type of viewing is the most danger for human eye and can occur if looking
directly into laser output aperture. Risk is higher in case F-Theta scan lens is
removed since output laser beam is, in such conditions, collimated.
W
ARNING
Do not look directly to laser beam. Individual Protection Devices such goggles do not
warrant protection for direct exposure to laser radiation.
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