© 2016 SPI Lasers UK Ltd.
Commercial in Confidence
SM-S00500 Revision A 21 October 2016
redPOWER QUBE Cased Fiber Laser User Manual
Beam Delivery and PIPA-Q Optical Connector
The delivery fiber guides the laser power from the PRISM Fiber Laser Module to the
industry standard PIPA-Q optical connector and into the Laser Integrator’s optics. Single
mode and multimode delivery fibres, with different multimode core diameters, are
available. A ruggedized conduit including SPI Lasers’ Fiber Continuity Monitoring System
(FCMS) protects the delivery fiber. The PIPA-Q optical connector and ruggedized conduit
with FCMS are referred to as the beam delivery optic (BDO).
Machine Interface
The Machine Interface allows total operational integration of the laser into a production line
or cell. Options include Power Control, Parameter Selection and Alarm Reporting. The
function of each of the seven input and seven output signal lines can be configured by the
user. See Section 7.6.5 for more details.
FiberView Control Unit (FVCU)
The FVCU allows individual QUBE Fiber Lasers to be controlled either by using the Laser
Integrator’s interface or by using SPI Laser’s FiberView software. The FVCU also takes
the inputs from the sensors in the PRISM FL Module, the pump diode PSU and the safety
circuit and generates alarm and warning signals.
Extended Performance Range (XPR) mode
The XPR Mode allows the QUBE Fibre Laser to operate stably at lower powers so that, for
example, marking and cutting can be carried out consecutively on the same work piece. It
is activated through the LaserView GUI or by a serial command.
Fiber Continuity Monitoring System (FCMS)
The FCMS is a thin copper wire wound around the delivery fiber. Should the delivery fiber
fail, the escaping laser power fuses the FCMS wire and opens the circuit. Additionally, if
the temperature in the PIPA-Q optical connector is too high, or if the PIPA-Q connector is
not mated with the receiver the circuit will be opened.
Back reflection Monitoring and Protection
In some processes the laser power couples poorly into the work piece causing some of the
power to be reflected back into the optical connector and coupled into the delivery fiber.
This back reflection is most likely to occur
o when processing highly reflective materials such as brass, copper and
aluminium, especially at normal incidence
o when operating away from the focal point of the process head
o during the piercing phase of cutting.
This back reflected power has the potential to cause damage to the optical connector and
delivery fiber due to overheating. It may also to produce power instabilities due to
interaction with the optical engine.
The QUBE Fiber Laser is protected against back reflected power with active and passive
measures. Thus there is no need to employ additional optical components (such as optical
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