Laser Safety

When using any form of power cutting technology it is essential to have safety in mind. Prevention of injury and awareness is very important to maintain safe operation of your machine.

While Laser cutting machinery is designed with safe operation in mind there are still certain safety hazards to be aware of. The main ones include possible damage to the eyes from the laser, and burns to the skin from the heat generated during the cutting process. These safety hazards can be easily preventable with adequate precaution taken. MultiCam offers Laser Safety options to accompany its CNC Laser and Plasma tables.

Laser Safety Options and Precautions:

All MultiCam laser systems are in compliance with the regulations (21 CFR 1040.10) set out by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (part of the FDA). In addition to the precautions and standards built into the machine there are also further safety options available and precautions that can be taken.

• Eye Protection: The laser technology uses powerful beams of laser light which can be very harmful to unprotected eyes. Even looking at the laser for too long or too many times can cause permanent eye damage. Therefore it is very important to ensure all machine operators wear protective eyewear.
• Light Curtain: forms a security perimeter around the machine using a transmitter to catching interrupted objects using control logic which sends a stop signal to the guarded machine. Both Photocell Sensors and the Light Curtain can be 1 to 4 sided, depending on the area that the machine is in.  See diagram
• Photocell Sensors: detect movement within a particular area, to protect objects or workers from getting harmed by the machine by being inside the secured area. See diagram
• Physical Barrier: Explained in a previous blog post, works to restrict access to the work cell and prevents employees from casually wandering into an area where they may be injured by automated equipment.
• Safety Mats: The area around the laser can be fitted with safety mats that provide a safe area for operators to enter when they need to stop motion of the machine and close the mechanical shutter.
• Light Stack: The light stack located at the top of the control cabinet has three lights to indicate the status of the machine where a green light signifies no laser output, red means laser output and yellow means maintenance mode. This way the machine operator can easily see what mode the machine is in.
• Wear Gloves: The heat generated from the laser can cause burns to skin so when handling cut material gloves should be warn. Additionally many of the parts being cut can contain sharp edges that could cause cuts or damage to unprotected skin.
• Fire prevention:Due to the high level of heat being used in laser cutting, there is an associated risk of fire. The following are some steps that you can take to reduce any fire hazards that might exist:
  • Never leave the machine unattended while operating
  • Make sure that you keep the laser cutting area and equipment clean. Small fragments from previous cut jobs can pose as a fire hazard in future laser operation.