Disassembly of imagesetter containing Class IIIb laser

[Chuck_Revised]

Sorry, the titles are transposed on the pics. Right should be left, etc. DUH!

 

[macfixer01]

Here's one photo of the interior of the imagesetter. The laser itself is mounted on a heavy steel "carriage". The ICB in front on the right provides power to the laser. You can see the connector to the ICB from the laser above the ICB and to the right. If this post works, I'll post more photos.

Chuck,
I'm not familiar with this particular brand of imagesetter. It could be a semiconductor laser, but they're usually part of a larger module containing the heatsink, shutter, neutral density filters, focus assembly, and collimator. It looks to me like there is a small HENE laser tube at the center right, comparable to what Ultre uses in their 15 and 12 inch engines, which the AGFA studioset is based on. At the center left appears to be the spinner motor which spins a multi-sided mirror at very high RPM's to scan the laser beam the width of the film. There is normally a Theta lens which compensates for the effects of parallax at the ends of the scan lines, so the image density on the film (or RC paper) doesn't taper off at the edges.

macfixer01

 

[eagle2]

All you have to do is look at the voltage rating of the two larger caps. They are just the input caps for the AC input voltage side. If the machine ran on 120vac, the rating is about 200volts.

All the rest looks like low voltage circuitry, perhaps only the laser needed a high voltage circuit.

The aluminum heat sink above the caps is only anodized yellow paint.

Lots of copper to scrap, but I think the only gold you may find is in the ends of the ribbon cables.

Al

 

[woofard]

Hey Steve or any other laser printer person:

The original reply you wrote says that the laser (radiation) on a laser printer is safe when powerless.

Is this true on allmost all models?

So, disassembly of the laser unit is completely safe with all wires disconected??? (I see alot of gold contacts in there)

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Steve or any other laser printer person:

The original reply you wrote says that the laser (radiation) on a laser printer is safe when powerless.

This is true.

Is this true on allmost all models?

All

So, disassembly of the laser unit is completely safe with all wires disconected??? (I see alot of gold contacts in there)

I assume you powered the unit down before looking at all this wonderful gold

Some larger laser equipment could contain some large capacitors that could bite ya. Discharge first.

See Microwave Oven post on capacitors.

 

[macfixer01]

Hey Steve or any other laser printer person:

The original reply you wrote says that the laser (radiation) on a laser printer is safe when powerless.

This is true.

Is this true on allmost all models?

All

So, disassembly of the laser unit is completely safe with all wires disconected??? (I see alot of gold contacts in there)

I assume you powered the unit down before looking at all this wonderful gold

This is true for a typical office laser printer or other imaging device using a semiconductor laser. For industrial equipment that uses a high power optically pumped laser (such as a ruby or yag laser), voltages can possibly be stored even with the power disconnected.

macfixer01

 

[woofard]

Thank you very much for setting me straight! I'll quit searching the net now for symptoms of radiation sickness...

These are older color laserjets, and some really old regular laser HP's that weigh alot. I guess all the warning stickers and user manuals scared me... the optics are hooked to a circuit board, but there are no caps larger than 3/4" high, and the diameter of a pencil eraser. I could see the gold connectors leading into the unit before I took the lid off of the laser lens compartment.

Those warning labels might as well say "whatever you do - don't look in here...it's a big secret" What a tease...makes me want to look even more!

 

[CheerfulChuck]

Hi! I am the poster formerly known as Chuck_Revised.

Regarding the imagesetter, I contacted an independent imagesetting parts and repair dealer about the electronic parts of the Panther Plus. He purchased nearly all the boards and I think the lense for $250, which was great with me. I'd purchased the imagesetter for $1000 and used it for 18 months prior to its breakdown. This all occurred in 2008.

Just thought I'd finish the story. :lol: