TTL-driven relays?

[dream beamz]

No need to buy the spectra scan actuators. I have a ton of them and I will sell really cheap. Whos buying

Anyhow, it just gots to show how many people on this forum were not using a shutter because I had been wondering when I was gonna see the first post asking about what relay to us to get it to switch.

[dave]

Just FYI, this http://www.lasershs.com/laser_optical_actuator.htm is an excellent, low-cost actuator that we have used with success - though these ARE fast, (look at the specs!) we still use GM20s for beam positions, but these for simpler stuff, like beam shutters, (a GM20 is a bit $$ overkill for a shutter...) machita / lumia positions, etc... stable enough to use for fiber launchers, too, and smaller footprint - you can easily mod the arm to use longer ones as well...

They aren't spring loaded, so theres no chance they will cut it as a safety shutter....

[greenalien]

Cheers jon.

I suppose it's possible that RS in the UK is a different organisation to RS in the States - here, they have a reputation for large stocks of quality components, albeit at high prices - however, they'll do free next-day delivery even on small orders which can be handy; also they've got a big warehouse a few miles from my home!

Their website http://rswww.com/ is pretty comprehensive...

According to http://www.laser-light-show.com/inf.htm , under 'Actuators', the GM20 can run between 12-18v DC so I think 15V should be OK but don't know if power can be applied continuously without overheating the internal coils, They have a 53ohm resistance so will need to dissipate 0.28A at 15v if I've got my sums right.

(the only reason I'm planning to use a GM 20 is that I have one available, so no cost involved!)

[dream beamz]

They aren't spring loaded, so theres no chance they will cut it as a safety shutter....

They are spring loaded, see video
http://www.dreambeamz.com/actuators/MOV02869.MPG

Anyhow, I am selling the actuators for $20 each
I have 8 of one type (2) on brackets for $40 each
and 3 of the other type

see pics

[dave]

The ones in the link i quoted were the medialas stp8's - they are not spring loaded

[buffo]

George;

Those actuators look like the same Ledex rotary solenoids that I bought from Introspective Lasers... (Tim) Is that where you got yours from?

I've found that I need between 14 and 17 volts to get them to energize. Trouble is, once they pull in you don't want all that current flowing through the coil... They get hot! (I think they're only rated for a 40% duty cycle anyway.) But since they'll hold in at only 5 volts, I figure all I need to do is design a bypass circuit that will cut the running voltage back after a couple seconds. I'm thinking about replacing my shutter with one of them...

They do make a resounding "click" when they pull in though, don't they? I'd hate to hear what a beam table would sound like with a dozen of those things in there chasing away! (Probably sound like a fully-automatic BB gun!)

Adam

[dream beamz]

i have this circuitry. has a momentary switch that the actuator hits when extended to take the voltage back down.

[dsli_jon]

They aren't spring loaded, so theres no chance they will cut it as a safety shutter....

Hey Dave -

You are correct, but the internal-design, like a GM20, DOES ensure return of the arm to the same position when they lose either signal or power - so, like a GM20 - used in hundreds of CDRH (and other agency)- approved projector designs - you just have to make sure the arm / blocker-flag is adjusted correctly and they'll do their job - but really, now 'days, beam shutters are an arguable-add anyway (with PCAOMs and TTL doing the 'shuttering' very effectively - hard-shutters are really just relics of ion-laser-based system design, where the laser was ON ALL THE TIME - a hard-beam shutter in a projector where the laser does not even LASE until it gets signal from the software (and if it loses signal / power, it just ain't gonna lase anymore) is just plain silly formality to comply with in many-cases, out-dated regs (ie - like AUDIENCE SCANNING CANNOT BE DONE...that's just plain silly - it should be: STUPID AUDIENCE SCANNING CANNOT BE DONE' - but I better not open THAT can of worms again! - peace

- j

[dave]

obviously the gm20 is spring loaded - I was just pointing out that your link was to a shutter that was not spring loaded....

[Mr.Coffee]

George;



They do make a resounding "click" when they pull in though, don't they? I'd hate to hear what a beam table would sound like with a dozen of those things in there chasing away! (Probably sound like a fully-automatic BB gun!)

Adam

Would the vibration be an issue on a beam table? I would assume that if things were securely mounted, that they would hold up for awhile at least.

also,this may be slightly off-topic, but if you need IC's (555 and up),
you can cehck out maxim-ic.com. you can get sample ic's from them for free, all you pay is shipping. I want to say it's 10 ic's per shot, (ie 10 555's, etc). not sure if they do transistors or not, but you can check them out.