Hey Kats -
..So, been helping one of our latest 'Laser-Pups' / LJ-Star of Club-SELEM Knight AnthonyGarcia with his acquisition / importation of a Pluto II from Lightspace, while we work on getting his Variance done / pushed-thru / safety / Op-training, etc, etc.. And, in so-doing, I've had the chance to pour-over the Pj-line / design, and features. This is the 'latest / greatest' version of the Pluto - with the touchscreen CP, on the back, etc - so, I don't know if previous versions have this same "shutter", but I'd presume so, and, regardless, this post / 411 applies to *any* of the Pj-lines, newer (ie: Venus..) or older-models, etc, that use this same component..
..As the thread-title states, the 'issue' I discovered / have, is with the "shutter" - AS they ship these units, the shutter is actually a *stepper-motor*, that is 'driven' to both open and close.. Here's the component: (..and it was 'pulled up-top' to show it clearer / stage for the vid-clip..)
..And, here's a vid-clip:
..This is *WAAAY* TOO SLOW, to be an effective part of any 'E-Stop' / Safety-device chain.. Regardless of if you use the keysw / Interlock-plug, Optical-deck cover-plate Interlock (kudos, btw.. or, just flat out shut off the power (via the toggle-sw or just 'pulling the plug'..) The 'response time' for closure of the shutter / blade is *WAY* too-slow. It should at least approach 'blink-reflex' time (0.25 sec.) and the way it - currently - is controlled, it's several-times that..
Disclaimer: This Pj was *not* purchased thru the 'Official US Distro' for these, which, as I understand, is Laser Rentals, Inc. (W. Meador) out of MO.... SO, I want to make it *clear* that this Pj - as it arrived / as-is the subject of this review / advisement, is NOT the 'Officlal' version as-Certified by their Co. / distro'd by them. This means, that the US-Certified version they-sell / ship, *may not* have this 'issue' (..and, very-likely does not, as I cannot imagine Walt passing these, as-is, since these are absolutely a non-compliant shutter, as-is...) Otherwise, the direct-sale imported Pj is 'reasonably-well compliant'.. Additionally, this Pj was Imported with an FDA 2877, under parts of Conditions C & D..
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..But, some may counter, '...Ok, Gringo, but do you even *need* a 'hard-shutter', with digital (modulation) output control in solid-states, these days? I mean, if there's zero 'input' (..Or, you 'kill it'..) there's no Output! Why do I even need a stinking-shutter?! Aren't you just being a safety-nanny, again??..'
..Well, the answer is two fold: a) IF you live in the EU, or a Country where you're NOT subject to the CDRH's Regs / compliance-standards (..which do, indeed, *still* require a hard-shutter, even in 'solid-state' Pj's..), ie: those that live / Op where the ONLY standard is the 'IEC', well, then Yes, a hard-shutter is seen more as 'Optional', by the strict 'Letter of the Law'.. HOWEVER, even in such a case, using a proper hard-shutter is just best-practice, especially as you get into the higher Class IV power-ranges, as it gives the Projector a built-in 'backup' / CYA-mechanism..
...ie: What happens when there's a 'transient' voltage, kicked thru the system, ie: if the PC has to restart, with the PJ still connected, etc, and a *full power beam* is sent-out, thru the sys? IF there's NO shutter, well.. that beam may very-well knock someone - perhaps You - in the eye.. Doubt this happens? Then you've not been around very long.. I've seen even Kvants / RGBs and other 'hi-end' Pjs do this, under certain circumstances. And the 'Chijectors' - very often - some systems, nearly-always - do this, even on just shutting off / 'pulling' AC power (!) ..So, if you don't have a proper-shutter, or, in the case of this 'stepper', which takes like *2 seconds* to close (!!) THAT's a safety-concern, regardless of 'what the Regs are' / aren't..
b) ..In the case of the 'Pluto', and many other systems that - attempt - to incorporate 'Scan Fail' protection, or the "Safety Circuit" as they call it - that doesn't work properly - (ie: You should NOT be able to just gently grab the scanner-mir, with nothing-being Input to the Pj - either from an External or Internal source - and GET it to 'spit out' a beam.. *that's* not 'scan fail', that's just FAIL... But, that's a topic for another thread, after some more investigation / research on what's being done / not-done properly, there..) POINT BEING, if you've, additionally, not-GOT a hard-shutter - with proper response time - then your entire 'Safety-chain' is broken, right out of the box, and having all the keyswitches / Interlocks / E-Stops in the world still does not make the Pj - actually safe - let alone truly 'compliant'...
..Now, I am in-touch with the OEM on this, and, I'm confident they will be willing to consider the wisdom of this observation / input.. Yes, it may end-up costing a tiny-bit more, but.. IMHO, it will be an improvement *well-worth* the Safety - and potential-Liability - risks, and a competitive advantage over other 'ChOEMs'.. But in the *meantime*, here's what I did / you can do, on a 'DIY level' to fix / better-this.. Introducing the Ledex Rotary-Solenoid:
..and the Spec-sheet ..the one I picked / used is the H-2168-032, since it Ops off 12V (available in plenty (29A, iirc!) in the Pluto..) and has a really-low current-draw, so as not to 'unbalance the load' in the Power-train too-much.. And, the 'L-bracket' was one used in a dye-laser, but it just-so happened to be the *exact* beam-height.. (I'll take some pix / measurements / post-later, for those that want to fab-up something similar..) ..but, really, it's nothing fancy - just a piece of 1 1/2" alum. L-brackky, couple mount / shaft holes, and yer off.. piece o' cake for PL'ers..
..And, so-as to maintain the 'Pj-brain control' for the shutter (in-context of the safety-circuit..) we simply used a mini 5V-coil DC-relay, the Omron_G2VN-287P-US-DC5, and piggy-backing off the two OEM-stepper 'V-hi' lines (Yellow: +5V; Blue: GND) to gate it.. Here's how it all placed / mounted:
..and here's the 'difference' / result..
.....you pull the Interlock (either 'remote', on the rear, ILDA-sig, keysw or case-interlock)? BAM! That thing is closed in a snap... As it should-be / is the intention for the "shutter" as a component in the Safety-chain.. A 2-3 second 'railroad-crossing gate swing' is FAIL.
..Yes, of course, this Ledex is NO substitute for a Safe / spirit of the law / Regs-astute Operator, nor is it intended to fi a faulty Scan-fail system, nor can it prevent every-single instance of a 'transient V-spike' spitting out a full-power beam, etc, BUT.. In such cases.. after seeing the above two vid-clips.. Which pj would *You* rather be in front of, if there was unwanted Class IV laser-output, and the 'E-Stop' was tripped? I'd sure pick the Ledex!
..Anyhoo, again, this is not meant to be a 'Lightspace slam', etc.. Hopefully, this will a) inspire them to implement this *smart change*, even-if this is not for CDRH-Regs-governed customers - again: actual, real-world Safety ABOVE any / all 'Regs' - and / or, even if a 'true Ledex' is not used, but some other way of matching the response-time of such a spring-loaded shutter is achieved, and b) Provide a 'DIY solution' / idea for those that wish to - meantime - fix thier PJs, and thereby 'mitigate the risk', at least better than the OEM stepper, does..
..Still, some will say '..J, yer making a mountain out of a molehill...', but I say, ya gotta think like this: Let's say you take the PJ - as-is - out to do a gig, and - some bozo, somehow, gets a shot in the face, and even claims he got "hurt".. Calls his laywer / instigates a suit, etc.. Even if it's total bs, you've still got to 'defend' yourself, and IF - and it may be a 'big If', but certainly not-impossible - he has an astute-lawyer, and they hire-out a 'professional evaluation' of the PJ-used, well - low and behold - the thing takes 4x longer to 'stop' an errant beam, in a faulty modulation-control case, than it should.. All-because the ChOEM chose a slightly cheaper component to "save costs", etc.. Where does that leave you? Possibly with the 'bozo' eating yer lunch, dig?
..Yeah, it's a 'wild, crazy example', but.. Don't we Live in a wild, crazy world, where truth is often stranger than fiction? Op'ing, not to 'please some Guv', but to truly BE safe / 'CYA' is just 'smart business', these days.. So, mis dos centavos: If you fly w/ the Pluto IIs / Venus, any-other of these Pjs that use the 'stepper' as shutter.. 'CYA', and get a Ledex.
That is all..
j