One of the main applications for laser drilling is the manufacturing of cooling holes with diameters of e.g., 500 µm in turbine components such as turbine blades and vanes or combustion chambers. Nowadays, these cooling holes are drilled by using flash lamp pumped Nd:YAG laser radiation and partially by using QCW fiber laser radiation with pulse durations in the range of 200 µs up to a few ms. The main deficit of these conventional technologies is the appearance of recast layers with thicknesses up to a few 100 µm at the hole wall. These recast layers arise due to the melt-dominated drilling process. During operation of the drilled components, the recast layers can chip off or can be the initial point for cracks. Both effects lead to a shorter lifetime of the component. Continue reading →
Whether in the airway of a patient, the harsh environment of the Arctic or even in outer space, unique challenges continue to emerge in the battle against laser hazards.
Every two years, the International Laser Safety Conference (ILSC®) spotlights the latest efforts to combat routine and not-so-routine hazards. Amid long-standing discussions about standards, calculations, surgical plumes, tissue interactions and laser pointer strikes on aircraft, invariably there emerges a collection of uncommon issues and solutions. Continue reading →
Lasers have been used for many years to transform surface properties, including both texture and hardness, for a wide range of applications. For example, the ability to create tailored texture and hardness properties means that the frictional properties of a surface can be modified. Together with colleagues at Heriot-Watt, SPI Lasers and MAN Diesel and Turbo, I have a particular interest in the creation of surfaces with a high coefficient of static friction. This is in contrast to the approach of many other researchers, which is to use lasers to reduce friction e.g., by creating indentations in the material surface which can then therefore act as micro-hydrodynamic bearings, lubricant reservoirs or as traps for wear debris, depending on the lubrication regime. Continue reading →
Due to a rash of serious laser accidents from 2001 to 2005, including six eye injuries, the Department of Energy (DOE) released a Special Operations Report (SOR) in February of 2005. A root cause analysis revealed that there were four primary causes for the accidents. They were: inadequate training, inadequate Laser Safety Officer (LSO) conduct, need for better internal oversight, and a failure to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Insufficient training and an inadequate level of understanding of the hazards and controls were cited in each of the accidents analyzed. This was noted at the worker level, with those who oversee the operations, and supervisors of laser users. As many of the accidents involved students, the inadequacy or lack of training and a safety culture at the university level was mentioned. Continue reading →
As LIA’s sales and client representative, I travel to a lot of conferences to connect with our partners and learn about new companies. My latest trip took me to Dallas for the Safety 2015 conference by the American Society of Safety Engineers.
Andrew Morrison
Almost all the interest at our booth regarded our laser safety officer training. Many attendees stopping by to pick up a course catalog asked when and where courses were upcoming. (To stay updated on when and where our courses are being held, check out the training tab on our website.)
It was interesting that people who stopped by were either replacing someone and preparing to become their company’s new LSO, or just trying to get familiar with laser safety since their company had lasers onsite.
I also spoke with a few insurance company representatives who stopped by to gather information for their clients who have questions or need to get trained. A few people were just concerned that their company had no program in place and no training for employees, and they realized the dangers of this.
As our Education Director Gus Anibarro will tell you, it’s not enough to name an LSO for your industrial or medical environment — you need to keep that person trained based on the latest ANSI Z136 laser safety standards, as well as state and federal regulations.
In fact, Gus donated some LSO training for the silent auction at Safety 2015. One visitor to our booth couldn’t stay and chat because she said she needed to run over and get her bid in!
Since LIA is an OSHA alliance partner, we have even trained OSHA compliance officers and consultants on the best laser safety practices.
It’s part of everyone’s job at LIA to point you in the right direction so you can keep yourself and your employees and coworkers safe. We’re always ready to help steer you to the training course that best meets your needs.
That’s why I and my coworkers at LIA are always out there at conferences related to our mission. Think about it: Spending a few thousand dollars on laser safety training can help prevent deaths or serious injuries and save you far more money in accident-related costs in the long run.
Andrew Morrison visits about three to five non-LIA industry events annually to represent LIA and stay in touch with our members. To inquire about exhibiting at an LIA conference or advertising in our newsletter or on our website, contact him at amorrison@lia.org.
