ANSI Z136.3 2018 Revision!
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Category Archives: LIA Publications
Laser Institute of America’s Guide to High Power Laser Cutting Now Available
The guide covers CO2 and fiber laser cutting, basic principles, cutting speeds, and cut quality
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ORLANDO, FL – APRIL 18, 2017
Laser Institute of America (LIA), the professional society for laser applications and safety, announces its release of the LIA Guide to High Power Laser Cutting. In the guide, students, engineers,
and scientists alike will gain a more in-depth understanding of the science behind laser cutting. Written by a team of specialists led by industry experts Dr. John Powell and Dr. Dirk Petring, this 136-page guide is a comprehensive resource that touches on all features of laser cutting machines and materials.
“LIA is happy to announce the release of the new guide,” said Dr. Powell, who is also the technical director of Laser Expertise Ltd. “The guide covers all aspects of CO2 and fiber laser cutting, including basic principles, cutting speeds, and cut quality.”
Some specific highlights are as follows:
- Physics of Laser Cutting
- Design and Mechanics of a Laser Cutting Machine
- When to Use Fiber vs. CO2 Laser Cutting Machines
- Information on How Different Materials Interact with Laser Cutting Machines
- Practical Advice for Purchasing a Laser Cutting Machine
- Tables of Laser Cutting Speeds for Different Materials
With 42 color and 31 black-and-white illustrations, this is a working reference tool for laser users in any industry. The authors additionally delve into the complex physical and chemical interactions that occur during laser-oxygen cutting and walk through the ways that the efficiency of laser cutting changes with the laser or material type, the power of the laser, and the thickness of the material, leaving no subject untouched.
“This new guide is aimed at a wide readership – from job-shop employees to researchers,” said Dr. Powell.
The cost of the guide is $60.00 for LIA members and $70.00 for non-members. The newest version of the guide can be purchased by visiting https://www.lia.org/store/product/125.
About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. http://www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.
(Pictured: LIA Guide to High Power Laser Cutting Authors, left to right: John Powell, Dirk Petring, Jetro Pocorni, Alexander Kaplan)
To read the full release on PRWeb.com, click here.
LIA Introduces Three Laser Safety and Welding Publications to its Online Store
ORLANDO, FL (August 9, 2016) – Laser Institute of America (LIA) is proud to announce the release of three laser publications now available for purchase in its online store (https://www.lia.org/store), the laser industry’s one-stop-shop for the most valuable and current laser safety and practical applications resources. The publications, which include Laser Safety Tools and Training, Laser Welding, and Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding, represent a handful of several ongoing additions to the critical laser safety and applications publications already available in LIA’s easy-to-navigate online marketplace.
Laser Safety Tools and Training 2nd Edition covers the fundamentals of laser safety information, including the use of critical lasers. Students, entry level users, and laser experts can all benefit from the information found within. The text, written by a laser safety professional, considers the safety of the self, as well as others. Providing materials surrounding laser research standards, lab design, accidents, and protected eyewear.. New to the second edition is the inclusion of Z136.8 Research Laser Standard. Eye exposure limits, new case studies, lab designs, and laser disposal are also covered in the new edition. Laser Safety Tools and Training 2nd Edition is available in the LIA store here: https://www.lia.org/store/LSAFPUB/240
Laser Welding helps to provide a practical understanding of laser welding. Covering basic welding principles, industrial applications, as well as laser welding safety, Laser Welding is ideal for the laser professional looking to expand their knowledge of real world welding-based laser applications. Included in the publication are chapters on welding sheet metal parts, performance control and monitoring, installing and operating a laser, as well as glossary of common terminology. Laser Welding is available in the LIA store here: https://www.lia.org/store/LSAFPUB/238
Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding (HLAW) provides a comprehensive look at hybrid laser-arc welding practices and technology. This publication is essential for anyone who uses welding technology or wants to learn more about this method that combines laser welding and arc welding. Part One of the text focuses on HLAW characteristics, specifically the properties of joints created by hybrid methods. Assessing the quality of a weld is also covered. Part two discusses the applications pertaining to specific metals such as aluminum, steel, and magnesium alloys. This section will also provide information pertaining to hybrid laser-arc welding applications for ships and automobiles. Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding is available in the LIA store here: https://www.lia.org/store/LSAFPUB/239
To purchase these learning and safety tools, along with a variety of regularly-updated laser safety and practical applications content, please visit www.lia.org/store — and check back often for more publications and resource updates.
About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1-407-380-1553.
Critical Laser Safety Tools
LIA’s EVALUATOR & Mastering Light Receive Updates
By Jessica Dawkins
The number of laser end-users is flourishing, and businesses are continuously compelled to seek ways to implement efficient and cost-effective employee laser safety programs. In an effort to offer all Laser Safety Officers (LSOs) and their staff with the most dynamic, leading edge laser safety training tools available, Laser Institute of America (LIA) recently updated two of its most recognized educational laser safety offerings: The EVALUATOR and the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards DVD.
The EVALUATOR software, first released in 2010 as the world’s first ever web-based Laser Safety Hazard Analysis System, is now available in an alternative, desktop version to allow for 24/7 offline access and unparalleled convenience. In addition, a revised 2016 version of the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards DVD contains integral new rules and regulations that will help laser users stay safe and abreast of regulations and requirements in the ever-changing, fast-paced arena of laser technology.
Over the last six years, the web-based EVALUATOR has proven itself as an integral hazard analysis tool for both its ease of use and accurate results. In January 2016, to best meet current laser safety needs, LIA unveiled an alternative, desktop platform of the EVALUATOR, delivered on a USB drive. Users can download the program to their computer, thus eliminating the need for Internet access.
Similar to the web-based version, the Desktop EVALUATOR performs a number of repeated calculations based on the ANSI Z136.1-2014 American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers, including: maximum permissible exposure (MPE), optical density (OD), nominal ocular hazard distance (NOHD), nominal hazard zone (NHZ) and laser hazard classification. It also offers effortless switching of laser settings between CW, single pulse or repetitively pulsed lasers, in addition to the adjusting of the beam profile (circular, elliptical or rectangular).
A simple layout allows users to input variables, including wavelength, energy/power, pulse width, PRF, focal length, limiting aperture and more, on the screen’s left-side panel, while final output appears on the right-side panel. Intermediate calculations are also shown to further verify hand calculations. Values for MPE, NOHD, NHZ, OD, specular NHZ and diffuse NHZ are provided for both eye and skin.
Both versions of the EVALUATOR offer a clean, seamless user experience, assisting LSOs of all skill levels with the necessary task of completing safety calculations in the field.
Now, companies and their various users can choose the format that best meets their specific needs. The Desktop EVALUATOR is compatible with Windows 7, 8 or 10 PDF viewer, and resembles the advanced subscription level of the web-based version.
This new version will undoubtedly benefit military users; whose firewalls often restrict continuous access to online content. Now, calculations can be performed without the fear of losing a connection.
Users can print reports or save the information to a file for later review. A User Guide, located in the Help menu, provides an overview of the program, from an explanation of how to perform an evaluation to parameter descriptions and calculated results.
Laser Safety Officers must be relentless in finding ways to train on safety, especially with the regular installation of new and updated safety requirements. For years, the Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards DVD has provided LSOs with a training tool that is not only easy to administer, but also effective in properly training employees, researchers and students alike.
Just like LIA’s 2009 version, the 2016 version of Mastering Light: An Introduction to Laser Safety & Hazards video fulfills both the ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) laser safety requirements for employees who routinely work with, or could be exposed to, Class B or Class 4 laser radiation.
Video features include laser physics, classification of lasers by hazard potential, definition and duties of a Laser Safety Officer, beam and non-beam laser hazards, a clear explanation of labels and signs governing regulations, control measures, a discussion on fiber laser applications, the latest information on and footage of Class 1M and 2M military lasers, updated information about the agencies that regulate safety issues, and much more.
Like its predecessor, the new version will still outline the important safety rules and regulations employees must know in the field. The 2016 edition also includes brand new footage, updated information and provides trainees and current employees with the most up-to-date knowledge needed to successfully enter the world of laser safety.
In the new edition, LSOs can even test employees’ understanding of video concepts and safety information with an accompanying quiz.
With each purchase of the 2016 version of Mastering Light, a DVD and a digital version are included. The digital version will be available for viewing anytime at www.lia.org, where it will appear under the user’s downloads.
No matter whether you are a Laser Safety Officer looking for the latest in reliable, updated safety information for you and your team, or you are a company seeking the most comprehensive laser safety education available, the new EVALUATOR software and Mastering Light DVD are for you. Each purchase of the Desktop EVALUATOR and Mastering Light DVD contains a single-user license. The Desktop EVALUATOR’s installation key expires 90 days from day of purchase. To purchase these laser safety training tools today, visit www.lia.org/store.
ANSI Z136
Your Guide to Selecting the Right Laser Safety Standard
Job shops, researchers and medical professionals want to prevent accidents. By following the ANSI standards, you are promoting a safe work environment while avoiding costly accidents and improving your overall safety footprint.
Having the laser safety standard most applicable to your profession is essential to maintaining a successful laser safety program. They are the only laser safety guidelines that are nationally accepted by a variety of organizations, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and The Joint Commission (TJC). And since the Laser Institute of America (LIA) serves as the publisher of the series, you can be confident that you are purchasing the most current laser safety information available.
The Z136 standards are revised after an extensive review process is completed to ensure that all information is correct and up-to-date. This process is led by one main committee, and further composed of an oversight committee, an editorial working group, five technical committees and 10 “standards” committees that are each responsible for a specific standard. Once a subcommittee has completed a standard, the other committees review the document — a process that can take several years.
Before publishing, the American National Standards Institute approves the document. However, ANSI does not approve the content. It approves the process by which the document was revised to “verify that the principles of openness and due process have been followed and that a consensus of all interested stakeholder groups has been reached.” Once ANSI has approved the document, the secretariat makes any necessary formatting and grammatical edits before being sent to print.
The most recent update to the laser safety standards is the ANSI Z136.6 Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors. The 2015 revision expands upon the previous version and hopes to meet the evolving needs of outdoor laser operators. Designed for use by laser-light show operators, scientific and astronomical research, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense, the revised ANSI Z136.6 provides guidance for the safe use of lasers and laser systems (180 nm to 1 mm) that could possibly be hazardous in outdoor environments where open-beam paths are necessary.
There are a number of additional Z136 laser safety standards available that cater to a variety of industries and professionals, not just those that use laser technology outdoors, including:
- ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers
- ANSI Z136.2 Safe Use of Optical Fiber Communication Systems Utilizing Laser Diode and LED Sources
- ANSI Z136.3 Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care
- ANSI Z136.4 Recommended Practice for Laser Safety Measurements for Hazard Evaluation
- ANSI Z136.5 Safe Use of Lasers in Educational Institutions
- ANSI Z136.7 Testing and Labeling of Laser Protective Equipment
- ANSI Z136.8 Safe Use of Lasers in Research, Development, or Testing
- ANSI Z136.9 Safe Use of Lasers in Manufacturing Environments
As the parent document of the ANSI Z136 standards, Z136.1 is the number one seller and the standard that most laser safety officers purchase, according to Barbara Sams, the Executive Director of the Board of Laser Safety. This tool is essential for any LSO to have on hand.
In addition to this tool, having the laser safety standard that’s most applicable to your industry is another great way to keep your laser safety program current, as it can serve as both a reference tool and a guide for your laser safety initiatives. Because laser safety measures are different for each industry, control measures for one industry can be very different from another. In health care, you would use Z136.3; in manufacturing, you would use Z136.9; and so on. Control measures for one area of practice do not necessarily apply to the other.
If you are just now beginning your journey as a Laser Safety Officer, the Z136 standards are a great tool to have while you complete the necessary training and develop your laser safety program. Thesestandards provide protocols and procedures you can use to create a laser safety program in a facility that may not have had one before. By following the guidelines outlined in the standards, you are protecting your employees and satisfying OSHA requirements that state all employers must provide a safe workplace that meets a national consensus standard, in this case laser safety.
The photonics industry is ever-changing, and LIA is dedicated to helping LIA members and non-members alike get the resources they need to ensure their laser safety programs are safe and up-to-date. If you have purchased one of the Z136 standards in the past, LIA will send you an email notification when the standard is revised — allowing you to stay on the forefront of new laser safety information.
You may purchase any of the Z136 laser safety standards in print or digital format on LIA’s website. If you have any questions about the ANSI standards or LIA laser safety training options, you may contact us online.