BeamWatch® Integrated

BeamWatch Integrated is a fully automated laser measurement system designed to integrate the measurement of critical laser beam parameters on industrial production lines. Based on BeamWatch’s patented, non-contact profiling principle, BeamWatch Integrated offers contactless and simultaneous measurement of all critical laser beam parameters in real time, while its built-in power meter delivers absolute power readings.

  • Measures all the critical laser beam parameters of the focused beam up to 9999 W power (up to 30 kW on request). Measured laser parameters include:
    • Waist (focus spot) width and location
    • Focal shift
    • Centroid
    • M2 or K
    • Divergence
    • Beam parameter product
    • Rayleigh length
    • Beam tilt angle
    • Absolute power
  • Fully automated operation
  • Trend analysis with good/bad signal
  • Detailed report with time stamp
  • Works with different types of welding heads without changes to the measurement system
  • Industrial interface of choice in addition to GigE: PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and CC-Link
  • Rugged for industrial production environment
  • Short measurement time for frequent measurements during shift operation
  • Two options for single-mode or multi-mode lasers available

With its shutter and rugged design, BeamWatch Integrated is a compact and self-contained system that can accommodate different types of welding heads. A variety of interfaces makes it possible to integrate the system into production networks and automated manufacturing lines to facilitate direct transfer of measurement data. The short measurement times allow the laser beam to be checked automatically during the loading / unloading phase, as frequently as once every produced unit. Additionally, all parameters can be read out using standard interfaces and – as part of the process monitoring – consistently documented for each individual component, as desired. Based on a large amount of measurement data, accurate trend diagrams can deliver useful insights for predictive maintenance. Tolerances and limit values can be set up for measured parameters to trigger corrective actions as needed. BeamWatch Integrated operates virtually without maintenance, because contactless measurement exerts no wear on the instrument.

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BeamWatch Integrated is a fully automated laser measurement system designed to measure critical laser beam parameters on industrial production lines.
Measures all the critical laser beam parameters of the focused beam up to 9999 W power (up to 30 kW on request)
Measured laser parameters include:
  • Waist (focus spot) width and location
  • Focal shift
  • Centroid
  • M2 or K
  • Divergence
  • Beam parameter product
  • Rayleigh length
  • Beam tilt angle
  • Absolute power
Fully automated operation
Trend analysis with good/bad signal
Detailed report with time stamp
Ability to work with different types of welding heads w/o changes to the measurement system
Industrial interface of choice in addition to GigE: ProfiNet, EtherNet/IP and CC-Link
Rugged for industrial production environment
Short measurement time for frequent measurements during shift operation
Two options for single-mode or multi-mode lasers available
 
Although ever more powerful cutting and welding laser equipment is being used on modern production lines, all too frequently – due either to lack of time or to the complexity – the quality of the laser beam goes unchecked during the production process. Because laser process quality is directly linked to laser quality, this can lead to large batches of defective parts in high-throughput production lines, e.g. in the automotive industry. In addition to the significantly higher risk of loss or safety issues, neglecting to monitor the quality of the laser beam consistently makes it almost impossible to detect the root cause of problems, when they occur.
 
To address this issue, BeamWatch Integrated was developed. Based on the patented non-contact BeamWatch measurement principle (using Rayleigh scattering), this technology provides for the simultaneous measurements of multiple profiles along the beam caustic at video rates, delivering – in mere fractions of a second – all the beam key parameters according to ISO 13694 and ISO 11146 standards. Real-time performance also allows for detection of dynamic focal shift, while a NIST-traceable power sensor assures absolute power readings. With its shutter and rugged design, BeamWatch Integrated is a compact and self-contained system that can accommodate different types of welding heads. A variety of interfaces makes it possible to integrate the system into production networks and automated manufacturing lines to facilitate direct transfer of measurement data.
 
The short measurement times allow the laser beam to be checked automatically during the loading / unloading phase, as frequently as once every produced unit. Additionally, all parameters can be read out using standard interfaces and – as part of the process monitoring – consistently documented for each individual component, as desired. Since they are based on a large amount of measurement data, trend diagrams are highly accurate and can therefore deliver useful insights for predictive maintenance.
 
Tolerances and limit values can be set up for measured parameters to trigger corrective actions as needed. BeamWatch Integrated operates virtually without maintenance, because contactless measurement exerts no wear on the instrument.

 

Beam Profiling
Wavelength980 - 1080 nm
Waist width accuracy±5 %
Waist location accuracy±125 µm within the BeamWatch window
Camera field of view inside the unit32.17 mm x 8.55 mm
Maximum entrance/exit beam diameter12.5 mm
Focal shift accuracy±50 µm
BPP accuracy±3.5 % RMS
Divergence accuracy±3.5 % RMS
M² accuracy±3.5 % RMS
Particulate purgeClean dry gas (Air, Nitrogen, Argon), ~5-10 L/min, 6 bar
Power Meter
Power range500 W - 9999 W (up to 30 kW on request)
Maximum power density at power meter(1)Beam diameterMax power density
< 15 mm10 kW/cm²
15 - 20 mm7 kW/cm²
20 - 40 mm5 kW/cm²
40 - 45 mm4 kW/cm²
Power sensor response time2.7 s max for 9999 W (quicker for less power)
Backscattered power< 1 %
Power noise level25 W
Linearity with power±2 %
Power accuracy±5 %
Software
BeamWatch Integrated softwarePROFINET/ EtherNet/IP/ CC-Link
Webinterface or BeamWatch Software
OutputOK/Warning/NOK values, CSV, PDF and BeamWatch files
Calibration Certificates
Power SensorNIST traceable
CameraCertification
General
Communication (addition to GigE)PROFINET/ EtherNet/IP/ CC-Link
Distance between focus and power meter150-175 mm or 500 mm
Power supply24 Volts DC, 5 Amps max
Water cooling(2)Clean non-corrosive water, 8 L/min, 18-30 °C, 6 bar, ~2 bar pressure drop
Weight~20 kg
Dimensions21.78 in x 12.48 in x 6.78 in / 21.78 in x 26.87 in x 6.78 in
553 mm x 317 mm x 172 mm / 553 mm x 682 mm x 172 mm
ComplianceCE, UKCA, China RoHS
 
(1) For circular beam centered within ¼ of beam diameter. IMPROPERLY CENTERED BEAM CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO SENSOR. Maximum tilt angle on power sensor ±5 degrees. For rectangular beam please consult MKS Ophir representative
(2) Water temperature rate of change <1ºC/min. The recommended flow rate can be lowered proportionately at lower than full power but should not be below 3 liter/min. The response time will be optimum with the recommended flow rate.

 

  • BeamWatch Integrated

    The system can be manually operated by PC using BeamWatch, our full-function software with an extensive set of ISO quantitative propagation measurements, NIST calibrated power measurements, graphical representations of the beam caustic. Requires user supplied PC.
     
    The system can alternatively be operated automatically by PLC using PROFINET, EtherNet/IP or CC-Link. Tolerances and limit values can be set-up for desired measured parameters to trigger corrective actions. The trend charts give insights for early problem detection and predictive maintenance.
     
    In both cases PDF and CSV reports can be generated.

    PROFINET Installation: GSDML File
    To install the BeamWatch Integrated into a PROFINET network, download the GSDML file and follow the instructions in the manual