Product Code: ICAL09_905

Systematic Development of Safe High Performance Laser Applications - Knowing the Limits of Conventional Systems
Authors:
Stefan Braunreuther, Iwb Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management; Garching Germany
Sonja Huber, Iwb Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management; Garching Germany
Florian Oefele, Iwb Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management; Garching Germany
A. Trautmann, -; -
Michael F. Zaeh, Iwb, Institut for Machine Tools and Industrial Management; Garching Germany
Presented at ICALEO 2009

The advent of modern laser beam sources, like fiber- and disk laser beam sources, led to laser applications for economic mass production. Their laser beam is highly brilliant, highly energy and invisible. In some laser applications, the beam can be oriented without spatial limitations. The risk potential is increased, compared to conventional systems and the conventional safety technology is extremely challenged. Conceivable claims are personal injuries like blindness, burns, long-tail claims and death, as well as material damage. According to the standards, those claims should be avoided by laser safety barriers. Those barriers are merely a delay element to gain time until the beam breaks through the wall. In other sectors, machines are self-monitoring for a controlled shut-down in an emergency case. This antagonism between laser safety and general machine safety shows the backwardness of the current standards.
A modern holistic safety concept for a laser application bears the requirements of the process and the definitions of the accepted error margins. Furthermore, risks need to be identified and rated with risk assessments. Too high risks can be reduced via modern safety components. With this approach, laser safety is economically achievable.