BeamWatch AM is an integrated laser measurement system designed to measure critical laser beam parameters for laser-based additive manufacturing systems. BeamWatch AM provides simultaneous measurements of multiple profiles along the beam caustic in the camera field-of-view (FOV).
- Waist (focus spot) width and location
- Focal shift
- Centroid
- M2 See All Features
Software
BeamWatch
BeamWatch is 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.
Specifications
- Product NameBeamWatch® AM
- Spectral Range1060-1080 nm
- Minimum Spot Size50 µm
- Power Range50-1000 W
- Minimum Power Density1.5 MW/CM²
- Power Meter CalibrationNIST traceable calibration ±3%
- Beam ProfilingISO 11146 Measurements
- CE ComplianceYes
- UKCA ComplianceYes
- China RoHS ComplianceYes
Features
BeamWatch AM for Additive Manufacturing
BeamWatch AM is an integrated laser measurement system designed to measure critical laser beam parameters for laser-based additive manufacturing systems.
BeamWatch AM: Engineers Explain
Ophir has been honored with a 2018 Laser Focus World Platinum Innovators Award for BeamWatch AM®, the first non-contact laser beam monitoring system for additive manufacturing. In this video, Ophir engineers explain why the system is so revolutionary, how it works, and why it will help additive manufacturers.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is beam profiling of the lasers in Additive Manufacturing laser systems necessary and required to be conducted at different power levels?Answer
When medical, aerospace, or other complex devices are produced in an Additive Manufacturing, powder-bed laser system, the product design requires the use of a variety of power levels. These different setting are a function of the structural integrity of the device under build, but also the efficiency of the design to avoid the use of excess materials, powders, and processing time. In a typical 1kw Additive Manufacturing laser, power levels during the build can range from 400W to 1000W, for either short or long durations. Therefore, profiling the laser beam at these different power levels is required. In a recent application test, a 1kW laser was provided at a variety of power settings from 400W to 1kW, in increments of 200Ws. The result of this diagnostic test demonstrated that as the power was increased, the ellipiticity (roundness) of the beam deteriorated. The change was not significant but demonstrated that in any build requiring a 360 degree range of the laser, the focal spot would be slightly larger in one direction and slightly smaller in a different direction, resulting in a major defect of the build. And since some of these builds can take 10’s of hours, finding out after the build that the laser is not round to specification is a costly result. These beam profiling diagnostics alerted the client to a potential problem BEFORE they went to build product, avoiding costly mistakes.
Resources
Data Sheets
BeamWatch® AM Datasheet(198.7 kB, PDF)
Drawings & CAD
BeamWatch AM Drawing(685.6 kB, PDF)
Manuals
BeamWatch AM Quick Start(625.7 kB, PDF) BeamWatch User Guide(2.9 MB, PDF) BeamWatch AM User Note(1.4 MB, PDF)
Catalogs
Laser Beam Profilers Catalog (7.6 MB, PDF) Laser Power & Energy Measurement and Laser Beam Analysis Catalog(27.5 MB, PDF)
Application Notes
Additive Manufacturing Laser Micromachining Automotive Manufacturing BeamWatch Optimizes Laser Process Development The Challenge of Battery Production
Technical Articles
Keeping Your Additive Manufacturing Laser in Spec Battle Axe vs. Scalpel: How to Work with High Power Density Lasers Quality Assurance in Additive Manufacturing ISO Compliance of Non-contact, Real-time Beam Analysis SLM Troubleshooting Made Easy with BeamWatch® AM Achieving Standardized Measurements with BeamWatch AM Sensor Fusion Enables Comprehensive Analysis of Laser Processing in Additive Manufacturing Laser Measurements in Materials Processing The Challenge of Focus Shift in High Power Laser Material Processing






