Chapter Five: Maintenance
© 2018 Cutting Edge Optronics, Inc.
44
Patara I and II Laser User Manual
9.
Gradually increase the current to the operation current.
Extend Lifetime of Laser Diodes
The specification for laser system optical output is provided in the final test report
delivered with the system. During its early lifetime, the laser diodes will deliver
this specified power at or below the preset current limit. As the diodes age, an
increase in current may be required to maintain power and beam quality so the
diodes can continue to be used. Once the maximum current of 30 A is reached,
consider replacing diodes or upgrade the laser. Please contact Northrop Grumman
for detailed information.
Optimize Laser Performance
Optimization of the laser may be required when the laser is initially installed or
the laser performance has degraded due to aging laser diodes.
NOTE:
Record optimization data on SVC-FORM-0009 (Optimization Worksheet,
Patara/Iklwa Field Service), which can be found on the Knowledge Center.
http://www.ngceoservice.com/Level_1_PA-020-QTGP
For this procedure, a green light should be visible from the laser. In the absence of
any visible output, please review
Chapter 7: Troubleshooting
or contact Northrop
Grumman for assistance. To obtain the best performance, small adjustments may
optimize the laser. To optimize the laser, follow these steps:
1.
Wait for the laser to reach thermal stabilization.
Both the laser bench temperature and environmental temperature significantly
impact the laser power. Wait for the laser to be thermally stabilized before
attempting any adjustment.
2.
Check the settings of the eDrive and chiller.
Check the performance with all items set to the values on the laser test report.
Verify that all of the eDrive settings are correct.
The water flow rate and coolant temperature have a significant impact on the laser
performance. Make sure that the flow rate is above 1.5 gpm and the temperature
of the chiller matches results from the original test report.
3.
Optimize the chiller temperature. Enter the
Chiller Temp Set Point
value from
the ATP Test Report Data Summary into the
Coolant Temp
field on the Patara
