Laser Marking

when you say laser marking, are you meaning etching , to print something onto this flume? Or is it to create a "laser curtain" to stop equipment like an E-stop?

I don't know the regs in your location but, in the UK, if you had a laser powerful enough to be visible for 1200ft at a low enough level to prevent anyone driving into the water your main problem would be the health & safety issues in preventing eye damage from the beam. Even with low power lasers pesonnel are expected to wear protective goggles.

This is what I have been wondering as I do not understand it that well. I had earlier talked with a business from Alaska that has installed systems to mark airport runways, harbor lanes etc. but from questions asked it appears to be different as the laser marking is on a surface. This would have to be visible through air the length of the flume. Thank you for that information, but if you happen to find something else please let me know.

Do you mean you want the laser beam to be visible, like in the movies of burglars sneeking into a vault? That can be achieved as long as there is some sort of fog, mist, or dust in the air. You see, the laser light will reflect off of these microscopic particles floating in the air. There will be a limit to the distance it will penetrate in different density atmosperes. If it is clear air, you will not see the beam (you will only see the spot on the wall/tree/person that it is pointed at). I don't see this as being reliable as a safety barrier.

Here is a redneck solution: Maybe just hang up some rope lights. Or get some of those LED christmas lights. A laser does not appear to work in this application.

While I think our friend is a little more professional to be using Christmas lights, this is actually a low-cost alternative. He might like to know that LED light is intense, so it would be more visible in poor weather conditions. There are also different colors of the visible spectrum that penetrate fog better than others. I think blue is the best (used in police strobe lights for this reason).

Another point to consider: In the dead of a foggy night, a system of laser beams has the potential to disorient truck drivers as sort of an optical illusion. Think of those line drawing illusions you've seen on paper -- there is no reference point for the brain to lock in on, so distance is impossible to judge. You might want to have a series of geometric shapes spaced accross your flume that would seem to grow visibly larger as the trucker approaches them.

If I am understanding correctly now, you are wanting to make this flume visible from many directions and from a distance. OK I would go with some 1 or 2 watt LED's. thew would be low power and long operation time. Luxeon makes some great high power LED's that would be visible from all sides, there range is about 130 degrees viewable angle and they are bright as you know what!! WWW.lumileds.com Go here and click on the products then look at the luxeon III ,I ,V these are super bright and can be configured many different ways. I hope this works for you.

Remains to be amazing how lack of given information inspires to many comments.

If you wanting are for an aviation or similar "marking" venue, you probably would be rethinking.

I take exception in using anything except for red illumination

Power Technology mfr's a line of focusable red laser pointers that may do what you want to do. There a Class is eye-safe (but not to be viewed directly) of several hundred milliwatts that tend to serve well maybe up to 1200 feet. It would be nice to know what your application is and what you had in mind.

I would tend not to use green, as it tends to do more retina damage than the same power level as a red laser.

As to defraction due to fog, smog, smoke, weather (rain?) or other air-bourn particle factors, is subjective. It sounded as you know what the potential may be but neglected to say what it would be.

I've been giving some thought to a "project" idea where I've applied laser technology into doing something preventive on what you may be working on; so far, logistically not feasible.

Adder: If scanning, the intensity of the laser illumination dissapates proportionally with the scan rate.

I would encourage all of us to better deal with those Guests and those that seek information.

I remain ill-at-ease with the off-the-wall comments that I keep seeing. Humor tags are also out of order and I'd like to see them cease.

I would tend to believe that most all inquirers are sincere and surely would appreciate serious replies/comments.

Again, they are seeking something that they came here for. Sometimes they don't seem to ask the 'right' question or place it forward quite in the manner that we would prefer. Frankly, I think that CR4 has made me re-think how I should better handle those "stupid questions". Over the years, I admit that I have not handled as should those as they come around. As otherwise said: "There is no such thing as a stupid question". Come on people, we all are learning. Each day. You cannot deny.

I'll just say this another way: This is NOT an entertainment arena. Certainly not for our purposes.

I began looking at CR4 last year and where it occured to me that this could very well to be a place where I could share certain knowledge that I have and share with others. I don't have all of any answer. None of us have, generally. Some respondents tend to comment to the tune (this is the answer, with that sense of great authority). So far, I have not called them down nor balked. Frankly, I am at the point where I need to make a choice: either move toward doing this or just bail out. Right now, I am leaning toward the latter. For me, I am fatigued in every day thinking about what I had seen/read on CR4 earlier.

I have no suggestions at all. Only the obvious: We the respondents should and must be professional in providing any and all comments to those questions/inquiries.

It's interesting that at no time has anyone "rated" me as having given a good suggestion in any posting. I find that sad. But then again, I too view that there are certain 'usuals' in so many of these postings that tend to support on-another. Some are nothing more than clowns. That's nice and amusing, but it really sucks (to put it blatantly).

Information, good information is valuable to us all. Let's get on with it! Knock off the tra-la-la people!

I sort of half heartedly agree with you, I think we should always try to provide an answer to the question, even if it is not phrased too well but I have to confess that it is the humour & quirkiness that keeps me coming back.

I too am all for helping people. I will someday need help and will need to be taken seriously also. But with the knowledge base that is potentially here in these forums, as with all machines of complexity there will be nuts, some lose some tight. But all are needed. Now back to topic, we need to allow Jack to read and understand all the info and get back to us for the next question. Clarity will come with time. Next question Jack, we are ready.