Laser Plate Flyoff Detector Safety

DANGER: The plate flyoff detector is a class II laser product. Do not stare into beam or view directly with optical instruments. Prolonged exposure may cause eye damage.

The VLF Platesetter and VLF Trendsetter are classified as Class I laser products, even though the write laser is a Class IV product and the fly-off laser is a Class II product.

A laser product is rated as a Class I if the laser emissions are not harmful for an extended length of exposure time. If the laser emissions and the safe exposure time exceeds the threshold values established by the regulatory organizations, the product is rated accordingly. The manufacturer of the laser emitter used for the plate flyoff detector has established that it must be classified as a Class II laser product. The peak output power rating of the laser emitter is less than 1 milliWatt. The manufacturer has suggested that it would take 15 minutes of continuous exposure to the laser to cause physical damage.

One of the safety systems used to obtain the Class I rating is the door interlock system which disables the plate flyoff detector laser and blocks the write laser with the head shutter. The plate flyoff detector laser is powered from the door interlock circuit so that the laser is turned off if the doors are opened by the machine operator.

On the VLF Trendsetter, the laser is connected at the door interlock circuit at the connector on the backplane of the power box.

On the VLF Platesetter, the laser is connected to the door interlock circuit at the abort switch by the front doors.

If a Creo service person is required to operate the plate flyoff detector laser with the door opened, the door interlock reed switches must be disabled by attaching switch magnets. The mask door creo command only tells the program to ignore any door open signals and does not restore power to the plate flyoff detector laser.