Synrad UC-2000 Operator's Manual

operator’s
manual

®

4600 Campus Place
Mukilteo, WA 98275

1.800.SYNRAD1

tel [phone]
fax [phone]
e-mail [e-mail]
web www.synrad.com

UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller

Operator’s Manual

Version 3.0

December 2010

Part number 900-18128-02

4600 Campus Place
Mukilteo, WA 98275

1.800.SYNRAD1

tel [phone]
fax [phone]
e-mail [e-mail]
web www.synrad.com

®

table of contents

Laser Safety

Hazard information ....................................................................................1

Terms .........................................................................................................1

General hazards ........................................................................................1

Label locations ............................................................................................ 4

Agency compliance ................................................................................... 5

Federal Communications Commission requirements ..............................5

European Union requirements .................................................................5

Declaration of Conformity ...................................................................... 8

Getting Started 1

Inventory ......................................................................................................1-2

Contents description ................................................................................1-2

Introduction .................................................................................................1-3

Features ..................................................................................................... 1-3

Mounting ...................................................................................................... 1-4

Standard model .........................................................................................1-4

Panel mount model...................................................................................1-4

Connecting ..................................................................................................1-5

Power cable ............................................................................................... 1-5

Control cable ........................................................................................... 1-5

Operation 2

Controls and indicators ............................................................................ 2-2

Control panel ............................................................................................2-2

Rear panel ................................................................................................. 2-3

LCD display ..............................................................................................2-4

Initial start-up .............................................................................................2-5

Setup ............................................................................................................. 2-6

Setting PWM frequency ........................................................................... 2-6

Setting gate logic ...................................................................................... 2-7

Setting max PWM percentage .................................................................2-8

Setting lase on power-up .........................................................................2-8

Setting REMOTE (RS-232) protocol .....................................................2-9

Setting option 2–3 ................................................................................... 2-10

Save and exit ...........................................................................................2-10

Factory default settings ............................................................................. 2-10

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

iii

table of contents

Operation 2 (cont.)

UC-2000 control ........................................................................................ 2-11

Local control ............................................................................................. 2-11

REMOTE (RS-232) control ..................................................................... 2-12

Laser control ................................................................................................ 2-14

Operating modes .......................................................................................2-14

Gate input ................................................................................................. 2-18

Technical Reference 3

Control signals ............................................................................................ 3-2

Tickle pulse ............................................................................................... 3-2

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) ............................................................3-2

Command signal ....................................................................................... 3-3

External control .......................................................................................... 3-5

Gate input ................................................................................................. 3-5

Analog control ..........................................................................................3-7

Closed loop control ..................................................................................3-9

REMOTE control ......................................................................................3-11

Serial Port connector ................................................................................ 3-11

Host serial port configuration ................................................................... 3-13

REMOTE checksum commands ...............................................................3-13

Connector pinouts ..................................................................................... 3-21

Laser connector ........................................................................................3-21

Closed loop (C/L) connector ...................................................................3-21

General specifications ............................................................................... 3-22

UC-2000 package outlines ...................................................................... 3-23

Troubleshooting 4

Troubleshooting .......................................................................................... 4-2

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Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

table of contents

Appendix A

Closed Loop Stabilization Kit ................................................................ A-2

Introduction ..............................................................................................A-2

Safety precautions .................................................................................... A-2

Connecting .............................................................................................. A-3

Operation .................................................................................................. A-4

Closed loop specifications ........................................................................A-4

Appendix B

Non-checksum commands ...................................................................... B-2

REMOTE non-checksum commands ....................................................... B-2

Index

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

v

table of contents

List of Figures

Figure 1 UC-2000 CE label location ............................................ 4

Figure 2 European compliance mark ............................................6

Figure 2-1 Control panel ......................................................................2-2

Figure 2-2 Rear panel .............................................................................2-3

Figure 2-3 Firmware screen .................................................................. 2-4

Figure 2-4 Start-up screen .................................................................... 2-4

Figure 2-5 Setup screens .......................................................................2-6

Figure 2-6 REMOTE mode .................................................................. 2-13

Figure 2-7 MANUAL mode ................................................................ 2-15

Figure 2-8 ANC mode ...........................................................................2-15

Figure 2-9 ANV mode ...........................................................................2-16

Figure 2-10 MAN. CLOSED mode ..................................................... 2-17

Figure 2-11 ANV CLOSED mode ....................................................... 2-17

Figure 3-1 Tickle pulse parameters .................................................... 3-2

Figure 3-2 Representative optical output waveforms ..................3-3

Figure 3-3 Command signal parameters ..........................................3-4

Figure 3-4 UC-2000 input/output signal relationships ............... 3-5

Figure 3-5 Physical layout of RS-232 Serial Port connector ..... 3-11

Figure 3-6 RS-232 cable wiring diagram .........................................3-12

Figure 3-7 UC-2000 package outline dimensions ........................3-23

Figure 3-8 UC-2000 panel mount package outline

dimensions ............................................................................3-24

Figure A-1 Typical closed loop setup ................................................. A-3

vi

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

table of contents

List of Tables

Table 1 European Union Directives ............................................6

Table 1-1 Shipping box contents......................................................1-2

Table 2-1 Factory default settings ..................................................... 2-10

Table 3-1 Command signal output specifications ........................3-4

Table 3-2 Gate input specifications .................................................3-6

Table 3-3 Analog current specifications ......................................... 3-7

Table 3-4 Analog voltage specifications ......................................... 3-8

Table 3-5 Analog voltage closed loop specifications .................. 3-10

Table 3-6 UC-2000 RS-232 pin assignments ...............................3-12

Table 3-7 Host serial port configuration .........................................3-13

Table 3-8 Laser connector pinouts ................................................... 3-21

Table 3-9 C/L connector pinouts ......................................................3-21

Table 3-10 UC-2000 general specifications ..................................... 3-22

Table A-1 Closed loop general specifications ................................ A-4

Table B-1 REMOTE Mode commands ...........................................B-3

Table B-2 REMOTE Lase commands .............................................. B-3

Table B-3 REMOTE Setup commands ...........................................B-3

Table B-4 REMOTE PWM (or SET) percentage command....B-4

Table B-5 REMOTE Status Request command ............................B-5

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

vii

Trademark/copyright information

SYNRAD, Firestar, and Power Wizard are registered trademarks of SYNRAD, Inc.
Evolution is a trademark of SYNRAD, Inc.

All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

© 2005, 2009, 2010 by SYNRAD, Inc.
All rights reserved.

viii

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

Warranty information

This is to certify that UC-2000 Universal Laser Controllers are guaranteed by SYNRAD, Inc.
to be free of all defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of
purchase. This warranty does not apply to any defect caused by negligence, misuse (including
environmental factors), accident, alteration, or improper maintenance. We request that you
examine each shipment within 10 days of receipt and inform SYNRAD, Inc. of any shortage
or damage. If no discrepancies are reported, SYNRAD shall assume the shipment was deliv­ered complete and defect-free.

If, within one year from the date of purchase, any part of the UC-2000 Universal Laser Con­troller should fail to operate, contact the SYNRAD Customer Service department at

1.800.SYNRAD1 (outside the U.S. call 1.425.349.3500) and report the problem. When call­ing for support, please be prepared to provide the date of purchase, model number and serial
number of the unit, and a brief description of the problem. When returning a unit for service,
a Return Authorization (RA) number is required; this number must be clearly marked on the
outside of the shipping container in order for the unit to be properly processed. If replace­ment parts are sent to you, then you are required to send the failed parts back to SYNRAD for
evaluation unless otherwise instructed.

If the UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller fails within the first 45 days after purchase, SYN­RAD, Inc. will pay all shipping charges to and from SYNRAD when shipped as specified by
SYNRAD Customer Service. After the first 45 days, SYNRAD will continue to pay for the
costs of shipping the repaired unit or replacement parts back to the customer from SYNRAD.
The customer, however, will be responsible for shipping charges incurred when sending the
failed unit or parts back to SYNRAD or a SYNRAD Authorized Distributor. In order to main­tain your product warranty and to ensure the safe and efficient operation of your UC-2000
Universal Laser Controller, only authorized SYNRAD replacement parts can be used. This
warranty is void if any parts other than those provided by SYNRAD, Inc. are used.

SYNRAD, Inc. and SYNRAD Authorized Distributors have the sole authority to make war­ranty statements regarding SYNRAD products. SYNRAD, Inc. and its Authorized Distribu­tors neither assumes nor authorizes any representative or other person to assume for us any
other warranties in connection with the sale, service, or shipment of our products. SYNRAD,
Inc. reserves the right to make changes and improvements in the design of our products at
any time without incurring any obligation to make equivalent changes in products previously
manufactured or shipped. Buyer agrees to hold SYNRAD harmless from any and all damages,
costs, and expenses relating to any claim arising from the design, manufacture, or use of the
product, or arising from a claim that such product furnished Buyer by SYNRAD, or the use
thereof, infringes upon any Patent, foreign or domestic.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

ix

Contact information

Worldwide headquarters

SYNRAD’s worldwide headquarters are located in Mukilteo, Washington, U.S.A. Our mailing
address is: SYNRAD, Inc.
4600 Campus Place
Mukilteo, WA 98275
U.S.A.

Phone us at: 1.800.SYNRAD1 (1.800.796.7231)
Outside the U.S.: +1.425.349.3500
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Sales and Applications

SYNRAD’s Regional Sales Managers work with customers to identify and develop the best
CO2 laser solution for a given application. Because they are familiar with you and your laser
application, use them as a first point of contact when questions arise. Our Regional Sales
Managers also answer technical support questions regarding the installation, use, trouble­shooting, and maintenance of our products and can provide reference materials including
Outline & Mounting drawings, Operator’s Manuals, Technical Bulletins, and Application
Newsletters. In addition, your Regional Sales Manager serves as the liaison between you and
our Applications Lab in processing material samples per your specifications. To speak to the
Regional Sales Manager in your area, call SYNRAD at 1.800.SYNRAD1.

Customer Service

For assistance with order or delivery status, or to obtain a Return Authorization (RA) number,
contact SYNRAD at 1.800.SYNRAD1 and ask to speak to a Customer Service representative.

European headquarters

SYNRAD’s European subsidiary, Excel Technology Europe GmbH, covers Austria,
Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. Contact Excel Technology at:

Excel Technology Europe GmbH
Münchner Strasse 2a
D-82152 Planegg
Germany

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

x

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

laser safety

Hazard information

Hazard information includes terms, symbols, and instructions used in this manual or on the
equipment to alert both operating and service personnel to the recommended precautions in
the care, use, and handling of Class IV laser equipment.

Terms

Certain terms are used throughout this manual or on the equipment labels. Please familiarize
yourself with their definitions and significance.

Imminent hazards which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious

Danger:

injury.

Potential hazards which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious

Warning:

injury.

Potential hazards or unsafe practices which, if not avoided, may result in

Caution:

minor or moderate injury.

Potential hazards or unsafe practices which, if not avoided, may result in

Caution:

product damage.

Points of particular interest for more efficient or convenient equipment
operation; additional information or explanation concerning the subject
under discussion.

Note:

General hazards

Following are descriptions of general hazards and unsafe practices that could result in death,
severe injury, or product damage when working with or around CO2 lasers. Specific warning
and cautions not appearing in this section are found in your laser’s Operator’s Manual.

Danger

serious

personal

injury

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

Direct or diffuse laser radiation can inflict severe corneal
injuries. Always wear eye protection when in the same
area as an exposed laser beam. Eyewear protects against
scattered energy and is not intended to protect against
direct viewing of the beam or reflections from metallic
surfaces. Protective eyewear that blocks 10.6 µm wave­length CO2 laser radiation is available from SYNRAD.

1

laser safety

Hazard information

Warning

serious

personal

injury

Enclose the beam path whenever possible. Direct or dif­fuse laser radiation can seriously burn human or animal
tissue, which may cause permanent damage.

U.S. customers should refer to and follow laser safety
precautions in ANSI Z136.1-2007, Safe Use of Lasers.
Procedures listed in this Standard include the appoint­ment of a Laser Safety Officer (LSO), operation of the
product in an area of limited access by trained personnel,
servicing of equipment only by trained and authorized
personnel, and posting of signs warning of the potential
hazards. European customers should appoint a Laser
Safety Officer (LSO) who should refer to and follow laser
safety precautions described in EN 60825-1, 2007—Safe-
ty of Laser Products.

Materials processing with a laser can generate air con­taminants such as vapors, fumes, and/or particles that
may be noxious, toxic, or even fatal. Material Safety
Data Sheets (MSDS) for materials being processed
should be thoroughly evaluated and the adequacy of pro­visions for fume extraction, filtering, and venting should
be carefully considered. Review the following references
for further information on exposure criteria:

ANSI Z136.1-2007, Safe Use of Lasers, section 7.3.

U.S. Government’s Code of Federal Regulations: 29 CFR
1910, Subpart Z.

Threshold Limit Values (TLV’s) published by the Ameri­can Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
(ACGIH).

It may be necessary to consult with local governmental
agencies regarding restrictions on the venting of process­ing vapors.

2

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

laser safety

Hazard information

Warning

serious

The use of controls or adjustments or performance of
procedures other than those specified herein may result
in hazardous radiation exposure.

personal

injury

Other hazards

The following hazards are typical for this product family when incorporated for intended use:
(A) risk of injury when lifting or moving the unit; (B) risk of exposure to hazardous laser
energy through unauthorized removal of access panels, doors, or protective barriers; (C) risk
of exposure to hazardous laser energy and injury due to failure of personnel to use proper eye
protection or failure to adhere to applicable laser safety procedures; (D) risk of exposure to
hazardous or lethal voltages through unauthorized removal of covers, doors, or access panels;
(E) generation of hazardous air contaminants that may be noxious, toxic, or even fatal.

Disposal

This product contains components that are considered hazardous industrial waste. If a situ­ation occurs where the unit is rendered non-functional and cannot be repaired, it may be
returned to SYNRAD, Inc. who, for a fee, will ensure adequate disassembly, recycling, and/or
disposal of the product.

Additional laser safety information

The SYNRAD web site (http://www.synrad.com/LaserFacts/lasersafety.html) contains an on­line laser safety handbook that provides information on (1) Laser Safety Standards for OEM’s/
System Integrators; (2) Laser Safety Standards for End Users; (3) References and Sources; and
(4) Assistance with Requirements.

In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has an online
Technical Manual located at http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_6.html. Sec­tion III, Chapter 6 and Appendix III are good resources for laser safety information.

Another excellent laser safety resource is the Laser Institute of America (LIA). Their compre­hensive web site is located at http://www.laserinstitute.org.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

3

laser safety

Label locations

4600 Campus Place, Mukilteo, WA 98275 [phone]

MODEL: UC-2000

15–50 VDC, 35mA

MFG: December 01, 2004

4600 Campus Place, Mukilteo, WA 98275 [phone]

MODEL: UC-2000

15–50 VDC, 35mA

MFG: December 01, 2004

Ser#:

UC40336021891

Ser#:

UC40336021891

Figure 1 UC-2000 CE label location

4

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

laser safety

Agency compliance

The UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller has been tested and certified to comply with cer­tain United States and European Union (EU) Directives. These Directives impose product
performance requirements related to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and product safety
characteristics for laser products. The associated Directives and specific provisions to which
systems containing the UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller must comply are identified and
described in the following paragraphs.

Federal Communications Commission requirements

The United States Communication Act of 1934 vested the Federal Communications Com­mission (FCC) with the authority to regulate equipment that emits electromagnetic radiation
in the radio frequency spectrum. The purpose of the Communication Act is to prevent harm­ful electromagnetic interference from affecting radio communication services.

FCC information to the user

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a com­mercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harm­ful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area
is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.

FCC caution to the user

The Federal Communications Commission warns the user that changes or modifications of
the unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.

European Union requirements

Electromagnetic interference standards

The European Union’s Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive 2004/1086/EC is
the sole Directive developed to address electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues in elec­tronic equipment. In particular, the Directive calls out European Norm (EN) documents that
define the emission and immunity standards for specific product categories. For the UC-2000
Universal Laser Controller, EN 55011 defines radiated RF emission limits while the generic
Standard EN 50082-2 defines immunity requirements published by the International Electro­mechanical Commission (IEC).

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

5

laser safety

Agency compliance

UC-2000 Universal Laser Controllers have demonstrated performance characteristics that
have met or exceeded the requirements of the EMC directive 2004/108/EC.

Table 1 contains a summary of EU performance requirements pertaining to the UC-2000
Universal Laser Controller.

Table 1 European Union Directives

Applicable Standards/Norms

2004/108/EC Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive

EN 55011:1998 Radiated and Conducted Emissions

EN 50082-2:1997 RF Electromagnetic Immunity

ENV 50204:1995 RF Electromagnetic Fields Immunity

EN 61000-4-2:1995+A1:1998 Electrostatic Discharge Immunity

EN 61000-4-3:1999 RF Electromagnetic Fields Immunity

EN 61000-4-4:1995 Electrical Fast Transient/Burst Immunity

EN 61000-4-6:1996 Conducted RF Disturbances Immunity

After a product has met the requirements of all applicable EU directives, the product can bear
the official compliance mark of the European Union as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 European compliance mark

6

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

laser safety

Agency compliance

RoHS compliance

UC-2000 Universal Laser Controllers meet the requirements of the European Parliament and
Council Directive 2002/95/EC on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances
in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, as amended by Decision 2005/618/EC establishing
maximum concentration values for certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic
equipment.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

7

laser safety

Declaration of Conformity

Declaration of Conformity

in accordance with ISO / IEC 17050-2:2004

We,

Manufacturer’s Name: SYNRAD, Inc.

Manufacturer’s Address: 4600 Campus Place

Mukilteo, WA 98275
U.S.A.

hereby declare under our sole responsibility that the following equipment:

Product Name: UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller

Model Number: UC-2000

conforms to the following Directive(s) and Standard(s):

Applicable Directive(s): 2004/108/EC Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive

2002/95/EC RoHS Directive (amended by 2005/618/EC)

Applicable Standard(s): EN 55011:1998 Conducted and Radiated Emissions

EN 50082-2:1997 RF Electromagnetic Immunity

ENV 50204:1995 RF Electromagnetic Fields Immunity

EN 61000-4-2:1995
+A1:1998 Electrostatic Discharge Immunity

EN 61000-4-3:1999 RF Electromagnetic Fields Immunity

EN 61000-4-4:1995 Electrical Fast Transient/Burst Immunity

EN 61000-4-6:1996 Conducted RF Disturbances Immunity

Corporate Officer: European Contact:

Excel Technology Europe GmbH
Münchner Str. 2a

Dave Clarke, President of SYNRAD, Inc.

Dated 01 July 2009

8

D-82152 Planegg
Germany

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

getting started

Use information in this section to prepare your UC-2000 Universal Laser
Controller for operation. The order of information presented in this section is
the same as the order of tasks that you will need to perform. The best way to
get the UC-2000 ready for operation is to start at Inventory and work your way
through Connecting.

This section contains the following information:

■Inventory – lists all components shipped with your UC-2000 Controller.

■Introduction – describes the history of the UC-2000.

■Mounting – describes UC-2000 mounting methods.

■ Connecting – explains how to connect the UC-2000 to your laser.

1

11Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

getting started

Inventory

Table 1-1 lists all items packaged with your UC-2000 Controller.

Table 1-1 Shipping box contents

Shipping Box Contents Qty

SYNRAD UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller ........1

UC-2000 Operator’s Manual .......................................1

Power/Control Cable ................................................... 1

Wall Plug Transformer ................................................ 1

BNC to BNC Control Cable ....................................... 1

BNC Tee ..................................................................... 1

Contents description

A description of each item listed in Table 1-1 follows:

SYNRAD UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller – outputs laser Command signals and accepts
external control and gating signals.

UC-2000 Laser Controller Operator’s Manual – presents setup, operation, and technical infor­mation.

Power/Control Cable – provides DC power to the UC-2000 and outputs tickle/Command
signals to the laser.

Wall Plug Transformer – provides 24 VDC to the UC-2000 Controller from a 100–240 VAC,
50–60 Hz wall plug outlet.

BNC to BNC Control Cable – use with BNC Tee to connect Power/Control Cable to dual­tube lasers.

BNC Tee – for connecting control cables to dual-tube lasers with two PWM control inputs.

12

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

getting started

Introduction

The UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller is SYNRAD’s third-generation laser controller, a
product which has evolved from years of experience with hundreds of SYNRAD laser control­lers currently being used in applications at customer sites throughout the world.

Features

UC-2000 features include:

■Real-time LCD display of operating mode and PWM power settings

■Control knob sets laser power in 0.5% or 5% increments

■Built-in Lase indicator

■Remote analog voltage or analog current power control

■DB-9 serial connection allows UC-2000 control through an RS-232 serial port

from a host computer or PLC

■New REMOTE (RS-232) checksum communications protocol to eliminate transmission

line errors.

■Real-time display of power setpoint and actual closed loop power regulation

■Available in an optional panel mount design

13Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

getting started

Mounting

Standard model

The UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller’s rubber feet are designed for shelf or table-top
mounting. If your application requires the UC-2000 to be securely fastened to a shelf or rack,
perform the following steps:

1

Remove at least two of the four 6–32 Phillips head screws holding the UC-2000’s rubber

feet to the chassis.

2

Drill holes into your mounting surface so that hole positions correspond to the UC-

2000’s feet locations. Refer UC-2000 package outlines in the Technical Reference chapter
for dimensions.

3

Position the UC-2000 and its rubber feet over the mounting holes and replace the 6–32

screws removed in Step 1.

Note: If you must replace the standard mounting screws, the screw’s additional length must

be no longer than the thickness of the mount to prevent damage to the UC-2000’s
case or internal components.

Panel mount model

To mount the UC-2000 panel mount version, perform the following steps:

1

Refer UC-2000 package outlines in the Technical Reference chapter for dimensions and

then cut out a rectangle, measuring approximately 7.13" × 3.25" (18.1 cm × 8.3 cm), on
your rack mount filler panel or cabinet housing.

2

Use the mounting hole dimensions shown in the UC-2000 package outlines panel mount

drawing to drill and tap four 6–32 (M3.5×0.6) screw holes in the rack mount panel or
cabinet housing.

3

Insert the panel mount UC-2000 Controller into the rectangular cutout and secure with

four 6–32 or M3.5 screws.

14

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

getting started

Connecting

Refer to Controls and indicators in the Operation chapter for illustrations showing the place­ment and function of connections to the UC-2000 Controller.

Power cable

To connect power to the UC-2000, perform the following steps:

1

Locate the Power/Control cable in the shipping kit.

2

Connect the 4-pin mini-DIN connector to the Laser connector on the rear of the UC-

2000.

3

For Series 48 lasers, connect the miniature DC power plug on the other end of the

Power/Control cable to the laser’s side-mounted auxiliary power connector.

For Evolution or Firestar lasers, connect the miniature DC power plug on the end of the

Power/Control cable to the miniature connector on the cable from the Wall Plug Trans­former. Plug the compact transformer into any 100–240 VAC, 50–60 Hz outlet.

For other laser types, power the UC-2000 from any 15–50 VDC source capable of supplying
35 milliamperes (mA) of current. If you choose to supply DC voltage from an alternate power
source, ensure that connector polarity to the miniature DC power plug is correct: the tip or
inner sleeve polarity is positive (+); the ring or outer sleeve polarity is negative (–).

Control cable

Attach the Power/Control cable to your laser according to its type:

Series 48-1, 48-2 laser:

Attach the BNC connector from the Power/Control cable to the laser’s control input, labeled
CTRL, located on the rear of the laser.

Series 48-5 laser:

Attach one end of the BNC–BNC coaxial control cable to the BNC connector from the
Power/Control cable using the supplied BNC Tee. Attach the open end of the BNC Tee to one
of the control inputs, CTRL1 or CTRL2, located on the rear of the laser. Connect the other
end of the BNC–BNC cable to the other control input.

15Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

getting started

Connecting

Firestar
f201 laser:

Attach the BNC connector from the Power/Control cable to the BNC connector on the Quick
Start Plug (or customer-supplied DB-15 connector) attached to the User I/O port on the rear

panel of the laser.

®

v30, v40, t70i, ti-Series, f100, or

Firestar

Attach the BNC connector from the Power/Control cable to the BNC connector on the Quick
Start Plug (or customer-supplied DB-15 connector) attached to the User I/O port on the rear

panel of the RF power supply.

Firestar

Attach one end of the BNC–BNC coaxial control cable to the BNC connector from the
Power/Control cable using the supplied BNC Tee. Attach the open end of the BNC Tee to one
of the Quick Start Plugs (or customer-supplied DB-15 connector) attached to the User I/O port
on the rear panel of the laser. Connect the other end of the BNC–BNC cable to the other
Quick Start Plug (or customer-supplied DB-15 connector).

Evolution

Attach the BNC connector from the Power/Control cable to the control input, labeled Control
In, located on the front or rear panel of the RF-3000 RF power supply.

Evolution

Attach the BNC connector from the Power/Control cable to the BNC Tee connecting the Set
1 and Set 2 control inputs, labeled Control In, located on the front or rear panel of the RF-

3000 RF power supplies.

The connections you have just completed are sufficient for manual operation and testing of
the UC-2000 Controller. Refer to Initial start-up in the Operation chapter for start-up proce­dures.

®

t-Series laser:

®

f200/f400 laser:

™

100/125 laser:

™

200/240 laser:

See UC-2000 control and Laser control in the Operation chapter for detailed information
regarding UC-2000 operation and the various options for PWM laser control. External control
in the Technical Reference chapter describes how to connect externally-generated control
signals to the UC-2000 Controller.

16

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

Use information in this section to familiarize yourself with UC-2000
controls and indicators and to begin operation.

2

This section contains the following information:

■Controls and indicators – displays and describes UC-2000 controls,

indicators, and connections.

■Initial start-up – explains how to operate the UC-2000 Controller.

■Setup – describes how to set UC-2000 operating parameters.

■UC-2000 control – describes local and REMOTE control of the UC-2000.

■Laser control – describes each of the UC-2000’s PWM control methods

and explains the gating function.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

21

operation

Controls and indicators

Control panel

1

UC-2000

LASER CONTROLLER

2

ENTERSELECT

LASE

ON / OFF

3

4

Figure 2-1 Control panel

1

LCD Display – displays UC-2000 operating and setup parameters.

2

Select Pushbutton – scrolls through menu selections.

3

Enter Pushbutton – selects a menu item.

6

5

4

Lase On/Off Pushbutton – press to toggle the laser On or Off using the current operating

parameters.

5

Lase Indicator – illuminates red to indicate that PWM Command pulses are being sent

to the laser (if the Gate input is active).

6

PWM Adj Knob – rotate to change PWM duty cycle. When setting PWM duty cycle

manually, rotate the PWM Adj Knob to change output in 0.5% increments or press down
and turn to increase or decrease laser PWM duty cycle in 5% increments.

22

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

Rear panel

operation

Controls and indicators

LASER SERIAL PORT C/LGATE

ANV/ANC

1 2

3

54

Figure 2-2 Rear panel

1

ANV/ANC Connector – input BNC connector for applications using external analog

voltage or current control signals.

2

Laser Connector – 4-pin mini-DIN connection for the Power/Control cable, which pro-

vides DC power to the Controller and sends tickle/PWM signals out to the laser.

3

Serial Port Connector – DB-9 connector allows a computer or programmable logic con-

troller (PLC) to control the UC-2000 via an RS-232 serial port.

4

C/L Connector – 8-pin mini-DIN connector allows closed loop power control of lasers

equipped with a SYNRAD closed loop kit.

5

Gate Connector – input BNC connector for applications using external gating signals to

gate the laser beam on and off.

Note: All BNC connectors on the UC-2000 Controller are wired so that the signal is con-

nected to the center pin and the signal return, or ground, is connected to the BNC
shell.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

23

operation

**

Controls and indicators

LCD display

When power is first applied to the UC-2000 Controller, the firmware screen (shown in Figure
2-3) appears and displays the current firmware version.

*****
*
*

UC -2

***

*
SYNAD

*

***

****

*

**

R
000-V2.4
** ** **

***

*
*

*

Figure 2-3 Firmware screen

After a few moments, the display changes to the start-up screen shown in Figure 2-4.

MODE :MANUAL
PWM: 0

PUSHFOR COARS

0

%0

.

E

Figure 2-4 Start-up screen

Note: On subsequent start-ups, the UC-2000 recalls the last saved operating parameters.

During normal operation, the UC-2000’s LCD display contains four lines that display the fol­lowing information:

Line 1 displays “MODE: ” and the currently selected operating mode.

Line 2 displays “PWM: ××.×%” or “SET: ××.×%”, the currently commanded PWM duty
cycle in one-half percent increments.

In manual closed loop or ANV closed loop mode, Line 3 displays “POWER: ××.×%”, the
actual regulated closed loop output power percentage.

Line 4 displays information about the currently displayed control mode.

24

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

Initial start-up

To initially test your UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller, perform the following steps:

Warning

possible

personal

Ensure that all personnel in the area are wearing protec­tive eyewear. Read and follow all safety precautions de­scribed in your laser’s Operator’s Manual before beginning
operation.

injury

1

Place a beam block in front of the laser’s output aperture to prevent the beam from trav-

eling beyond the work area.

2

Ensure that all personnel in the area are wearing protective eyewear, then apply power

to both the laser and the UC-2000.

3

Press the Select pushbutton and scroll through the menu until Line 4 in the LCD display

reads “FUNC: MANUAL”.

4

Press the Enter pushbutton to choose the MANUAL mode of operation.

5

If your laser is equipped with a keyswitch, turn it “On” (clockwise). The laser’s green

PWR indicator (Series 48 laser) or yellow Ready indicator (Evolution™ or Firestar® laser)

illuminates and, after a five-second delay, the laser is ready to lase.

6

Press the Lase On/Off pushbutton. The red Lase indicator on the UC-2000 and the

laser’s LASE indicator will both illuminate.

7

Rotate the PWM Adj Knob to set laser power in 0.5% increments or press down and

rotate to change power in 5% increments. Laser output should increase and decrease
correspondingly. If the laser fails to fire, refer to the Troubleshooting chapter.

Note: Although the ratio of laser output to its power input is nonlinear, laser output is ap-

proximately proportional to PWM duty cycle. The curve of laser output versus PWM
duty cycle also varies slightly when different PWM frequencies are used.

8

Press the Lase On/Off pushbutton to halt lasing. The red Lase indicator on the UC-2000

and the laser’s LASE indicator will both turn off.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

25

operation

SP

:%

Setup

Setup mode allows you to select operating parameters such as PWM frequency, gate logic, and
maximum PWM percentage. To enter Setup mode when power is first applied, press and hold
the Enter pushbutton while the firmware screen is displayed. Enter Setup mode at any time
by pressing Enter and Select buttons simultaneously. After a few seconds the first setup screen
(Figure 2-5) appears with the top line, “FREQUENCY: ××KHZ”, flashing.

FREQU
GAT
MAXIMU

LA ON PWR- N

E
P

EL

E

:KHZ

N

CY

L

U
MPWM

5

UP

95

U

H

CECK M
OTIO 2

PN

OTIO 3

PN

U

(ON)

EA T

X

IESSANVD

Figure 2-5 Setup screens

Press the Select pushbutton to scroll through setup parameters. When “SAVE AND EXIT” is
flashing, press Enter to exit Setup mode and write current parameters to memory. Each param­eter is described in further detail below.

Setting PWM frequency

The UC-2000 sends Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signals to the laser at user-selectable
frequencies of 5, 10, or 20 kHz. The standard modulation frequency of 5 kHz works well in
most laser applications and provides the greatest depth of modulation (Figure 3-2 in the Tech­nical Reference chapter). For applications that cannot tolerate the on/off nature of optical
beam response but still require adjustable power levels, use a PWM frequency of 10 or 20 kHz.

To change the PWM frequency, perform the following steps:

1

Enter Setup mode and press the Select pushbutton until “FREQUENCY: ××KHZ” is

flashing.

2

Press the Enter pushbutton. The current PWM frequency flashes.

3

Press Select to scroll through PWM frequency choices: 5, 10, or 20.

4

When the desired frequency is flashing, press Enter to choose that frequency as the cur-

rent PWM frequency.

5

Press Select to go to the next parameter or press Select until “SAVE AND EXIT” flashes

then push Enter to exit Setup mode and write operating parameters to memory.

26

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

Setup

Setting gate logic

A gate signal is available in all operating modes to gate, or switch, the laser. Connecting an
external pulse train to the Gate connector (laser output enabled when gate input is active)
causes the UC-2000 to rapidly switch the laser on and off. The laser’s “on” power level is set
by the UC-2000’s PWM Adj Knob or by external ANC, ANV, or REMOTE inputs. When
laser “off” time exceeds 200 µs, a tickle signal is generated to maintain plasma ionization.

A gate signal by itself does not fire the laser; instead the gate input is logically ANDed with
the state of the Lase On/Off pushbutton. The pushbutton must be On (Lase indicator illumi­nated) and the appropriate active gate signal must be applied to the Gate connector in order
to fire the laser.

The default gate logic is pull up or normally on. Pull up logic means that the laser will fire
without a gate signal present when the Lase On/Off pushbutton is pressed On.

Users who intend to use a gating signal should set the UC-2000’s gate input logic to pull down
or normally off. When set to pull down mode, a high-level signal in the range of +2.8 V to
+5.0 VDC must be present at the Gate input connector in order to fire the laser. Pull down
(normally off) logic ensures that the laser is always off in the event the gate signal is open or
disconnected, or a “tri-state” (electrically floating) condition exists.

Note: PWM output pulses are NOT synchronized with the Gate input signal.

Set input gate logic to pull up (normally on) only if a gate signal is not used in your laser
application or during laser setup. When the gate function is set to pull up (normally on), the
laser will fire when the Lase On/Off pushbutton is pressed unless the Gate input connector is
held in a logic low state or is short-circuited through a set of dry relay contacts.

To change input gate logic, perform the following steps:

1

In Setup mode, press the Select pushbutton until “GATE PULL ××××” flashes.

2

Press the Enter pushbutton. The current gate mode flashes.

3

Press Select to scroll through gate logic choices: Up or Down.

4

When the desired input logic is flashing, press Enter to choose that mode as the current

gate input mode.

5

Press Select to go to the next parameter or press Select until “SAVE AND EXIT” flashes

then push Enter to exit Setup mode and write operating parameters to memory.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

27

operation

Setup

Setting max PWM percentage

The UC-2000’s maximum PWM percentage (maximum allowable duty cycle) is adjustable to
either 95 or 99%. The default maximum PWM percentage, 95%, allows the laser’s plasma to
cool slightly, increasing laser efficiency. A 99% PWM duty cycle should be used only when
absolutely necessary and then only in applications where a gating signal limits long-term aver­age power such as in a marking application.

Note: SYNRAD lasers are designed for maximum performance using a 95% duty cycle.
Increasing the maximum PWM percentage beyond 95% greatly increases the laser’s
heat load with little or no corresponding increase in laser output power. Continuous
operation at 99% duty cycle may lead to thermal instability and optical degradation.

To change the maximum PWM percentage, perform the following steps:

1

Press the Select pushbutton until “MAXIMUM PWM: ××%” is flashing.

2

Press the Enter pushbutton. The current PWM percentage flashes.

3

Press Select to scroll through maximum PWM choices: 95 or 99.

4

When the desired percentage is flashing, press Enter to choose that percentage as the

current maximum PWM percentage.

5

Press Select to go to the next parameter or press Select until “SAVE AND EXIT” flashes

then push Enter to exit Setup mode and write operating parameters to memory.

Setting lase on power-up

Normal operation of the UC-2000 Controller requires an operator to press the Lase On/Off
pushbutton to enable lasing after Controller power-up. This safety feature prevents inadver­tent laser operation in the event that power is cycled off and then on again such as during
a power failure. In integrated applications where the UC-2000 is mounted inside a control
cabinet and is not readily accessible to equipment operators, the UC-2000 Controller can be
programmed to start lasing immediately upon power-up.

To enable lasing on power-up, perform the following steps:

1

Press the Select pushbutton until “LASE ON PWR-UP ×” is flashing.

2

Press the Enter pushbutton. The current lase on power-up setting flashes.

28

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

Setup

3

Press Select to scroll through power-up settings: N or Y.

The UC-2000’s default setting is “N” (No), lasing on power-up is disabled. Choose “Y”
(Yes) to enable laser output immediately after power is applied to the UC-2000.

4

When the “Y” setting is flashing, press Enter to choose that setting as the current lase on

power-up command.

5

Press Select to go to the next parameter or press Select until “SAVE AND EXIT” flashes

then push Enter to exit Setup mode and write operating parameters to memory.

6

Follow all procedures to ensure that the laser is safe to fire (or disconnect the Power/

Control cable to prevent firing) and then press the Lase On/Off pushbutton.

7

When the red Lase indicator illuminates, wait six seconds until the UC-2000 beeps

twice. This indicates that the new Lase On Power-Up setting is saved into memory.

8

Power down the UC-2000 Controller.

The next time the UC-2000 is powered up, the Lase indicator will illuminate and the
laser will begin firing immediately at the commanded power setting (provided that the
Gate input is active).

Warning

possible

personal

When LASE ON PWR-UP is enabled, the system inte­grator is responsible for providing additional safe-guards
to prevent accidental or unintended operation
of the laser when power is applied to the UC-2000 Uni­versal Laser Controller.

injury

Setting REMOTE (RS-232) protocol

By default, UC-2000 Controllers running firmware version 2.4 use a new RS-232 transmission
protocol that includes a checksum byte to provide a more robust communication link between
the UC-2000 Controller and the host by better handling any errors introduced by the trans­mission line. No other configuration is required except to implement the new command string
structure as described in the REMOTE control section of the Technical Reference chapter.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

29

operation

Setup

If you plan to use the previous non-checksum single-byte command protocol, you must disable
the checksum protocol as described below:

1

Enter Setup mode and press the Select pushbutton until “CHECKSUM (ON)” is flash-

ing.

2

Press the Enter pushbutton once to disable the checksum protocol. The display will

show “CHECKSUM”, without the “(ON)”, to indicate the checksum is disabled.

Note: The checksum mode (On or Off) is immediately saved to memory.

3

Press Select until “SAVE AND EXIT” flashes then push Enter to exit Setup mode and

write operating parameters to memory.

Setting option 2–3

This functions are reserved for future use and are not currently available.

Save and exit

Press Select to loop back around to the first setup parameter or push Enter to exit Setup mode
and write operating parameters to memory. On exit, the Controller beeps twice to indicate
that operating parameters were successfully saved to non-volatile memory.

Factory default settings

Table 2-1 lists factory default settings for the UC-2000 Controller.

Table 2-1 Factory default settings

Parameter Default Setting

Frequency ............................................... 5 kHz

Gate ........................................................ Pull Up

Maximum PWM Duty Cycle ................. 95%

Lase on Power-Up ................................. N (No)

Checksum .............................................. ON

210

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

UC-2000 control

You can control the UC-2000 using either of two methods: local control, using panel knobs and
buttons; or REMOTE control, using RS-232 serial port commands. Both methods allow you to
control laser operation including output power adjustment and On/Off status.

Local control

PWM Adj Knob

Use the PWM Adj Knob (Item 6 in Figure 2-1) to manually set the laser’s output power by
varying the duty cycle of the PWM Command signal. Rotate the knob clockwise or counter­clockwise to increase or decrease the PWM duty cycle in 0.5% increments. To make larger
changes, press the PWM Adj Knob down while turning to make changes in 5% increments.
See Control signals in the Technical Reference chapter for descriptions of control signals gen­erated by the UC-2000 Controller.

Select/Enter pushbuttons

Press the Select pushbutton (Item 2 in Figure 2-1) to scroll through selections in the current
menu. Press the Enter pushbutton (Item 3) to choose the currently displayed operating mode
in the main menu or to choose the flashing option in the Setup menu. Press and hold Enter
when power is first applied (while the firmware screen is displayed) to enter Setup mode. To
enter Setup mode at any time, press and hold both Select and Enter buttons simultaneously.

Lase On/Off pushbutton

The Lase On/Off pushbutton acts like a toggle switch to enable/disable lasing. Press the Lase
On/Off pushbutton once to begin lasing; press it again to halt lasing. The red Lase LED above
the Lase On/Off pushbutton illuminates when PWM Commands are being sent to the laser.

Note: For safety reasons, lasing is automatically disabled and the Lase indicator is turned off

if a new operating mode is selected while the laser is being commanded to lase.

When the red Lase LED is off (with power applied to the Controller), the UC-2000 operates
in Standby mode – sending only tickle pulses to maintain plasma ionization in the laser. See
Control signals in the Technical Reference chapter for a description of control signals gener­ated by the UC-2000 Controller.

The UC-2000 can be set to begin lasing automatically on power-up. To choose this option,
Lase on Power-Up, refer back to the Setup section earlier in this chapter.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

211

operation

UC-2000 control

Autosave feature

Six seconds after the last pushbutton or PWM Adj Knob operation (in local UC-2000 con­trol), the Controller automatically saves the current mode settings and PWM power percent­age into non-volatile memory. After saving operational settings, the Controller beeps twice to
indicate success. If power is removed and later reapplied, the UC-2000 Controller will power­up with the last saved operating mode and power settings.

Note: All REMOTE (RS-232) commands received by the UC-2000 are immediately saved

to non-volatile memory.

REMOTE (RS-232) control

Warning

possible

personal

To prevent accidental exposure to laser radiation while
operating using REMOTE control, it is the responsibility
of the user to ensure that the computer is properly con­figured and that suitable software is available to control
the UC-2000.

injury

Choosing REMOTE control, Figure 2-6, allows a host computer or programmable logic con­troller (PLC) to control the laser’s desired output and operation through an RS-232
serial link.

Immediately on entry to REMOTE operation, the UC-2000 saves current local control settings
and then recalls the last saved REMOTE control settings. Once in REMOTE, the PWM Adj
Knob and Laser On/Off pushbutton are disabled but the LCD display and Select/Enter pushbut­tons continue to operate normally. When exiting REMOTE operation, the UC-2000 saves
current REMOTE control settings and then recalls the last saved local control settings.

See REMOTE control in the Technical Reference chapter for a complete list and description
of REMOTE (RS-232) commands.

212

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

SO

UC-2000 control

Note: In response to a status request, the UC-2000 can report status data to the RS-232

link while it is in any local control or REMOTE control mode.

Figure 2-6 REMOTE mode

MODE :
SET:

UERS2 2PRT3

RE

X

OTEM

%

X

X

.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

213

operation

Laser control

Laser output power is controlled by choosing one of five UC-2000 operating modes: MANU­AL, ANC, ANV, MAN. CLOSED, and ANV CLOSED. When none of these modes is active,
the Controller operates in Standby mode. Each operating mode is described in detail below.

When operating the Controller using local control, choose one of the UC-2000’s five operating
modes by pressing the Select pushbutton. Line 1 in the LCD display shows the various modes
as you scroll through them. When the desired operating mode is displayed, press the Enter
Pushbutton. Pressing Enter causes the displayed mode to become the active mode of opera­tion.

When operating the UC-2000 via REMOTE (RS-232) control, choose an operating mode by
sending the appropriate command byte to the Controller’s Serial Port connector. Line 1 in the
LCD display changes to indicate the newly selected REMOTE control operating mode, which
you control by sending REMOTE (RS-232) commands. If your REMOTE control applica­tion does not use ANC, ANV or closed loop inputs, then you will operate in “MANUAL”
REMOTE mode and adjust laser power “manually” by sending the appropriate command and
data bytes to the RS-232 serial port.

Note: For safety reasons, lasing is automatically disabled and the Lase indicator is turned off

if a new operating mode is selected while the laser is being commanded to lase (Lase
indicator is illuminated).

Operating modes

Standby

During standby operation (power applied to the UC-2000 Controller with the Lase indicator
off), the UC-2000 sends 5 kHz “tickle” pulses to pre-ionize laser gas to just below the lasing
threshold. Tickle allows the laser to respond almost instantaneously to Command signals as
the beam is switched off and on during laser operations. See Control signals in the Technical
Reference chapter for descriptions of tickle and PWM Command signals.

214

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

Laser control

MANUAL

When operating the UC-2000 using local control, Figure 2-7, adjust laser power using the
PWM Adj Knob. Rotating the knob changes laser output power from zero to maximum by

varying the UC-2000’s PWM output from 0 to 95 (or 99) percent in 0.5% steps. When
operating the UC-2000 using REMOTE control, adjust laser power “manually” by sending the
appropriate command and data bytes via the RS-232 serial port. Line 2 in the LCD display
shows “PWM: ××.×%”, where ××.× is the commanded PWM duty cycle percentage. An
external Gate signal is the only active input allowed in MANUAL mode.

MODE :MANUA L

PWM:

X

X

%

X

.

PUSHFOR COARS

E

Figure 2-7 MANUAL mode

ANC

In analog current (ANC) mode, Figure 2-8, control laser power using an external 4–20 mA
current loop, which is the standard interface for industrial control loop supervision. The
PWM duty cycle is continuously variable and changes proportionally to the applied current—
zero at 4 mA increasing to maximum power at 20 mA. Line 2 in the LCD display shows
“PWM: ××.×%”, where ××.× is the commanded PWM duty cycle percentage. See External
control in the Technical Reference chapter for ANC signal connections and specifications.

Figure 2-8 ANC mode

MODE :
PWM:

4

mA <CURRENT<20mA

X

ANC

X

.

%

X

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

215

operation

Laser control

ANV

In analog voltage (ANV) mode, Figure 2-9, control laser power using an external analog 0–10
V source. The PWM duty cycle is continuously variable and changes proportionally to the
applied voltage—zero at 0 V increasing to maximum power at 10 VDC. Line 2 in the display
shows “PWM: ××.×%”, where ××.× is the commanded PWM duty cycle percentage. See
External control in the Technical Reference chapter for ANV signal connections and specifica­tions.

MODE :

PWM:

0

V<VOLT GE<10VA

X

ANV

X

.

%

X

Figure 2-9 ANV mode

MAN. CLOSED

Closed loop power control is available for SYNRAD lasers with a factory installed Closed
Loop Stabilization Kit. See Appendix A for details.

When operating the UC-2000 using local control, Figure 2-10, adjust the laser’s desired output
power (regulated setpoint) using the PWM Adj Knob. When operating the UC-2000 using
REMOTE control, adjust the laser’s desired output power (regulated setpoint) “manually” by
sending the appropriate command and data bytes to the RS-232 serial port.

In either case, closed loop sensor feedback regulates power stability within ±2% of the set­point. Closed loop settling time is typically two milliseconds (ms) after a change in setpoint.
Line 2 in the display shows “SET: ××.×%”, where ××.× is the commanded power setpoint.
Line 3 displays “POWER: ××.×%”, where ××.× is the actual regulated output power percent­age. See External control in the Technical Reference chapter for closed loop signal connections
and specifications.

Note: If “SET: ××.×%” and “POWER: ××.×%” values do not match, then closed loop

control is set out of range (the “SET: ××.×%” value is outside the recommended
upper or lower control limit range of 20–80% of rated output laser power).

216

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

operation

Laser control

MODE :

SET:
POWER:
PUSHFOR COARS

.SED

MAN

X

X

X

X

CLO

X

.

X.

%
%

E

Figure 2-10 MAN. CLOSED mode

ANV CLOSED

Closed loop power control is available for SYNRAD lasers with a factory installed Closed
Loop Stabilization Kit. See Appendix A for details.

In analog voltage closed loop control (ANV CLOSED) mode, Figure 2-11, the laser’s desired
output power (regulated setpoint) is controlled by an external analog voltage. Closed loop
sensor feedback regulates power stability within ±2% of the setpoint. Closed loop settling time
is typically two milliseconds (ms) after a change in setpoint. Line 2 in the display shows “SET:
××.×%”, where ××.× is the commanded power setpoint. Line 3 displays “POWER: ××.×%”,
where ××.× is the actual regulated output power percentage. See External control in the Tech­nical Reference chapter for signal connections and specifications.

Note: If “SET: ××.×%” and “POWER: ××.×%” values do not match, then closed loop

control is set out of range (the “SET: ××.×%” value is outside the recommended
upper or lower control limit range of 20–80% of rated output laser power).

MODE :
SET:
POWER:

0

V<VOLT GE<10VA

Figure 2-11 ANV CLOSED mode

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

ANV

CLOSED

X

X

.

X

X

X

.

X

%
%

217

operation

Laser control

Gate input

An externally-generated pulse train applied to the Gate BNC connector commands the UC­2000 to cycle the laser on and off. This gating signal, when used, is generated by the equip­ment controlling your laser application, typically a computer or programmable logic controller
(PLC). Gate control is available in any of the five UC-2000 operating modes. See External
control in the Technical Reference chapter for descriptions of gate signal connections and
specifications.

Note: A gate signal by itself does not fire the laser; instead, the Gate input is logically AN-

Ded with the state of the Lase On/Off pushbutton. The pushbutton must be On (Lase
indicator illuminated) and the appropriate active gate signal must be applied to the
Gate connector in order to fire the laser. See Setting gate logic earlier in this section for
details on choosing the appropriate gate logic for your application.

218

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

technical reference

Use information in this section as a technical reference for the UC-2000 Uni­versal Laser Controller.

3

This sections contains the following information:

■Control signals – explains the control signals generated by the UC-2000.

■External control– explains how to connect externally-generated control

signals to the UC-2000.

■REMOTE control– explains how to control the UC-2000 from a host us-

ing RS-232 serial communications.

■Connector pinouts – describes Laser and Closed Loop (C/L) connector

pinouts.

■General specifications – lists UC-2000 Controller specifications.

■UC-2000 package outlines – illustrates outline and mounting dimensions

for both standard and panel mount UC-2000 Controllers.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

31

technical reference

1 µs200 µs

Control signals

Tickle pulse

All SYNRAD lasers require a tickle pulse, a 5 kHz signal with a 1 microsecond (µs) pulse
width, which is normally delivered by the UC-2000 Controller. Tickle pulses pre-ionize the
laser gas to just below the lasing threshold so that any further increase in pulse width adds
enough energy to the plasma to cause laser emission. This causes the laser to respond predict­ably and almost instantaneously to PWM Command signals even when there is a considerable
delay (laser off time) between applied On Command signals. The UC-2000 does not produce
tickle pulses continuously, but generates them only when the PWM Command signal is low.
Tickle pulses are sent one tickle period (200 µs) after the falling edge of a PWM Command
signal. Figure 3-1 illustrates tickle pulse parameters.

5 VDC

0 VDC

Figure 3-1 Tickle pulse parameters

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

The UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller controls laser power using pulse width modulation
or PWM. A PWM Command signal controls laser output power by varying the duty cycle of
the laser’s RF amplifiers, which in turn controls the time-averaged RF power applied to the
laser. At the standard 5 kHz PWM frequency, a pulse varying in width between 0 µs, cor­responding to zero power level and 190 µs, corresponding to maximum power, controls laser
output. Use the PWM Adj Knob, an RS-232 (REMOTE) command, or an external ANV/
ANC signal to set a PWM duty cycle percentage.

The choice of PWM frequency—5, 10, or 20 kHz—depends on the user’s specific application.
For most applications, the UC-2000’s standard frequency of 5 kHz has proven to work well.
Optical output follows PWM input with a rise and fall time constant of approximately 75 to
150 µs, depending on the laser model.

Laser output depends on its rise/fall time and the chosen PWM frequency/duty cycle. For any
given laser, the percentage of optical output increases as duty cycle increases (at a constant

32

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

technical reference

Control signals

PWM frequency) or as PWM frequency decreases (at a constant duty cycle). Figure 3-2 shows
representative optical output waveforms at two different duty cycles with the same PWM
frequency.

Representative optical output pulse

M3

T

1

Ch1

50% PWM duty cycle at 4.8 kHz

2.00 V M 50.0µs Ch1 1.24 V

M3

1

Representative optical output pulse

T

80% PWM duty cycle at 4.8 kHz

2.00 V M 50.0µs Ch1 1.24 V

Ch1

Figure 3-2 Representative optical output waveforms

For high-speed motion applications that cannot tolerate any ripple in the optical beam
response, but still need adjustable power levels, we recommend the use of a 20 kHz PWM
frequency. At 20 kHz, the laser’s optical beam response no longer follows the PWM Command
signal and is very nearly a continuous wave (CW) value with just a small amount of ripple
present.

Command signal

The modulated Command signal from the UC-2000 has three basic parameters: signal ampli­tude, base frequency, and PWM duty cycle. By changing these parameters, you can command
the beam to perform a variety of marking, cutting, welding, or drilling operations.

Signal amplitude is either logic low—corresponding to laser beam off, or logic high—corre­sponding to beam on. The laser off voltage, typically 0 V, can range from 0.0 V to +0.5 VDC
while the laser on voltage, typically 5 V, can range from +3.5 V to +5.0 VDC.

Base frequency is the repetition rate of the PWM Command signal. The standard base fre­quency is 5 kHz, which has a pulse period of 200 µs. The UC-2000 provides user-selectable
PWM frequencies of 5 kHz, 10 kHz (100 µs period), or 20 kHz (50 µs period).

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0 VDC

5 VDC

Control signals

The third parameter, PWM duty cycle, is the percentage of the period that the Command
signal is high. If the Command signal’s amplitude (at 5 kHz) is high for 100 µs and low for 100
µs, it has a 50% duty cycle; if the amplitude is high for 190 µs and low for 10 µs, it has a 95%
duty cycle. See Figure 3-3 for Command signal parameters. Table 3-1 provides PWM Com­mand signal output specifications.

200 µs

100 µs

5kHz Command Signal at 50% Duty Cycle 5kHz Command Signal at 95% Duty Cycle

200 µs

190 µs

Figure 3-3 Command signal parameters

When operating in MANUAL or MAN. CLOSED mode using local control, set the required
PWM Command signal (duty cycle percentage) using the UC-2000’s PWM Adj Knob.

When operating in MANUAL or MAN. CLOSED mode using REMOTE control, the PWM
Command signal is controlled by a computer or PLC sending PWM or closed loop SET com­mand and data bytes via an RS-232 serial interface.

When operating in ANC, ANV, or ANV CLOSED modes using local control or REMOTE
control, an external analog signal controls laser output power.

Table 3-1 Command signal output specifications

Parameter Specifications

Output Voltage Logic low: 0.0 V to +0.5 VDC (laser off)
Logic high: +3.5 V to +5.0 VDC max (laser on)

Output Current, max. 100 mA

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External control

There are several methods for externally controlling PWM duty cycle including analog volt­age or current control, closed loop control, and REMOTE (RS-232) control. In addition,
the gate input can be used with any of these control methods as well as with manual PWM
control. Using the gate input allows you to gate, or cycle, the laser on and off with an external
pulse train at a specific power level. Each method of external control is described below.

Note: All BNC connectors on the UC-2000 are wired so that the signal is connected to the

center pin and the signal return, or ground, is connected to the BNC shell.

Gate input

An externally-generated gating signal or pulse train applied to the Gate BNC connector com­mands the UC-2000 to cycle the laser on and off. The gating signal, when used, is generated
by the equipment controlling your laser application. Typically a function generator, computer,
or programmable logic controller (PLC) would send signals through a digital I/O card to the
UC-2000’s Gate connector. Gate control is available in any operating mode.

Gating amplitude can be either of two states. A logic low state (0 V to +0.9 VDC) turns the
laser off. A logic high state (+2.8 VDC to +5 VDC) turns the laser on. When the gate signal
is active, PWM pulses are sent out asynchronously through the Laser connector. The PWM
Command signal (PWM pulses) controls laser output power while the gate signal provides
laser on/off timing control. Figure 3-4 illustrates the relationship between tickle, PWM, and
Gate signals to UC-2000 output.

PWM

(50% duty cycle

@ 20 kHz)

GATE

Input

Tickle

(5 kHz)

UC-2000

Output

Figure 3-4 UC-2000 input/output signal relationships

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External control

Important Note: PWM and gate pulses are asynchronous; the edges of PWM output

pulses are NOT synchronized with the edges of gating pulses.

Note: A gate signal by itself does not fire the laser; instead the gate input is logically AND-

ed with the state of the Lase On/Off pushbutton. The pushbutton must be On (Lase
indicator illuminated) and the appropriate active gate signal must be applied to the
Gate connector in order to fire the laser.

The UC-2000’s gate input function has two settings: Gate Pull Up (normally on) and Gate
Pull Down (normally off). When Gate Pull Up is chosen, UC-2000 circuitry connects an
internal resistor to pull the Gate input up to an active level, which means that the laser will
fire without a gate signal present when the Lase On/Off pushbutton is pressed. Set your gate
configuration to Gate Pull Up (normally on) only if you do not use gate signal in your laser
application.

If you plan to use an external gating signal, set the gate configuration to Gate Pull Down,
which disconnects the internal pull-up resistor from the circuit. When set to Gate Pull Down,
a voltage in the range of +2.8 V to +5.0 VDC must be present on the Gate input for the laser
to fire when the UC-2000’s Lase On/Off pushbutton is pressed. Gate Pull Down (normally off)
logic ensures that the laser is always off in the event the gate signal is open or disconnected,
or if a “tri-state” (electrically floating) condition exists. See Setup in the Operation chapter for
details on configuring gate logic. Table 3-2 provides Gate input signal specifications.

Table 3-2 Gate input specifications

Parameter Specifications

Input Voltage Logic low: 0.0 V to +0.9 VDC (laser off)
Logic high: +2.8 V to +5.0 VDC max (laser on)

Input Impedance 50 kOhms

Gate On Time, min. 3.5 µs
In closed loop mode > 10 ms

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External control

Analog control

Several methods for external analog control of PWM power percentage are available through
the UC-2000. ANC and ANV control methods are fully described below; computer or PLC
control of PWM is discussed later in this section.

Analog current control

Analog current (ANC) control of laser power is accomplished by using a 4–20 mA current
loop. The majority of ANC applications use specialized control software running on a PLC
or computer with a digital-to-analog converter (D/A or DAC) card, although the ANV/ANC
input can be driven from a purely analog source such as a remote potentiometer. Table 3-3
shows analog current signal specifications.

Follow the steps below to set your UC-2000 Controller for ANC control:

1

Press the Select pushbutton until Line 4 in the LCD display shows “FUNC: ANC”.

2

Press Enter to choose ANC as the currently active operating mode.

3

Connect a coaxial cable from your analog current source to the ANV/ANC connector

on the rear of the UC-2000.

4

If required, connect a coaxial cable from your gating source to the Gate connector.

5

From your computer or PLC, send an analog current signal (between 4 mA and 20 mA)

that corresponds to the desired output power percentage.

6

Press the Lase On/Off pushbutton to begin lasing.

Table 3-3 Analog current specifications

Parameter Specification

Current Range 4–20 mA, ±5%

Power Output, typ. zero @ 4 mA, maximum @ 20 mA

Safe Input Current, max. 100 mA

Input Impedance 220 Ohms

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External control

Analog voltage control

Analog voltage (ANV) control of laser output power is accomplished by using an analog
0–10 VDC signal. The majority of ANV applications use specialized control software running
on a computer or PLC with a digital-to-analog converter (D/A or DAC) card, although the
ANV/ANC input can be driven from purely analog sources such as a remote potentiometer or
adjustable power supply. Analog voltage control is also available in the ANV CLOSED mode
described in the Closed loop control section. See Table 3-4 for analog voltage signal specifica­tions.

Follow the steps below to set your UC-2000 Controller for ANV control:

1

Press the Select pushbutton until Line 4 in the LCD display shows “FUNC: ANV”.

2

Press Enter to choose ANV as the currently active operating mode.

3

Connect a coaxial cable from your analog voltage source to the ANV/ANC connector

on the rear of the UC-2000.

4

If required, connect a coaxial cable from your gating source to the Gate connector.

5

From your computer or PLC, send an analog voltage signal (between 0 and 10 VDC)

that corresponds to the desired output power percentage.

6

Press the Lase On/Off pushbutton to begin lasing.

Table 3-4 Analog voltage specifications

Parameter Specifications

Voltage Range 0–10 VDC, ±5%

Power Output, typ. zero @ 0 V (<100 mV), maximum @ 10 VDC

Safe Input Voltage, max. +15 VDC

Input Impedance 10 kOhms

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External control

Closed loop control

Two closed loop power regulation modes are available: manual closed loop control (MAN.
CLOSED) or analog voltage closed loop control (ANV CLOSED). See Appendix A, Closed
Loop Stabilization Kit, for additional closed loop operation details.

Manual closed loop

In manual closed loop (MAN. CLOSED) mode, the desired regulated setpoint is set using the
PWM Adj Knob (local control) or by sending command and data bytes to the UC-2000 Con­troller’s RS-232 serial port (REMOTE control). Closed loop power regulation is maintained by
the laser’s closed loop kit.

Follow the steps below to set your UC-2000 Controller for MAN. CLOSED control:

1

Press the UC-2000’s Select pushbutton until Line 4 in the LCD display shows “FUNC:

MAN. CLOSED”.

2

Press Enter to choose MAN. CLOSED as the currently active operating mode.

3

Connect the cable from your laser’s closed loop kit to the C/L 8-pin mini-DIN connec-

tor on the rear of the UC-2000.

4

If required, connect a coaxial cable from your gating source to the Gate connector.

5

Rotate the PWM Adj Knob (or send RS-232 command and data bytes) to set the desired

regulated power percentage within the range of 20–80% of full rated power.

Note: The window on either side of the regulated range allows the closed loop controller

to maintain power stability over the full dynamic range. If the “SET: ××.×%” and
“POWER: ××.×%” values in the LCD display do not match, this means that closed
loop control is out of range. Adjust the “SET: ××.×%” value until it is within the
upper or lower control limits.

6

Press the Lase On/Off pushbutton to begin lasing.

Analog closed loop

In analog voltage closed loop (ANV CLOSED) mode, an analog voltage between 0–10 VDC
on the ANV/ANC connector sets the desired setpoint while closed loop power regulation is
maintained by the laser’s closed loop kit. The majority of ANV CLOSED applications use
specialized control software running on a computer or PLC with a digital-to-analog converter
(D/A or DAC) card, although the ANV/ANC input can be driven from purely analog

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External control

sources such as a remote potentiometer or an adjustable power supply. Table 3-5 shows analog
voltage closed loop signal specifications.

Follow the steps below to set your UC-2000 Controller for ANV CLOSED control:

1

Press the Select button until Line 4 in the display shows “FUNC: ANV CLOSED”.

2

Press Enter to choose ANV CLOSED as the currently active operating mode.

3

Connect the cable from your laser’s closed loop kit to the C/L 8-pin mini-DIN connec-

tor on the rear of the UC-2000.

4

Connect a coaxial cable from your analog voltage source to the ANV/ANC connector

on the rear of the UC-2000.

5

If required, connect a coaxial cable from your gating source to the Gate connector.

6

Apply an analog voltage between approximately 2–8 VDC that corresponds to the

desired regulated power percentage within the range of 20–80% of full rated power.

Note: The window on either side of the regulated range allows the closed loop controller

to maintain power stability over the full dynamic range. If the “SET: ××.×%” and
“POWER: ××.×%” values in the LCD display do not match, this means that closed
loop control is out of range. Adjust the “SET: ××.×%” value until it is within the
upper or lower control limits.

7

Press the Lase On/Off pushbutton to begin lasing.

Table 3-5 Analog voltage closed loop specifications

Parameter Specifications

Voltage Range 0–10 VDC, ±5%

Power Output, typ. zero @ 0 V (<100 mV), maximum @ 10 VDC

Safe Input Voltage, max. +15 VDC

Input Impedance 10 kOhms

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REMOTE control

REMOTE (RS-232) control of the UC-2000 is accomplished by sending control data to the
UC-2000’s RS-232 serial port from a host computer or PLC. Immediately on entry to RE­MOTE operation, the UC-2000 saves current local control settings and then recalls the last
saved REMOTE control settings. Once in REMOTE, the PWM Adj Knob and Laser On/
Off pushbutton are disabled, but the LCD display and Select/Enter pushbuttons continue to
operate normally. When exiting REMOTE operation, the UC-2000 saves current REMOTE
control settings and then recalls the last saved local control settings.

Follow the steps below to set your UC-2000 Controller for REMOTE control:

1

Connect a standard serial cable between the host’s serial port and the Serial Port connec-

tor on the rear of the UC-2000.

2

Press the Select pushbutton until Line 4 in the display shows “MODE: REMOTE”.

3

Press Enter to choose REMOTE as the currently active control method.

Note: Exit REMOTE operation by pressing the Select pushbutton until the desired local

control mode is displayed. Press Enter to choose the new control method.

4

Send REMOTE commands as described below to remotely operate the UC-2000.

Serial Port connector

Connect to the UC-2000’s Serial Port connector using a standard serial cable. Figure 3-5
illustrates the physical layout of the Serial Port connector on the rear of the UC-2000 Laser
Controller.

Pin 9Pin 6

Pin 1

SERIAL PORT

Figure 3-5 Physical layout of RS-232 Serial Port connector

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HOST

UC-2000

REMOTE control

Table 3-6 provides pin assignments for the UC-2000’s RS-232 Serial Port connector.

Table 3-6 UC-2000 RS-232 pin assignments

Pin # Function

2 Transmit Data (TD)

3 Receive Data (RD)

5 Signal Ground (SG)

If you choose to build a custom length serial cable to connect between the host’s serial port
and the UC-2000 Controller’s Serial Port connector, refer to Figure 3-6; it illustrates a typical
three-wire serial cable.

(FEMALE DB-9)

RECEIVE DATA (2)

TRANSMIT DATA (3)

SIGNAL GROUND (5)

Figure 3-6 RS-232 cable wiring diagram

312

(MALE DB-9)

(2) TRANSMIT DATA

(3) RECEIVE DATA

(5) SIGNAL GROUND

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REMOTE control

Host serial port configuration

In order to communicate through the UC-2000’s RS-232 serial port, you must configure the
host computer’s (or PLC’s) serial port protocol. Table 3-7 provides RS-232 configuration speci­fications for the UC-2000 Laser Controller.

Table 3-7 Host serial port configuration

Parameter Specifications

Baud Rate 9600

Data Bits 8 bits

Parity None

Stop Bits 1 bit

Flow Control None

REMOTE checksum commands

Important Note: If you plan to operate the UC-2000 in REMOTE control using the

previous non-checksum, single-byte serial command protocol, refer to
Appendix B, Non-checksum commands, for information on formatting
non-checksum serial commands.

The RS-232 checksum protocol provides a robust communication link between the UC-2000
Controller and the host PC or PLC by better handling any errors produced in the serial trans­mission line.

With the exception of the REMOTE PWM (or SET) Percentage and REMOTE Status
Request commands, all other checksum command sets consist of three hexadecimal bytes
(designated by the suffix h): a start transmission byte, a command byte, and a checksum byte.

The REMOTE PWM (or SET) Percentage command consists of four hexadecimal bytes: a
start transmission byte, a command byte, a data byte and a checksum byte.

The REMOTE Status Request command consists of a single hexadecimal byte, 7Eh. The Sta­tus Request command does not require a start transmission byte or checksum byte and can be

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REMOTE control

sent anytime except between the start transmission byte and the checksum byte of any valid
remote command.

The following command sets are available for controlling the UC-2000 from a host computer
or PLC. Each command set listed below is described on the following pages.

UC-2000 REMOTE command sets include:

Setup commands

Mode commands

PWM (or closed loop SET) percentage command

Lase commands

Status Request command

Note: All REMOTE commands sent to the Controller from a host computer or PLC are

immediately saved to non-volatile memory.

Warning

possible

personal

injury

314

To prevent accidental exposure to laser radiation while
operating in REMOTE control, it is the responsibility of
the user to ensure that the computer is properly config­ured and that suitable software is available to control the
UC-2000.

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REMOTE control

Setup commands

The Command/Response format for sending Setup commands is:

Command Sequence Response

STX<Command><Checksum> AAh (ACK)

3Fh (NAK)

Where:

STX = 5Bh; the start transmission byte when checksum mode is enabled.

<Command> = any valid command byte except the PWM/Set percentage command, 7Fh.

<Checksum> = a checksum byte created by performing a One’s compliment (bit inversion) of
the Command byte.

Example: Send the following bytes to set PWM frequency to 20 kHz: 5Bh 79h 86h.

Upon completion of a valid command request, the UC-2000 returns a single byte, AAh, as an
acknowledgment of success. A NAK response (3Fh) is sent when no valid command or check­sum value is received within one second of the STX byte or if the checksum value is incorrect.

Note: STX, ACK, and NAK bytes in this protocol are not standard ASCII character values.

Valid Setup commands are:

Set PWM Freq=5 kHz 77h

Set PWM Freq=10 kHz 78h

Set PWM Freq=20 kHz 79h

Set Gate Pull Up 7Ah

Set Gate Pull Down 7Bh

Set Max PWM=95% 7Ch

Set Max PWM=99% 7Dh

Enable Lase On Power-up 30h

Disable Lase On Power-up 31h

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REMOTE control

Mode commands

The Command/Response format for sending Mode commands is:

Command Sequence Response

STX<Command><Checksum> AAh (ACK)

3Fh (NAK)

Where:

STX = 5Bh; the start transmission byte when checksum mode is enabled.

<Command> = any valid command byte except the PWM/Set percentage command, 7Fh.

<Checksum> = a checksum byte created by performing a One’s compliment (bit inversion) of
the Command byte.

Example: Send the following bytes to operate in ANV mode: 5Bh 72h 8Dh.

Upon completion of a valid command request, the UC-2000 returns a single byte, AAh, as an
acknowledgment of success. A NAK response (3Fh) is sent when no valid command or check­sum value is received within one second of the STX byte or if the checksum value is incorrect.

Note: STX, ACK, and NAK bytes in this protocol are not standard ASCII character values.

Valid Mode commands are:

Set MANUAL Mode 70h

Set ANC Mode 71h

Set ANV Mode 72h

Set MAN. CLOSED Mode 73h

Set ANV CLOSED Mode 74h

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REMOTE control

PWM (or SET) percentage command

The Command/Response format for sending a PWM (or C/L SET) command is:

Command Sequence Response

STX<Command><Data Byte><Checksum> AAh (ACK)

3Fh (NAK)

Where:

STX = 5Bh; the start transmission byte when checksum mode is enabled.

<Command> = 7Fh; the command byte for setting PWM or Closed Loop SET percentage.

<Data Byte> = a valid PWM or C/L SET value calculated as follows:

To calculate a PWM (or Closed Loop SET) percentage, in minimum 0.5% steps, first
multiply the desired PWM percentage by two and then convert the result to hexadeci­mal. For example, to set a PWM value of 70%, multiply 70 × 2. Convert the result
(140) to hexadecimal and use this result (8Ch) for the Data Byte.

<Checksum> = a checksum byte created by adding without carry the Command and Data
Byte values and then performing a One’s compliment (bit inversion) of the sum.

Note: The result of an add without carry operation on Command and Data Byte values is

always a single checksum byte. For example, the add without carry result of 7Fh +
C6h (a PWM value of 99%) is 45h. The One’s compliment of 45h equals a correct
checksum value of BAh.

Example: Send the following bytes to set a PWM output of 63%: 5Bh 7Fh 7Eh 02h.

Upon completion of a valid command request, the UC-2000 returns a single byte, AAh, as an
acknowledgment of success. A NAK response (3Fh) is sent when no valid command or check­sum value is received within one second of the STX byte or if the checksum value is incorrect.

Note: STX, ACK, and NAK bytes in this protocol are not standard ASCII character values.

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REMOTE control

Lase commands

The Command/Response format for sending Lase commands is:

Command Sequence Response

STX<Command><Checksum> AAh (ACK)

3Fh (NAK)

Where:

STX = 5Bh; the start transmission byte when checksum mode is enabled.

<Command> = any valid command byte except the PWM/Set percentage command, 7Fh.

<Checksum> = a checksum byte created by performing a One’s compliment (bit inversion) of
the Command byte.

Example: Send the following bytes to enable lasing: 5Bh 75h 8Ah.

Upon completion of a valid command request, the UC-2000 returns a single byte, AAh, as an
acknowledgment of success. A NAK response (3Fh) is sent when no valid command or check­sum value is received within one second of the STX byte or if the checksum value is incorrect.

Note: STX, ACK, and NAK bytes in this protocol are not standard ASCII character values.

Valid Mode commands are:

Set Laser Enabled 75h

Set Laser Standby 76h

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REMOTE control

Status Request command

Note: The UC-2000 can report its status to the RS-232 link while in any operating mode.

The Command/Response format for requesting UC-2000 Controller status is:

Status Request Response

7Eh ACK<Status Byte1><Status Byte2><PWM Byte><Power
Byte><Checksum>

(A 1 ms pause occurs between each byte sent in response)

Where:

ACK = AAh; an acknowledgment of success.

<Status Byte1> Read Status Byte1 as follows:

Bits 0–2 Current operating mode (Bit 0=LSB; Bit 2=MSB) where 000=MANUAL
(default); 001=ANC; 010=ANV; 011=MAN CLOSED; 100=ANV
CLOSED; 101=REMOTE

Bit 3 Control status where 0=Off (local control); 1=On (REMOTE control)

Bit 4 Laser On/Off status where 0=Off; 1=On

Bit 5 Gate Pull Up/Pull Down status where 0=Pull Down; 1=Pull Up (default)

Bits 6–7 PWM Frequency (Bit 6=LSB; Bit 7=MSB) where 00=5 kHz (default);

01=10 kHz; 10=20 kHz

<Status Byte2> Read Status Byte2 as follows:

Bit 0 Lase On Power-up status where 0=No (default); 1=Yes

Bit 1 Maximum PWM Percentage status where 0=99%; 1=95% (default)

Bits 2–3 Reserved

Bits 4–7 Firmware Version Number (Bit 4=LSB; Bit 7=MSB)

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REMOTE control

<PWM Byte>
<Power Byte> Read PWM and Power bytes as follows:

The reply, ranging from 00h to C6h, indicates a PWM percentage between 0–99%
expressed in hexadecimal format. Convert the hex byte to decimal and then divide
by two (a PWM percentage return of 7Bh equals 123 / 2 which equals 61.5%). The
returned PWM Byte is equivalent to the commanded PWM duty cycle percentage
shown in the LCD display.

In closed loop mode, the PWM Byte returns the commanded SET value, and the
Power Byte returns the actual regulated POWER shown in the display. Power byte val­ues are valid only when operating the UC-2000 in MAN. CLOSED or ANV CLOSED
closed loop modes.

<Checksum> = a checksum byte created by adding without carry Status Byte1, Status Byte2,
PWM Byte, and Power Byte and then performing a One’s compliment (bit inversion) of the
sum.

Note: The result of an add without carry operation is always a single checksum byte.

Example: The following Status response is received: AAh 20h 76h 49h D2h 4Eh.

AAh = ACK; an acknowledgment of success.

20h = 001000002 and reading LSB to MSB indicates MAN Mode (000), Local
Control (0), Lase Standby (0), Gate Pull-Up (1), and PWM Freq of 5 kHz (00).

76h = 011101102 and reading LSB to MSB indicates Lase On Power-up is No
(0), Maximum PWM Percentage is 95% (1), bits 2 and 3 are reserved (01), and
the Software Version Number (v2.4) is 8 (1000).

49h = 73 decimal. 73 / 2 equals a PWM percentage of 36.5%.

D2h = the Power Byte is not valid unless operating in MAN. CLOSED or ANV
CLOSED mode.

4Eh = is the One’s compliment of adding without carry Status Byte1, Status
Byte2, PWM Byte, and Power Byte. For example, the add without carry result
of 20h + 76h + 49h + D2h is B1h. The One’s compliment of B1h equals a correct
checksum value of 4Eh.

Note: The ACK byte in this protocol is not the standard ASCII character value.

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Connector pinouts

Laser connector

The Laser connector on the rear of the UC-2000 is a four-pin mini-DIN type. Table 3-8 shows
Laser connector pinouts. The PWM cable is a type RG174/U coaxial 50 Ohm cable.

Table 3-8 Laser connector pinouts

Pin number Function Description

1 GND Ground connection for Pin 2 or Pin 3

2 +Vcc 15–50 VDC input, 35 mA max.

3 PWM Out PWM Command signal to laser

4 GND Ground connection for Pin 2 or Pin 3

Closed loop (C/L) connector

The C/L (Closed Loop) connector on the rear of the UC-2000 is an eight-pin mini-DIN type.
Table 3-9 shows C/L connector pinouts.

Table 3-9 C/L connector pinouts

Pin number Function Description

1 C/L In 0–10 VDC analog input, tied to Pin 4

2 C/L Out 12 VDC C/L supply, 3 mA, tied to Pin 7

3 GND Ground connection

4 C/L In 0–10 VDC analog input, tied to Pin 1

5 GND Ground connection

6 GND Ground connection

7 C/L Out 12 VDC C/L supply, 3 mA, tied to Pin 2

8 GND Ground connection

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General specifications

Table 3-10 UC-2000 general specifications

Parameter

UC-2000 Specifications

Power Input 15–50 VDC, 35 mA max.

PWM Output 100 mA, logic low 0.0 V to +0.5 VDC (laser off),
logic high +3.5 V to +5.0 VDC max. (laser on)

Gate Input Logic low 0.0 V to +0.9 VDC (laser off),
logic high +2.8 V to +5.0 VDC max. (laser on)

Gate On Time, min. 3.5 µs
In closed loop mode >10 ms

Gate Input Impedance 50 kOhms

Clock Frequency ±10% accuracy

Environmental Specifications

Operating Temperature 0°C–40°C

Humidity 0–80%, non-condensing

Physical Specifications

Length 7.00 in. (17.79 cm)

Width 4.23 in. (10.74 cm)

Height 2.10 in. (5.33 cm)

Weight 1.14 lbs (0.52 kg)

UC-2000 Operating Modes

Standby Input: none Output: 1 µs, 5 kHz Tickle signal

Manual Input: PWM Adj Knob Output: 0–99% max PWM signal (5, 10, or 20 kHz)

ANC Input: 4–20 mA current, Output: 0% @ 4 mA to 99% max PWM signal @
±5%, 100 mA max, Input 20 mA (5, 10, or 20 kHz)
impedance – 220 Ohms

ANV Input: 0–10 VDC, ±5%, Output: 0% @ 0 V (<100 mV) to 99% max PWM
+15 VDC max, Input signal @ 10 VDC (5, 10, or 20 kHz)
impedance – 10 kOhms

Man. Closed Input: PWM Adj Knob Output: 0–99% max PWM signal (5, 10, or 20 kHz)

ANV Closed Input: 0–10 VDC, ±5%, Output: 0% @ 0 V (<100 mV) to 99% max PWM
+15 VDC max, Input signal @10 VDC (5, 10, or 20 kHz)
impedance – 10 kOhms

Remote Input: software commands Output: Manual, ANC, ANV, Man. Closed Loop or
via RS-232 serial port ANV Closed Loop mode signal

* Specifications subject to change without notice.

322

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

technical reference

UC-2000 package outlines

DB

DH29-Sep-99

RELEASED TO PRODUCTION

DATE DESCRIPTION

1507

A

REV ECO

Pro/E

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

SYNRAD INC.

6500 Harbour Heights Pkwy

Mukilteo, WA 98275

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

3.089

6.14

4.80

2.10

5.0˚

1.60

0.67

1.27

PROPRIETARY

THIS DRAWING IS PROPRIETARY TO

ANGLE = ±2.0˚

TOLERANCES UNLESS NOTED:

.x = ±0.1

DWG/FILE NUMBER: 300-18128-01

DRAWN BY:

CHECKED BY:

APPROVED BY:

I

A

OUTLINE AND MOUNTING, UC-2000

DB: ***

CATEGORY:

FINISH CLASS:

95-018128-01

B

1 OF 1

PERMISSION OF SYNRAD INC.

OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN

USED OR DISCLOSED IN WHOLE

SYNRAD INC. AND SHALL NOT BE

DESCRIPTION:

PART NUMBER:

SHEET

UNITS: INCHES

SIZE:

.xx = ±0.01

.xxx = ±0.005

MATERIAL:

.

.

FINISH:..

.

7.00

4.23

Figure 3-7 UC-2000 package outline dimensions

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

323

technical reference

UC-2000 package outlines

Figure 3-8 UC-2000 panel mount package outline dimensions

324

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

troubleshooting

Use information in this section to troubleshoot of your UC-2000 Universal
Laser Controller.

4

This section contains the following information:

■ Troubleshooting – describes how to troubleshoot common problems.

41Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

If your UC-2000 Controller fails to operate properly, first check the following items:

■ Is DC power available?

■ Is it within the specified voltage range? See General Specifications in the Technical Refer-

ence chapter.

■ Is the Controller set for the proper control method – local or REMOTE?

■ If operating using REMOTE control, are host serial port parameters set correctly? See

Table 3-7 in the “Technical Reference” section.

■ Is the Controller in the proper operating mode – MANUAL, ANC, ANV, MAN.

CLOSED, or ANV CLOSED?

■ Are Setup parameters (PWM frequency, gate logic, max PWM percentage, and lase on

power-up) correct? See Setup in the Operation chapter.

■ Are external connections to the rear panel properly made?

■ Are external signals within the specified limits? See External Control in the Technical

Reference chapter.

Symptom:

■ DC power is available and the Lase indicator is illuminated, but PWM pulses are not be-

ing sent to the laser.

Possible Causes:

■ Input gate logic is improperly set.

If you are not using a gating signal, check that the gate function is set to pull up (normally
on). The laser should fire when the Lase indicator is lit unless the Gate input connector is held
in a logic low state.

If you are using a gating signal, then the gate function should be set to pull down (normally
off). The laser should fire when the Lase indicator is lit and the Gate input connector is held
in a logic high state.

42

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

■ The input gate signal is not within specification.

Check the polarity and voltage level of the gating signal. The positive signal connects to the
center pin of the BNC connector and the signal return, or ground, connects to the BNC shell.
The high-level laser ON signal, typically +5.0 VDC, can range between +2.8 V and +5.0
VDC while the low-level laser OFF signal, typically 0.0 VDC, can range between 0.0 V and
+0.9 VDC.

Symptom:

■ The Controller beeps three times immediately after power up.

Possible Causes:

■ Static discharge during storage or transportation has caused one or more of the saved set-

tings in EEPROM memory to change while the UC-2000 was powered down.

Reprogram the UC-2000 Controller to the settings last used in your application. It should
function normally after settings are reset to their previous values.

Symptom:

■ When operating using RS-232 REMOTE control, the UC-2000 does not respond to serial

commands.

Possible Causes:

■ The UC-2000’s REMOTE RS-232 protocol is not configured for the application.

Enter Setup mode and verify the Checksum parameter setting. When communicating with
a serial application using a checksum byte, the Setup screen should display “CHECKSUM
(ON)”. When your application is using the original communication protocol, toggle the set­ting to non-checksum mode where the display reads “CHECKSUM”, without the “(ON)”.

43Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Symptom:

■ The UC-2000 Controller is configured for Lase On Power-Up (the Setup screen shows

“LASE ON PWR-UP Y”), but the laser does not fire when the UC-2000 Controller
and laser are powered up.

Possible Causes:

■ After setting Lase On Power-Up to “Y” (Yes), an active lasing state must be saved.

Make sure that the laser is safe to fire (or disconnect the control cable to prevent lasing) and
then press the Lase On/Off pushbutton. When the Lase indicator illuminates red, wait six
seconds until the UC-2000 Controller beeps twice. This indicates that the Lase On Power-Up
setting is saved into memory. See Setup in the “Operation” section for further details.

■ Check that the gate configuration is correct and that the correct gating signal is applied.

See Setup in the Operation chapter and External control in the Technical Reference chapter for
details on gate setup and operation.

■ Check that the laser is powered up and ready to lase.

Verify that the laser’s green PWR indicator (Series 48 laser) or yellow Ready indicator (Evolu­tion™ or Firestar® laser) is illuminated; five-seconds later lasing is enabled.

If the UC-2000 Universal Laser Controller still fails to function properly, contact SYNRAD,
Inc. or a SYNRAD Authorized Distributor for assistance.

44

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

appendix a

Use information in this section to connect and operate your Closed Loop
(C/L) Stabilization Kit.

A

This section contains the following information:

■ Introduction – explains how the closed loop kit functions.

■ Safety precautions – lists laser safety precautions.

■ Connecting – describes how to connect the closed loop kit to your UC-

2000 Controller.

■ Operation – describes closed loop operation.

■ Closed loop specifications – provides technical specifications for the

Closed Loop Stabilization Kit.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

A1

appendix a

Closed Loop Stabilization Kit

Introduction

The Closed Loop (C/L) Stabilization Kit is available for 10 W and 25 W SYNRAD lasers
and must be installed and calibrated at the factory. The closed loop kit provides an effective,
reliable method of stabilizing laser power output by optically sampling the beam and providing
feedback to adjust the PWM duty cycle percentage of the UC-2000’s output PWM Command
signal.

After installation, the beam passes through an optical sampler (which replaces the standard
front plate) before it exits the closed loop housing. Optical beam transmission is 92% since
the sampler diverts approximately 8% of the output beam to a diffuser and thermopile detec­tor. The detector signal is amplified and sent to the UC-2000 where the Controller generates
a variable duty cycle signal to maintain constant average laser output power.

Note: Once installed and aligned on the laser, the Closed Loop Stabilization Kit becomes

part of the loop response/gain parameter and must NOT be moved or adjusted. Any
user modifications or adjustments will void the product warranty.

Safety precautions

Warning

possible

personal

injury

A2

Please read these instructions carefully before using your
laser with a Closed Loop Stabilization Kit. To prevent
injury to personnel or damage to your laser or CL Kit,
follow all safety precautions and setup instructions as
described here and in your laser’s Operator’s Manual. Safe
operating practices should be exercised at all times when
actively lasing to prevent exposure to direct or scattered
laser radiation. Improper handling or operation may
result in exposure to hazardous invisible laser radiation,
damage to, or malfunction of the laser or Closed Loop
Stabilization Kit. Severe burns will result from exposure
to the laser beam. Always wear safety glasses with side
shields to reduce the risk of damage to the eyes when
operating the laser.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

appendix a

Closed Loop Stabilization Kit

Connecting

Refer to Figure A-1 for an illustration of a typical closed loop system and then perform the
following steps:

1

Disconnect power from your laser and the UC-2000 Controller.

2

Connect one end of the CL Interconnect cable to the laser-mounted closed loop assembly

and the other end to the UC-2000’s 8-pin mini-DIN C/L connector.

3

If required, connect a gating signal to the UC-2000’s Gate BNC connector.

4

If required, connect an ANV signal from your analog voltage source to the UC-2000’s

ANV/ANC BNC connector.

5

Set the UC-2000 to MAN. CLOSED or ANV CLOSED mode.

6

Apply power to both the laser and UC-2000 and then verify proper system operation.

Beam

Blocker

SYNRAD Laser

CL
Kit

Laser

Power Supply

ANV/

ANC

Figure A-1 Typical closed loop setup

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

UC-2000 Universal

Laser Controller

C/L GateLaser

If RequiredIf Required

A3

appendix a

Closed Loop Stabilization Kit

Operation

Set the UC-2000 to MAN. CLOSED or ANV CLOSED mode. Adjust the regulated setpoint
to provide a laser power output between approximately 20–80% of full power. This 20% win­dow on either side of the range allows the Controller to maintain full dynamic power regula­tion. Within the dynamic response time of the system, the UC-2000 Controller can be gated
from an external, low-frequency signal source through the Gate connector.

Note: When operating in either closed loop mode, power output is no longer a curve of

laser output versus PWM duty cycle but instead, laser power output becomes a linear
function of the desired setpoint percentage. For example, a setpoint percentage of
50% on a 48-1 10 W laser will result in an output power of 5 W while a setpoint
of 80% provides an output of 8 W regardless of the laser’s actual maximum output
power.

For the closed loop kit, servo settling time to 90% of final value occurs within approximately
2 milliseconds. Output power regulation is typically ±2%, even when the beam “line hops”
between 10.57 and 10.63 micrometers (µm).

Closed loop specifications

Table A-1 Closed loop general specifications

Parameter Specification

Optical Transmission 92%, ±1%

Power Input, optical 150 W maximum

Power Input, electrical 12 VDC @ 3 mA (provided by UC-2000)

Power Stability, five minutes
after cold start ±2%

Control Range 20–80% of rated output power

Control Frequency1 5 kHz

Servo Settling Time, typical 2 ms

* Specifications subject to change without notice.
1 The Closed Loop Stabilization Kit is calibrated for operation at a PWM Command frequency of 5 kHz.

A4

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

appendix b

Use information in this section to operate the UC-2000 in REMOTE control
using the original non-checksum RS-232 communication protocol.

B

This sections contains the following information:

■ REMOTE non-checksum commands – describes how to use the UC-2000’s

original non-checksum commands when using RS-232 serial commands.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

B1

appendix b

Non-checksum commands

REMOTE non-checksum commands

Important Note: Synrad recommends using checksum commands if possible because they

provide a more robust communication link between the UC-2000 and
the host PC or PLC. See REMOTE control in the Technical Reference
chapter for information on formatting checksum serial commands.

The following non-checksum command sets are available for controlling the UC-2000 from
a host computer or PLC. Most command sets consist of a single hexadecimal byte (designated
by the suffix h), except for the PWM/SET percentage command which consists of two bytes,
a command byte and a data byte. Upon completion of a valid status or command request, the
Controller returns a single byte, AAh, as an acknowledgment of success.

UC-2000 REMOTE non-checksum command sets include:

Mode commands

Lase commands

Setup commands

PWM (or Closed Loop SET) percentage command

Status Request command

Tables B-1–B-5 list non-checksum REMOTE software commands available to the UC-2000.

Note: The letters in brackets following the hex command bytes are keyboard shortcuts use-

ful for entering commands in a serial communications program such as HyperTermi­nal instead of typing hexadecimal numbers.

Warning

possible

personal

To prevent accidental exposure to laser radiation while
operating in REMOTE control, it is the responsibility of
the user to ensure that the computer is properly config­ured and that suitable software is available to control the
UC-2000.

injury

B2

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

appendix b

Non-checksum commands

Table B-1 REMOTE Mode commands

Function Command Response

Set MANUAL Mode 70h [p] AAh

Set ANC Mode 71h [q] AAh

Set ANV Mode 72h [r] AAh

Set MAN. CLOSED Mode 73h [s] AAh

Set ANV CLOSED Mode 74h [t] AAh

Table B-2 REMOTE Lase commands

Function Command Response

Set Laser Enabled 75h [u] AAh

Set Laser Standby 76h [v] AAh

Table B-3 REMOTE Setup commands

Function Command Response

Set PWM Freq=5K 77h [w] AAh

Set PWM Freq=10K 78h [x] AAh

Set PWM Freq=20K 79h [y] AAh

Set Gate Pull Up 7Ah [z] AAh

Set Gate Pull Down 7Bh [{] AAh

Set Max PWM=95% 7Ch [|] AAh

Set Max PWM=99% 7Dh [}] AAh

Enable Lase On Power-up 30h [0] AAh

Disable Lase On Power-up 31h [1] AAh

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

B3

appendix b

Non-checksum commands

Table B-4 REMOTE PWM (or SET) percentage command

Function Command Response

Set PWM (or C/L SET) Percentage 7Fh [Alt 0127] + hex data byte AAh

Set PWM (or closed loop SET) percentage, in minimum 0.5% steps, by sending two hexa­decimal bytes, a command byte (7Fh) and a data byte. To send a PWM or SET percentage
command to the UC-2000 Controller, first multiply the desired PWM percentage by two,
then convert the result to hexadecimal. For example, to command a 70% PWM percentage,
multiply 70 × 2. Convert the result (140) to hexadecimal format and then send this data byte
result (8Ch) after sending the 7Fh command byte.

If the UC-2000 does not receive a data byte within six seconds of receiving a 7Fh command
byte, the PWM or SET percentage input command is halted.

Note: Commanding a PWM or SET percentage of 63 (7Eh) is interpreted as a “Get Status”

request. Send a data byte value of 62.5% (7Dh) or 63.5% (7Fh) instead.

B4

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

appendix b

Non-checksum commands

Table B-5 REMOTE Status Request command

Note: The UC-2000 can report its status to the RS-232 link while in any operating mode.

Function Command Response

Get status 7Eh [~] AAh; Status Byte1; Status Byte2; PWM Byte; Power Byte
(A 1 ms pause occurs between each byte sent in response)

Read Status Byte 1 as follows:

Bit 0-2 Current operating mode (Bit 0 = LSB; Bit 2 = MSB) where 000 = MANUAL
(factory default); 001 = ANC; 010 = ANV; 011 = MAN CLOSED; 100 = ANV
CLOSED; 101 = REMOTE

Bit 3 Control status where 0 = Off (local control); 1 = On (REMOTE control)

Bit 4 Laser On/Off status where 0 = Off; 1 = On

Bit 5 Gate pull up/pull down status where 0 = pull down; 1 = pull up (factory default)

Bit 6-7 PWM frequency (Bit 6 = LSB; Bit 7 = MSB) where 00 = 5 kHz (factory default);

01 = 10 kHz; 10 = 20 kHz

Read Status Byte 2 as follows:

Bit 0 Lase on power-up status where 0 = No (factory default); 1 = Yes

Bit 1 Maximum PWM percentage status where 0 = 99%; 1 = 95% (factory default)

Bit 2-3 Reserved

Bit 4-7 Software version number (Bit 4 = LSB; Bit 7 = MSB)

Read PWM and Power Bytes as follows:

The reply, ranging from 00h to C6h, indicates a PWM percentage between 0–99% expressed
in hexadecimal format. Convert the hex byte to decimal and then divide by two (a PWM per­centage return of 7Bh equals 123/2 which equals 61.5%). The returned PWM Byte is equiva­lent to the commanded PWM duty cycle percentage shown in the LCD display.

In closed loop mode, the PWM Byte returns the commanded SET value, and the Power Byte
returns the actual regulated POWER shown in the display. Power Bytes are valid only when
operating the UC-2000 in MAN. CLOSED or ANV CLOSED closed loop modes.

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

B5

appendix b

This page intentionally left blank

B6

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

index

A

Agency compliance. See Compliance

American National Standards Institute

(ANSI) 2

Analog control 2-15, 2-16, 2-17, 3-7–

3-8

Analog current control

specifications 3-7

Analog voltage

specifications 3-8

ANC mode 2-15, 3-4, 3-7

ANV/ANC connector 2-3, 3-7, 3-8,

3-9, A-3

ANV closed loop specifications 3-10

ANV CLOSED mode 2-17, 3-4, 3-9–

3-10, 3-20, A-3, A-4, B-5

ANV mode 2-16, 3-4, 3-8

Autosave 2-12

B

Beam block 2-5

BNC Control cable 1-2, 1-5, 1-6

BNC Tee 1-2, 1-5, 1-6

C

C/L connector 2-3, 3-9, 3-10, 3-17,

A-3

pinouts, 3-21

Caution

definition, 1

CE

label location, 4
mark, 6

Checksum protocol 2-9, 4-3

setup, 2-9–2-10

Closed loop control 3-9–3-10

analog closed loop, 3-9–3-10
manual closed loop, 3-9

Closed Loop Stabilization Kit 2-16,

2-17, A-2–A-4
connecting, A-3
diagram, A-3
introduction, A-2
operation, A-4
safety precautions, A-2
specifications, A-4

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 2

Command signal

description, 3-3–3-4
specifications, 3-4

Compliance

EU, 5–6
EU Directives, 6
FCC, 5
RoHS, 7

Connections

CL Interconnect cable, A-3
Power/Control cable, 1-5–1-6

Connector pinouts

C/L connector 3-21
Laser connector 3-21

Contact information x

Control panel

description, 2-2
illustration, 2-2

Control signals 3-2–3-4

Command signal, 3-3–3-4
Pulse Width Modulation, 3-2–3-3
tickle pulse, 3-2

Copyright information viii

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

i1

index

D

Danger

definition, 1
eye protection, 1
laser radiation, 1

Declaration of Conformity 8

Dimensions

UC-2000 package outline, 3-23
UC-2000 panel mount package out-

line, 3-24

E

Enter pushbutton 2-2, 2-5, 2-6, 2-7,

2-8, 2-9, 2-10, 2-11, 2-12, 2-14,
3-7, 3-8, 3-9, 3-10, 3-11

European Union

electromagnetic interference stan-

dards, 5–6
requirements, 5–6
RoHS standards, 7

External control 3-5–3-10

analog closed loop, 3-9–3-10
analog current control, 3-7
analog voltage control, 3-8
closed loop control, 3-9–3-10
Gate control, 3-5–3-6
manual closed loop, 3-9
REMOTE control, 3-11–3-20

F

G

Gate connector 2-3, 2-7, 2-18, 3-5,

3-7, 3-8, 3-9, 3-10, 4-2, A-3,
A-4

Gate input 2-2, 2-18, 3-5

Gate logic 3-6, 4-2

setting, 2-7

Gate signal 2-7, 2-15, 3-5

specifications, 3-6, 4-3

General specifications

Closed Loop Kit, A-4
UC-2000, 3-22

H

Hazard information 1–3

additional laser safety information, 3
disposal, 3
general hazards, 1–3
label locations, 4
other hazards, 3
terminology, 1

I

Initial start-up 2-5

Introduction 2-5

Inventory

contents description, 1-2
shipping box contents, 1-2

Factory default settings 2-10

Federal Communications Commission

(FCC)
requirements 5

Firmware screen 2-4

i2

L

Label locations 4

Lase indicator 2-2, 2-5, 2-7, 2-9, 2-11,

2-14, 2-18, 3-6, 4-2

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

index

Lase On/Off pushbutton 2-2, 2-5, 2-7,

2-8, 2-9, 2-11, 2-12, 2-18, 3-6,
3-7, 3-8, 3-9, 3-10, 3-11

Lase on power-up 4-4

setting, 2-8–2-9

Laser connector 2-3

pinouts, 3-21

Laser control 2-14–2-18

Gate input, 2-18
operating modes, 2-14–2-17

Laser Institute of America (LIA) 3

Laser power

setting, 2-14, 2-15, 2-16, 2-17

Laser safety information 1–7

LCD display 2-2, 2-4, 3-20

Local control 2-11–2-12, 2-14, 2-16,

3-4, 3-11

M

MAN. CLOSED mode 2-16–2-17, 3-4,

3-9, A-3, A-4, B-5

Manual closed loop control 2-16–2-17,

3-9

MANUAL mode 2-15, 3-4

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) 2

Mounting

standard model, 1-4
panel mount model, 1-4

O

Occupational Safety and Health Adminis-

tration (OSHA) 3

Operating mode

selection, 2-14–2-17

Operation

Closed Loop Stabilization Kit, A-4
UC-2000, 2-11–2-18

P

Package outline dimensions 3-23–3-24

Panel mount model 1-4

Power/Control cable 1-2, 1-5, 1-6, 2-3,

2-9

Pulse Width Modulation

description, 3-2–3-3

PWM Adj Knob 2-2, 2-5, 2-7, 2-11,

2-12, 2-15, 2-16, 3-2, 3-4, 3-9,
3-11

PWM control. See External control

PWM frequency 3-2, 3-3

setting, 2-6

PWM percentage

setting maximum, 2-8

R

Rear panel

description, 2-3
illustration, 2-3

REMOTE checksum commands, 3-13–

3-16
description, 3-13–3-14
lase commands, 3-18
mode commands, 3-16
PWM (SET) percentage command,

3-17
setting protocol, 2-9–2-10
setup commands, 3-15
status command, 3-19–3-20

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual

i3

index

REMOTE control 2-12–2-13, 2-14,

2-16, 3-4, 3-9, 3-11–3-20, 4-2,
4-3, B-2

REMOTE non-checksum commands,

B-2–B-5
lase commands, B-3
mode commands, B-3
PWM (SET) percentage command,

B-4
setting protocol, 2-9–2-10
setup commands, B-3
status command, B-5

RoHS compliance 7

RS-232 serial port. See Serial Port con-

nector

S

Safety precautions

Closed Loop Kit, A-2
laser, 1, 2, 3, 2-5, 2-9, 2-12, 3-14

Save and exit 2-10

Select pushbutton 2-2, 2-5, 2-6, 2-7,

2-8, 2-9, 2-10, 2-11, 2-12,

2-14, 3-7, 3-8, 3-9, 3-10, 3-11

Serial cable

diagram, 3-12

Serial Port connector 2-3, 2-14, 3-11

host configuration, 3-13
pin assignments, 3-12

Setup mode 2-6–2-10, 4-3

Setup screens 2-6

Specifications

analog current, 3-7
analog voltage, 3-8
ANV closed loop, 3-10
Closed Loop Kit, A-4

Command signal, 3-4
Gate input, 3-6
UC-2000, 3-22

Standby mode 2-11, 2-14

Start-up screen 2-4

T

Tickle pulse

description, 3-2

Trademark information viii

Troubleshooting 4-2–4-4

U

UC-2000

features, 1-3
general specifications, 3-22
local control, 2-11–2-12
package outline dimensions, 3-23
panel mount model, 1-4
panel mount outline dimensions, 3-24
REMOTE control, 2-12–2-13
setup, 2-6–2-10
troubleshooting, 4-2–4-4

W

Wall plug transformer 1-2, 1-5

Warning

accidental exposure, 2-12, 3-14, B-2
accidental operation, 2-9
air contaminants, 2
definition, 1
laser safety, 2
personal injury, A-2
protective eyewear, 1, 2-5, A-2
radiation exposure, 3, A-2

Warranty information ix

i4

Synrad UC-2000 operator’s manual