The TeraLaz CO2 terahertz laser system can measure water vapor in the upper section of a closed chamber to a moisture level of 50 parts per million in its unfocused operation. When focused, it can cut, drill, score, stitch, and weld thin-film materials for packaging and converting applications.
ConverTec
Newtown, PA
[email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE
NEW TeraLaz CO2 Terahertz Laser System
ConverTec Corporation, a pioneer and leader in low cost CO2 laser solutions has announced it's new “TeraLaz CO2 Terahertz Laser System”. The system is designed to provide economic solutions in focused and in un-focused applications. In the un-focused state the system can measure water vapor in the upper section of a closed chamber to a moisture level of 50 parts per million. This can be applied to freeze dried compounds, powers, bulk materials and many other processing applications. The system in a focused state has the capability to cut, drilling, scoring, stitching and welding of thin film materials for packaging and converting applications. The company professes perfect material edge quality, at in-line processing speeds and that the system will eliminate costly knives and dies.
In physics, terahertz radiation refers to electromagnetic waves sent at frequencies in the terahertz range. The term is normally used for the region of electromagnetic spectrum between 300 gigahertz and 3 terahertz. This corresponds to the sub-millimeter wavelength range between 1 millimeter, (the high-frequency edge of the microwave band) and 100 micrometer (long-wavelength edge of far-infrared light).
Like infrared radiation or microwaves, these waves usually travel in line of sight. Terahertz radiation is non-ionizing sub-millimeter microwave radiation and shares with microwaves the capability to penetrate a wide variety of non-conductive materials. Terahertz radiation can pass through clothing, paper, cardboard, wood, masonry, plastic and ceramics. It can also penetrate fog and clouds, but cannot penetrate metal or water. Much of the recent interest in terahertz radiation stems from its ability to penetrate deep into many organic materials without the damage associated with ionizing radiation such as X-Rays.
There are many theoretical and technological uses under development in the fields of medical imaging, security, scientific imagining uses, communications and manufacturing. Manufacturing has many possible uses for terahertz laser sensing and imaging and many have been proposed. The developer claims, these applications are in direct manufacturing, such as quality control, characterization, verification, validation, and process monitoring. These generally exploit the traits of plastics and cardboard being transparent to terrahertz radiation, making it possible to inspect packaged goods.
The small compact system can be adapted to most installed manufacturing, converting, packaging and processing lines. The company provides design engineering and manufacturing services for upgrading, modification, automation and material handling requirements.
The system is immediately available at a basic system cost of less than $20,000.
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Posted by Lee Mather
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