Line generating optics - Glass Laser Line Generator 15 deg
Line angle optics:
20°
Line Optic.T: A real glass lens used to generate a laser line; it is positioned in front of the laser exit.
Regular price:
€34.51
Product number:
Line Optic.TG20
Description
Line generating optics - Glass Laser Line Generator 15 deg
Line Optic, Barrel Lens 5–20°, Real Glass: A real glass lens for generating a laser line, which is placed in front of the laser exit—for converting a point laser into a line laser. The real glass optic produces a finer line with a bright center that tapers toward the ends.
Technical Specifications
| Material: | Real glass lens |
| Type: | Barrel lens |
| Diameter: | approx. 8 mm |
| Deflection angle: | approx. 5°–20° |
| Laser power: | up to approx. 10 W |
|
Angle |
Distance |
Line length approx. |
|
5° |
1 m |
8–9 cm |
|
10° |
1 m |
17 cm |
|
15° |
1 m |
25 cm |
|
20° |
1 m |
34 cm |
Scope of delivery
Line lens only, without laser. Compatible with our 12 mm line laser modules.
Glass optics vs. acrylic optics – when which?
Acrylic optics (PMMA plastic): low cost, light, dimensionally stable. Optically very good in standard applications, but temperature-sensitive – the refractive index changes with temperature, shifting the focus when variation exceeds ±5 °C. Perfectly adequate for indoor applications with stable conditions. Glass optics: heavier, more expensive, but temperature-stable. The refractive index stays nearly constant across wide temperature swings. Ideal for: outdoor mounting, unheated halls, machines with large temperature swings (welding, sawmills in summer/winter) and applications needing high repeat accuracy over long periods. Glass optics are available as an optional upgrade on our KLM and LLM modules.
Dielectric mirrors vs. metallic mirrors – what are the differences?
Metallic mirrors (aluminium, silver, gold): reflection via a thin metal coating. Typically up to>98 % reflectivity in the visible range. Benefits: broadband (from UV to IR), low cost. Drawbacks: lower power handling, prone to oxidation (especially silver), reflectivity depends on angle of incidence. Dielectric mirrors: reflection via multi-layer glass coatings that reflect through interference. Typically > 99 % reflectivity in the optimized spectral range. Benefits: extremely high reflectivity, high power handling, no oxidation. Drawbacks: narrowband (optimized for a specific wavelength), more expensive. Our LS 50 is a dielectric mirror with > 96–98 % reflectivity in the 400–700 nm range.
What is the aperture of an optic?
The aperture is the usable opening diameter of an optic – the area through which light can enter the lens. Measured in millimetres. A larger aperture collects more light from the source – particularly important for laser diodes with a large emitter (e.g. Nichia NDG7575). Our Colli-LA collimator has a 5 mm aperture, gathering significantly more light than typical 3 mm collimators. Practical effect: brighter, more uniform output beam and less light lost at the diode edge. Related metric: the numerical aperture (NA) describes the ratio of aperture to focal length – and therefore the optic's acceptance angle.
What does the focal length of a lens mean?
The focal length is the distance from the principal plane of a lens to the focal point, where parallel incoming light rays intersect. It is measured in millimetres (e.g. f = 4 mm on our Colli-LA). For collimators the focal length determines at which distance from the laser diode the lens must be mounted to collimate the beam – ideally the diode emits from the focal plane. Shorter focal lengths (3–4 mm): high aperture, good light gathering, compact – ideal for 12 mm modules. Longer focal lengths (8–20 mm): smaller aperture, less light gathering, but a narrower collimated beam – for long-distance applications.
What is an AR coating (anti-reflective)?
An AR coating (anti-reflective coating) is a thin, multilayer coating on optical glass surfaces that reduces reflection and increases transmission. At an uncoated glass–air interface typically 4–8 % of the light is lost to reflection. A modern AR coating reduces this to < 0.5 % per interface. For a lens with two interfaces that means 92 % transmission uncoated vs. > 99 % coated. Benefits: higher optical efficiency, less stray light, lower back-reflection load on the laser diode. AR coatings are wavelength-specific – a coating for 532 nm behaves differently at 650 nm. Always check the spectral range of the optic.
What is a collimator and what does it do?
A collimator is an optical lens or lens system that converts a divergent light beam into a parallel beam. Essential with laser diodes: the bare diode emits a strongly fanned-out beam; the collimator turns it into a bundled, parallel beam. Construction: usually an aspheric glass lens in an M9 × 0.5 or M12 threaded housing. High-quality collimators feature an AR coating (anti-reflective) for minimal light loss at the interfaces. Key parameters: focal length (typ. 3–6 mm), aperture (typ. 4–8 mm) and the AR coating's spectral range (e.g. 420–680 nm for visible light). Glass collimators are more temperature-stable than cheaper acrylic lenses.
How long is the laser line at a given distance?
At a distance of 1 m, the following lengths result (12-mm modules):
| Angle | Distance | Line length approx. |
|---|---|---|
| 10° | 1 m | 17 cm |
| 20° | 1 m | 35 cm |
| 30° | 1 m | 54 cm |
| 35° | 1 m | 63 cm |
| 45° | 1 m | 83 cm |
| 60° | 1 m | 116 cm |
| 70° | 1 m | 140 cm |
| 90° | 1 m | 200 cm |
| 110° | 1 m | 300 cm |
The line length increases linearly with distance; at a distance of 2 m, these values double.
Why must the power supply be „stabilized and peak-free“?
Laser diodes react sensitively to voltage spikes and current fluctuations. An unregulated supply or one with peaks can destroy the diode within microseconds – even if the peak occurs only briefly. Stabilized means: constant output voltage under load (no sag during switch-on). Peak-free means: no switching spikes or overshoot on the supply lines. Always use a switching power supply with sufficient smoothing or a dedicated laser diode driver. Avoid unfiltered supplies, cheap plug-in adapters without filtering, and supplies that are shared with other switching loads.
Which connection variants are available?
Our 12 mm line laser modules are available with three connection variants:
Stranded wires (standard) – open red/black wires, approx. 100–200 mm length, for direct connection to microcontrollers or driver boards.
Barrel connector – 5.5 / 2.1 mm standard barrel plug, approx. 200 mm cable, for operation with a 230 VAC plug-in power supply.
Flexible cable with ferrules – approx. 100 cm flexible cable for direct connection to a 12–25 VDC machine controller. Reverse-polarity protection is integrated in the DC variant.
On request we also supply M8 / M12 connectors with custom cable lengths. The DC variant is particularly suited for retrofitting existing machines without 230 V wiring.
Stranded wires (standard) – open red/black wires, approx. 100–200 mm length, for direct connection to microcontrollers or driver boards.
Barrel connector – 5.5 / 2.1 mm standard barrel plug, approx. 200 mm cable, for operation with a 230 VAC plug-in power supply.
Flexible cable with ferrules – approx. 100 cm flexible cable for direct connection to a 12–25 VDC machine controller. Reverse-polarity protection is integrated in the DC variant.
On request we also supply M8 / M12 connectors with custom cable lengths. The DC variant is particularly suited for retrofitting existing machines without 230 V wiring.
Glass optics vs. acrylic optics – when which?
Acrylic optics (PMMA plastic): low cost, light, dimensionally stable. Optically very good in standard applications, but temperature-sensitive – the refractive index changes with temperature, shifting the focus when variation exceeds ±5 °C. Perfectly adequate for indoor applications with stable conditions. Glass optics: heavier, more expensive, but temperature-stable. The refractive index stays nearly constant across wide temperature swings. Ideal for: outdoor mounting, unheated halls, machines with large temperature swings (welding, sawmills in summer/winter) and applications needing high repeat accuracy over long periods. Glass optics are available as an optional upgrade on our KLM and LLM modules.
How is the line width (focus) of a line laser adjusted?
On our 12 mm line laser modules the line width – also called „focus“ – can be adjusted directly on the module. The optics sit in the front brass ring and can be turned precisely via a fine thread. Rotate the ring carefully until the desired line width appears sharp at your working distance. After adjustment, secure the optics with a drop of thread-locking varnish in the thread groove to prevent drift. The adjustment also works while the module is installed. On industrial line lasers (e.g. the IL-HP series) the line width is set at the factory to the customer specification. You can find out how to adjust the line here.
Which laser class do I need for my application?
The laser class according to EN 60825-1 determines the required safety measures. Class 1: safe even when looking directly into the beam – ideal for open applications without protective measures. Class 2: visible lasers up to 1 mW, relying on the blink reflex – unproblematic in B2B environments. Class 1M / 2M: eye-safe under normal conditions, but not when viewed through magnifiers or binoculars. Class 3R: increased risk on direct viewing – safety goggles recommended. Class 3B: safety goggles mandatory. Line and cross-line lasers benefit from relaxed rules because they are classified as „extended sources“ (see laser safety).
What do the IP ratings IP 40, IP 44 and IP 65 mean?
The IP rating (International Protection) indicates which environmental influences the housing is protected against. IP 40: protected against solid objects > 1 mm, no water protection – for dry indoor use and machine integration. IP 44: also protected against splash water from all directions – typical for industrial halls and covered outdoor areas. IP 65: completely dust-tight and protected against water jets from any direction – the right choice for sawmills and circular saws (wood dust, sawdust), washing facilities, splash-water environments and rough industrial use.
What do I need to know about visibility, wavelength, and laser color?
The brightness of the laser line depends on many factors. In short:
Line length: The longer the line, the lower the brightness, as the light output is spread over a larger area
Laser color: Green appears significantly brighter than red or blue
Work surface: The darker and more matte the surface, the darker the light appears
Ambient brightness: The brighter the ambient light, the darker the laser line appears. This is due to the human eye, which reduces its sensitivity depending on the ambient brightness. In direct sunlight, it is very difficult to see a laser line because the retina is already saturated.
Laser power: The higher the laser power, the brighter the laser line
Wavelength in detail: The wavelength determines how visible the line is on your surface. Red (650 nm) is the lowest-cost option and sufficient in moderately lit indoor environments. Light red (635 nm) appears noticeably brighter than 650 nm at the same power. Green (520 / 532 nm) is the most universal choice – the human retina is most sensitive in the green spectral range, so green lines appear roughly 5–7× brighter than red at equal power. Blue (450 nm) delivers high contrast on greenish surfaces, where red and green fade into the background.
Line length: The longer the line, the lower the brightness, as the light output is spread over a larger area
Laser color: Green appears significantly brighter than red or blue
Work surface: The darker and more matte the surface, the darker the light appears
Ambient brightness: The brighter the ambient light, the darker the laser line appears. This is due to the human eye, which reduces its sensitivity depending on the ambient brightness. In direct sunlight, it is very difficult to see a laser line because the retina is already saturated.
Laser power: The higher the laser power, the brighter the laser line
Wavelength in detail: The wavelength determines how visible the line is on your surface. Red (650 nm) is the lowest-cost option and sufficient in moderately lit indoor environments. Light red (635 nm) appears noticeably brighter than 650 nm at the same power. Green (520 / 532 nm) is the most universal choice – the human retina is most sensitive in the green spectral range, so green lines appear roughly 5–7× brighter than red at equal power. Blue (450 nm) delivers high contrast on greenish surfaces, where red and green fade into the background.
What is a line laser and what is it used for?
A line laser projects a line of light onto a surface – unlike a point laser, which only shows a single dot. The line is generated by a cylindrical lens that spreads the round laser beam into a fan. Typical applications include cut-line projection on saws, circular saws and CNC machines, workpiece positioning in manufacturing and machine integration, operator guidance at manual workstations, and reference lines in inspection and measurement setups. Line laser modules are available in different wavelengths (red, green, blue), power classes (1 – 500 mW) and IP ratings (IP 40 for dry indoor use up to IP 65 for sawmills and splash-water environments).