I designed a protective cover for the laser lens on the transmitter, from initial concept through implementation, to keep dust and rain off the optics.

The system works together with our existing air knife: the lid stays open while the air knife is running, but automatically closes if the air compressor fails so the lens defaults to being protected.

I calculated the size of the pneumatic cylinder needed based on the weight of the components and available space, and determined the cover's wind-speed resistance from the available pressure. I sourced all the components myself, including the sheet metal design and drawings, built around what our suppliers were capable of producing, custom machined components with an anodized finish.

A limit switch confirms when the lid has fully opened; this was later upgraded to a version with longer travel. The spring-return cylinder didn't have enough torque on its own to reliably close the lid, so I added extra springs to assist it.

I have recently completed a new design that will allow laser emission with the cover closed. The design still has to undergo testing to confirm it will function as intended.

Lens cover installed on transmitter

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