Buyers Guide | What is the Difference Between an Aiming Beam vs and Operating Beam
There are typically two wavelengths associated with a laser:
- Aiming Beam Wavelength—the aiming beam is typically "eye safe" (depicted in the image below in red)
- Operating Beam Wavelength—the operating beam requires proper laser safety protection (depicted in the image below in green)
| Operating Beam Laser vs Aiming Beam Laser (Typically Eye-Safe) | |
|
The aiming beam is to aid the user in positioning the operating laser beam. Generally, the aiming beam will be low powered and typically red. A common use case for an aiming beam is a laser pointer.
If you are in doubt whether or not your aiming beam is eye-safe for diffused viewing, please check with your Laser Safety Officer or call us before making any assumptions.
Never look at any laser directly— including the aiming beam (stand behind the beam while viewing it). Do not bring your eyes near the axis during alignment or any other operation with lasers. All laser safety PPE is for unintentional direct and diffused viewing only. Proper laser safety is to NEVER look directly at a laser beam.
Having proper personnel with appropriate training and standard operating procedures during the alignment process are proper laser safety amongst several other laser safety controls.
If the alignment beam exceeds the MPE, of course utilize proper alignment eyewear (where the MPE threshold is not exceeded factoring appropriate exposure duration). The aiming beam needs to be able to be seen to align the laser correctly, and therefore attenuating the laser to a point it cannot be seen is an issue. Laser safety alignment eyewear should be used if possible and may be needed. Always be safe when dealing with lasers.
Related Articles
Laser Safety Standards: ANSI vs CE - What's the Difference?
In Laser Safety, there are two primary standards (or norms) that are followed, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and European Norms (EN), adopted by EU member countries. It should be noted OSHA also plays a role (we comply with both ...Buyers Guide | What is OD (Optical Density) Laser Safety?
Optical Density (OD) in laser safety is the amount of light attenuated[i] by the lens of the particular wavelength that is being measured. The required OD determined by the World Laser Safety in the USA found in ANSI Z136.1 are dependent upon several ...Buyers Guide | How to Choose Your Laser Safety Glasses
To understand what laser safety glasses to purchase, the most important parameter is your laser's wavelength (or wavelength range). Often, a laser has two wavelengths affiliated with it: The aiming beam wavelength - the aiming beam is typically "eye ...Buyers Guide | Laser Safety Signs and Labels
In the article below, we discuss when signs are necessary, where to post signs, and which laser classifications require signs to adhere to proper laser safety (and ANSI compliant). Where should signs and labels be posted? Proper laser safety says ...IPL Safety Glasses Buyers Guide
When deciding which intense pulsed light (IPL) safety glasses to purchase, there are several different technical specifications, applications, and filter coverage associated with each pair. In accordance with the American National Standards Institute ...