Product Safety Information

Overview

Lasers that illuminate Laser Wire® cabling produce intense light that can be potentially hazardous to human eyes. Precautions should be taken to avoid both direct and indirect exposure. Most consumer products using Laser Wire® cabling will use a FDA/CDRH Class II/ICE class 2 or FDA/CDRH Class IIIa/IEC Class 3R laser operating around 20–30mW launch power. Lasers within this class do not require barriers or interlocks to comply with regulatory requirements, but must be labeled in accordance with the regulatory requirements applicable in the jurisdictions they are sold.

It is recommended to never look directly into a laser diode regardless of optical power.

Optical Power

When discussing Laser Wire®, there are two different optical power measurements from the laser module: launch power and visible power.

• Launch power is the laser power coming directly from the light source — typically 20–30mW for standard modules.
• Visible power is the optical light output of the Laser Wire® surface itself when coupled to a module. When the module has a launch power of 20–30mW, the optical power at the Laser Wire® surface is around 50–150μW (0.05–0.150mW).

In the United States, the FDA standard for a safe laser light output is anything under 5mW, so the viewing of Laser Wire® is extremely safe without any diffusing required. The surface light is well below the FDA safe threshold.

Visible Brightness

The brightness of Laser Wire® is measured in candela per meter, since it emanates light in 360°. Typically, the visible brightness of Laser Wire® cable is around 750–1,500 cd/m when using a 20–30mW laser source. Higher output power can occur when using laser modules with a higher launch power (such as the 70mW and 100mW Capsule Module options).

The Speckling Effect

Laser Wire® captures intense laser light and relays it down a very thin optical waveguide containing diffusing nanostructures. Light diffusion from the core produces a very high surface luminance and a very uniform luminous intensity distributed along its length without glare. The "speckle" that is seen is spatially random interference of coherent laser light — or more simply put, seeing the light refract off the surface. The speckle effect is most noticeable when slowly moving your head side to side from a distance.

This effect can be increased with PWM (pulse width modulation) at certain intervals with the laser source electronically. It can be reduced by adding different jacketing to help drown out the speckle.

Precautions

• Use caution when handling lasers. Never look directly at an unconnected laser module.
• Laser Wire® has a minimum bend radius of 5mm. Bending past this radius can cause the core to break.
• Avoid scratching and distorting the product during installation. This can cause damage to the wire and generate irreversible hot spots.
• The product is not intended to be submerged or used in outdoor environments without an encapsulated jacket. Contact us for outdoor-rated options.
• Professional installation is encouraged for permanent architectural or automotive installs.

Technical Support

Technical support is available in person, on the phone, or over email.