Tag: Helium Neon

An ICL barcode scanner from the 80s is shown here. This is the top of the unit with cover on.

Plastic cover removed from the unit showing internal components. Main PSU on left, scan assembly in center. Laser PSU & Cooling fan on right. Laser tube at top.

Closeup of laser scan motor. This unit scans the laser beam rapidly across the glass plate to read the barcode.

View of the bottom of the unit, showing the controller PCB in the centre.

The 3-phase motor driver circuit for the scan motor. 15v DC powered.

This is the laser unit disconnected from the back of the scanner. HT PSU is on right hand side, beam emerges from optics on left.

This unit is date stamped 1987. The oldest laser unit i own.

Laser tube power supply. Input voltage: 24v DC. Output: 1.8kV 4mA.

Rear of HT PSU. Obviously the factory made a mistake or two 🙂

Top cover removed from the laser unit here shows the 1mW He-Ne tube. Manufactured by Aerotech.

Tube label. Manufactured July 1993. Model LT06XR.

Here the tube has been removed from it’s mount to show the bore down the centre while energized.

OC end of the tube shown here lasing.

Beam output from the optics on the laser unit.

Optics built into the laser unit. Simple turning mirror on adjustable mount & collimating lens assembly.

Kind of hard to see but the unit is running here & projecting the scan lines on the top glass.

Laser tube mounting. A combo of spring clips & hot glue hold this He-Ne tube in place