Laser technology is constantly and quickly advancing. As laser processing technologies improve, its uses also diversify. Today, lasers are regularly used in a multitude of industries, from aerospace and industrial manufacturing, to medical and military.
State-of-the-art laser optical components drive all modern laser processing systems. The workhorses that make it all possible, optical components, are also incredibly sensitive—even the smallest motes of dust can damage them or alter their efficacy. This makes laser debris shields, also known as cover slides, a valuable component in a piece of laser processing equipment.
United Lens Company (ULC) has been manufacturing laser debris shields with industry-leading precision for as long as lasers have been used in commercially viable industrial manufacturing scenarios.
Why Replace Laser Debris Shields?
Installed between a laser’s optical component and the work area, laser debris shields do exactly as their name suggests—they act as a physical shield between the optical component and debris such as dust, vapors, fragments, slag and so on. At the same time, they must be as close to optically perfect as possible so as not to affect the operation of the laser.
By the nature of their use, laser debris shields are a consumable product. Covering the optical element of a laser, cover slides collect dust and block debris that would otherwise come into direct contact with the laser, allowing machinery operators to better see and operate the lasers. Over time, these shields will collect a layer of dust and microscopic nicks and scratches. Failure to replace laser debris shields in a timely manner can lead to altered or diminished laser performance —exactly what they’re designed to prevent.
ULC manufactures laser debris shields in three standard diameters—50mm, 55mm, and 134mm—for use with the majority of today’s industrial laser processing systems. To ensure that they not only protect the laser optical component but also allow it to function as designed, debris shields from ULC are manufactured with customizable ultra-low reflectivity and excellent transmitted wave front distortion (TWFD) values.
Laser Debris Shields from ULC
In celebration of our 100th year of business, ULC has launched an online catalog with highly integrated software in order to provide an easy, streamlined purchasing process for our customers.
To learn more about our laser debris shields, order stock shields, or request a quote for custom debris shields, visit and explore ULC’s online catalog.
