A Look at the Differences Between Domestic and Foreign Laser Power Standards

By comparing the methods used to test laser power standards in Taiwan and abroad, we can analyze the key differences between the two in terms of technical specifications, calibration procedures, and application scenarios.Combining the keywords of laser power testing methods, international standards comparison, etc., it helps users understand the impact of different standards on their actual work, and provides practical solutions.

Why is there such a discrepancy between the laser's power as measured by foreign labs and that measured by the ROC?

When we use laser equipment, we may have experienced this situation: The same machine is sent to testing institutions in Taiwan and abroad, and the power data is different! This is mainly due to differences in testing methods and standards.For example, in the US and Europe the integrating sphere method is more commonly used to measure continuous laser beams, whereas in Taiwan most laboratories still use thermopile sensors.These two methods have an error of about ± 3 %, and the gap between the data is even more pronounced when dealing with high-power lasers.

The measuring stick is different.

The thermopiles commonly used in laboratories in Taiwan are cheap, but they are easily affected by ambient temperature.If, for example, the air conditioning is turned on high in the laboratory during the summer, the measured value may be smaller than it should be.On the other hand, the mainstream international system, which is based on the integrating sphere, is more expensive than a car, but it has its own temperature compensation function and is more reliable.

The hidden hurdle of the calibration process.

In Taiwan, calibration is usually carried out according to the GB/T standard, and the calibration cycle is usually one year.But in other countries, institutions like NIST not only calibrate every year, they also do intermediate checks.Last year, a friend of mine who makes medical lasers complained that the equipment they exported to Europe was held up at customs because they couldn't produce the quarterly inspection report.

Just how important are environmental factors?

The effect of humidity on the test results is often overlooked.Under domestic standards, a humidity of less than 70 % is acceptable, but the PTB laboratory in Germany requires a humidity of 45 % ± 5 %.Last year a laser device made in Taiwan was exported, but because the humidity in the testing environment exceeded the limit, the power data were questioned by the client, and the manufacturer had to pay NT $ 200,000 to retest the product.

How do you choose the right test?

If you're selling domestically, it's easiest to just follow the national standards.However, if a product is going to be exported, it is suggested that you do two things: first, use domestic equipment to get a baseline value, and then rent internationally certified testing equipment to do a recheck.Some third-party laboratories now offer "dual standard" testing services. For about NT $ 10,000, you can get a report that meets both standards.

How can we deal with data disputes?

Last year, I helped a laser company in Shenzhen with a similar problem. In the end, we discovered that the two sides were using attenuators with different attenuation coefficients.In these cases, it is suggested that the client request the testing agency to provide traceability documents. If necessary, the client can ask a CNAS-recognized laboratory to do an arbitration test.It is important to keep good records of the original testing conditions, as they can be very useful at critical moments.