Arduino-controlled gas mixing device fills DIY laser tubes

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Arduino TeamApril 28th, 2021

Lasers come in two varieties: solid-state and gas tube. As the name suggests, the latter types contain gas. That is a mixture of gas in precise proportions. To fill his DIY laser tube, Cranktown City built an Arduino-controlled gas mixer.

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This device has an Arduino Uno board that drives three relay modules. The first relay switches power to a gas pump, the second relay controls an output valve, and the third relay controls an input valve. A push button starts the pumping process. The pump turns on and the input valve opens. Gas from a storage tank is pumped into an inflatable bag. Once the bag is full, as detected by a limit switch, the two valves flip and the gas pumps into the laser tube.

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Cranktown City knows the exact volume of the inflatable bag, so he knows how much gas has been pumped into the laser tube each time the device runs. Like mixing a cocktail, this lets him “pour” each part of the gas mixture into the laser tube until he ends up with the correct proportions.

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The gas pump, Arduino, relays, and inflatable bag are all enclosed within a heavy duty case made from steel sheet cut on a plasma table. The resulting mixer is portable and robust enough to stand up to abuse of a shop environment. With this device, Cranktown City can continue with developing his DIY laser tube — a project we can’t wait to see completed.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax7xlcFS2QY?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

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Website: LINK

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