Optics tune-up make huge difference

[twehr]

In a recent thread elsewhere I was asked about my cut speeds for 1/4" acrylic. At that time, I answered that my 40 watt Chinese laser was running 95% at 1mm to get the job done. I also said I suspected my laser tube was getting weak, as I thought my performance on the acrylic was poor.

This week, I tuned up my optics - 3 new mirrors and a new lens (all from lightobject), refocusing, realignment, everything but a new tube. The difference was amazing. I now cut the same acrylic at 3mm/sec - that is triple the previous speed. A few other tests seem to verify that I am now running 2 - 3 times hotter. That means I can back off the power for sensitive materials and speed up for time critical jobs. Overall, well worth the relatively low investment.

If anyone else has optics tuneup success stories to share, please do so here!

[Tech_Marco]

Tim:

Did you install an "air assist" module right next to the laser head (after focus point)? If not do so as it will boost another 50% power! Or, at lease use a small fan to blow away smoke coming from the burnning.

Me and partner did a few test in China (a tooling factory) and the result was satisfied. Without air-assist, I could merely cut through 2mm at very low speed. But after we customized an air nozzle and pump in air to clear the cutting point, the peformance has been greatly improved. If somehow you can get pure oxygen, it can boost at 100%~200%!

Believe or not, one of my customer in Brazil (a good friend now who taugh me a lot CO2 laser and CNC) who told me that with pure oxygen added, a 100W laser can cut through 3mm steel! But I nenver tried it though.

Marco

[twehr]

Tim:

Did you install an "air assist" module right next to the laser head (after focus point)? If not do so as it will boost another 50% power! Or, at lease use a small fan to blow away smoke coming from the burnning.

Marco

I do use air assist. It is nothing more than a small air tube that is tied in place along side the lens mount and points down at a slight angle directing the air to the point the laser beam meets the material being cut/engraved.

You should have your team design and sell a custom air assist nozzle that attaches to the laser mirror/lens mount you sell! Keep the price below 40 and you could sell them to every one who does not have one available on their brand of laser. I would certainly buy it!

[Tech_Marco]

Tim:

The air nozzle was something me and my parterner been thinking for long. However, I found that different manufacturer of the small 40W comes with different type laser focus fixture. We have two machines from two different companies and both used different laser fixture mount. Anyway, he had no problem to customize a nozzle for those two machine. But what about others brand? It's almost impossible to make it without a customer sample of the current mount. To off set time and effort, we have to make at least 100units per model. Do you know which brand of small 40W people buy? The ShengHui, may be?

See the toolings of my partner:
http://www.lightobject.com/Tooling.aspx

Technically speaking, we can make any parts for machine. It's just matter of what to make? If other folks have some input or suggestion, please let me know and I'll discuss with my partner to customerize parts for you guys. Not limited to laser but anything you can come up with. But we do need a dimension and basic drawing

Marco

[Terk]

talking about optics , see this post viewtopic.php?f=47&t=440 you will like it !