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Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 12:24 pm
by Tech_Marco
Not sure what day available because our ocean shipment will come some times on next week. It will keep me busy for unpacking and testing. We have two big machine to come; 2500x1300 and one already sold. So, I have to do testing.
Marco
Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 3:07 pm
by Novus
Understood. I'll check back again next week. thanks!
Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 8:06 am
by Novus
Any time available in the next week or two, Marco? Thanks!
Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 9:20 am
by Tech_Marco
Novus wrote:Any time available in the next week or two, Marco? Thanks!
Next Tuesday I should have morning between 10am to 12 for you
Marco
Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:51 pm
by Novus
OK, sounds good! I'll see you then. Just bring the machine itself, right? You don't need the cooling system and stuff.
Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 10:36 am
by Tech_Marco
If you can come today, I may help. May be a little rush to you
Marco
Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:49 am
by Novus
Sorry, can't make it until tomorrow. Busy day at my primary job! See you tomorrow at 10am!
Re: Low Power Laser No Matter What I Do
Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 4:00 pm
by Novus
Thank you again, Marco, for taking the time out of your day to help me with my machine! I won't be setting it back up until tomorrow but I will definitely let you know how well it works now! Great help! Very much appreciated!
For those of you wondering what the problem was: As it was explained to me (if I understood Marco correctly), if a tube is over-saturated with current it becomes less efficient very quickly. As I had my machine max power set to 99% output and the job power set to 42% output (which yielded the 16mA limit I needed to observe) the laser was being over-saturated due to me not understanding how the power levels are generated. I suspect the machine max power is analog, so a flat line of voltage/current, and the job power is controlled via PWM, so for 42% of the duty-cycle the tube was at maximum current/voltage and for the other 58% of the cycle it was at 0%. This set up did result in the correct output current at 16mA but it also over-saturated the tube for 42% of the time resulting in the loss of power I experienced.
The first thing Marco did when I showed up was swap the power settings: machine max output he put a 40% (flat line) and job output was 100% (PWM signal. Near that high, anyway. I couldn't see the screen). If I understood the situation correctly, this new configuration yielded constant power to the tube without the risk of over saturating it. It immediately cut through 4mm hardwood at 10mm/s no problem, where I was having trouble getting through 3mm MDF at 3mm/s in less than 3 passes.
Marco also ran me through a few other set-up and functional tests while I was there, too! I can't ask for more help than that!
Amazing work, Marco! I'll start cutting stuff shortly and let you know how it goes. Thanks again!