We are experiencing an issue with our large-format CO2 laser marking machine. During operation, the laser power drops by roughly 90% (fades out), but this only happens in one specific area of the working platform. The machine functions perfectly across the rest of the bed, but whenever the laser head enters this particular zone, the beam power drops significantly."
To me it sounds like your alignment is not right. Have you tried checking it?, put a piece of tape on the M3 and test shoot in the area that is giving problems, I get the burn mark is not in center.
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The platform may well have a sag in that area defocusing the beam.
After verifying the beam alignment across the entire platform, check the focus. You can get a crude measure by punching pinholes in paper: progressively larger holes as the laser head enters the trouble zone are a Bad Sign.
Set the controller for a manual pulse at a reasonable power and a few tens of milliseconds so the results don’t depend on your button-pushing reflexes. If you have a Ruida controller, this earlier discussion may help figure it out:
To figure out where the focus went, compare ramp tests across the platform. I made an overly complex fixture, but this is the general idea:
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We checked all the parameters, including the focus, and everything on the laser is perfect. Interestingly, when we draw a horizontal strip in bow mode in that specific area, it works perfectly. However, when we try to make any other shape or design in that same area in any mode, it does not work."
Can you show a picture with the problem and the area you have the problem. If you go for systematic fault elimination methods, electrical, optical, mechanical, a cause must be found.
I have had something similar a few years ago, but here it turned out that there was a cable break in the cable channel, which “only” occurred when the cable channel reached its maximum length. However, it was on a diode laser.
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That’s clearly not the case if it isn’t working properly. You don’t know how many people are absolutely sure it’s right and it turns out to be wrong…
If the machine is working in all other areas, it’s likely not electronics or mechanical, just alignment.
If you have these three things
- properly working tube
- clean and aligned optics
- proper focus
They just work, so I’d be looking at the last two.
How do i check that tube is working properly or not
In writing that it is only a specific area that your laser is not working correctly, you have answered this question yourself.
If you have an Ammeter and its mA reading matches the corresponding % settings in LB or directly from the laser’s controller display, that is also a confirmation that your laser is working.
Have you tried testing your alignment as I have suggested?
You need to be a little proactive in this troubleshooting process.
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