New at all this stuff so please bear with me.
My laser (Max Fiber Laser 50W) came with a 110 lens and I want to switch to a 300 for a larger work space. I have watched videos and read articles and I’m no closer to understanding the process.
I watched the ‘laser everything’ video but when he goes into the ezcad2 folder for a certain file, it isn’t in my ezcad2 folder.
Switching to Ezcad2, I checked the parameters and it shows markcfg0 even though I selected markcfg7 in the plug folder.
I tried a lens (300) calibration and that really went south. The frame shape (rectangle) after the calibration was higher on the left side than the right. And the top line curved down to the right.
I don’t know if I explained this right, but hope someone can help me.
Thank you.
I just did another calibration of the 300 and when framing a square, it looks better but the top and bottom lines are concave. Is that the way it should be?
Hello, @Harveyshot So first thing, if the lens didn’t come with the laser, you won’t have a markcfg7 file for it in the ezcad folder. That is a file the factory adds for the specific lens/laser combo shipped. like for example my laser came with a laptop with 3 ezcads installed, ezcad 100, ezcad 175, and ezcad 300. Each instance of ezcad had a markcfg7 file for that particular lens. Even if you had a markcfg7 file in your ezcad 100 folder, it wont work for the 300. So you may be able to import the Markcfg 7 file for the 100x100 if the factory supplied it, but not for the 300.
Now that you are using LB, for the 300x300 you add a new machine and set it up from scratch. Devices>Create Manulay>JCZ Fiber
If you are having issues calibrating the lens in LB, really pay attention to the dragon, pretty easy (For me anyway) to get it wrong. Has to match exactly. Before running LB 9 point correction or Corefile2, need to make sure you are in focus. Maybe need to reduce the calibration scale for a 300x300 a little more then recommended.
For the 100x100, good chance there is a markcfg7 file in the plug folder that you can “Import Settings” If not, run the LB 9 point correction for that also.
Stay after it and report back!
EDIT one other thing really important is you mark your configuration rectangle or square on a really flat surface and measure carefully. I like to just cover the table with black painters tape, get a nice crisp white line with low power settings.
Thank you. I have the 110 done, or at least I think so. engravings were coming out good,
For the 300, I tried creating a ‘new’ laser and calibrating it but it’s coming out wrong. I used your black tape idea and I had to up the power and run it a bunch of times to get something I could see. The dragon was really hard to make out.
I noticed the bottom line was concave in the 9 point check and it’s concave when I frame something. I used a caliper to measure the points.
I bought the 300 because it said I’d have an almost 12" square work area. I’m barely getting 6".
I really need to figure this out so I can get started on my projects.
I appreciate the assistance.
Just for the heck of it, I tried engraving with the 300 on the same settings I used for the 110 and absolutely nothing happened. I bumped up all the settings and still nothing happened. The laser moved around but that was it. It was on a piece of Cerakoted SS.
What does it take to get it to engrave? This is starting to worry me.
How far above the table do you have the galvo/lens? Mines up around the 400mm mark. The galvo in the photo has an F254mm lens in it, the next mark and final one, up the column is the F420mm lens pointer.
I bought mine with an F420mm which has 300x300mm coverage or there about. A simple problem here is I don’t know if you got an F300mm or an F420mm.
The markcfg7 file not only has lens settings, but has all the settings such as delays and laser types. Pretty much most of the information in the device settings come from the markcfg7 file.
I always use the same configuration file with a new lens and call it something related to the lens length. Then adjust the lenses correction via the 9 point setup. I have 4 lenses.
My 300x300 is f420 as well. I’m not really sure about the focus but using the two red dots, it’s a lot lower than that.
Where does scan angle come in? Specs say it’s 28 degrees.
You need to raise the head near the 400mm height so you have it focused. One of the issues with some short lens fiber machines is the column height isn’t great enough to allow you to focus the machine with a longer lens.
I’m sure it’s not working because you don’t have it focused properly. Technically it should be 420mm from the material to the center of the lens. My column sits on top of a block that raises it about 10mm or so.
Make sense?
Yes, it does. What about other settings? I keep reading stuff that just adds to my confusion. Where does scan angle come in?
I raised the head to its max height, and it only goes to about 12 3/4" or 324mm.
from the edge of the lens to the bed. So impossible to reach 420 as the column is attached to the base.
If I’m reading these posts correctly, it seems I’ve wasted money on the 300, or is it possible to still use it?
You can find a taller column, that’s the only fix I know of… Other than hanging it off the edge of the table.
You need a taller column to use an F420mm lens. I’d query the vendor and see if they can help you acquire a taller column.
Sounds like your are not in focus.
I run about 20%power 200mm/s 20KHz and one pass leaves a nice white line.
They sell risers for columns, typically we get an 800mm tower if we plan on 300mm lens, teapots on the rotary. Etc.
Should have known. I tend to rush into things before the research. Serious lack of patience (ADD or so I’ve been told).
I’ll check with the mfg and see what they say. I think the 300 is still within the return period.
Thanks all.
It’s not much you can do anything about… It changes the coverage. Here’s a copy from Cloudray where they show 2 of the same focal length lenses (210mm) with different coverage because of the scan angle.
Most hobby lasers are in the ~25 - ~28 degree range.
Thank you, that helps.
Don’t sweat it, we’ve all been there.