Considering a more powerful laser - Looking for Laser Tree Users

Community Laser Talk
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I am considering a more powerful laser than my 4.2W JTech diode laser. I may have a regular need to cut acrylic. One recent job was cutting 10mm thick black acrylic which I had cut using my CNC machine. (I have attached an image of the work piece). I had to produce several hundred at different sizes but all of the same pattern and in black acrylic.

I saw an advertisement for a Laser Tree item… using beam compression technology, about which I know nothing. Has any LightBurn user any experience with this company’s products or beam compression technology which seems to stack several low powered diode lasers together? In this case the company was using 6 x 5.5 Watt blue diode lasers for an output power of 30 Watts.

10mm thick black acrylic workpiece -

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I had a 7W JTech attached to my CNC machine. I did a lot of research on the 14W JTech and others and every time I started adding more capability, I ended up back at the CO2 Omtech. I kept trying to get the cost back to the $2K range but speed and ability kept driving me to more power. I ultimately decided on the 80W Omtech and I’m glad I did. In about 5 months, it’s already more than paid for itself. A great example, when I used my J-Tech to engrave the logo on the board below, it took me 15 minutes per board. (I made 40 and wanted a bit of depth to them). With my new 80W Omtech, they took just over 2 minutes a piece. The time saved was massive. I spent an entire day with a $35,000 machine lasering these things. On the Omtech on my second run, it took me about an hour and a half.

If you’re using this to make money, I’d bypass diode and go straight to CO2 but that’s my humble opinion. To me, throughput means a lot. I also get a lot deeper burn with the 80W so to me the quality is much better as well.

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One more data point… 7W Jtech .vs 80W Omtech for cutting foam. :slight_smile:

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First, thank you very much for the comprehensive response and the self-explanatory video clips. I am retired and use my CNC machine as a hobby. I make lots of different things for people and primarily, I am doing it to fill time rather than making money. Occasionally, I get what could be called production jobs such as the one to which I. have referred.

I can see that the Omtech is a great machine and the cost is not too scary. I do not think I would give it the use it would require to justify the expenditure. The compression technology looks interesting and would possibly give me the power increase without the investment required for the Omtech. I have a long established relationship with Jay of J-Tech and I really like his products. I did not know about the 14W offering and will check that out.

Thanks for your help.

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Sure! I love my J-Tech but it’s biggest detractor is I’m running it as an add-on for my CAMaster CNC. That machine is about $35K so it seemed silly to run a $700 laser on it when a $5K machine would do it faster. I’m not really trying to grow my business, it’s my retirement plan. I work in the oil industry but the more stuff I do, the more orders I seem to get! Already done close to 200 cups on the Omtech. I use it more now than the CNC but my CNC is still my baby. :smiley:

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As far as I can determine, the compression technology works like this…

Get the smallest dot from the combined lasers, the smaller the dot the higher the power density of the dot… the same amount of power over a bigger dot results in a lower power density.

In a nutshell, they compare the super small dot on some of these as equal to a 50W or 80W co2 machines… claiming a smaller dot, therefore higher power…

The dot size was 0.1x0.08mm on one of these modules. I can do better than that with a compound lens on the co2… in the 0.05 range…

Common sense would tell you that a machine that takes an input of 30W to run it, isn’t going to produce results similar to a tube with an output of 80W… or even 50…

I’ve searched for it and this is the best I’ve come up with… IMHO, it’s more of a way to sell you something based on unknown (to the user) math relationships.

In their defense… They are becoming more and more powerful.

These also don’t require a chiller of any kind. The time and patients learning how to align and clean the optics, and ensure how square the table, head and tube alignment is…

Wont’ mention the physical size and weight, took both me and the spouse to move the small 50W co2…

I would ensure they say it will cut what you want… that pretty thick stuff…

Just don’t buy into the advertising… do your do diligent the best you can… then you pays your money and takes your chances, just like the rest of us…

I have an led, co2 and fiber… take care, let us know what you decide and why.

Good luck

:smile_cat:

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Yes, I am envious. That CAMaster looks fantastic. I guess I am about running what works. My CNC machine is a cheap S3 Shapeoko which I fettled with a new belt adjustment system and a 12.7mm aluminium sea of 840 M6 Holes baseboard with stiffener bars and a couple of modular vices. I have cut up to 20mm thick aluminium and I can predict up to ±0.001" tolerances. Not bad for a hobby machine. I did note the 14W J-Tech head and I daresay that Jay will have put together something reliable. It may cut 10mm thick acrylic but it wont be very fast.

I have worked on Penrod 67 (jack up) in 1968 in the North Sea off the coast of Holland, so I have some experience of the rush to get everything done before it was asked for. Thanks for your input.

1 Like
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J-Tech quotes 0.011 dot size on my 4.2W laser. I use it with an additional high resolution lens and it is focussed at 1/8th inch.

Yes, of course. The law of the conservation of energy dictates that there cannot be more energy output than was present as input.

Wise words. I will probably stay with my current CNC solution for now. I am shortly about to change my CNC machine for one with a larger working envelope (and a different controller). This may dictate that I buy a separate laser machine so it may be just a little too early to make my decision about a more powerful laser just yet.