I have been using my Atomstack and Lightburn for over a year now. In the last couple weeks I noticed that I am getting a cut through issue. It will cut through the piece but when it is on the final part that connects to the start it is not lining up right and either leaving a small ridge or sometimes a big one. Happens on all cuts. Does anyone know why this just started happening?
I did recently upgrade my frame to a sturdier one, X7 to an E85 frame. I am using a M100 on both frames. Issue was happening before the frame change as well. The only other change was I added the Atomstack Z axis adjuster. The issue did start after I installed it but it was weeks later.
So I had this issue on my X7 frame out of no where. I spent hours tightening and loosing things. Finally I had a chance to upgrade the frame to the E85 and the problem persists. This morning I took off the aftermarket Z-Axis that AtomStock sells to see if that was causing it. It didn’t fix it either. I am just so lost with this. Is there a chance it’s the actual laser? Here are some pictures of the pieces I cut today with measurements. Each one is a side of one of the test cuts.
Not knowing what they’re supposed to measure limits my ability to say whether they’re on spec, but there’s nothing obviously wrong. The slight edge angle may be distortion from the camera angle or just the usual conical beam of a laser focused on the top surface.
As far as the slight mismatches at the end of the cuts, it’s a mechanical problem. You’re looking for a slightly loose screw in a belt pulley or flexible shaft coupler, a loose belt anchor, a stripped screw socket, a misadjusted eccentric wheel, a loose corner bracket, or some gantry racking.
The amount of motion will be a fraction of a millimeter, so you won’t find anything obviously wrong and must test every mumble screw from the motor shaft to the laser head. Doing a grindingly methodical search is the only way to find (all) the problems, because you must not assume any two pieces are firmly joined.
I will check each part. Tighten up a piece and do a test cut.
So question. Is there a reason why the issue only presents on the cut through. When I engrave there is no wobble or unevenness. Wouldn’t something being off affect that as well?
Not necessarily, because engraving motions are entirely different than vector motions.
Everybody wants the problem to be something other than the mechanics, because nobody believes the hardware is as poorly assembled as it turns out to be.
The best way to check the myriad screws is to loosen each one and tighten it while turning the shaft back-and-forth to settle the screw in the middle of the flat it’s supposed to seat on. The screws can seem to be tight because they’re snugged on the edge of the flat, rather than the middle, where they’re ready to loosen when the shaft turns the other way.
Basically, you gotta tear the machine apart and put it back together again. If you try to find the single thing wrong, you’ll stop before you find all of the problems.
