Cutting plywood

I just bought a Neje Master 2/2S Max, 30W system… Neje suggested that I use Lightburn… From everything I’ve seen online, I agree…
However…

I’m trying to make pieces for a board game, that I created and am selling… I am trying to etch and cut coins from 2mm Birch plywood, and Terrain Tiles (for the game board) from 3mm Birch plywood…
I set my layer to fill for the numbers on coins and Terrain Tiles, and to Line to cut the coins and tiles…
I have set my speed and power to the same levels as in the tutorial videos… In the videos, the laser makes two passes, and the parts are cut cleanly out, with no burn marks…
When I tell mine to make these cuts, all it does is etch the wood, around the circle, or hex (as proscribed by the part), and burn the crap out of it…

What am I doing wrong!?!
Please help me…

Please take a screengrab of your settings and upload the file.

You should do some burn and cut tests on scrap to figure out the best settings.

For diode lasers, especially the lower powered ones you are going to need high power, slow speed, multiple passes, and I cannot say this enough, AIR ASSIST.

I would recommend using 10mm/sec 100% power with at least 6 passes.


If you use mm/min, you’d need to use something around 600mm/min and 100% power with at least 6 passes.

Each material is different so start with a power scale.

Welcome to the forum and lasering!

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Oh yeah, try the settings I listed above. Most people use the “00” as the “cut” tab and keep it as that for ease of use.

Try 10mm/sec and 100% power for cutting with at least 6 passes to see if it cuts. Definitely get air assist.

Air assist helps cut and cleans the part.

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First of all you are using mm/sec that is better for CO2 lasers, for a diode, like you say you have, is better mm/min, then your 30W is a 7.5W in out and you are trying to cut in one pass at 2400mm/min at 70%power a 3mm birch plywood. With my Neje i cut 3mm at 600mm/min 100% power in 2 passes, or 85% power in 3 passes, but i have air assist.

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Are you saying that Neje lied to me about the power of my laser? 30W is only 7.5W?
How do you set it to work in Minutes? Mine only shows in seconds…
I’m gathering that my problem may be with not having air assist… I ordered that last night…
I can’t get this to cut all the way through the material, without it burning it to a crisp…
I’m becoming somewhat antagonized by this setup…

30 watts in is only about 4 watts out. I have a 50 watt and it only puts out about 5.5 watts maybe. They aren’t lying to you, that’s how they rate them.

It’s under settings or the cogs icon up top.

I personally use mm/sec for my diode and CO2.

You should check your focus first. You are trying to cut out very small parts. Air assist helps with everything.

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I know that at the moment, I seem like a simpleton…
But I am actually a mechanical engineer… I’ve designed clean-room equipment, that is cut from either PVC-C plastics, or 302/304 Stainless Steel (on much larger lasers…
But I am at a loss on this one…
I did get it to switch to mm/min… It’s in the selection of CO2 or diode… You say that you use mm/sec for both… I’m guessing that it doesn’t actually change anything in the way that the laser operates, just in the display for my purposes…

Are you versed in changing the focus on the Neje Master 2/2S Max? If so, could you explain it to me, as though I were a high school student? (I don’t want to say like I’m an idiot, but I do currently feel that way…) Neje has very little in the way of instruction in any of their material…

did you know what module is?
https://wiki.nejetool.com/doku.php?id=m_fo
look at this

It doesn’t actually say anywhere on it, or on any of the documentation that they sent me…
However, the website states that the gantry that I bought comes with a 7.5W module… So, I don’t know how many 7.5W modules that they make, to be able to determine which one it is…
Sorry…

The module does look like the A40630, though… If that helps…

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If is really the A40630 is equal to mine and i CAN cut 3mm plywood birch in 2 passes at 600mm/min 100% power with air assist. I can even cut Solid wood 7.5mm thin in 10 passes at 160mm/min so, maybe your problem is the focus, have you seen the wiki?

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@Skipp look at this

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It is just for display, I use it for both as the the CO2 uses that as default and I Like the control better.

Start by using the LightBurn wiki and doing test projects. I don’t have the NEJE but really you just need to learn the machine and it’s limits, and the software. Baby steps like anything else until you’ve mastered it.

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Is the focus adjusted only by moving the laser module up and down in the slide? Because I’ve got it down as far as I can put it, without it hitting my bracing… Or should I be moving it up?

There should be a certain gap that you need, they should provide you with that information. Focus is very important.

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The A40630 is a 455 nm and the focus is not give by lifting up or down The module, there are the lens that has to be turned left or right ti obtain the best dot

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I had the same problem using a China CNC 3018 PRO with a 60W laser.
Solutions:

  1. 4 passes at 800 mm/min @ 95% power (burning everything around :grimacing: )
  2. :slight_smile: do it on 1.5 mm balsa with only 2 passes at 1000 mm/min @ 80% power
  3. Buy a CO2 laser $$$$$€€€€€€
  4. Have someone else cut it for you.

I choose #2 and am very happy with the result (for the price I paid)

well i’ve seen this only on aliexpress and others online shop, in the neje shop they write the exact power of their modules.
just for infos… i do not work for neje

Skipp, do not worry to ask the same (stupid?) questions again and again.
The only stupid question is the one that you do not ask.
I am sure that everyone went though the same learning curve (FYI I ALSO have a Phd in electronics and computers science!).

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