So i bought a MIRA - 60w in 2021. Since then I’ve only done a handful of projects. 2 life events caused the laser to sit and it was not used. So the usage on this machine and tube is fairly low considering how long I’ve had it.
I did a test that I also did 2 years ago and it seems the effectivness of the laser has been lowered.
This could be seen in both cutting and engraving.
Attached are 2 photos from tests.
If you notice the entire 10% column is blank now where as before both cutting and engraving had light marks. If you also notice, the engraving at 50 speed 2 years ago engraved through the wood at 60% and higher.
Any idea what could have caused this? Can I fix it?
How did you maintain the machine in the 2 years?
Mirrors and the lens may have developed a thin film from the humidity which blinds them. If you have a cooling machine, the water must also be changed, it changes character over time, which affects the electrical properties of the tube. And finally, there is also a high chance that the gas mixture in the tube is being “used up”
I have been maintaining it. Ive chnaged the water twice. The past several months the water was drained. It has new distilled water.
I also since my post did a test with a piece of tape over the first mirror. I used just the column that says 10%. During that entire process the laser didnt burn the tape at all. This takes the mirrors amd lens out of the equation. So what you are saying is the tube can degrade just by sitting? Ive read of multiple people with tubes for 5 to 7 years and they still are going strong with no degradation. This is confusing to me.
If you are pulsing it from the machines console, it should be set in the Ruida. What column?
Most good tubes have a life expectancy of 10k hours or about 5 years in commercial service. My tube didn’t last that long and neither has many other people.
You should post photos of the items you mentioned…
Drag and drop the photo on the reply window…
Also use a target on m1 and post the photo. Do you have a mA meter?
If you set the Ruida to a 10mS pulse on the controller, you can press it multiple times, until you get a mark.
Post the photo of the results on the target. Don’t give us a burnt out hole, we are trying to see the power distribution across the beam… Burnt doesn’t tell us anything.
