Laser will not fire consistently

[JMoore (James Moore)]

ATOMSTACK A5 Pro Commercial Laser Engraver, 40W Laser Engraving Machine with 5.5W Fixed-Focus Diode Compressed Spot & CNC Laser Cutter with 410X400mm Working Space for Metal, Wood, Acrylic, Leather
I have a brand new Atomstack A5 Pro. I am attempting to run Lightburn.
I have six days of my free trial with Lightburn. I have successfully engraved into soft wood one name and have been able to burn two other words (Not sure of the right term. Marked the wood but did not indent it) There have been times when it would burn a letter and when I immediately tried to do something else it would not mark the wood at all. It absolutely will even attempt to do an image. in the Move window I have set the origin and finish position and it works as it should. In the laser window, I can frame it and the laser will move correctly around the exterior of the work surface. It does not trace the cuts (for ex. the letters to be engraved.)

1. At the bottom of the move window it has two options. One is power and the other is fire. What should I do with those?
2. Also in the move window, what should I do with distance, speed, and z speed?
3. Laser Window- what is the difference between the square frame and the round frame?
4. In the Cut/Layer window, how is the speed and power different from that in the Move window? Should they be set the same?

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[JTR (Tyler Raps)]

1. The fire button allows you to Fire your laser at low power. The button turns it on, and the power field is the power it will turn on at. This is often helpful for framing.

How do I turn on my diode at low power to focus it or frame a job?

Diode lasers often don’t have a red-dot pointer like CO2 lasers do, so it is often useful to enable them at low power for focusing or framing. (Please do NOT do this if you have a CO2 laser, as the beam is invisible and this could blind you or start a fire) In LightBurn, go to Edit > Device Settings, or click here: [image] Turn on the ‘Enable Laser Fire Button’ switch (make it green): [image] Quit LightBurn and re-run it. You will now have two new controls in the Move window. A …

2. Those values are for jogging your laser. Distance is the distance your laser will jog each time you click an arrow (left/right/up/down). Speed is how fast it will jog. You can ignore Z speed- your laser does not have a movable Z axis.

3. The square frame will trace a path that is the smallest possible rectangle that will fit around your graphics, while the round frame will trace a path that is the shape of a “rubber band” around your grapihcs.

Laser Control - LightBurn Software Documentation

4. The speeds and powers in the Cut/Layer window are the speeds your job will run at, and the power level your laser will output at. These do not have to be the same as the settings in your Move window, where speed is for jogging, and power is for the Fire button only.

For the issues you’re seeing with inconsistent burns- double check that your laser is properly focused, and make sure the wiring to your diode is secure. It’s also possible your power supply is not providing enough power- make sure it’s securely plugged in, and adequate for your laser.

Common Diode Laser Issues & How To Troubleshoot Them

[JMoore (James Moore)]

Thank you Tyler for answering my questions in clear understandable language for those of use who are true novices with the laser engravers. That definitely helps me understand those different options better.