I’m hoping to get some help with a problem I’m having with my machine and settings. I’m finding there’s a steep learning curve when transitioning from a diode laser to a CO2 laser. I purchased the machine to cut mirrored acrylic for an upcoming project, but I’m currently having trouble cutting standard 3mm cardboard.
The settings I’m using are:
Speed: 40mm/sec
Power: 60%
It seems like the power is too high as the voltmeter is hitting 16, and I’ve read that going near 18 is not good. I’m using LightBurn 1.6.03, built on Tue 2024-04-30 @ 02:35, which allows me to set the material height and the head adjusts accordingly. The settings provided on the Omtech site aren’t working for me.
I’m getting frustrated because I can’t achieve a consistent cut on cardboard. Any suggestions on settings or techniques for cutting cardboard would be greatly appreciated.
When I cut targets out of watercolor paper I use a faster speed (100 - 130mm/s) and a power setting of ~ 12 to 15% with my 40W tube. So I’d suggest turning the power down and increasing speed…
This is the reason for Laser Tools → Materials test
Is this cardboard corrugated? This plays with the beam sometimes…
You didn’t mention what lens you are using…
A 2" lens has a depth of focus of about 2.7mm, so it won’t be in focus all the way through unless you focus at the center point, thickness wise.
Did you add a mA meter? … these don’t come with them that I know of and we we don’t use volts to check the tube as a general rule.
jkwilborn,
The cardboard is the cardboard that came with the machine. The lens is the standard lens that came with the machine. The machine is brand new and I am just trying to learn how it works. It’s not a focus issue. I have used the tool and a set of calipers to measure. I did not add a meter there is a meter of some sort already installed on my model. It has a laser power meter that shows the power as the cut is being made. Things have gone from bad to worse as not the laser will not cut anything. As soon as the start button is pressed the light goes from green, to blue, to red. Your suggestion to turn down the power and increase the speed is what I am trying to understand. I was at a slower speed and more power so in theory it should have cut with no issue or started a fire, or are CO2’s different? I will have to wait till Monday as I have called Omtech regarding the new issue. This is turning into an expensive paperweight.
Quit thinking Diode. Diode power can go 0-100% of output capacity. Minimum power for a CO2 machine is between 8-12% depending on a lot of things.
You are not stating actual settings, so we do not know how much “reduced” is. The more detail you provide, the faster you will get to a solution.
@jkwilborn is a very good resource for CO2 machines. Read his questions carefully and answer them completely. Nobody likes expensive paperweights, at least nobody that works for a living.
Sorry for the delay. I had to buy and install a control panel. Once installed it quickly showed the issue. Based on the speed it was going to overshoot the available space. Jkwilborn you were right on target with your guess. Their customer service is amazing. I ended up with a call with one of the reps and we reviewed some things. I discovered that as long as I’m not over 80% I should be good and not impacting the longevity of the bulb. I’m back in business now. Thanks again.
So far I have not built an enclosure for it. I was not using the ethernet port on the back so I removed those two screws and used my Dremel to enlarge the opening a bit in the corner so I could insert the connector. I used a mounting tie down and cable tie to keep the cable against the back wall and ran the cable down alongside the radiator(that’s what it looks like to me) to the controller. I am still working on my mobile laser stand. I need to figure out If I will integrate it into my stand, the Omtech, or have it as a stand-alone panel podium. All that being said I just have it in front of the enclosure when I run jobs. It’s fun watching the list cross hair move back and forth while the job runs…LOL.
