OMTech settings to achieve less than 10% power?

I’m trying to achieve <10% power on my OMTech; I have an FSL Pro24 that does <10% with no problems. I need to be able to engrave at <10% for fine engraving and am frustrated with not being able to achieve the requirement on my OMTech 80W. Has anyone had success?

On my 60 watt tube the “ignition point” is 9%. Some tubes don’t start below 11-12%, so I don’t think what you write is abnormal.

I have a similar situation… My 50W doesn’t like to lase below about 9%. It seems to go lower if it’s colder out…

You 80W is too much power for fine work is what I’m thinking…

:smile_cat:

Not sure about you but my OMTech 80W came with instructions that explicitly stated that the machine could not be run under 10%.

What’s the wattage on your FSL Pro24?

If you hunt around you’ll see many ‘experts’ recommend you do not run at low pwm values. Their reasoning is that at low levels you are exciting the nitrogen/co2 and they are not resonating (lasing) this leads to a quicker breakdown of the gases… The tubes response time is also reduced, supposedly… it does make sense…

I’ve read lots of peoples posts and most of them abuse their tubes just by what I call ‘standard’ operation…


I’ve always wonder what kind of damage K40 users are doing the way they hook up a ‘pot’ on the power input and pwm the laser enable line… They apparently think they are limiting the current…

They seem to ‘like’ having the ability to change the pwm range depending on the state of the tube deterioration…

I’ve run mine hard and haven’t noticed a reduction in power/performance. Also haven’t needed to adjust anything, at least lps related.


So I’ve come to think this stuff is really pretty tough to stand up to all of our abuse… even if built in China…

:smile_cat:

Can you increase the speed ?