I’m seeking some help: I’ve had this laser module for a few months now (Ortur laser master 2), and i’m starting to realize that maybe my laser isn’t at 100% despite settings on lightburn.
My current settings are 10 mm/sec, 100% power, and it requires 40 cuts/rounds to cut through 3mm plywood. Which comparing to online comments doesnt seem normal. There has been mention of a minimal power setting, but it must be from an old lightburn version, because i can’t find it to check if that is the issue. So are there any ways to check my laser, maybe through software, or if others find the ability of their machine is the same.
I also am unsure how to focus my laser, it seems focused, but doesnt seem to be manually twistable on the module, and i wonder if there is a automatic way to do it or tinker it through lightburn?
I feel very new to this software still and having a laser in general. I have also recently ordered a 30W Laser Module Laser Head, to hopefully double to efficiency, as 5 hours for a few cutouts of jewelry seems excessive. Which apparently can cut 3mm plywood in 1-2 rounds. So idk how it takes me 40 with half that power atm.
Also wondering if anyone has ever replaced their own laser on the Ortur 2 and if anyone has any links or advice for cheap installing of air assist/pressure, to also increase the efficiency of the laser.
Open to any ideas or suggestions.
I am having the same issue but with engraving coated aluminum.
For some odd reason it will not engrave down to the shiny metal.
Current settings 50mm/Speed with 100% power 1 pass; business card takes 2 hours to engrave with a golden/smoky engraved look. I have tried 50mm/speed 100% with 40 passes with the same results.
Setup: 15w Ortur Laser Master 2.
Side note where did you find the 30w Laser I may buy that one to replace this one.
For the 15w head, the Best Focal Distance is 70-80mm . You can use 75mm. This is measured from the bottom of the heatsink to the job (not the bottom of the dial)
For better focus i use a little black thin paper, so i can see the laser dot with my goggles the best.
It should be the smallest dot-Dash possible.
Focusing for cutting is a bit of an art. As the focal range is limited, if your material is 3mm thick you should focus at the middle of the material, so you have spare focal range above and below the material.
If you focus at the very top of the material, when the laser cuts through, and reaches the bottom of the material it will be out of focus, therefore will have a difuse power
Little more specs
Project: Anodized Aluminum material, (Black coated)
Yes I have focused the Laser to its small beam and watched many youtube videos on how to do this.
Lettering is not bloated. I have measure from the heat sink to the surface of card right at 2.0 to 1.9 inches
I do have air assist on
Aluminum and plywood are quite different, so it’s not a lot to go off for me in terms of power norms, how do you go when you cut plywood? what are your normal settings? And I’m sure air assist (separate to built in) is more for wood, as it pushes away the ash/particles.
The link below is the only 30w (I understand input rates are different) I could find. It doesnt have a lens apparently though, I’ve already ordered mine so i can touch base with you down the track and let you know how it went.
I’ve had trouble figuring out how to focus the lens and i cant find it on youtube. Is this a manual or automatic (through software process? Is it a case of adjusting physical dials, or raising wood and the frame to different levels?
All of the searches i find for ramp test laser cutting, involve different laser types to the one i am using, and dont seem interchangeable? Can you give me any advice on adding air assist DIY? or any links as I am keen to improve the wood cutting efficiency.
You ua e an ortur 2 which does not have a moveable z axis…
To do the ramp test take a piece of wood and raise it at a 45 degree angle by about 30mm… This should leave one side of the wood flat on the surface and the opposite side 30mm up in the air (this doesn’t need to be precise).
Measure the height of your laser from the bottom of the wood (i.e. when it’s flat)… This your baseline measurement.
Engrave a single line which starts at the lowest side of the wood and moves towards the highest.
The line will look different as it travels up the ramp… The point where it looks the thinnest and most consistent is the focas point…
Measure the height of that point and add it to the baseline measurement.
And so after finding out that focus point/ideal height, i cant adjust the z axis, so it’d have to raise and maybe lower the position of the wood being burned, maybe with increments of wood or something, to match the ideal vocal point. As i can’t move/adjust this laser head/module?
Go the ortur official website page and look in the files section… There is a file you can print on a 3d printer which will let you raise/lower the z axis.
Hi Nicholas ,
The problem with your laser is just an easy fix … go to Lightburn and change the speed to mm/min . After that try it again to cut with 2 rounds .
Hey i appreciate the message
I just gave that a go and made no difference that i could tell. I went with 100 (mm/m) and 100% power, eventually brought that up to 40 cuts/layers/rounds and still could not cut 3mm plywood like i used to be able to.
I’m trying to get the laser exchanged in case that’s the issue and have just performed a test to see if its neccessary.
I’d appreciate if you can tell me if you’re able to cut through with these settings? And whether you also have a 15w ortur laser master 2?
Cheers
Nicholas
Hi , I’m using 100 mm/min 100% 3 rounds to cut 2.5 mm plywood I have 20w Ortur master 2 .
I focus the laser until I can see a perfect line .
I hope you find the issue soon .
I have the Ortur Laser Master 2 20 Watt laser and I have the same problem. Thickest wood I can cut is 2mm balsa wood. Can’t cut 3mm. Ortur tech support told me the focal length is 35mm, and I focused the laser at the bottom of the cutting material with the black paper. Even cutting the soft 2mm balsa wood took 16 passes at 100% with a speed of 600mm/sec. I can go slower and do more passes to cut the thicker 3mm wood, but it chars too much and causes over burn on the wood even when using masking tape or paper. The Ortur lasers are really engraving lasers, not good for cutting much but 2mm soft wood.
