Finally managed to grab the IR laser for the XTool D1 Pro and have a few first test pieces. For being only 2W, the tight beam concentration really drives the power up and can move fast. All the examples were done at 6000mm/min, 0.05mm interval, 90% power.
A mirror, done from the FRONT. Apparently the beam is tight enough I should reduce my interval a little, maybe down to 0.03mm. Absolutely blasted the back off the mirror, leaving a pile of powder under it… It also permanently etched it into the aluminum sheet backing that comes with the XTool.
I did not, the arm seems to be the proper length on my unit. I’ll try to remember when I get home to place a 20mm block under the unit to ensure it’s correct. As I recall the focal length is 20mm under the heatsink.
Sadly one of the reasons is the IR is a lot less efficient. The unit itself is massive compared to the 10W blue diode that came with mine, needing a much larger heatsink. Also for only 2W optical output, it includes a new power brick, almost doubling the power. 85W factory, and a 150W came with the IR.
Another thing that threw me off about how hefty it is, is that the machine apparently has different configurations. When my 10W is installed, it’s zippy and fast on both axis, and during homing. With the massive IR unit, Y move acceleration is waaay down and max speed is reduced as well. X movement is just fine, however. Guess it’s a lot of mass to be moving in Y (one motor, two belts, cross bar, full gantry, and the large module itself) Needs a second motor upgrade option.
I don’t have any acrylic to test, so I’m not sure. I would assume it might be able to engrave the surface, but I double it would be able to cut. Especially given the narrow focal depth of only 1mm.
I have a more potent fiber type and I run my interval smaller ~0.0254mm. You might have better results with a lower interval. Even at 0.03mm, it’s too wide for coated aluminum card stock.
One of my stainless steel dog tags, you can see the difference interval made.
I’d suggest material tests with varying intervals. Might find a different result you like better…
I believer your laser is a yag, which means no frequency control… what kind of control do you have…?
BTW… my co2 is an IR laser also, about 1/100th the frequency, but in the IR spectrum nevertheless…
I like these and they will probably become more powerful. That really depends on the source. You did point out one of the drawbacks and that’s the mass of the device. Most fiber lasers are fast and use a galvo head to make use of it.
That’s great, in the past the focus arm length has been reported being ~0.5~2mm too long on the XTool IR head.
I’d still suggest that You perform the ramp test, even 0.1mm does make a world of difference with this particular (near)IR unit.
Possibly, but I’d personally think that has to be a some sort of an average, the variance between units seems to be rather great.
And that 1mm pretty much from “not a visible mark” to “not a visible mark” with any reasonable speed.
When some sort of an engraving/marking consistency is the goal, ~0.1mm should be the figure to aim for.
That level of accuracy demand makes levelling the laser and levelling the workpiece a tedious task if the area to mark/engrave is larger.
Even with all the shortcomings of the XTool IR head, it is (or at least was) the only reasonably inexpensive laser unit to mark/engrave a metal surface directly.
I like this little lasers, I’m hoping they maintain their presents in the market and I’d like to see what they can do.
Seems like it. Atomstack has, what appears to be, a true fiber addition for about twice the price of the xTool IR. It’s also 20W, ten times the power of the xTool.
They claim it’s Lightburn compatible. Wonder how compatible?
