Possible lens issue on my diode OLM3?

[BomUser (Jonas)]

Hi forum, I’m starting to pull the little hair I have left soon if I can’t solve this

I have OLM3 (ORTUR LU2-10A 10W Laser Module)
Running with lightburn since ~1 year and been working solid, now coming with a problem I’ve not encontered before.

So I recently started to see ‘shadowing’ when cutting / higher power. As you can see in the pictures, I’ve checked the belts / nuts and screws and I can’t feel anything that is out of normal. Alignment is good aswell.
I was considering the lense so I did cleaning, I opened up and cleaned it both ways. Are there more lenses / mirrors further in by any chance?

When I engrave/fill it works like a charm, even when I pull down the power and write texts or such, then it wont show up (perhaps not enough power to shadow/reflect?)

EDIT:
It’s 1 pass, 99% power, 3mm plywood.
As you can see, it’s giving a second line and it drives me nuts.

[BomUser (Jonas)]

Not sure if this helps with some more information.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s mechanical, and sometimes I still think it’s lens.

The engraving on the black slate here, it’s done with 5800 mm/m, 90% power. I see no issues / shadowing or such. But this is engraving from one side to the other, back and fourth.

The cutout on a piece of 3mm ply I just did is 200mm/m with 99% power, 1 pass. Here you can see the ‘extra’ line, any clue? Lens? Some screws I’m missing? Faulty laser?

Thanks <3

[ednisley]

@BomUser

Sometimes I wonder if it’s mechanical

Most likely, it is.

This thread covers pretty much the same problem and should help pin down the solution:

Unintentional Offset when using sublayer

Hey all! I have had an issue I have not encountered before when running sublayers, one for fill and one for trace. As seen in the pics, the trace somehow offset but only above the fill. The offset doesnt show up in the preview. Im reasonably certain it isnt that my material moved because the flourish before the name I have on a third layer but is also set with a sublayer for a trace and ut did the same offset. Any idea what I have done and how I can fix it? Thanks in advance [1116242205a…

[BomUser (Jonas)]

Thanks!

And something that baffles me here is that I see no shadowing after cutting this piece out. Not sure if it has something to do that it’s straight line and not curve/circling. I’ll test that aswell.

But clearly something is off. I will take another look at belt, nuts, pullyes etc. And also check that guide aswell you linked.

Test below is how I place it and the result. Ideas?
I used 1000mm/min and 50% power.

[BomUser (Jonas)]

So, i found one lose nut on the pulley.
At the moment i cant see any shadowburns either but Ill try other things later where this was visible before.

Your guide you linked to are great by the way, thanks for helping me out. All the best!

This picture is a new test when Ive tightened the nut on the pulley.

[ednisley]

@BomUser

Test below is how I place it and the result. Ideas?

There’s no need for spendy plywood and you should scale the pattern to the full size of the platform, but the machine definitely has mechanical slop.

Use that test pattern to verify the results of your hunt for the loose screw / eccentric wheel / sloppy belt / whatever.

@BomUser

something that baffles me here

Hold that thought until the machine runs the test pattern without any distortion and I predict you will no longer be baffled.

[BomUser (Jonas)]

Oh, i took it from the size it was when i opened it
Ill runt it on a test trash wood in a full size aswell

Thanks alot

[ednisley]

@BomUser

on a test trash wood

You gotta have an Amazon box around there!

[BomUser (Jonas)]

Well that made it hell easier! Yes I do I’ll engrave on that, haha. Thanks