The laser market is very congested right now. New diode lasers from everywhere making all kinds of power claims. The same with CO2 lasers.
I know it is not about the input wattage but rather it is output wattage that matters. The manufacturers claim to have 90w, 80w, 40w, 30w input wattage but what is the tested output wattage? Has anyone done this comparison? I have the same question about CO2 lasers. How do power supplies effect performance?
I would like to see some independent testing results in order to make informed decisions. If you have a link, I sure would appreciate you passing it on.
Ah, the same question that Pontius Pilate asked Jesus⌠seek and ye shall findâŚ
My 60 watt CO2 laser actually has a 50 watt tube installed from the factory. The original power supply was a 50 watt also, and failed on a large 30â square that I was engraving, and I replaced it with a true 60 watt power supply.
On tube lasers, the length and diameter will give you the actual rating of the tube.
Charlie
From what Iâve seen, most of the prime diode laser suppliers have settled into a quasi-honest marketing. Theyâll headline power input but somewhere on their site, under specifications theyâll publish the âidealâ optical output. Knowing this is âidealâ and being âawareâ, should help you make comparisons.
As far as CO2 lasers, itâs a similar thing, but here they talk about the ideal power output of the tube, not what finally gets delivered to the focused spot. Legit suppliers are more likely to use quality tubes that actually deliver close to the stated tube rating. Of course, there you donât want to run at full power anyway.
You will NOT find âtruthâ on eBay, Amazon, or Alibaba⌠Caveat Emptor
Iâll add, that even if a legit and useful comparison was to be published on the web, it wouldnât take long for the falsifiers and perverse to corrupt that with 100000x distorted posts. The only possibly safe source is the manufacturerâs website and thatâs probably only due to the risk of fraud litigation.
I recall hearing somewhere that Neje 40 W diode was remarketed as an 80 W diode by Neje to compete with other manufacturers who are lying about their wattage ratings saying they had an 80w diode.
Thatâs just the kind of crap that gets 100000x falsehood multiplier. The fact is distributors selling NEJE equipment have created the lie. We all want a $369 80W laser so those susceptible to confirmation bias and do not bother to check into the facts, send out a post that says âHEY LOOK AT THIS!â or, send out a note that says âI heardâŚâ
I challenge you to find any mention of 80W diode laser on NEJEâs company website.
Has anyone scientifically tested the output of the Neje 40640?
The Sculpfun S9 videos claim it can cut .750" stock. Specs say it is 5.5w output. This does not compute with me.
Even if you compare them (solid state and co2), itâs still apples and oranges.
My co2 cuts acrylic like butter, as most do. Most ss laser frequencies pass through acrylic, because of the frequency and will not cut it.
If you look around, as I have, most lasers have at most about 25% efficiency. Most actually state if you get 20% out you are doing good.
Most ss laser users donât have a good watt meter, so there is less objectivity in the actual performance of the diode. I have two meters, but the manufacturers wonât commit about accuracy using them with ss lasers.
What do you want to do and how much do you want to spend.
Manâs quest in life âwhat is the truth?â⌠so far 42
For CO2 lasers it should do it in one pass if clean and aligned and focus is right. I have cut 10mm BB ply in one pass as well as 3/4 pine. It may not be fast but it will do it.
I would love to have a CO2 laser but I lack the space for one with the cooling requirements and the exhaust ducting and the air assist⌠The funds are available but the space is limited.
I want to explore the best, most powerful, diode laser I can attach to my Ortur LM2. From what I can tell, it is the Neje 40640. Does anyone disagree?
I canât speak to other brands, but Thunder Laser Nova 24 laser has an advertised 60-watt tube made by SPT that is actually tested out at 70 watts. Thatâs a $6k CO2 laser, though, not a $200 bottom of the barrel LED laser.
Vince,
Remember that no matter what kind of laser, if you are burning (or heating) organic materials, it will give off fumes, some more toxic than others. You need exhaust to handle the fumes. Air assist helps to clear products of combustion out of the laser path.
I have the 40 watt NEJE and have been able to successfully cut Lowesâ 5mm Revolution plywood at 60% power in two passes including a light tan masking tape on top. Thatâs about all the power I want to try as Iâm trying to keep the laser running well longer. I lost my 30W VERY quickly running the power at 80% or more sometimes. BTW the âRevolutionâ plywood is better in some ways and worse in others. In my opinion, itâs smoother, doesnât warp as much, is cheap, engraves well (more of a ânothing or darkâ, not much in between), which is good for me. It sands smooth like a dream. It does however develop smoke deposits quickly and doesnât brush, vacuum or sand away easily, so masking might be necessary. Also, some might not like itâs weird grain?. It kinda looks like ultra thin plywood layers stacked. Also, it has what appears to be a mahogany tone on one side and a pine tone on the other. I kinda like it, but not sure how customers will feel as you canât really call it ârusticâ. Lol
The Thunder laser is a bit more than I want to go right now, but Iâm sure it does a bang up job. For those of you running the Neje 40640, are you using the original Ortur power supply?
