[kendrickyu]

Hi I just got into the laser cutting and engraving last year and bought my first machine. I bought a slightly used Spirit GE 40W machine with synrad firestar v40 from the Philippine dealer of GCC which the dealer used for a year. They told me the laser source should last for about 5 years. I've been using the machine for about a year and a half cutting MDF, acrylic and formica, but am now experiencing lower power.

I used to cut 3mm acrylic with 100 power 1.7 speed and 300PPI. But now it takes 100 power .6 speed and 300PPI to cut the same 3mm acyrlic.

I brought this issue up to them and they told me the machine needs a service, cleaning and alignment, which they performed just today. During the service, the technician brought a watt meter it registered 22 watts after lens, after service, cleaning and alignment it improved to 34 watts after lens. The same 3mm acrylic after service takes 100 power .8 speed and 300ppi to cut.

The technician says laser tubes lose a bit of power as they are consumed and this power drop is normal. Is this true? Is a power drop from 40watts to 34 watts not a sign of a problem? The machine does function, but the slower performance hurts my productivity. Help or opinions would be much appreciated.

[mnothstein]

Hello,

I run a GCC LaserPro Spirit GX.

These machines need to be in a dust free enviornment. We had (on 2 occasions) have had the Synrad RF Unit fail because of dust.
Make sure your mirrors & lens are clean.

Have you cleaned the lens on the RF unit?
Is your alignment okay?

IMO, I think you need to bump up your PPI about double what you're using now. Then, adjust speed as you go.

Hope this helps.:wave:

[kendrickyu]

Hello,

I run a GCC LaserPro Spirit GX.

These machines need to be in a dust free enviornment. We had (on 2 occasions) have had the Synrad RF Unit fail because of dust.
Make sure your mirrors & lens are clean.

Have you cleaned the lens on the RF unit?
Is your alignment okay?

IMO, I think you need to bump up your PPI about double what you're using now. Then, adjust speed as you go.

Hope this helps.:wave:

Thanks for your help

I do daily cleaning and weekly vacuum on the top side of the unit and cleaning of mirrors and lenses with lens cleaner and microfibre cloth. However the dealer advised me that they are the ones to maintain the bottom. The dealer's technician came over and did the cleaning of the bottom, and boy was it dusty. But assured me it wasn't a problem once the dust was cleaned. The first mirror (bottom near the tube) and the RF lens was also cleaned. After that the technician did an alignment. The details of the results are in my first post.

Sorry I know this is a noob question but what does increasing PPI do?

Does a power drop at the table to 34 watts after cleaning and alignment not a sign of a problem? The technician said the original watts at the table when new should be about 40 watts.

[mnothstein]

How the laser beam reflects from mirror to mirror, I think that is where you are losing wattage. I may be wrong, but it is just a thought because I do not have a power meter.

PPI is pulses per inch. I typically run anywhere between 750 to 1300 PPI for acrylic, depending on thickness. I mainly cut acrylic on the GX.