[dc2464]

Still having issues with my laser the first mirror is centered, second mirror see attached

[cinematic2]

So align it.

[gfacer2]

So your last issue was mirror height. This is just mirror pointing. That tutorial that was posted in your last thread should have covered it but just line beam of tube to middle of mirror 1. Then adjust mirror 1 so that the beam from mirror one is hitting (ideally) the middle of mirror #2 but the key thing is getting it in the same spot throughout the range of that axis (ie close to mirror 1 and far from mirror 1). Once that is as close as you possibly can get it, then do the same with mirror 2's adjustments so you can hit mirror 3 in the same spot . If your mirrors are now all at the same height then the absolute centre should be possible but the immediate goal is that it is not moving over the axis range. Then do mirror #3 to centre to the cone but that is pretty minor as the distance is short.

[dc2464]

So your last issue was mirror height. This is just mirror pointing. That tutorial that was posted in your last thread should have covered it but just line beam of tube to middle of mirror 1. Then adjust mirror 1 so that the beam from mirror one is hitting (ideally) the middle of mirror #2 but the key thing is getting it in the same spot throughout the range of that axis (ie close to mirror 1 and far from mirror 1). Once that is as close as you possibly can get it, then do the same with mirror 2's adjustments so you can hit mirror 3 in the same spot . If your mirrors are now all at the same height then the absolute centre should be possible but the immediate goal is that it is not moving over the axis range. Then do mirror #3 to centre to the cone but that is pretty minor as the distance is short.

I tried everything still like the attached, if i try to adjust it spreads out even more.

[gfacer2]

Well, I'd get a good square and a good level and start at the beginning.

I would level the machine frame (or really the Y rails - so get a level small enough to fit).

Then once those are level front to back, put the level on the laser gantry and make sure it is level side to side and also square to the y rails.

Then make sure the table is always the same distance from the laser lens/cone tip.

Then make sure the tube is level (which if the machine is level, should ensure they are on parallel planes).

Then re align the mirrors.

The good news is that the spots are moving in a predictable fashion so it should be an alignment issue. I suspect it might be in the machine assembly. If I had to guess your x gantry isn't level or square, which would show your results and be impossible to fix with the mirrors. But it's hard to get them square without starting at square one.


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[the.sniper]

I would suggest watching this vid. Mirror Alignment and more of Russ's alignment techniques.
he has a plethora of good info. if you can or know someone. build the laser alignment tool then it'll always be easy.
-Sam

[gfacer2]

I would suggest watching this vid. Mirror Alignment and more of Russ's alignment techniques.
he has a plethora of good info. if you can or know someone. build the laser alignment tool then it'll always be easy.
-Sam

That's a nice video (though I would point out the machine needs to aligned OK before you cut the targets). But I'm hoping the OP has done these types of steps and still has an issue. Then it's something else.

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[dc2464]

Well, I'd get a good square and a good level and start at the beginning.

I would level the machine frame (or really the Y rails - so get a level small enough to fit).

Then once those are level front to back, put the level on the laser gantry and make sure it is level side to side and also square to the y rails.

Then make sure the table is always the same distance from the laser lens/cone tip.

Then make sure the tube is level (which if the machine is level, should ensure they are on parallel planes).

Then re align the mirrors.

The good news is that the spots are moving in a predictable fashion so it should be an alignment issue. I suspect it might be in the machine assembly. If I had to guess your x gantry isn't level or square, which would show your results and be impossible to fix with the mirrors. But it's hard to get them square without starting at square one.


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Not sure how to level and square the rails?

[gfacer2]

Put a level on the aluminum that the linear rails run on, look at the bubble, adjust the machine feet until it shows they are level front to back (bubble in the centre). Try and do the gantry (level side to side) at the same time so you don't mess up the front to back when you level it side to side. Basically you put the level on all the surfaces that the linear rails are on every which way while adjusting the feet slightly.

Its tedious but you should only ever need to do it once and you should have done it as part of the machine set up.

If you cannot get the machine to show a level on both at the same time then something was off in the original assembly and maybe one side needs a shim. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

[dc2464]

Well, I'd get a good square and a good level and start at the beginning.

I would level the machine frame (or really the Y rails - so get a level small enough to fit).

Then once those are level front to back, put the level on the laser gantry and make sure it is level side to side and also square to the y rails.

Then make sure the table is always the same distance from the laser lens/cone tip.

Then make sure the tube is level (which if the machine is level, should ensure they are on parallel planes).

Then re align the mirrors.

The good news is that the spots are moving in a predictable fashion so it should be an alignment issue. I suspect it might be in the machine assembly. If I had to guess your x gantry isn't level or square, which would show your results and be impossible to fix with the mirrors. But it's hard to get them square without starting at square one.


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Hi There are no feet to adjust it has wheels, I don't see any way to adjust the rails to be square?

[RogerClark]

Shim under the feet with paper etc.

BTW.
AFIK, these machines do not need to be level to run.

All you are doing my levelling it, is making it easier to check the mirror positions. There are other tools like a digital inclinometer aka Bevel Box, that can be used for this, and dont require you to have the machine level.

[pk7639]

I tried everything still like the attached, if i try to adjust it spreads out even more.

Spirit leveling the machine is a complete waste of time because you can't sit a level on a laser beam, it's just a technique that has some uses on other machine tools.

Looking at your pictures, go to the mirror before the one you had the tape on. and tilt it up a bit and right a bit less than that. Retest at extremes of the axis travel and you will see the dot's are close(r) to the top right dot on your vertically aligned picture.
Repeat until you just get one dot in the top right.

For bonus points (ie this is not strictly necessary):
Raise the second mirror and translate it to the right until that dot is closer to the middle.

We use our laser cutters every day and check the alignment about once a month (tip, if the nozzle is getting hot, then you need to check your alignment). We find it easier to pull the sliding lens tube out, poke a laser pointer in a bush up in it's place and align the mirrors in the opposite order. Having that red dot on all the time is easier than mucking around with tape...

[RogerClark]

One thing I do to check the beam is central to the lens, is to take the lens out and carefully stick a pen up inside the tube (Not so far as it hits the mirror !!!)
If you choose a pen that is a fairly similar size to the tube, you can then put a piece of paper on the bed, and then raise the bed and mark a small circle where the centre of the pen is on the paper (you will not get a single point unless you size will be slightly smaller than the tube.

Lower the bed, remove the pen, then raise the bed right up again, and then pulse the laser with the lens removed.

If the dot produce by the laser is not close to the centre of the mark from your pen, then the beam is not coming down the tube in the centre.

[rodrigomartins]

Spirit leveling the machine is a complete waste of time because you can't sit a level on a laser beam, it's just a technique that has some uses on other machine tools.

Looking at your pictures, go to the mirror before the one you had the tape on. and tilt it up a bit and right a bit less than that. Retest at extremes of the axis travel and you will see the dot's are close(r) to the top right dot on your vertically aligned picture.
Repeat until you just get one dot in the top right.

For bonus points (ie this is not strictly necessary):
Raise the second mirror and translate it to the right until that dot is closer to the middle.

We use our laser cutters every day and check the alignment about once a month (tip, if the nozzle is getting hot, then you need to check your alignment). We find it easier to pull the sliding lens tube out, poke a laser pointer in a bush up in it's place and align the mirrors in the opposite order. Having that red dot on all the time is easier than mucking around with tape...

how would this technique to align reversed?
you would have to provide an explanatory video showing how it's done ....
I found it very interesting and could help many people ...

[pk7639]

Before you reverse align, you use the tape method to get the laser tube hitting the exact center of the first mirror. You do this by moving the tube, not the mirror. Unless you drop the whole machine, you only need to do this once. The tube mounts (and even the first mirror) don't get kocked out of alignment very often.

Making the laser pointer.
Make an adapter bush your laser pointer that lets it fit into the head in place of the focus adjusting tube.
Check the bush and pointer are straigh by putting it something that spins (like a lathe or a drill) point it at the wall. adjust so the dot doesn't move when it rotates.

To perform an alignment.
Insert the laser pointer, adjust the third mirror until the dot sits on the same point (it doesn't have to be in the middle) of the second mirror as you move the head left and right.
Then adjust the second mirror until the dot hits the center of the first mirror as you move the head forward and backward.

This method is easier because you can see the dot move as you adjust the screws.

[gfacer2]

I like the laser pointer idea, but this is all not going to work if his mechanical parts are not on plane. I still think the best way to check is by level and square. It's not strictly needed, as pointed out, but it's the easiest to do without sophisticated measuring equipment. Level is just a reference point.

Its not really that hard to line up a beam if the mechanical parts are aligned. If he's tried from the start a few times, he should be looking at other causes.

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[pk7639]

Doesn't make any difference to the beam alignment if the mechanical parts are non planar. So long as the rails aren't actually bent then you can align the beam.

[pk7639]

Had to come into work, so here's a pic of our little laser aligner: