[pgranadas]

Hi guys, I'm completely new with lasers, and unfortunately I'm experiencing a problem with my machine.
I made some tests engraving vinil, and found a setting that seems ok.
But sometimes I'm experimenting inconsistent engraving, without changing any setting.
Or it engraved ok, or with same settings and same material, just seems not having enough power.
What could it be?
It is a 60 Watt CO2, Chinese.


Software: RDWorks v8
Control Panel RDC644XG


Thank you so much for your help

[Nolan Yang]

how long do you use this machine? do you change the laser tube before?
the power of laser tube will fade away as time goes on, so you need to increase the power if you find that the power is not enough.

[pgranadas]

how long do you use this machine? do you change the laser tube before?
the power of laser tube will fade away as time goes on, so you need to increase the power if you find that the power is not enough.

Hi Nolan, thanks for replying.
It's a brand new machine, and sometimes it starts right away like that, later it normalizes, others I can do a couple jobs, than in the next one, without any changes made, simply does no engrave or engraves with much less deep.
Is it supposed to have always the same results in the same material with the same settings, I believe.

[fixtureman1]

Is the temperature of your cooling water constant or each time is it different. That effects my out put.

[Labmaster]

It may depend on the Powersetting for a specific tube.
Simple CO2 glase Tubes have a (i call it) preignition range before they start producing a constant "full cycle" beam.

Depending on the overall power of the tube (the more power the worse) for engraving you are sometimes operating in this preignition phase or at its boundry what could give some inconsisten results.
In such case i would try to increase the power at a certain amount and adjust for this "more power" by going faster. (if possible)

best regards,
Walter

[Nolan Yang]

Not sure the issue is caused by laser tube or not, if its power is not stable, you have to change the setting often..
make sure the focus distance is correct, if your main job is engraving, you need to align the laser beam sometimes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw8Ro2vEEzY

[pgranadas]

Is the temperature of your cooling water constant or each time is it different. That effects my out put.

I didn't check the water temperature, but the room is in stable environment. But I'll check it out. Thanks for the suggestion.

[pgranadas]

It may depend on the Powersetting for a specific tube.
Simple CO2 glase Tubes have a (i call it) preignition range before they start producing a constant "full cycle" beam.

Depending on the overall power of the tube (the more power the worse) for engraving you are sometimes operating in this preignition phase or at its boundry what could give some inconsisten results.
In such case i would try to increase the power at a certain amount and adjust for this "more power" by going faster. (if possible)

best regards,
Walter

Thanks Walter, I'll try a different setting with more power and speed too. For the moment I had a 3,4% power and low speed setting.

[pgranadas]

Not sure the issue is caused by laser tube or not, if its power is not stable, you have to change the setting often..
make sure the focus distance is correct, if your main job is engraving, you need to align the laser beam sometimes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw8Ro2vEEzY

Thanks Nolan, you guys have been very helpful. I'll check that too.
After making all this and if it fixes, I'll post the solution for future knowledge.

[gfacer2]

I'd also like to point out cutting or engraving vinyl or any form of PVC is a bad idea....

[Nolan Yang]

I agree with gfacer2, it will produce poisonous gas, chlorine.

[Bigbird48]

many thing can cause inconsistent engraving. Make sure your mirrors are aligned and clean. Bed must be level.Lens clean. water temp between 55 and 65 degrees . are you always starting in same place on the bed. If your mirrors are lined then starting in different areas of the bed will cause this.

[pgranadas]

Thanks for the warning. Fortunately it's a very small engraving (8 digits number in car's plates) and it makes almost no smoke, and the exhaust system takes cate of it.

[gfacer2]

It's not just for your health but the health of the machine, it creates hydrochloric acid.

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

[Labmaster]

On our machine i can't got below 10% to have a reproducable / constant engraving.
At anything below about 10% the beam is sometimes very erratic.

Best regards,
Walter

[pgranadas]

On our machine i can't got below 10% to have a reproducable / constant engraving.
At anything below about 10% the beam is sometimes very erratic.

Best regards,
Walter

Maybe is that...I hope...

[pgranadas]

I guy's, just to thank you one more time for you patience and will to help.
About the problem I had, it was as suggested, a problem of engraving in low laser problem. The machine shows a very consistent engraving accuracy with 20% power.
Thank you all.