Hi, This is my first post here and I'm going to have to apologize for how little i know about what I'm doing so please bear with me! I just purchased a used 100w camtech machine with a 40" bed and ruida controller. cma-1080k i believe is the model. I'm using it to cut 1/4" acrylic boat dashboards.
The machine just cant handle a project that takes more then 2 minutes to complete. After fussing with speed settings, adjusting all the mirrors and trying different tip distance, I've basically discovered that the best cut can only be achieved for about 2 or 3 minutes before it runs out of steam and the settings no longer matter. To give more exact detail, with the machine cutting .225 incher per second, 2 passes, it will cut the 1/4" acrylic perfectly for 2 or 3 minutes then it beings to cut about half way thru no matter how many times I run it consecutively.
I noticed that if i let the chiller cool back down to 16 degrees Celsius, and try again it will cut perfectly, ill stop it as the chiller warms up to about 18 degrees and when its back to 16, repeat. If I babysit the machine and run it in cycles like this, it can get a project done. If i just load up a file that may take 20 or 30 minutes for example, it can not complete the task. Is it just coincidence that the chiller needs to be cold for it to cut well, or do i need a better chiller? the machine supposedly has a new tube, if there was problems with he tube or the power supply wouldn't I see it on the amp gauge? it runs at 25millamps rock steady regardless of how well or not well it cuts, always set to 98% max, 95%min on the software.
One note to consider, I'm in Florida and its very likely close to 100 degrees in the workspace. with the humidity, the laser tip is sweating with condensation as soon as the chiller gets cold.