Estimated monthly maintenance costs for laser marking machines

The book provides a detailed explanation of the cost of consumables in the everyday use of laser marking systems, including the replacement cycle and estimated costs of key components such as laser modules, mirrors, and gases, and offers practical advice on how to reduce maintenance costs, helping businesses to accurately set their monthly maintenance budgets.

Common consumables and replacement cycle for laser marking machines.

Let's first look at the parts of the machine that are money-eaters.The laser module is like the heart of the machine. A typical fiber laser module in a metal marking machine has a lifespan of around 30,000 hours, but if it is run at full capacity every day, it may have to be replaced after two years.The optical components in lenses and prisms are most susceptible to dust, especially in workshops that process leather and plastic. They must be cleaned and inspected every three months, and if there are any scratches they must be replaced immediately, otherwise the accuracy of the marking will be affected.

Don't underestimate the role of consumables.

The coolant for the cooling system should be changed at least twice a year.There are also small parts like connectors and seals which wear out after only half a year. It is more cost effective to buy them in bulk.

Calculating the monthly maintenance fee involves three steps.

The first step is to list the fixed expenses clearly: depreciation on equipment is spread over five years, and the cost of electricity is calculated according to the actual power consumed.The important thing is to keep track of variable costs. For example, the two bottles of laser gas and three packs of cleaning cloths used up last month have to be recorded in the account books.I recommend installing an accounting program on your mobile phone and taking a picture of the receipt each time you buy supplies, and logging the expense.

And you have to reserve some for unexpected repairs.

Experience tells us that the best way to go is to set aside 15 % of your monthly budget for emergencies.Last week, one of our customers, who makes metal nameplates, had a track get stuck. The temporary replacement cost NT $ 800. If they didn't have that money, they would have had to shut down.

A little trick to save some money.

Often, a yearly maintenance agreement with a supplier can get you a 70 % discount, especially for high-frequency consumables like lenses and laser tubes.The senior technicians in the workshop taught me how to clean the lenses with industrial alcohol instead of the special cleaning solution, which saved me over NT $ 200 per month. But you have to be sure the alcohol is at least 99 % pure.There's also a little trick to this: spread the maintenance schedules for different facilities out over time, in order to avoid the cash-flow problems that can arise from having to pay for everything at once.

Record keeping and analysis are also indispensable.

I suggest that you prepare a monthly expense comparison table, and separately calculate electricity, water, materials, and labor.Last month we discovered that the air compressors were suddenly using 15 % more electricity. We checked and found that the filters were clogged. We handled the problem in time, avoiding greater losses.