How to Improve Laser Cutting Efficiency

This book is a must-have for anyone who wants to get the most out of a portable laser engraver! The book covers all the key parameters for improving productivity, including power, speed, and focal length. It also includes practical tips for adjusting these parameters for a variety of materials, including wood, acrylic, and metal.

Why do parameter settings affect efficiency?

Many people feel that the laser machine does not have a good effect, either cutting too shallow or burning the material. In fact, most of the problems are due to the settings.For example, if the power is set too high, it can damage the material, and if the speed is too slow, it will slow down the overall process.Mastering the balance of a few key parameters can save a lot of time and make the finished product look professional.

Preparations for the real thing.

Don't skimp on material testing.

When you get a new material, don't rush to start working with it. First cut off a small piece to test.For example, when carving a woodblock, he first punches a few points at different power settings (20 %, 50 %, 80 %) to observe the depth and burn marks, and to find the critical point at which the wood is not burnt, yet the carving is clear.

Environmental factors cannot be ignored.

The laser path may be interfered with by high humidity. In this case, the power can be raised 5-10 % to compensate.In the dry winter of the north, the power must be reduced to prevent the materials from cracking.

The golden combination.

The see-saw of power and speed.

When engraving fine patterns, the recommended settings are "low power + slow speed" (for example, 30 watts and 150 mm / s), which guarantees that the details won't be blurred. When cutting thick materials, "high power + fast speed" (60 watts and 300 mm / s) is best, since this will ensure penetration and reduce carbonization of the edges.

Hidden tricks for focusing.

Don't rely entirely on the automatic focus! Manual adjustment is more reliable--place a piece of A4 paper on the material and adjust the focus until the laser dot is as small as possible and not spreading out.This method is particularly useful for curved surfaces, such as mugs.

The flexible use of auxiliary gases.

When cutting metal, air is used to cool the material and prevent oxidation, but when carving leather, the air is turned off to prevent the material from being moved by the air and causing the pattern to shift.Remember: not all scenes need "puff puff!

A quick fix for common problems.

How can we break through the barriers?

If there are any burrs, first check the speed.If that didn't work, the power could be reduced by 10 % and the number of times the laser was fired increased, and the desired result was achieved.

A secret of varying depths.

If there is color unevenness in a batch, check that the platform is level and test the gaps in the corners with a coin.A little known fact is that after 200 hours of use, a laser head's lens will age slightly. At this point, raising the power compensation by 3-5 % can solve the problem.

Emergency measures for sudden interruptions.

If you get stuck, don't panic! Save your work, restart the program, and use the "resume" function.Preventative measures are even simpler: regularly clean the dust off the rails and check the tension in the drive belts every week.