Common Mistakes Made by Laser Engravers

He also explains how to avoid common mistakes, such as improper focusing, and the importance of maintaining equipment.

Improper laser power adjustment.

Many novices assume that the higher the power, the better the effect, and as a result end up burning the material or drilling through it.In fact, different materials require different levels of power. For example, acrylic suits middle to low power, whereas metal requires gradual adjustment to find the best parameters.

Ignoring the importance of focusing.

Most of the time when customers complain that the carving isn't clear enough, it's because they haven't adjusted the focal length properly.I suggest you test the focus position with a test strip after each material change. Don't worry about wasting time, because this step will save you time later on.

The method for fixing the materials is left up to the individual.

I've seen people just stick down metal plates with tape and turn on the laser without checking anything. The result is that the material shifts during cutting, and the whole batch is wasted.It is recommended that a professional fixture be used in conjunction with a vacuum suction table, and that special attention be paid to the stability of the fixturing of irregularly shaped workpieces.

Not cleaning the lenses regularly.

Dust on the lenses is like working with dirty glasses, and it directly impacts the transmission efficiency of the laser beam.A real-world example: A customer who hadn't cleaned her solar panels in six months had a 30 % reduction in power output. Spending five minutes a month cleaning them would have avoided this problem.

Overreliance on automatic mode.

Although the machine comes with standard settings, it still needs to be adjusted by hand for special materials.One woodcarver says that he gets better results by slowing his carving speed by 15 % and using the intermittent blow mode.