Things to Know While Buying Laser Engravers

Laser engraving machines are essential for businesses in order to engrave designs on different surfaces. Like 3D computers, it is computer-controlled and performs effectively when provided with CAD designs. 

Hence, laser engraving machines should be purchased with proper care and consciousness. If not, a failed investment in the wrong equipment may affect the business development. There are some factors that you need to consider while buying laser engravers and their spare parts. For instance, you should choose Mitsubishi spare parts or look for an Amanda press brake for sale.

About laser engraving machines, know about:

• Mechanics of Laser Engraving

Most of the laser equipment install stepper motors to reduce the cost. However, it declines the functional efficiency. Laser machines don’t provide high accuracy and operation ease compared to engravers equipped with high-precision servo motors. 

Stepper motors don’t receive feedback or any information about the accurate position. They only send commands. The lack of feedback might cause the laser engraver to lose coordinates in the process, which can cause defects. 

Servo motors, on the contrary, are equipped with encoders that transmit the data in real-time. It provides real-time information of laser carriage position and eliminates the loss of coordinates. They are more expensive than stepper motors. However, they can achieve high accuracy and cut speed without blurring image edges. 

• Cooling System

The steady operation of a laser machine depends on the laser tube’s cooling system. Any problem with it results in the tube’s failure. Therefore, a laser machine should consist of a water cooling unit or chiller in the tube. The chiller maintains the temperature and provides a steady operation of the tube. However, it must fit the laser machine and stabilize with the installed laser tube’s power. 

The cooling circuit should consist of a water flow sensor as additional protection. If the sensor detects a lack of flow or poor circulation, it will power off the machine to protect it from damages. However, if you’re tired of constant replacements, you should go for laser engravers with laser tubes up to 100W. The in-built fans cool the laser tube, making engravers convenient for operations. 

• Mirror and Focus Lens

The quality of engraving and cutting depends on the quality of laser optical mirrors, focus lenses, and the type of coating. Generally, a laser optical path consists of 3 to 4 mirrors and focal length to converge the beam. The special coating enhances the reflection rate. So, while installing, make sure that they are not economy class. In economy class mirrors, the coating laid burns fastest. The rate of power loss is high; it reaches around 20-50%.

Choose high-quality mirrors that are covered by gold plating. Gold has a high reflection rate. Mirrors with gold plating provide high transmission, and special coating minimizes the refraction coefficient. It increases the laser beam’s capacity.  

• Component Parts

Most of the manufacturers assemble rather than produce. They outsource the components from brands such as Mitsubishi spare parts. Hence, laser machines differ in assembled quality, design, and components. Even similar laser machines from different manufacturers can be assembled with different boards, motors, steering points, power supply, etc. 

Thus, it is crucial to choose a manufacturer that provides high-quality assembled equipment with standard specifications of the machine. 

• Warranty and Maintenance Costs

Most manufacturers provide a warranty only for laser machines. The laser tube is not covered in the warranty and thus results in extra cost. Besides, laser machines equipped with C02 glass tubes have high operating costs. So, check it properly. 

Lastly, ensure that laser machines stick to the safety and compliance declaration. All machines and engravers should comply with custom union technical regulations. 

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/things-to-know-while-buying-laser-engravers

Tips to Improve CNC Plasma Quality

Achieving better quality is the ultimate goal of plasma technology. 

For this, you can always ask the customer support team for guidance or replace the parts with Mazak used parts. However, with proper information and some cool tips, you can improve your plasma cutting quality on your own. 

 Keep reading to learn more!

1. Cut in the Right Direction

Make sure that you cut properly. While using standard consumables, the plasma arc spins in the clockwise direction as the torch moves forward to cut. The squarest angles are on the right side, and thus, contour shapes are cut in a clockwise direction. It is opposite with internal features. There, the torch needs to travel anti-clockwise. So, adjust the current direction if needed. 

2. Refer to the Cut Charts

Check out the cut charts in your system manual and select the appropriate cutting process for your application. Select the process depending on your material type, thickness, desired cut quality, precision, and productivity goals. Based on these details, the cut chart would show the appropriate consumables, amperage, cut and pierce height, shield gases, etc. The arc voltage measurement, cutting speed, torch to work distance are other parameters listed in the chart. 

3. Use Good Consumables

See if your consumables are worn or damaged. They are essential for precision, and any damage could affect the quality and system performance. Therefore, do a visual check and replace it when needed. Use branded alternatives like Mitsubishi spare parts, or Mazak used parts. Always lubricate o-rings while replacing consumables. Don’t over lubricate, as it may affect the system performance. 

Also, make sure that you choose right consumables. Double-check the part numbers on your consumables with the numbers in the manual. 

4. Level your Table and Workpiece

Always level your torch to the workpiece before you start squaring. Because if the metal is bent or wrapped, it would be impossible to square the torch with the workpiece. Or, in the worst case, you may have to accept the poor cut quality. 

5. Hold Right Torch to Work Distance

Ensure that your torch is not close or far away from work, or it would cause rounded cut edges. On top of that, if the torch is too close, the metal splatter would cause severe damage to the torch and nozzle. So, refer to the distance in the manual and adjust accordingly. If your parts are old, adjust them manually as the distance may vary. 

6. Cut at the Right Speed

If the cut speed is low, it may result in broader kerf, dross, and warpage on thin materials. Often, the low-speed dross is collected at the bottom of the cut edge and is easy to remove and flake off. In contrast, high-speed dross causes a thinner bead of molten metal to collect at the bottom of the cut. It is harder to remove and requires grinding. However, you can eliminate it by reducing the cut speed to allow arc time to catch up with the arc torch. 

7. Use Clean and Dry Air

If you’re using air plasma, make sure it’s clean and dry. The same applies to oxygen or multi-gas systems. Use pure and high-quality gases. Make sure that the regulators and gas lines are of appropriate size. Purge-it manually if required. Also, confirm that the purging cycle is completed. Lastly, see if there are any leakages. In case of emergency, contact your gas distributor and get it resolved immediately. 

8. Tune-up your Table

Is the speed of table cutting appropriate? Is the torch secured tightly to the gantry? Is the table vibrating? 

Check all these as often the plasma cutting problem is not with plasma cutters but the poor motion or table issues. So, tune up your table before proceeding with the cut. 

Most importantly, keep implementing these tips. Share your experience with us. If you have any problem with your system or consumables, contact your manufacturer or supplier immediately.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/tips-to-improve-cnc-plasma-quality

Laser Machine Nozzle: Facts and Details

A nozzle is a device to control the direction or characteristics of the flow of fluid. Nozzles are also for laser machines that engrave designs on things. 

Nozzles control the flow, speed, direction, mass, shape, and pressure of the stream that emerges from it. There are different types of nozzles for different purposes.

Nozzles are an important part of laser machines as they help to cut sheets perfectly. Many companies have laser machines like Mitsubishi and Trumpf.

What are Mitsubishi Lasers?

Mitsubishi laser machines give more output at low costs. This has continuous movements of the processing head without stopping, and only the laser beams are switched on or off. Along with Mitsubishi lasers, there are many other companies for the same. The companies like Mitsubishi and Trumpf manufacture nozzle spare parts that are easy to use by machines to manufacture and cut.

Using this laser system can shorten machining time, and this helps to save the cost per part. This reduces up to 98% piercing time of mild steel.

Nowadays, there are thicker materials that one can engrave on. This means the piercing has to be possible for 8 to 25mm thickness. 

This helps to maintain the good health of the operator and benefits the environment. The fumes that arise from the cutting process depend on the position of the processing head. This locally passes through a filter system whose purity rate is 99.99% with minimum effort. The outcome is clean and benefits the environment. 

This machine can work 24 hours a day and is quiet at night because of its special Night mode. As the program starts, Z-axis rises into the top position before the processing head moves in starting position. This reduces the risk of collisions. This has a magnetic damage reduction mechanism that secures from any kind of damage.

This laser machine helps to save a lot of time as it is user friendly. It needs a barcode to scan. Once you scan, you just need to start the machine with a simple button, minimizing the setup time! 

Mitsubishi lasers are so user friendly that even a person who does not know how to use them can operate them and has superior cutting results. All chief components display on the screen, so it is easy to monitor them. This has active control, which helps to adjust focus position and cutting speed.

It gives you all the help you need by displaying the remaining time of the process to end. It also has the time forecast feature, which helps to know the exact time that the process will take. Individual programs link with the contours for easy modification.

Sometimes, when the nozzles are worn out, one can easily find an alternative from a very trustworthy source, for instance, Mitsubishi spare parts and Trumpf spare parts. These nozzles come in different types to choose the best for machines. 

Types of Nozzles Used in Mitsubishi Lasers

• Jet

There are different types of jet nozzles. Gas jet, fluid Jet, or hydro-jet are nozzles that eject fluid or gas in a coherent stream into the surrounding medium.

Gas jets are for gas stoves, ovens, or barbecues. Fluid jets are mainly for the carburetors to regulate the flow of fuel into the engine.

• High Velocity

The main goal of a nozzle is to increase the kinetic energy of the flowing medium. They are known as convergent or divergent. 

Convergent-Divergent nozzle accelerates the fluid that has choked up in the convergent section to a supersonic speed. 

• Propelling

The hot air passes through the high-speed nozzle, a propelling nozzle that increases kinetic energy. An increase in velocity increases the mass flow. To match the exhaust velocity, airspeed provides the best energy efficiency.

• Magnetic

The magnetic nozzle has some type of propulsion in which the magnetic field directs the flow of plasma instead of walls made of solid matter.

• Spray

Nozzles produce a very fine spray of liquid. There are different types of spray nozzles like atomizer spray, air-aspirating nozzle, swirl nozzle.

• Vacuum

These nozzles come in different shapes. These are mainly for vacuum cleaners.

• Shaping

The shape of some nozzles is to produce a stream that is of an exact shape. 

End Words

Nozzles are an important part of laser machines. Whenever the nozzles need a replacement, some of the best companies provide such spare parts. Mitsubishi spare parts and Trumpf spare parts provide different sizes as per the machines.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/laser-machine-nozzle-facts-and-details

CO2 Vs. Fiber Laser: Which one to choose?

Which is better technology? CO2 vs Fiber Laser is one of the common discussions in the manufacturing circle for many years.

Most manufacturers utilize both CO2 and Fiber technologies. They do so as they have noted the difference in technologies, abilities, and performance. Ultimately the selection of the technology comes down to the material you are cutting and its thickness.

The common thing between them might be Mitsubishi spare parts and Trumpf parts. However, Mitsubishi spare parts are superior.

Let’s know the CO2 and Fiber Laser process and their advantages and disadvantages.

1. CO2 Lasers

CO2 laser development dates back to 1964 by Kumar Patel. It is quite a convenient process even today. CO2 lasers are the high power continuous-wave lasers available at present. It is one of the oldest gas lasers available.

What is CO2 laser cutting?

In CO2 laser cutting, the light begins to process when electricity runs into a gas-filled tube. The gas tube has mirrors at both ends. One mirror is quite reflective and the other one lets the light come through.

The mirrors lead the laser beam to the material that needs to be slit. The gas is usually a blend of nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.

Advantages of CO2 Lasers

• Good Finishing

 CO2 lasers can give you a finer edge on stainless and aluminum workpieces.

• It is Flexible

CO2 lasers can work across the range of non-metals and laser applications.

• Good With Thick Materials

Lasering a thick material is no more an issue with CO2 lasers. The CO2 lasers leave the finishing even smoother on thick materials than fiber lasers.

• Faster Process

The CO2 lasers slit the material faster in a straight line. Also, it offers a quick probing time from when the cutting is first started.

Disadvantages of CO2 Lasers

• Maintenance

Most of the components present in this technology need maintenance. This can not only disrupt your manufacturing process but also be expensive.

• Machine Size

The major issue with the CO2 cutting is its machine size. The machines are gigantic. Additionally, the CO2 tube requires much space. In a nutshell, it can occupy a big area. It is an issue when you are working in a small workshop or running a small business.

• Difficulty in Transporting

As it is a heavy and gigantic machine it is not transportable. Moving the machine to another place is a sluggish and costly process.

2. History of Fiber Lasers

Fiber Laser’s invention dates back to 1963 by Elias Snitzer. Yet, it took 2 decades to develop before they could be used commercially.

Even after hitting the market almost after twenty years, they are still away from being perfect. Though the first fiber laser was useful, it was not apt for heavy industry use as we see today.

What is Fiber Laser Cutting?

It is the heated cutting process that utilizes a high power density laser beam to melt, evaporate, and slit.

At the same time, high-speed airflow blows away the molten material, gaining on the cutting process.

The fiber lasers are constantly expanding their field. Though it is not perfect, it has become the hot spot of industry research and development. 

Advantages of Fiber Lasers

• Low Maintenance

Optic fiber transmission, without a reflector, is maintenance-free and can save a lot of maintenance cost. Its mass use of mirrors, bellows has a less amount of cost associated with maintenance.

• Speed

There is no comparison between CO2 and Fiber Laser in thin materials. Fiber lasers have double or triple the speed.

Numerous Varieties of Cutting Materials

One can use the fiber lasers on a range of materials like metal, non-metal, leather, wood, fiber. But, different materials might require different laser cutting techniques based on properties. 

Disadvantages of Fiber Lasers

• Finishing of Thick Material

One of the advantages of a CO2 laser is finishing on the thick materials, especially stainless steel and aluminum. Fiber laser technology is still far compared to the CO2 in this case.

• Flexibility

CO2 lasers are more flexible as compared to CO2 lasers. The CO2 lasers can slit a broad range of materials, especially non-metals. 

• Up to You

Like every other technology, these both come with strengths and weaknesses. CO2 is older and the Fiber lasers are gaining the market fast. With the speed benefits, the operating cost is also less than the CO2 lasers. 

Financial savings from the fiber lasers can be game-changing. But, you should choose technology based on material and other resources. Like if you need to work on thick material, CO2 lasers would offer better finishing. For the thin material, you should go with fiber lasers.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/co2-vs-fiber-laser-which-one-to-choose

Laser Cutter Safety: 4 Best Practices

 We have witnessed a widespread rise in laser cutting technology over the last few years. The Laser cutting machines enable you to process a wide range of materials and thickness size in a short period of time. Two major factors that are responsible for the popularity of laser-cutting machines are accuracy and affordability.

This growing popularity indicates that more people have started availing benefits of the machine. With new users in the market, it is crucial for them to be aware of the safety issues while working with the machine. The hazards associated with laser cutting include the possibility of fire and the generation of harmful products that can cause damage to eyes and skin. It is also advisable to purchase machines that deliver safe solutions. Most of the machines that are secure have Mitsubishi spare parts or Fanuc spare parts installed in them.

This post discusses 4 best practices while using a laser machine to prevent hazards.

Beware of Unknown Materials

Generally, people believe that they can use the laser machine only for cutting wood or metal. On purchasing one, they realize that they can also use it for a variety of materials like paper, cardboard, glass, fabric, stones, etc. Once you cut materials like wood or fabric using a laser, fumes emerge which gets blown away with the help of the machine’s exhaust fan. However, the deadly fumes from materials like PVC plastic are hard to remove. The heated fumes from such materials have a harmful effect on the human body if inhaled. It is necessary to be aware of the type of materials before even purchasing the material.

Know Your Machine in and Out

Staying aware is the first step to safety. After you purchase a machine, thoroughly read and understand the manual of the machine. Keep yourself informed about how to operate the machine and what are the safety requirements that you and your employees need to follow. Machines that use Mitsubishi spare parts or Fanuc spare parts have safety manuals and safety training. Once you acquaint yourself with that ask the experts for any doubts.

Cleanliness is a Priority

In any machine, cleanliness and safety go hand in hand. If you keep the machine and the surrounding clean, you reduce the risk of possible hazards. Laser machines release the dust particles from the materials that you cut. These leftover materials, dirt and debris are likely to cause a fire. Regularly cleaning the space reduces the risk of accidents.

Stay Alert When the Machine is Working

A major error that a lot of users make is to leave the machine unsupervised when the cutting process is running. This is because if the project is large, it might take more time and nobody can stand in front of it till the end of the process. Sometimes, the high-intensity beam of laser produces high temperatures. This can even cause fire if the power setting is set too high. You can avoid this if you continuously supervise the laser cutting job. If one operator is away, another employee can take care of the work meanwhile.  

Quick tips

• Do not use materials that are highly flammable, explosive or produce toxic byproducts.  
• Do not cut a material that your manufacturer doesn’t approve. 
• Make sure you are wearing your safety glasses to protect yourself from eye burn.
• Do not look directly into the laser beam
• Do not disable the safety features of the system.

Final Remarks

Caution is the parent of safety. Even when you purchase a laser machine, check for safety requirements. There are machines, for instance, those made up of Mitsubishi spare parts or Fanuc spare parts. And safety is one of the most important factors.  After purchasing always be aware and keep in mind these points to prevent any risk.

Stay Safe!

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/laser-cutter-safety-4-best-practices

Co2 Laser Vs Diode Laser: Which one is right for you?

For years now, there have been debates over which laser is better: a diode laser or a Co2 laser? Which machine to choose? Which technology is better? Why? And many such questions follow.

These two technologies are worlds apart and have all the differences in the world. The only thing common between them is laser radiation. And maybe the parts they use like Trumpf spare parts and Mitsubishi spare parts.

But before we understand the difference between them, let’s start first understanding these laser machines.

What is a CO2 laser?

It stands for carbon dioxide laser and is a molecular gas laser made of the gaseous mixture as the gain medium.

It contains CO2, helium (He), nitrogen (N2), and some amount of hydrogen (H2), water vapor, and/or xenon (Xe). Such a type of laser electrically pumps via an electrical gas discharge. It operates either using DC current, AC current, or in radio frequency (RF) domain.

Nitrogen molecules excite using electric discharge into a metastable vibrational level and transfer this energy to CO2 molecules when it collides with them.

What is a Diode laser?

To know about diodes, let's go back to old times when Albert Einstein first defined the principle of stimulated emission in 1917. It states that an excited electron or molecule can deliver energy in the form of light. It also shows that an excited electron or molecule can deliver energy in the form of light.

The emission triggers upon supplying energy in the form of light. This stimulated emission triggers by supplying energy to an ideally light amplifying material that delivers energy in the form of light. This form of energy supply is pumping.

When electrons or molecules fall back into their initial state, the energy delivers as a light beam.

Now, let’s understand the difference between both of them:

1. CO2 laser:

The biggest advantage of a CO2 laser is that it is raw laser power. The smallest tube machines have 40 to 80 watts output power. Whereas, professional and industrial units have up to 150 watts.

The benefit of industrial units is that they can reach up to 400 watts. That is a huge amount of power and is suitable for cutting any material except metal. And with the right parts like Trumpf spare parts and Mitsubishi spare parts, you can utilize Co2 laser to highest efficiency.

Hence, if you are looking for a laser machine for industrial production then having a CO2 laser is a perfect choice.

The CO2 laser works on a particular wavelength of 10.6uM. It is longer in comparison to the light spectrum.

Spectrum matters because the far infrared spectrum does not work for all the materials.

For example, Co2 laser might help you to cut glass and transparent Plexiglas well, but with this amount of wavelength, you cannot engrave metals without special paste.

Most of the materials have a high absorption coefficient of this wavelength. This makes it easy for cutting and engraving any material.

Similar, to every technology, Co2 laser has limitations too:

• The key problem with co2 laser machines is the size. These machines are very huge and bulky. Additionally, the Co2 tube requires much space as well. In short, it occupies lots of space. Size matters when you are working in a garage or have a small workshop as most of the small scale businesses or hobbyists do not have enough space.
• Another limitation is that it is not transportable. As the machine is huge and heavy, moving it from one place to another makes it difficult and costly.

Going further, let’s flip the coin and look at the limitations of diode laser machines:

• Diode laser beams are divergent i.e. wedge-shaped, instead of straight and parallel. They have a short and coherent distance that is made of inferior quality optics performance.

They are not well-suited as helium-neon lasers for a high quality of holography. Additionally, semiconductors in electronic devices are prone to static electrical discharges; this means that diode lasers in these gadgets can be damaged by an unstable and fluctuating power supply.

They are also vulnerable to gradual aging over time and increased amounts of power with diminishing efficiency. But if equipped with quality parts like Trumpf spare parts and Mitsubishi spare parts, then you can rely on this laser machine for a good amount of time. There is also a requirement for beam correction that adds to the diode lasers’ fragility.

Final words:

Going beyond the benefits and limitations of Co2 and diode lasers both of them are useful depending upon the needs of your business. These machines make life easy for fabricators and help them to grow their business easily.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/2020/05/22/Co2-Laser-Vs-Diode-Laser-Which-one-is-right-for-you

How to Achieve Burr Free Laser Cutting

Picture this scenario:

You are offloading a sheet of cut parts from the laser machine. From all these pieces, you will pick up a few pieces to reveal clean edges for the next step. And you leave the rest of the pieces with the burred finish.

In order to avoid such burred finishes, you need to know which parameters you exactly need to work on. Here are some handful of strategies to help you get the burr-free prints the way you want.

What Causes Burr?

During the process of laser cutting, the laser beam’s intense energy brings the metal beyond its melting temperature, and the powerful action of the assist gas leaves the metal from the kerf. When you use nitrogen, the cutting process relies on the beam’s energy to melt the metal. When carbon steel is cut, the oxygen interacts with the hot metal for an exothermic reaction. And that adds extra heat.

This is why you don’t need as much gas pressure to eject the material. With oxygen cutting, you have much lower pressure and slower dynamic flow of the gas. Overall, these burrs form from the molten metal solidifying faster than its evacuation. The solid material becomes a deposit at the bottom of the kerf. You can also control the burr by using the right nozzles, Mitsubishi spare parts, and Fanuc spare parts.

The Gas Dynamic

When it comes to nitrogen assist gas, operators need to make changes with quality, efficiency, and costs in mind. It can make up to 35 to 50 percent of the variable cost in laser cutting. Hence, it is important to control the overall consumption. When you set up cutting parameters, it is important to minimize the nozzle diameter. It is also essential to choose the smallest nozzle diameter that you can use to achieve the anticipated quality and performance.

After determining the smallest nozzle diameter, you need to determine the lowest possible pressure to obtain a quality cut with good molten metal separation with no burrs.

It is not the Speed

A burr-free finish is not something achievable with nozzle diameter and gas pressure. You also have to pay attention to the spare parts you are using. Make sure they are either Mitsubishi spare parts or Fanuc spare parts. Additionally, when you go too slowly, you might end up injecting more heat than needed in the kerf. And this might end up raising the temperature to an extreme level. Eventually, it causes vaporization which disturbs the gas flow

That disturbance, in turn, causes more burrs, not less. This means that an operator can make cut quality worse by slowing the feed rate.

You can prevent such events by increasing the cutting speed incrementally.

Consider Oxygen Cuts

When it comes to oxygen cutting for carbon steel, consider the exothermic reaction. It is a fact that with both CO2 and fiber lasers when you increase oxygen global purity to 99.95 percent or above, you can increase the cutting speed in production. Sometimes between 30 to 40 percent.

When an oxygen vacuum flask or cylinder has a drop in purity level, it is usually argon. It happens because the oxygen gets produced cryogenically in an air-separation unit, both oxygen and argon liquefy at similar temperatures.

When you add argon into it, it changes the exothermic reactions. It, in turn, affect the cutting performance. The exothermic reaction works in conjunction with the gas flow rate to burn and evacuate the molten material. If the molten material and oxidized slag aren’t removed effectively, it remains as a burr on the cut edge.

At last pumping

In most laser cutting systems, installers know to avoid elbows in the gas plumbing or to oversize the piping diameter to compensate for pressure drops. With downtime and gas not flowing to the laser, air penetrates and fills the pipe. It can cause problems when the laser is restarted for the next shift or operation.

Final Words!

In order to achieve the burr-free cut, the beam parameters and gas dynamics should work together to ensure the right amount of molten metal evacuates the kerf at the prime time.

5 Avoidable Mistakes of in Laser Engraving

Utilizing heavy machinery demands its proper usage to avoid pitfalls. Whether a novice or an experienced engineer, it is important to learn how you can avoid common mistakes while operating heavy machinery like Laser engraving. It may harm its sensitive parts as not all the parts come with a great resistance power except for Mitsubishi spare parts and Fanuc spare parts.

When issues occur, you might end up just guessing what went wrong while using it. So, to help you we have come up with common mistakes you might be making.

1. Using Wrong Fabrics

Using laser on a fabric which cannot withstand with it will end up burning. Research and understand which fabrics can combat high power settings during the process. Denim, leather, canvas can resist high power settings. When you use delicate fabrics, set your settings at high speed and gradually lower the power to 5%-10%. And to avoid wasting any material, test a small piece, in the beginning, to see if the fabric can withstand. Adjust the power until you get the results.

While attempting direct-to-garment engraving, lower the DPI (dots per inch). Engraving at a lower DPI will ensure the laser vaporizes the top layer and doesn’t burn entirely through the fabric. General engravings work best at 150 to 300 DPI.

2)Using the Wrong Acrylic

There are two types of acrylic used in laser engraving.

1. Liquid Acrylic
2. Extruded Acrylic

Liquid acrylic is best when producing cast acrylic sheets and objects. You pour it into the molds to set into various shapes and sizes. It is the perfect type of acrylic for engraving as it turns frosty white color while engraving. It won’t give your projects flame-polished edges on cutting it with the laser.

Another type of acrylic used for engraving is Extruded acrylic. A machine turns extruded acrylic in sheet format. And because of the high-volume manufacturing technique, it is less expensive.  It cuts clean with smooth outputs and produces a flame-polished edge. And when used for engraving, it provides you with clear engraving. So, if you want a frosted white finish, do your engraving project with liquid acrylic.

3) Inconsistent Glass Engraving

While you are using laser engraving on glass, sometimes it does not get through it properly. As a result, it fractures the surface. Eventually, it will produce the fractured glass surface with a frosted appearance. Rough and chipped.

To avoid that and produce a smooth frosted finish, here are some tips to help you:

• User lower resolution. Up to 300 DPI. As you separate the dots you are engraving, it will produce better results.
• A DIY tip: Apply a thin, wet sheer of newspaper or a paper towel to the area to help with the heat dissipation. It improves the overall process. Make sure the paper you are applying is flat and not wrinkled.
• You can also try changing the color black in your graphic to 80 percent black.
• Polish the area with a non-scratch scouring pad.
• User better laser parts. Mitsubishi spare parts, Fanuc spare parts will increase the efficiency of your machine.
• Apply a thin layer of liquid dish soap in the area.

4) Not Getting Same Results while Wood Engraving

We see maximum engraving happening on the wood. It is one of the most laser-friendly materials available out there. As woods have different types, they might react differently to laser engraving. For example, if you make a large square from a piece of cherry, it would have a uniform appearance. If the same piece was made out of oak, it might vary in height with a non-uniform appearance.

• To smoke and debris, try engraving from the bottom up.
• Wipe off the surface of the wood with a damp cloth when engraving the stained wood.

5) Lack of Efficiency in the Engraver

When it comes to maintenance, it is important to clean the machine on a regular base. You get the manuals along with your machine. It is also important to inspect the optics on a weekly base when needed. Notice when your optics look smudgy. Because that’s when you have to clean them.

Conclusion

These are the most common mistakes you could be making. If you are a manufacturer, designer, or a layman, avoid these mistakes and increase the efficiency of your laser machine.