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Thread: Q-Switched vs MOPA - A Common Sense Discussion

  1. #16
    Has this been posted yet?

    Trotec Speedy 300 - 80 watt
    Synrad 30 Watt - CO2 Galvo
    LaserStar 3804 - 50 watt fiber - SPI Source
    Tykma Minilase - 20 watt fiber - SPI Source - (MOPA)
    CorelDraw X7

  2. #17
    Looks like fun, but those are the types of machines company's buy to do their own mass production laser engraving instead of coming to US for it -- They even brag that Smith & Wesson and Springfield Armory use their machines. While I could make great use of one of those, I'd never be able to afford one... even with my workload it would take a few years to hit break-even and actually start seeing a profit. My fiber covered it's cost within 6 months. The Yeti-type cups and whiskey flasks they're marking in 14 to 17 minutes, charging enough to cover that much engraving time is a hard sell, and most of those are 6 minutes work via Cermark...

    Yup, as much as I'd love an Austin Martin, the Mustang GT will have to do!
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  3. #18
    Kev
    You're not allowed to buy one of those until you learn to spell it.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NW Arkansas
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    Nice, Actually If a person were really good with electronics, steppers and controls, I'd bet this would really be something pretty easy to cobble up.
    But not me for sure. Think of turning the rotary into a flat, just long x step rather than turning rotary. This is all that is happening, at least in the video. Now add Y movement driven by controller, that's a different thing. (but that video didn't show that happening)
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  5. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by John Lifer View Post
    Nice, Actually If a person were really good with electronics, steppers and controls, I'd bet this would really be something pretty easy to cobble up.
    But not me for sure. Think of turning the rotary into a flat, just long x step rather than turning rotary. This is all that is happening, at least in the video. Now add Y movement driven by controller, that's a different thing. (but that video didn't show that happening)
    Software would be a challenge. Good for a conveyor-belt application.

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Null View Post
    Kev
    You're not allowed to buy one of those until you learn to spell it.
    force of habit-- and shows just how far down my 'yeah, right' ladder an ASTIN Martin is

    I had a guy from some laser outfit in Calyfornya call me a few months ago, quoted me 'about' $3500 to build a simple XY-gantry, with software, using my Triumph parts. Been waiting for him to call me back...

    I've toyed with the idea of picking up a 20w cheap Ebay fiber like mine and doing this myself; I have the two XT machines, the one is pretty much proprietary to one customer, which is ez enough to change. These machines, unlike most CNC's these days, has a moving spindle carriage, with about 2-3/4" inch of vertical travel. Add that to the 3-1/2" of spindle head travel, and that would give me a great range of focus. Mounting the scanhead to the spindle head would be a simple matter of cobbling together a bracket to hold the thing. Taking into account the space the scanhead would eat in the Y axis, I'd still have 24" of X travel and about 15" of Y travel. The main jobs I have in mind for this would be operator panels I currently do by C02, mostly text, and small graphics, meaning, it would be easy to piece together 'sections' that would fit within the 6" scanhead limits. Each section would have to be moved into position in EZcad, and then the machine moved to match. it would be 'manually operated' to be sure, but I'm already moving the same kinds of parts by hand manually, and aligning each section by redlighting. The XT table moves could be entered as a job requiring nothing more than pressing start & pause. The routine would be run 1st section/move 2nd section in position in EZcad/start-pause/run 2nd section/move 3rd section into position/ etc... I'm actually pretty certain the job sections can be setup in EZcad to change themselves, and using the 'flymark' function, the fiber could tell the XT when to move..

    If only I wasn't planning on semi-retirement in less than 2 years...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  7. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NW Arkansas
    Posts
    1,951
    Blog Entries
    1
    Build one and we will come
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  8. #23
    Let's just all pitch in, buy one, and "Share" it.
    Trotec Speedy 300 - 80 watt
    Synrad 30 Watt - CO2 Galvo
    LaserStar 3804 - 50 watt fiber - SPI Source
    Tykma Minilase - 20 watt fiber - SPI Source - (MOPA)
    CorelDraw X7

  9. #24
    Ooof, I really hate to dredge this thread up, but I need some advice. I have a lead on another laser, which would be an upgrade in power, but I don't think it's a MOPA, like I currently have. In reading, there still seems to be some debate about a MOPA's abilities such as:

    1. A more precise, better detailed engraving when compared to a Q-Switched
    2. Brighter whites on metals

    Like most, I have no use for color on stainless, and haven't had any requests for it, but these do concern me. I've gotten used to my MOPA, so I'm scared I won't be as happy because of the above points being argued. Here are the specs of the one I'm possibly getting (50 watt): (Any advice is appreciated)

    fiber laser.png

    Is "pulse" still considered Q-Switched? I know it's a common reference name. This fiber is also an SPI source like my MOPA.
    Trotec Speedy 300 - 80 watt
    Synrad 30 Watt - CO2 Galvo
    LaserStar 3804 - 50 watt fiber - SPI Source
    Tykma Minilase - 20 watt fiber - SPI Source - (MOPA)
    CorelDraw X7

  10. #25
    As for cutting, there is no real advantage to using a MOPA laser source. There are a couple of standard JPT laser sources that are considered MOPA lasers. The M1+ version is a MOPA but with a fixed 200ns pulse width while the M6+ (more expensive) allows you to control the pulse width. Advantages of any MOPA system is that they are more stable and tend to have better specs...beam quality, quicker response times, greater Frequency ranges, better quality at a cost. If you want to do colors on Steel you don't have to move the focus to achieve it. You can get a better dark engraving in aluminum, you can get some lighter engravings in some black plastics and the quality of the engravings are cleaner and sharper if you really, really, really look hard! Good luck trying to see the difference.
    We always use a JPT 60W set-up (M1+) for cutting, cheaper and no performance difference vs the M6+.IMG_20180720_101011.jpg
    Depending on the thickness, material, and curve distance the cutting times can vary quite a lot. This photo shows 2 1mm thick Silver name tages. The top one took about 6 minutes, the bottom one took 10 minutes.
    Floyd
    You can watch the link
    https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...86205239545856

  11. #26
    Thanks Floyd. We'll be cutting for sure, but for etching, we'll be etching stainless steel and sterling so I want to make sure it looks top notch. I know my MOPA does a nice job. Did the specs I posted above look decent? I'm told it's an SPI source so I know it's at least a quality laser.

  12. #27
    Hi Jacob, I think the laser source is a good one and has a good reputation but I don't have any experience using SPI. According to the specs, I'm sure it will work well for you.

  13. #28
    Jacob, I'm kind of in the same spot you were a year or so ago....I'm trying to figure out if I should go with a Q switched, MOPA M1, or M6....I'm mostly looking for light stripping of annodization, and light engraving. Think AR lower receivers and pistol slides. I'm not sure what types of machines people are using on the videos out there where plastic magazines are black, and turn a tan-ish color when hit with the laser. I understand it takes quite a bit of dialing in to get into that narrow band of "working" but I want to make sure whatever machine I purchase has the ability to hit that band. Any thoughts?

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