Cutting Fine Detail Into Chipboard

[Tom Ravenscroft]

I have a customer who purchases chipboard shapes from me. My problem is my laser (Artsign) seems to char the chipboard more than my oposition's.

I am guessing my beam is possibly too fat and a narrower beam may be better. I have tried raising and lowering the table to try different focal points to no avail.

Will a lens with a longer focal length give me a smalle spot size.

Thanks

TR

[Viktor Voroncov]

Lens with SHORTER focal length will give you smaller spot size

[paul mott]

Hi Tom,

I think that changing a lens to increase the focal length will actually increase your spot size not reduce it. There is an online calculator here http://www.buildlog.net/cnc_laser/laser_calcs.htm

Your spot may be fuzzy as a result of a lens which is perhaps past it's best, what is the narrowest width of cut you can make (vector) ?.

As an alternative approach have you tried protecting the surface of the work with the paper transfer tape used by the vinyl sign makers.

Paul.

[Mike Null]

Tom

Try lowering the ppi and also lower the power until it just barely cuts through. But first lower the ppi setting or hertz or whatever term they use for your machine.

Use air assist if you have it.