Home made air assist?

[Joe Hillmann]

Has anyone here built an air assist for there laser? Or know of a kit that I can make work with my universal? For a new project I am looking into I feel that an air assist system would be a large benefit but I am not willing to spend $1300 for one from universal.

[Craig Matheny]

I use an airbrush compress from Harbor Freight less then 100.00

[Joe Hillmann]

I use an airbrush compress from Harbor Freight less then 100.00

How do you attach it to the head of your laser then?

[Craig Matheny]

I do not have an Universal Mine is Epilog but it attaches i n the rear corner of mine via small tube I am assuming Universal will also have some simular type hookup There are alot of guys on here with them and will soon jump in and help with the hookup

[Joe Hillmann]

My machine didn't have the air assist option when I bought it, which is why it would cost $1300 for the hoses, connections and nozzles that attach to the lens(that price doesn't include a compresser.

[Lee DeRaud]

The cone/nozzle bits should be fairly easy to McGuyver (the ULS part for mine was about $140), but the hard/expensive part is getting the air from outside the machine to the head without interfering with either the beam path or the motion system. It's not just a question of hooking up a couple of tubes: regardless of how you route them, they have to cover a rather wide range of distances.

(On your higher-range machine, I suspect the factory setup also includes a solenoid valve and software controls to turn the air on/off when the laser is actually firing...mine doesn't.)

[Joe Hillmann]

The cone/nozzle bits should be fairly easy to McGuyver (the ULS part for mine was about $140), but the hard/expensive part is getting the air from outside the machine to the head without interfering with either the beam path or the motion system. It's not just a question of hooking up a couple of tubes: regardless of how you route them, they have to cover a rather wide range of distances.

(On your higher-range machine, I suspect the factory setup also includes a solenoid valve and software controls to turn the air on/off when the laser is actually firing...mine doesn't.)


At the moment I am thinking of just hanging a hose from the ceiling with a couple feet of coiled hose in the middle and the end connected to the lens carrage, then using magnets to trick the laser into letting me run with the lid open. That will allow it to move without getting in the way and for me to see if air assist is much of a help. If it is as helpful as I think it will be I would like to build a more refined system which is why I am asking on here for suggestions.

[Lee DeRaud]

At the moment I am thinking of just hanging a hose from the ceiling with a couple feet of coiled hose in the middle and the end connected to the lens carrage, then using magnets to trick the laser into letting me run with the lid open. That will allow it to move without getting in the way and for me to see if air assist is much of a help.It's not just a question of getting in the way, there's also the drag the hose can exert on the lens carriage.

[Joe Hillmann]

I know, and I am hoping that by hanging it from the ceiling the pivot point will be far enough away from the machine that it won't cause to much drag on the carriage, that and using a light weight hose and a little bit of coil hose I don't think it will cause problems.

I had also thought of building a jig that would clamp the parts down and there would be 4 or 5 nozzles on the jig that would direct the air to the general area of where the laser will be cutting, but I would prefer it to be on the carriage so that the air is directed at the exact point that the laser is cutting.

[Rodne Gold]

IMO air assist is vital , we run NOTHING without it on all my lasers. Get to see a machine like yours with air assist , note the routings and devices and cable guards used , you should be able to copy with reasonable success .... or you could just pay the $1300 , have it up and running in a flash and never look back :)

[Joe Hillmann]

Rodne, I would love to just be able to spend the $1300, and if it was needed on one of the yags I would do it without even thinking about it, but at the moment the CO2's are just toys for me for the time being (they are just too slow to make real money with them.)

[Mike Null]

Joe

I'd be concerned about fumes with the lid open. I occasionally run mine with the lid up using magnets but not with stuff that'll create nasty fumes.

$1300 is a lot but it may be money well spent.

[David Fairfield]

Yoinks, that's something to keep in mind when comparing brands. Epilog's air assist is basically a standard feature, you just need a little airbrush compressor.

[Lee DeRaud]

Yoinks, that's something to keep in mind when comparing brands. Epilog's air assist is basically a standard feature, you just need a little airbrush compressor.With ULS it varies a lot by model: for example the 'Versalaser' line has the internal plumbing built-in, you just need to buy a compressor, the cone (~$140), and a hose coupler (~$20).

[Gary Hair]

Yoinks, that's something to keep in mind when comparing brands. Epilog's air assist is basically a standard feature, you just need a little airbrush compressor.

Air assist and auto-focus were standard on my GCC/Laserpro and I found them to be so useful that I assumed they were standard on any laser made after the early 1900's...

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Joe;
I am not familiar with the carriage mechanics on a Universal- Laserpro uses a flexible nylon track fixed to the rear of the X axis carriage rail which encloses the air assist tube. The track and the tubing bend in a horizontal U shape as the head moves from right to left. The track keeps the tubing in alignment with the X axis rail. On my 24" Mercury the track is about 2 feet long and cost is less than $30 from GCC. The rest of the parts needed are trivial (tubing, push-fit connectors,air gun nozzle, tie wraps) and easily available for under $30 excluding the air compressor-recommend small air brush type. $1300 from OEM for this option is ridiculous and outrageous. Will post pic of setup on Mercury as soon as camera recharges.
Best Regards,
George
Laserarts

[Gary Hair]

I happen to have quite a bit of that track, I bought it for the CNC router I built. If anyone here needs it I'd be happy to discuss offline - it would be much less than the price from GCC...

Gary

[Glen Monaghan]

$1300 from OEM for this option is ridiculous and outrageous.

You're not surprised, are you? The prices for mainstream manufacturers' rotary options typically have about as outlandishly high of a markup...
-Glen

[walter hofmann]

217235
this is my air nozzle

Hijoe
I just converted my K40 40W CO2 china laser to the light object DSP, after everytrhings is working fine I also did wana add a air assist system.
I was looking around and ordered the nozzle from bard at buildlog but the nozlle requires a compressor with a lot of air volume and is pretty long that I could not fit a thicker pice under, then I ordered the nozzle from marco at light object what is verry short but only fits his lens system I try this too but here are the same probleme in order to get a nice heavy airstream I need a big compressor too. then I bought from harborfreight the airbrush compressor for $ 70 and it came with a 1/8 coiled hose . I used a pice of 3/16 copper tube soldered on 1 seide one of the connector which came with the compressor and on the other seite the threaded piece from a cheap airbrush I bend it that it fits around lense holder and soldered a pice of copper sheet on it with holes what fit the lensholder plate. then I bend the tube in a half loop down carefull and added the airbrush nozzle where I grind down the tip a bit because it was to fine.
now I have the perfect air assist what blows pretty much everythings out in the pass of the laser.
its a bit of fiddeling but well worth it.
greetings
walt

[Mike Lassiter]

Let me also add a couple of thoughts. Our laser comes plumbed for air, allI purchased extra was the air assist cone and thecother air assist that is not a cone. There are a couple of points that you may or may not know. Each of the air assist have a very small magnet in them. These "tell" the laser that there is a cone or the other assist attached. If I forget to turn on the air supply, the laser driver will not start the laser when I start to engrave. A popup window comes on the computer screen saying the air pressure is low and the laser never starts running. While I think the air assist cone and the other that works on our machine are WAY over priced the fact that the laser driver knows one is attached and will not start the laser unless it detects air pressure when air assist is attached is pretty good idea that prevents wasted material and possibly a fire. There is a preasure switch plumbed in the system that tells the driver if air preasure is present when air assist is attached.
Something elese that may be of interest if you use the HPDFO lens is the cone interferes with the focus. The red LED doesn't show on substrat with the cone attached, and the cone gets hot on my machine if I use it with the HPDFO lens. I have to remove the cone and attach the other air assist which has a small tube and adjustable nozzle where you can adjust where the air hits the material. I think you would NOT regret spending the money. Another thing is another add on that allows you to leave the air on and have driver controled solenoids that will turn on the air or also allow inert gas to be used with/without air too. I would like to add this but as I recall it's around $600 extra.

[Joe Hillmann]

George and Gary,

Are you guys referring to cnc wire chain? To hold the tube or something else?

[Dan Hintz]

Let me also add a couple of thoughts. Our laser comes plumbed for air, allI purchased extra was the air assist cone and thecother air assist that is not a cone. There are a couple of points that you may or may not know. Each of the air assist have a very small magnet in them. These "tell" the laser that there is a cone or the other assist attached. If I forget to turn on the air supply, the laser driver will not start the laser when I start to engrave. A popup window comes on the computer screen saying the air pressure is low and the laser never starts running. While I think the air assist cone and the other that works on our machine are WAY over priced the fact that the laser driver knows one is attached and will not start the laser unless it detects air pressure when air assist is attached is pretty good idea that prevents wasted material and possibly a fire. There is a preasure switch plumbed in the system that tells the driver if air preasure is present when air assist is attached.
Something elese that may be of interest if you use the HPDFO lens is the cone interferes with the focus. The red LED doesn't show on substrat with the cone attached, and the cone gets hot on my machine if I use it with the HPDFO lens. I have to remove the cone and attach the other air assist which has a small tube and adjustable nozzle where you can adjust where the air hits the material. I think you would NOT regret spending the money. Another thing is another add on that allows you to leave the air on and have driver controled solenoids that will turn on the air or also allow inert gas to be used with/without air too. I would like to add this but as I recall it's around $600 extra.
There's no magnet on my cone (and it's aluminum, so the entire thing isn't magnetized)... I never bothered to look, but I thought the "low air pressure" warning was from an actual air pressure sensor, and the cone was recognized via an IR sensor (but as I said, I never bothered to look).

Which cone are you using for your HPDFO? It has the same FL as a 2" lens, but the beam width straight out of the lens is somewhat wider than without the HPDFO, so it's likely to hit the sides before exiting the tip. The cone getting hot just tells me the beam is scraping the sides... you're losing power. I don't recall ULS selling a cone for the HPDFO lens set, but it wouldn't be hard to make one that handled the differing beam waist.

[Joe Hillmann]

217235
this is my air nozzle

Hijoe
I just converted my K40 40W CO2 china laser to the light object DSP, after everytrhings is working fine I also did wana add a air assist system.
I was looking around and ordered the nozzle from bard at buildlog but the nozlle requires a compressor with a lot of air volume and is pretty long that I could not fit a thicker pice under, then I ordered the nozzle from marco at light object what is verry short but only fits his lens system I try this too but here are the same probleme in order to get a nice heavy airstream I need a big compressor too. then I bought from harborfreight the airbrush compressor for $ 70 and it came with a 1/8 coiled hose . I used a pice of 3/16 copper tube soldered on 1 seide one of the connector which came with the compressor and on the other seite the threaded piece from a cheap airbrush I bend it that it fits around lense holder and soldered a pice of copper sheet on it with holes what fit the lensholder plate. then I bend the tube in a half loop down carefull and added the airbrush nozzle where I grind down the tip a bit because it was to fine.
now I have the perfect air assist what blows pretty much everythings out in the pass of the laser.
its a bit of fiddeling but well worth it.
greetings
walt

Does the coil hose get in the way at all? Does the added weight seem to affect the motion of the carriage? And how big is your laser bed? I like that nice simple design, I just worry that it would cause problems with when the X axis is moving at 100 % Although I could always remove it when I am just rastoring.

[Gary Hair]

Yes, I have e-chain. I can give you the specs later if you like, it's in the garage and I'm not at home right now.

Gary

[Mike Lassiter]

Sorry for delay in reply. I have been working on installing a Fujitsu mini split heat pump in our shop. I took a picture of both the air assist that we have. They both have a very small magnet in them, and they each connect in different places. I verified both are magnets as they pull to the metal screwdriver shaft used in the picture for a prop to show the magnet in each. Typing from tablet and took picture with tablet. I hope I can upload the picture this time. I have tried several times with no luck, and so - hopefully I get the picture inserted now....218387
toward the center area each piece has a small silver like circle that is the magnet. The cone inserts into the bottom while the other piece goes on the right end as you face the laser.

[Dan Hintz]

They both have a very small magnet in them, and they each connect in different places. I verified both are magnets as they pull to the metal screwdriver shaft used in the picture for a prop to show the magnet in each.
218387
toward the center area each piece has a small silver like circle that is the magnet. The cone inserts into the bottom while the other piece goes on the right end as you face the laser.
Interesting... my cone has no such magnet, it's just a straight milled aluminum cone.

[Joe Hillmann]

Could you post another picture but not such a close up. I don't know what I am looking at in that picture

[Dan Hintz]

Screwdriver handle in the middle, large end of cone in upper portion of pic (w/magnet showing), air tube assembly in lower portion of pic.

[Mike Lassiter]

Interesting... my cone has no such magnet, it's just a straight milled aluminum cone.
the magnets are what tells the driver the air assist is installed I think. If either one is attached and I try to run the laser without having the air turned on, there is a popup window that appears saying the air pressure is low. All you can do is click the "OK" button, which then closes. Turn air on, all laser with run after you again hit run button.
ILS series comes with air assist when you get it. Cone and the other assist have to be purchased extra; however the tubing is there to the lens even if no air assist cone is used and the electronics that monitor air pressure. There is an optionial card that will allow the laser driver to turn on air assist or inert gas, or both as I understand.

[Mike Lassiter]

218621218627
Could you post another picture but not such a close up. I don't know what I am looking at in that picture