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View Full Version : What hapen with Epilog-Coherent



MICHALIS KRITIKOS
07-09-2012, 11:42 AM
We have got an
EPILOG 120W since 2006 and we believe that we have bought a very good, reliable laser. We were very proud and we were always saying
the best for EPILOG to everyone who asked which laser to buy. In 2008 we change the RF and 3 months later the laser tube. We believed that
the replacement of the tube was normal but lucklessness the broken RF. Now we were waiting to change again the laser tube, which
is normal, when the laser stops completely giving power. We contact with the local service and with his advice we decide to send the
laser for refiling (too expensive). Without checking if the laser tube was really “empty” they sent back to us a new one. When we
try it nothing happened and then they “discovered” that what was wrong it was again the RF (too expensive too). As
was expected we complained about the unacceptable for us damage of RF and surprisingly they told us that COHERENT
considered that it's normal -maybe inevitability- the parallel broke down of laser tube and RF. Of course, no one had told us that before
we bought the Epilog.
Can this really
happening? Has anyone any similar experience?
We are very disappointed because we believed in Epilog (made in USA), but now we are not sure if we still want to repair the system and we are
seriously thinking of Chinese Laser. Much cheaper and almost with the same lifetime as it proven in action.

Richard Rumancik
07-09-2012, 1:54 PM
From what I have read and from own experience I don't think it is "normal" for an RF board and the laser tube to go out at the same time. The RF board, which is really a power supply, can blow from a bad component. As with any electronic device it ages from heat during use. The laser tube tends to degrade over time as the gas mixture ages/depletes/leaks out. They don't check if it is "empty" or not, they check if it can output the rated power, and decide from that if it needs to be re-gassed.

With the Synrad tube the RF boards are inside the laser tube enclosure. I assume yours has a separate RF board and laser tube - in which case there is probably not much electronics in the laser tube assembly itself to go bad.

It could be that they guessed wrong and that the RF board was causing the problem all along, not the tube. If a machine suddenly goes from working condition to zero laser output, I would tend to look at the RF board first for problems. They probably don't want to tell you that they repaired something that wasn't really broken - they might just tell you that two things were broken.

How many hours were on the second tubes before it "failed"?

MICHALIS KRITIKOS
07-09-2012, 3:03 PM
The second tube run about 3500-4000 ours

Rodne Gold
07-10-2012, 1:59 AM
I don't think they actually "repair" your tube , I think it is swapped out for a reconditioned one. So if yours came in and was swapped out , yours would have ended up on the "to be reconditioned" pile. We have had a lot of problems with coherent tubes and made GCC swap out the 3 coherents in our explorers to Synrads.

At the end of it all , the tube repair costs overwhelm us , at least $4k (we are a long way away from repair facilities ) and we also don't get the claimed 20 000 hours outa tubes , we get round 3-4000 and often less for a repaired one (which normally seem to fail soon after the 3 or 6 month warrantee) so now, as my tubes fail , I am just going to mothball the dead laser and will canabalise the dead machine for parts for the good ones
I will replace the "dead" one with a chinese machine (at the same price of a tube repair) which does more or less the same job....
I think the price of RF tubes is grossly out of line and repair costs the same....

Mike Null
07-10-2012, 9:35 AM
I wanted a Synrad tube when I bought my Trotec but it was available only with Coherent. After 7 years it is still going strong.

MICHALIS KRITIKOS
07-10-2012, 10:21 AM
The first laser SYNRAD 25 W(water cooled) 6 years after firt operation (6 hours/day) was 35 w. Now after 12 years it works the same perfect. We change only the dc inverter 2 years ago (250 €).
For the 6 years old EPILOG I paid 7900 euro in 2008 and now I am asked 6800 euro for laser tube & 5200 euro for RF!!
It is crazy !!

Mike Null
07-10-2012, 1:00 PM
I would be inquiring about a Trotec if I were you.

Mark Ross
07-12-2012, 4:39 PM
We had to replace our Coherent Laser in our Epilog a couple times sine 2006, but always under some sort of pro rated warranty. Epilog now makes their own lasers. We are happy with the overall quantity to the point you can go look at my new thread about welcoming a new member of the family. There are a lot of reasons we stay with Epilog.

Mike Null
07-12-2012, 10:20 PM
But he's in Greece dealing with duties taxes and inflated prices for American made goods. My guess is that there are common market agreements that would make common market made goods a better deal.

Craig Matheny
07-14-2012, 4:31 PM
Michalis I have an epilog mini and have replaced the tube 2 times mother board once and power supply this rf deal sounds odd to me, are you dealing with an Epilog rep or some independent that sells different equipment along with epilog. I would suggest getting on Epilog's website go to support and get on a live chat and talk to someone.

MICHALIS KRITIKOS
07-23-2012, 5:38 PM
I have asked from epilog service to tell me the situation of thelaser tube. But nothing.!!! and to explain to me why both laser &RF needs so often repair. Where are the 20000 hours from tube??. noresponse......
Of course I am in Greece and many people believe that they shouldnot give any attention for us.


But must know that we have a very extensive experience in laserengraving in our region.
Many people ask from us information’s about buying a laser.Certainly can not recommend a machine that now does not trust anymore.
In a few days I hope to have good news about a new perspectiveabout laser service.