laser pointer alignment

[Ernie Balch]

I don't have a co-axial laser pointer, My laser came with a pointer that never lined up with the CO2 laser spot. Being angled the spot moved depending on the substrate distance. This caused me no end of problems when engraving one of small parts. Fixtures work great for production but not so good when you get a single part and it has to be good the first time.

To solve my problem, I modified the mount such that the laser points straight down and is located 1.135" to the left of the CO2 laser spot. I set up the Lasercut reference point to center on my engraving object. Now in Corel I draw a 1.135 x 0.010 rectangle to the right of my reference point, I change the color and uncheck the output box. The right side of this rectangle is my aim point on the substrate. This works great for parts that are smaller than the offset distance. I just center up the pointer on my object and I know the laser will hit at that point.

Does anyone have a better method?

[Walt Langhans]

You could install one of these, http://dx.com/p/red-laser-module-focused-dot-3-5v-4-5v-9mm-5mw-5900?rt=1&p=2&m=2&r=3&k=1&t=1&s=5914&u=5900 pulse you laser on some material and then line the dot up the spot manually. Pretty simple but it works for me.

[Ernie Balch]

That looks like a good price for a laser pointer. I'm not sure how lining the dot up to where the CO2 pulse hits solves my alignment problem. I am trying to center my engraving to an exact spot by using the laser pointer. Maybe your software has some kind of built in offset for calibrating the distance between the red spot and the CO2 spot. I wish mine did.

[Dennis Watson]

You could install one of these, http://dx.com/p/red-laser-module-focused-dot-3-5v-4-5v-9mm-5mw-5900?rt=1&p=2&m=2&r=3&k=1&t=1&s=5914&u=5900 pulse you laser on some material and then line the dot up the spot manually. Pretty simple but it works for me.


Sure would like to see a video of how your doing this.

[matthew knott]

Here's a idea we use! Get 2 laser pointers, pulse the marking laser so you know where the burn point is (at the correct focus height) then angle each of the 2 pointers from opposite sides of the laser head to meet at this point! Now you can use this to find the focus height and also the engraving position! If your at the wrong height you will have 2 laser spots ! Hope that makes sense

[Kevin Braat]

My laser did not come with a visible laser pointer of any kind. I decided the single point was not the solution for some of the reasons you mentioned, so I made a plate that mounts up on the laser focal assembly with two laser line modules forming a cross hair. I just made sure the focus was correct on the modules for the laser focal height and locked them to the focal assembly with a set screw. Now I just turn on the laser lines and make sure that the point I want to start at is at the meeting point of the two lines.


I don't have a co-axial laser pointer, My laser came with a pointer that never lined up with the CO2 laser spot. Being angled the spot moved depending on the substrate distance. This caused me no end of problems when engraving one of small parts. Fixtures work great for production but not so good when you get a single part and it has to be good the first time.

To solve my problem, I modified the mount such that the laser points straight down and is located 1.135" to the left of the CO2 laser spot. I set up the Lasercut reference point to center on my engraving object. Now in Corel I draw a 1.135 x 0.010 rectangle to the right of my reference point, I change the color and uncheck the output box. The right side of this rectangle is my aim point on the substrate. This works great for parts that are smaller than the offset distance. I just center up the pointer on my object and I know the laser will hit at that point.

Does anyone have a better method?

[Ernie Balch]

I like the dual laser pointer approach, but for now I figured out a simple method of dealing with the laser spot offset.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n564/clancy60/IMG_2767_zps4d4992d2.jpg (http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/clancy60/media/IMG_2767_zps4d4992d2.jpg.html)
Notice the laser pointer is vertical and to the left of the CO2 laser, I measured the distance as 1.135" (28.8 mm)

LaserCut 5.3 has my vector object reference center at 600 mm in the X-axis
http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n564/clancy60/laserorigin2_zps735a5d63.jpg (http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/clancy60/media/IMG_2767_zps4d4992d2.jpg.html)

All I have to do is add 28.8 mm to the X-axis reference and now the laser cuts exactly where the pointer aims.
http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n564/clancy60/laserorigin_zpsb3f5d696.jpg (http://s1140.photobucket.com/user/clancy60/media/laserorigin_zpsb3f5d696.jpg.html)

It would be nice if this offset could be saved, rather than keying it in every time.

ernie