Trotec Speedy 300 Alignment Interval = Once per week, seems way to often

[James Olander]

Hi guys, I'm running a Trotec Speedy 300 80W (purchased new in early 2013) cutting 1/8" delrin with 40+ hours per week cutting time. 90% of time vector cutting, with a lot of rapid movements for small thru holes, etc. I found I was adjusting Mirror 2 about once per week, and Mirror 1 about once every 3 weeks. And of recent, it seems I'm having to adjust even more often. I contacted Trotec tech support, and they stated this was unusual, most customers rarely do alignments, if ever. I believed the tech support rep.

My hunch is that the brass alignment screws are not staying put. So I've added a healthy dob of red loctite to the alignment screws on Mirror 2 and Mirror 1 (this was in addition to the factory-applied red loctite that I've long since broken/screwed past).

Can Trotec Speedy 300 operators please chime in with their typical re-alignment intervals. Or if you've tackled this problem in the past, how'd you fix it?

Thanks all!

[Kim Vellore]

so did the Loctite you added help? or is it still moving after.

Kim

[Scott Shepherd]

We've had ours almost 2 years. I aligned it once, in the early days. It shouldn't be doing that. Something else is wrong. My guess is you might want to check it every 6 months or so. Don't know what the manual says, but as a rule, it doesn't need adjusting. Not to mention that machine is a bear to align, in my opinion.

[Art Anderson]

Had my Speedy 300 since 2007, and I've realigned twice, once after re-gassing the tube, and another simply to prove it was correct in the first place. Mirrors shouldn't be doing what yours is unless, as you stated, they're working loose. Sorry to hear this is happening to you. Hello Loctite!

Art Anderson
Trotec Speedy 300 45 w.
Marquette, MI USA

[Chuck Stone]

You may want to have them look at the entire transport system. It could be that
you are adjusting the mirrors to compensate for a problem somewhere else. If
that's the case, eventually you won't be able to do it. I would look at motor mounts,
play in the belts, loose rails, whatever holds the tube in place..

[Mike Lassiter]

Be careful using red loctite on small screws. It is for larger bolts and high strength. You may find when/if you NEED to remove or loosen then that you will twist the heads of the screws off leaving the rest still tightly held in place by the loctite. Blue is medium strength not sure about what machine screw sizes are recommended for it, but pretty sure red on about any machine screw will be bad when you try to remove them. I work on semi trucks and trailers. Red loctite on 3/8" bolts with fairly long thread engagement has twisted the heads off the bolts trying to remove. Several years ago I saw several 12 point sockets get broken trying to remove differential bolts that had red loctite on them. Snap-On's and Craftsman alike. Had to heat bolt heads with a torch to loosen them without breaking sockets.
I hope you haven't put them in with red high strength loctite and need to remove small machine screws later!

[Keith Outten]

James,

I would seriously look into replacing the brass screws before I attempted any other fix. Screws are notorious for being out of spec but in most cases they will still perform reasonably well. I would try stainless steel screws without any Loctite for awhile to see if that solved the problem.

The mirrors in the Trotec Laser in the sign shop at CNU were adjusted by the Tech Rep when he installed the machine and they haven't been touched since.
I installed my Trotec Laser in my shop, I checked the mirror alignment the first day and it was perfect.......haven't had to adjust them yet.
.

[Mike Null]

My Speedy 300 has been operating for nearly 7 years without an adjustment.

[Dave Sheldrake]

I would try stainless steel screws without any Loctite for awhile to see if that solved the problem.

Just be sure to swap them back out for brass when you have pin pointed the problem, stainless steel into aluminium and it's alloys bring a whole load of their own problems.

cheers

Dave

[John Coloccia]

Oh dear. You may want to remove those screws quickly. It may already be too late. Red thread lock is typically for permanent installations. The red compound you saw on the original screws may have been a product like Nylock (Nytemp comes to mind). You may very well break tools and twist off heads before getting those screws to budge.

[James Olander]

Thank you all for the inputs, extremely good data points. Definitely have an issue somewhere.

I applied the red loctite to the intersection between the thread and the bolt after I was done adjusting, not on the full length of the engage threads, so hopefully can still come out some day... But I did do my best alignment yet, so maybe the permanent fix will pay off!

I am letting the loctite cure over the weekend, will report back next week. Also will take a look at all other moving assemblies, belts, etc.

Thanks again all.

[Dee Gallo]

I'm curious, James, about whether this should be covered by a warrantee since you bought this new in 2013...this year! Before you run out of time, you might want to check with Trotec about fixing this permanently by a pro rather than hit and miss hoping for the best. Something is obviously not normal here.

And Welcome to the Creek, dee

[Scott Shepherd]

James, something just doesn't make sense. I took my covers off this morning and went through Mirror #1 and Mirror #2 components to see where there might be an issue. Quite simply, I don't see how it can be the mirror holders. There's just nothing to them. I'd check the entire assembly that the mirror is bolted to, making sure that's tight to the Y-Axis motion system. I'd check Mirror #1 too. First, make sure it's clean. If it's not, it could be causing you to chase Mirror #2 around. If it's clean, then check the bolts underneath that mounting block. The mounting block is mounted from underneath, into a slot that allows you to move that block if needed. I wouldn't dare move that, but I'd make sure that block is tight. Go through every screw you can see and make sure they are all tight, from the tube to Mirror #1, then all around Mirror #2 and that assembly, etc.

If that doesn't resolve it, then it's time to call Trotec and let them handle it because something else is wrong.

I'm glad I did this exercise because my Mirror #1 (which is not often accessed) was slightly dirty. Not major, but just a very slight area, so now I'm all good to go. That's a mirror we almost never check.

[James Olander]

Hi guys, only replying 4 months later! Which if reading in between the lines is a good thing! I have not had an alignment issue since using the red loctite, problem is resolved.

The technique I used:
Aligned mirrors 1 & 2 to deadnuts center. Then applied a bead of red loctite around the thread/insert interface. I did not work the threads in and out to get full penetration of the loctite (this would also ruin my alignment). I let dry for 72 hours over the weekend. And have been aligned (we'll I'd say 95% aligned) ever since.