what are you using for air assist

[Darryl Messer]

I am still trying to do all my homework before my laser purchase, i talked with the universal rep today and he said there air assist is an additional 1200.$$$
I am sure i will be needing this but the budget sure didnt figure in this one.

What is so special about there air assist?
What are you Using for yours?

I have a large 80 gal compressor in the shop but its sure not dry air, and a water filter system doesnt seem to work that well on it.

Thanks Darryl

[Joe Pelonio]

Is that for the pump, or the plumbing in the laser unit? Air assist is critical for most if not all cutting. Without it you will get charring and flames, and that's dangerous and will ruin many items.

Mine came with air assist installed, but they wanted $300 for a pump. Since I had several compressors and air brush pumps I didn't get it.

Currently for most work I use an airbrush compressor (25 PSI) that cost $79, with an air filter on it. If I need more pressure I have a small, fairly quiet portable compressor that I keep nearby mainly for small spraypaint jobs and cleaning the laser with the blowgun.

Your big compressor is overkill and will drive you nuts with the vibration and noise, especially when you get a big cutting job and run all day.

[Darryl Messer]

Joe, i dont really know what is included with that price.

my large compressor is is very much a pain to listen to all day, it doesnt come on that much but its in the shop with you when it does, so i had originally planned on moving it out because i dont use it much anymore.

[Joe Pelonio]

On my Epilog, as long as the air is connected, when not calling for assist the air runs continuously through a solenoid operated bypass. That means that air is running out under the machine. When your settings call for assist it's a full flow, about 1/8", so your compressor might come on frequently even with the 80 gallon tank.

[Darryl Messer]

I wonder why they designed it with a bypass type valve instead of a shutoff/on type of electrical solonoid, does the air noise bother you listening to it all day?
I dont know what i am going to use at this point, i may just go ahead and make my purchase and deal with this when i buy my exhaust and plumb it all in at the same time.
Sure looks like this could be simpler than the Manufacturers of these machines are making it.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Darryl,

The ULS air assist is more than just supplying air at the Len's it has air curtains around every optic from the beam window to the Len's. It is basically a complete optics protection system.

It is controlled by color and also has a gas connection as well you can tell the system to supply high air pressure, low air pressure, gas, or combined.

You will need to have in-line water trap, coalescing filter, regulator, and on/off ball valve.

We use our Home depot compressor and have never had any moisture get through the lines and onto the Len's.

The air assist is conical so a cone is placed on the bottom of the X axis carriage and then air is forced through the cone directly at the laser cut. This helps a lot when cutting because you are forcing the material through with the air as it is cutting.

You will not use air for everything you do so the cone comes off very easy and if you run your air it will still have a curtain around all of your other optics at all times. This dramatically reduces debris from getting onto the optics.

It absolutely does not mean that you do not have to maintain your optics it just reduces the regularity at which you have to clean them

[Bill Cunningham]

I have my air hose on a quick disconnect. If not for that, the compressor would run all day.. When the air is on, I find that even though my compressor is small, (4cfm nailgun type) it's on the second floor of my shop, and starts about every 3 or 4 minutes.. The air your using is 'regulated' to a really low pressure (25-40 psig) , and the pressure drop on a 80 gallon tank will take quite a while. If you normally start about 90, and shut off about 110 you will consume roughly about 18 cf before your compressor kicks in again..With a 1/8" flow, regulated to 25-40 psi, you won't be bothered all that often.. A inline desiccant dryer just ahead of the regulator should dry your air to a acceptable level

[Peck Sidara]

Darryl,

The Epilog Mini/Helix & Legend EXT comes standard with pre-plumbed air-assist. All you'll need to do is supply the recommended air pressure. An optional pump is available at a fraction of your quoted cost. Another option is to purchase your own low cost air-compressor pump used not for your air tools but rather something like air brushing. Just regulate it to 30-32 PSI, a bit more is also okay.

Air assist is primarily used for vector cutting, keeps the flames down and provides a cleaner cut. Most will swear by it and consider it a must while a few others (depending on their application) don't rely on it as much.

Epilog's air-assist is controlled via a solenoid, you can turn it on for raster/vector or both as well as color mapping. Additionally if you'd like to run your own compressor w/o the nuisance (sp?) of your compressor constantly being on, you can reverse the solenoid so there's no air-leak.

I saw your posting regarding current sales and a few things popped out:

Air-assist blows air over the materials when vector cutting or raster engraving
Vacuum suction utilizes the exhaust (exiting air) to keep your materials nice and flat onto the table and draws smoke down into the table and out back.
Nows a good time to buy, you'll find many manufacturers offering specials w/ ARA coming up next week.
Our lasers(120W exception) come standard w/ a 2 year warranty and a replacement, if needed, can be had for as little as $995.Will you be attending the ARA show in Vegas next week? Good opportunity to compare various models and to meet the manufacturer.

Epilog won't be the cheapest and for good reason. If price is the deciding factor in your decision, talk to your local rep or feel free to send me a PM. We'll do our very best to earn your business.

HTH,

[Benedict Roussos]

I have a universal laser with air assist and I'm 100% satisfied with my choice. You 'll extend the life of your laser optics at least 2 years. And I never got fire with air assist. You can search for the most economic way to buy a compressor but if you finaly choose universal then ask for air system preinstalation

[Scott Shepherd]

You can't use the inexpensive airbrush compressor to run the ULS system. Most of those air brush compressors provide .9cfm in the 20-30PSI. That's not enough flow to provide the air screen for the optics as well as the air assist for the vector cutting, if my understanding is correct.

You can certainly use your existing compressor, you just need dry, clean air. One drop of water in the system and onto a mirror while it's cutting and you'll probably fracture the mirror. You can buy inexpensive driers and filters for your existing compressor.

[Robert Ray]

I have had great success using a continuous duty rated Thomas Diaphram Pump (http://www.rtpumps.com/thomas/central/products/resource.nsf/imgref/Download_107CAB-CEF_Diaphragm__3325_2-07.pdf/$FILE/107CAB-CEF_Diaphragm__3325_2-07.pdf). They don't get hot, and provide enough air for the job, and you can often find them new surplus around the $50 price instead of the $200 new price.
I use an air filter with water trap (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=43242), and leave the bottom petcock cracked open just a bit, then the water always blows out instead of making it's way to the nozzle.

-Robert

[Scott Shepherd]

Robert, are you using that on a Universal laser? In the link you provided, the CFM was very low, way below the requirements to run the ULS system and even below the normal Airbrush compressor.

It's showing .14 CFM at 30PSI. The ULS needs 2.5CFM or better at 40PSI if I recall correctly (or something close to that).

[Mike Shauer]

Your shop compressor will work just fine. The water trap and filters are cheap. Mine is outside in a lean to and plumbed around the shop. I have a regulator and ball valve next to the laser and turn it on when I need it.

My laser came with the compressor from ULS. It is a well made thing with cooling fins and water traps. When it was about 1 1/2 years old the motor quit and I put it on the shelf connected the big one and never looked back. Its a $250.00 bill to fix which I will do for resale when I upgrade my laser, It's a selling feature for my old one that I now no I didn't need but i sure look nice when I bought it.

It's like most thing I had no idea what I was buying three years ago. Today it would be the most power first then the largest table. If you balance those two out the rest can be fixed later.

ULS will treat you right, the service staff knows their stuff, the replacement laser tubes are the best price in the industry and its a well made machine.

Cheers, Mike

[Sandra Force]

I will agree that your shop compressor should do the trick. I like the idea of leaving the valve on the bottom of the water trap open slightly. I think that with a good filter system and air dryer things should work nicely. Just remember even with those in place if you are not running the compessor for 3 or more days to bleed it off at the quick release nearest the laser to remove any condensation that has developed while it was off. I have found that my system developes some during high humidity when I have it off for that long.

[Kevin Huffman]

With our air compressor, (GCC or LTT Lasers) we have 3 things that must be.

1. Waterless
2. Oil less
3. 18-20 psi.

Everything past that is icing on the cake.

[Robert Ray]

Robert, are you using that on a Universal laser? In the link you provided, the CFM was very low, way below the requirements to run the ULS system and even below the normal Airbrush compressor.

It's showing .14 CFM at 30PSI. The ULS needs 2.5CFM or better at 40PSI if I recall correctly (or something close to that).

I'm using mine on the Laser Pro Venus machines. I run at 10 PSI, which is almost all the way opened. The Laser Pro has a nozzle cavity under the lens, so the air flow blows straight through the cut. The .5 CFM flow seems pretty good, and blows small cutouts and dust away fine. It would not be enough for a blow back, but for air assist it's good.

[Scott Shepherd]

Gotcha Robert, that won't work with the air screens around the various optics as well as vector cutting on the ULS. Not enough CFM or PSI, and it will alarm out with too low of air pressure and the machine will sit until the air pressure is high enough.

[Richard Rumancik]

I wonder why they designed it with a bypass type valve instead of a shutoff/on type of electrical solonoid, does the air noise bother you listening to it all day?

They designed it with a bypass because a small diaphram type compressor can't be blocked on the output. If you do this it will keep trying to pump into a closed hose and probably damage itself. To prevent damage you would need an electrical shut-off on the compressor, activated by pressure in the hose (or a solenoid closure). All of this adds complexity so they did it the simple way - continuous running with bleed-off.

I have seen some airbrush compressors with some kind of control where they would start "on-demand" but I don't know what kind of components they use to implement this. This would avoid continuous running.

I converted an obsolete oxygen concentrator to use as a compressor. It is quiet (as it normally is used in a residence) and seems to work well. The biggest problem was finding a suitable switch/unloader valve. You need an unloader valve to relieve the pressure in the compressor output hose. Otherwise, the compressor can't re-start and stalls. On a shop compressor, when it turns off, you hear a "pssssst" after it stops. That is the unloader valve emptying the supply line, so that it can re-start freely on the next cycle.

[Jim Dornon]

I am adding air assist to my Rabbit 3040. Thought you all might like this pump.
http://www.aquariumguys.com/superluftpump.html:D

[Bill Cunningham]

If your running a piston type compressor in your shop all day long, your far better off to unload the intake, usually done by a air relief valve activating a piston that either holds the 1st stage intake valve open, or clamps off the compressor intake itself, thereby allowing the compressor to free wheel between cycles. This is far easier on the compressor, the electric motor, the electric bill, and your ears. When the compressor just cycles, it's fairly quiet.. Then, when the pressure drops, a spring backs the unloading piston off, and the air cycle begins again.