PDA

View Full Version : First post - ULS X100 problem.....Help !



jon catton
06-18-2008, 7:09 PM
Hi To all !
Great forum, folks btw ! I need a little help :confused::

ULS X100 water cooled Coherent laser tube, bought second hand with a duff PSU - I replaced with a like for like Magnetek unit.........

I managed to blow one of the stepper motor controller chips on the cpu which I tonight replaced - phew !

My problem is I cannot get any laser output.........files send, 48V at the coherent 100W water cooled laser tube, psu's good green led's on - but no output from the laser........

Files RUN okay just no lasering !

I have waited a while (warmup ?) to no avail - lcd file display indicates correct laser power/ speed etc etc. Chiller seems good - the microswitch at the end of the laser tube gets avtivated by the pressure, green led on the display panel - as if the laser IS firing.........

Could the laser be kaput ??? Is there any real way of checking the laser 100% - I can only assume at the moment it is not get the "fire" signal.

Can I somehow temporarily supply one to test the coherent tube ?


Anyway - any help at all much appreciated !

Regards from a very wet South Wales, UK.

Jon Catton.

will bohn
06-18-2008, 7:36 PM
There is only one true way to tell for sure if the tube is getting a PWM's
You will need to find someone with a O'Scope and apply the leads to the laser Pulse With Modulation circuit.

One thing you might check and you can do this with a volt meter is to check the flow switch on the coolant lines. If the flow switch dose not see coolant flow the laser will not fire.

I hope this helps.


Will

Bruce Volden
06-18-2008, 7:55 PM
Jon

I have no ULS knowledge, but was thinking if it could be an interlock open??

Bruce

jon catton
06-18-2008, 8:03 PM
Thanks for the replies - definitely not an interlock - this is a 1998 machine and as far as I can tell they are only on the lid and the "front door"......

I have checked the micro switch for the coolant and it gives continuity when the cooler is turned on - normally open circuit ?

I have never taken a laser tube assembly apart and not sure if I want to start now, anybody know the relevant connections to the large D connector on the bottom of the laser tube ?

Thanks all !

Rob Bosworth
06-19-2008, 1:07 PM
Jon, turn the machine and chiller on. Scroll down to the <Preference> menu. Hit select. Then scroll down to the <Diagnostics> Then select <Alignment Mode>. Set the <Power> to anything (50%) and the KHz to 5 KHz. PRess select which should move your cursor from the right of the display to the left. Now, with the doors all closed, push the X-Y button - the laser should be firing. (Look for a small light spark under the lens mount.) You might have to put something under the lens carriage to see if you are getting a beam out of your laser. If you put a piece of paper, tape, or plastic under the lens assy, make sure you turn your exhaust on before testing the output. Push the X-Y button again to turn the laser off. To exit that menu, hit ESC, ESC, ESC and you should be back at your File Menu Display.

Good luck

Brian Robison
06-19-2008, 1:45 PM
WOW!! Impressive Rob!!

jon catton
06-19-2008, 5:51 PM
Again thanks to all - getting there now I am sure !;)

Current state of play is :

Vector circle sent - intermittent output, perhaps only a quarter of the circle laser marked. (weird)

If a tall narrow filled rectangle sent - large banded gaps appear in the laser marking.....


A rectangle as a vector will only mark say one corner - laser just seeming to be on / off intermittently.....

I have experimented with power / speed / ppi............with seemingly random changes to the output.

I am not ENTIRELY sure the psu set up is as it should be - would anyone be able to send me a jpg of the wiring coonections side of their psu's ?

I seem now to be getting very random flashing red and a full on red led on the display panel.....not the well behaved solid green led.....

Occasionally the display will indicate solid pixels in all spaces, changing format to become "double spaced"....... off/on seems to reset temporarily....

Could I be looking at : new firmware ? Newer driver ?


When I used the alignment function I managed to burn a hole in a banana - what a moment when until then I was starting to think the laser tube was totally shot !


I am not far away I am sure - I can almost touch it !

Just a few more suggestions and I am sure I'll have it !

Thanks to all,

Jon.:rolleyes:

Mike Mackenzie
06-19-2008, 8:55 PM
Jon,

It sounds like the tube is not pulsing properly this is an indication of the tube starting to fail.

You can try to increase the tickle signal to the tube to see if that helps. it should be set at 5khz and 0us this is the normal setting you can try changing it to 5/3.

Go into your preferences menu then configuration then into tickle and then adjust it to 5khz and 3us.

See if this helps but do not be surprised if the tube is the problem.

Also you have checked out both power supplies correct? as well as make sure you are getting water flow through the tube take the return hose out from the chiller and put it into a garbage can then turn the chiller on water should flow through this hose freely.

What versions of firmware and driver are you using?

jon catton
06-21-2008, 2:37 PM
Hi again all,

I have made some progress since I last posted, but could do with just a little more help !

I have the machine working as it should be - but just not lasering - simply no output from the laser.

I HAVE had output, it just seems to have stopped !

Even the alignment mode produces no output now, despite trying a number of settings.......

I adjusted the tickle as advised and thought I had cracked it, now no laser output at all - whatever the settings.....

Everything else seems okay, green led, good water flow rate etc etc.

I downloaded a manual for the coherent laser and it seems as if the laser tube IS getting a modulated signal from the X100's cpu.......checked with a multimeter - ramping up and down readings.........

It also seems to be "enabled" - ie pins 3 & 16 are connected - on the relay at the back of the power connector area........

Just no laser !!!

I really would like to get this machine up and running for my school, but have VERY limited funds to do so !

Do you think it would be worth contacting Coherent ?

Best regards to all and thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give me.

Jon .

Rob Bosworth
06-23-2008, 10:33 AM
Jon, you mentioned that you bought the machine used. Did you buy that particular machine because you needed 100 watts, or did you buy it because it was a great deal and was close?

If you have to have the 100 watts, you will probably have to go through Coherent, which will test your patience. Or you could contact Photovac in Ohio and see what they can do for you.

If you don't have to have the 100 watt, and bought the machine as a teaching tool, you could purchase a Universal Laser, either new from ULS or a used laser, and retrofit it on the machine. If you don't need the 100 watts, this will definitely be the cheaper option.

Good luck.

Mike Mackenzie
06-23-2008, 2:41 PM
Rob & Jon,

Warning there are several differences between the laser tubes and the systems.

The retrofit can be done however there are key things that need to be changed. 1 wiring harness, 2 laser tube mounting blocks, 3 cooling fan must be added, 4 sheet metal work performed, Cpu program and ID.

We have done this and these things above are necessary.