I'm looking at purchasing a Thunder Laser Nova 35. I primarily engrave on 1/4" clear acrylic. Would a 100w make a difference in engraving quality vs an 80w? I asked Thunder Laser for the difference in dot size and they said they didn't have it.
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I'm looking at purchasing a Thunder Laser Nova 35. I primarily engrave on 1/4" clear acrylic. Would a 100w make a difference in engraving quality vs an 80w? I asked Thunder Laser for the difference in dot size and they said they didn't have it.
If you're primarily engraving, you don't want more than 80 watts, as DC lasers have a minimum power % at which they'll fire consistently, around 6 to 8% power setting. I engrave most Rowmark plastics with my 80w machine at around 12-14% power at 500mm/sec. A 100w machine might be hard pressed to find a 'delicate' enough power setting.
Your beam spot difference will be negligible IMO, best advice I have for a smaller beam spot would be to try a 1-1/2" focus lens. You'll have a bit smaller spot and a bit more power density, which would accentuate the problem with a 100w machine.
Thank you. I think I'll get the 80w.
Dot size depends upon the incoming beam size and focal length. Counterintuitively, a larger incoming beam results in a smaller spot. 80W is typically the largest DC tube that is recommended if you are going to be doing a lot of engraving, and it still cuts 1/4" acrylic well.