X-Axis not cutting through

[Carel F Kriel]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone could help me with the following problem I have with my Versalaser V3.5.
The lenses are clean, the mirror is clean and the table is focused, but when I cut, the y-axis cuts pefectly but the x-axis cuts but not through the material. It does this on all types of material. It also happens on the x-y-axis eg the slanted side of the letter A.

Thanks in advance.

[Joe Hillmann]

I have a universal that does the same thing. When cutting the y axis cuts fine and the x axes cuts well at the beginning and end of the cut but on cuts over an inch long the middle of the cut doesn't cut completely through. To take care of it I just set the power a little higher so it does. When I called tech support on it they said my tube was failing and the only way to fix it is to exchange the tube.

It also does the same thing when rastoring. At the left and right edges it has more power then in the center.

[Walt Langhans]

When I called tech support on it they said my tube was failing and the only way to fix it is to exchange the tube. It also does the same thing when rastoring. At the left and right edges it has more power then in the center.

How the heck does a tube failing effect power at different points on your bed? Please don't take that question the wrong way I believe that's what they said but I'm not understand the logic / mechanics behind that. When a laser tube begins to fail doesn't it just start to lose power, and isn't that power loss constant (more or less)?

And if your rastering with a failing tube why would the left and right edges have more power than the center? The tube doesn't know where the laser head is so how is the problem constant? I would expect that a failing tube that wasn't losing powers constantly you would see variations in the results randomly not just in one spot.

Again, not doubting the comment, I just can't seem to wrap my head around the how.

the y-axis cuts pefectly but the x-axis cuts but not through the material.

Did you just get the machine or is this a new problem that has just popped up? I would check that your laser head is perfectly perpendicular to the laser table.

[Joe Hillmann]

Walt,

I would assume the ramping speeds are programed to match the power output of the laser when the tube is working as it should when new. When the tube starts to die the ramping speeds no longer match the output of the laser as the power is raised.

[Walt Langhans]

Walt,

I would assume the ramping speeds are programed to match the power output of the laser when the tube is working as it should when new. When the tube starts to die the ramping speeds no longer match the output of the laser as the power is raised.

Well then that would make sense Thanks

[matthew knott]

I think you two have slight different problems, Joe, your sounds like the tube is going into saturation, its starting ok but losing power after a small amount of time, Carel, yours sounds like you are not getting a round beam, if the beam is oval , it will cut well in one direction say X but not the other, say Y, also it will not cut well when going diagonal (45 deg). You could fire the laser unfocused into a acrylic block to see the beam shape, but to be honest unless its a bad optic theres not much you can do to fix it yourself.

[Jerome Stanek]

could the mirror on your gantry be loose and torquing just a little when moving in the x

[Carel F Kriel]

Thanks everyone, my laser is cutting 100% on the y-axis but not on the x-axis as well as diagonal and I am going to test the shape of the beam as Matthew suggested. The one moment it works 100% and the next day I wanted to cut I experience this problem. I am going to check to make sure the head is perpendicular to the table and also try and see what the shape of the beam is.

[Scott Shepherd]

That's a bit of an unusual thing to see. You say the mirrors are clean. How about the lens where it comes through the cabinet? As well as the lens on the left hand side? What version driver are you using? I have seen drivers get corrupted and need to be reloaded. If it were me, I'd check all the lens and mirrors, starting at the back of the cabinet, where it comes through the cabinet, then I'd check the alignment (using the diagnostic tab in the driver), I'd make sure it's all lined up, and if all those were fine, I'd reload the driver. If that didn't fix it, I'd be calling tech support, because it's not options or driver related, so it might be the tube.

Just my opinion.

[Carel F Kriel]

Thanks Scott, I am going to try your suggestions on the alignment and the driver as I have cleaned the mirrors and the lens in the cabinet when I experience the problem to try and rectify.

[Carel F Kriel]

Just want to let you know that the mirror on the side of the laser were the culprit -I "thought" it was clean enough and after checking the focus, alignment, beam shape and re-installing the driver I decided to check the mirror and lenses again. I cleaned the side mirror properly and the problem was solved.

Thanks for all the input

[Clark Pace]

Just want to let you know that the mirror on the side of the laser were the culprit -I "thought" it was clean enough and after checking the focus, alignment, beam shape and re-installing the driver I decided to check the mirror and lenses again. I cleaned the side mirror properly and the problem was solved.

Thanks for all the input

Is your table bed even. Depending on what focal length your laser this can cause a similar problem. If you table is a little higher in some place than another this would case the laser beam to de-focus a bit and not cut or raster as deep or clean. Just a thought.