suggested power , speed , dpi settings

[stan kern]

When I received my 150 watt the supplier sent a suggested values for cutting and engraving.
Prior to this laser I was using a 100 watt with lasercut, but what i noticed is that they are suggesting running at 100% power
and varying the speed. there is only a few items that they took the power down to 60%
With my other laser i used various power settings , speed etc
My question is is it better for the tube to be set at 100% power(life expectancy)

[John Lifer]

I would be asking if the power supply had be preset to 80-85% of tube max mA. I've heard of some doing this to keep tube life at max. If they didn't, I'd throw that paper in the trash and find your own settings.

[stan kern]

I will ask that as before I always used my own settings

[Wojciech Szul]

If your machine use made in China glass CO2 tube definitely 100% power can be fastest way to replace it in weeks. (so DON'T!)
Different story about metal RF CO2 sources.
If you will provide more information about laser source probably someone can give you better answer.

[Doug Fisher]

Go to the tube manufacturer's website. Look up the specs for your specific tube model. There will be a max mA and as well as a slightly lower mA number for longest life. Use your mA meter (or install one from Amazon if your laser doesn't have one) to find out the power % number that produce each of those mA numbers. The corresponding long life number is your new "don't exceed" percentage power setting.

[Kev Williams]

This link: http://www.recilaser.com/en/index.ph...=lists&catid=7
--is to RECI's C02 laser tube specs & such... This is the working specs for their W6 tubes, 130 to 160 watt:

The working current: test current is 32mA. Maximum working current is 32mA.
The running current must be kept below 30mA.
The life span can reach 10,000 hours if the current is kept below 28mA.

FWIW, I have an 80w RECI, it's working specs:

The working current: test current is 29mA. Maximum working current is 29mA.
The running current must be kept below 27mA.
The life span can reach 8,000 hours if the current is kept below 25mA.

I run my laser when cutting at 25-26mA. My machine is nearly 5 years old, and shows no signs of power loss, so I assume I'm 'doing it right', and that 26mA should be real close to 80 watts output...

BUT HERE'S THE THING-- to get that 26mA, I'm telling the laser to run at 70% power-! Now, supposedly I can adjust the power supply output to more closely match the percentage output, but I've never felt it necessary to do that. I simply don't run at higher than 70%, and I assume that entering 35% power is actually 50% power, etc...

SO, I'm saying all this because you need to figure out on your machine what percentage entered will equal 28 to 29mA output on your meter--- If 88% entered, for example, gets your output to 29mA, then consider 88% as your machine's 100% power, and if you never step over that your tube should last a long time!

(Basically what Doug just said )

[stan kern]

thanks mine is a Chinese laser, its a bodor 150 watt

[Doug Fisher]

Also, note that due to differences in tubes and power supplies that if someone quotes you a set of settings in % and speed, that often isn't a very useful number other than maybe a ballpark number. While it is obvious that 60% power on a 60 watt tube is different than 60% on an 80 watt tube, 60% on one system's 80 watt tube is often a significantly different amount of actual cutting power versus the actual cutting power on another 80 watt system. This is due to the previously mentioned differences in tubes and power supplies but then also things like quality + condition of the mirrors, how well the beam/system is aligned, age of the tube, dirty mirrors or lens, etc. All systems lose at least some power from the end of the tube to the cutting surface, but many lasers have undetected issues "after the end of the tube" that cause them to lose surprisingly large amounts of power (often different amounts based on the position of the head around the cutting table due to bad alignment!). My understanding that losing 6% from the end of the tube to the cutting surface is considered pretty good for Chinese glass tube machines. Some people are losing 15% or more due to the previously mentioned issues.

There are a number of different tools to measure laser output at the end of the tube as well as at the cutting table surface. Accurate systems range from $70ish to much more. The ability to visually plot the output curve for your laser is very helpful. If someone has measured the output of their machine at the end of the nozzle and gives you the power output recommendation in watts, THAT is a very useful number if you have measured your machine and know its output graph of power at the nozzle. That data allows you to match power output. General programmed power percentage quotes are often just not very helpful.

Based on the curve I plotted for my machine as well as graphed results I have seen for other machines, most power output curves are far from linear. There is a flat zone of zero in the beginning of the curve until power reaches a minimum trigger level, then a steep rise, then a flattening out, then often a bit of wonkiness up and down at the end of the upper power output range. As an example, when I have programmed 25% into my controller, my machine is already outputting 40 watts of power (half my tube's 80w rated power). Programming 50% will output just under 70 watts at the end of the tube. You can see that is not linear. Taken in reverse, halving programmed power (for example, from programming 25% to programming 12.5%) DOES NOT result in a linear 50% actual power output reduction!

[Doug Fisher]

>>thanks mine is a Chinese laser, its a bodor 150 watt<<

Just to be clear, Bodor makes/assembles the actual machine but they do not make the laser tube or power supply.

[Wojciech Szul]

Definitely risky to go 100% on Bodor with glass tube (water cooled), but you have to look and read vendor settings:atennuation.jpg

What values do you have after reading data from laser - in fields 1(attenuation) and 2(Max power)?

[stan kern]

Thanks , this is good mine is showing up as 98%