{"id":506,"date":"2024-01-03T14:37:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T14:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/operations\/?p=506"},"modified":"2024-07-11T14:29:32","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:29:32","slug":"laser-cutter-loading-material-auto-focus-laser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/operations\/506\/laser-cutter-loading-material-auto-focus-laser\/","title":{"rendered":"Laser Cutter – Loading Material & Auto-Focus Laser"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
Before laser processing material, you will need to load material into the laser system and then auto-focus the laser assembly system onto the top surface of the material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be sure to visually inspect the laser cutter bay – you need a clean, flat laser cutter honeycomb bed to allow your material substrate to sit flush against the laser cutter bed. All cutting material needs to be flat across the surface plain and sit flush on the hex bed. Any flex (corner), bowing, cupping or extraneous material jutting upwards can not only modify\/change the focal length of the laser resulting in improperly cut\/engraved materials it will also impede or obstruct the laser cutter assembly while it is moving and cause serious physical damage to the laser cutter assembly and laser cutter machine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
LAMPE Hall Digital Fab Maker Space- Boss Laser Cutter LS 2430 LED Control Panel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Z\/U: AUTO-FOCUS:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Focusing the lens is a very important part of running this laser machine. The machine lens must be focused each time a material with a different thickness is placed on the working table. The laser uses highly focused light energy to its job and the focusing of the lens is necessary, thankfully it is quite easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, the wattage of the laser cutters and the type of laser tube assembly used in the laser cutter machine will also change laser cutter focus. The laser cutters in the Leazar Materials Lab are 155 Watts while the laser cutters in the Lampe Digital Fabrication Studio and MakerSpace are 65 Watts and each have a different laser focus depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the majority of situations Auto-Focus of the laser cutter will be your most direct and easiest procedure to setup and prepare the laser head assembly for cutting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should never need to extremely increase your cutting power and\/or slow down the laser movement to achieve your desired cuts if your lens is properly focused. If you find that you are increasing the power or maxing the power to the laser – stop any cutting procedures and make sure the laser is properly focused and\/or check with the lab attendant to see when the laser focus lens was last cleaned\/repaired\/replaced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the majority of situations Auto-Focus of the laser cutter will be your most direct and easiest procedure to setup and prepare the laser head assembly for proper cutting.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n > WARNING: Always be careful when focusing your lens with thick material, do not allow the material to collide with the lens housing. This can cause SERIOUS DAMAGE to the laser machine.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Auto-Focus:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First, place the material on the working table and press the \u201cZ\/U\u201d key on the LED control panel. Be sure that the nozzle is positioned above the material you wish to cut or engrave, not above the bare table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure that the LENS HOUSING is able to freely move up and down the spring loaded column. <\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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You can test this by carefully pushing up on the lower Focal Guide upwards. If the spring loaded column is stuck or is angled in any way the Focus Assembly may not work properly and needs to be reset or realigned. Be sure that you don’t accidentally disconnect the Air Assist nozzle when checking the movement range of the Lens Housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n