Universal Laser System is not cutting or engraving properly

Universal Laser System is not cutting or engraving properly

Here are some of the most common causes of degradation of laser cut and engraving quality:

Check the optics:
While most users know to check the lens, issues with any of the mirrors or the beam window will reduce quality. Inspect the lens, the mirror above the lens (# 3 mirror), the mirror on the left side of the carriage (# 2 mirror) and the beam window. Clean them if necessary. If a spot, divot, or crack has occurred replace the optic for best results. If you are wondering where the # 1 mirror is, it is integrated into the laser cartridge so you never need to check or clean it.

Check the Focus:
The other common reason for this is the system is out of focus. Watch this video to see how to refocus the cutting table on a desktop system: https://youtu.be/Oa-DkAnhH8g?si=DhZsvAu_AAAFAZJv&t=807

Verify Your Auto-Z Setting:
Next is, make sure Auto Z is turned on in the driver. If you've reinstalled the driver, it gets turned off by default. Turn on the laser, open the UCP, go to the System tab, and find the Auto Z checkbox. Make sure it is checked. This tells the laser system to drop the table by the thickness of the material before starting. If you've focused like we show in the video above, you want to use auto Z. If this setting is not set correctly per the focusing method you are using, you'll be out of focus by the thickness of the material. The thicker the material, the more out of focus you'll be, causing cut / engraving quality issues and potentially flareups and charring.



Enter the Correct Thickness into the Driver:
Make sure you are measuring and entering the actual thickness of the material into the driver. Measure the material you are cutting and always enter that thickness into the driver. Many times when people have issues cutting through material, they think by telling the system the material is thicker than it really is, it will apply more power and then cut through. It is true that the system will apply more power, but if Auto Z is enabled, it will also drop the table further than it should due to you entering in an incorrect thickness. This throws the system out of focus and counteracts any power gains you may get, producing a poor quality cut that does not cut through. Instead, you should do a quick intensity adjustment by sliding the Vector Cutting slider up past 0% until it cuts through:



Understanding the Limitations of the Material Database:
The material database is a collection of power and speed settings for a wide range of materials. These settings were generated by Universal Laser Systems' application engineers. While many manmade materials are very consistent - think Acrylic - natural materials can have a large amount of variability. One birch plywood might be much softer and easier to cut than another. 

The material database is a good starting point for these materials, but it is often the case that you'll need to dial in the settings for your specific sheets of wood or other natural materials. To determine the best speed and power level for your material, you can run a simple test. Check the output and select the best quality cut, then you can create a custom material in the driver to save those settings. Now you have your own material in the driver to select from .Here is a link to a part of a webinar we ran that shows this exact concept: https://youtu.be/GoGw-8kkBVQ?si=lJCULPwAVeINq7c8&t=1335

Laser Tube Issue:
If you have checked all of the items above and are still having problems, your laser power level may have dropped. ULS laser tubes have an average life expectancy of 5.5 years. When the tube begins to die, it can die in a variety of ways. One of the ways it can die is to slowly lose power over time. There are two ways to check the power output. The first would be to swap the laser tube with another known good tube. If the problems in your machine go away, you know it is related to the laser tube. This is only possible of course if you have access to a second machine.

The other way to test the output is to use a laser power meter. These can be expensive, but they are quick and easy to use. This is what our technicians use in the field to troubleshoot problems with optics and laser tubes.

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