Laser Engraving

Using an OMTech 80W laser with Ruida controller

Notes

Set a user origin - don't just use the current machine position. It doesn't always return to the exact same position after cutting which makes repeat cutting harder.

Send the file to the laser - don't run directly from the laptop. Not sure what the problem is (cord issue?) but often the machine will creep slightly when running from the laptop. Too many lines of code over usb with converter? Just send it to the machine...

I probably run the laser much slower than necessary. But on this OMTech machine I seem to have trouble with creep on many programs (design shifts as the program progresses), and the easiest way to deal with it has been to slow the machine down. It seems to be a speed thing or communication issue when connected to a laptop. Machine calibration, belts, etc. appear to configured perfectly. Every time I cut a simple outline of something to a known dimension it works flawlessly.

Anodized Aluminum

• 80 mm/sec
• power depends on color of aluminum, but somewhere around 20% seems sufficient for most colors
• .1mm pitch, or less for finer detail
• 2 passes seems to work best, with cross-hatch pattern
• do a final pass that outlines the shape to get more smooth edges

Powder-coated Metal

• 80 mm/sec
• power depends thickness of powder coat (generally somewhere in the .005" - .007" range)
• .1mm pitch, or less for finer detail
• 2 passes seems to work best, with cross-hatch pattern
• do a final pass that outlines the shape to get more smooth edges

Wood

Tough to find balance between burning a dark image and making a halo around the edge of the engraving that has to be cleaned up with sandpaper later. Somewhere around 15% power is a good starting point.

• 100 mm/sec
• .1mm pitch, or less for finer detail
• 15% power, generally fine-tuned between 13%-16%