2 week wait for ULS exchange laser cartridge

[Mike Lassiter]

our 60 watt cartridge has finally died. July 08 when it was made and about the time we got our laser. Last year we also got a second 75 watt cartridge (we can run both together or either separately ) to go with it. Cutting some "bead board" for our primary customer which is exterior siding and aggravating to cut with 135 watts. Was really hoping we could upgrade the 60 to a 75 which would give us max watts but only exchange like for like size. Don't have another $11,500 to get another 75 watt cartridge.

So while technicially we aren't down we sort of are. Show coming up on 8th next month we're going to and our primary customer. We cannot cut her bead board that she makes a lot of different things from - so it hurts both of us. Really hoping to get it sooner, but NOBODY seemed hopeful that could happen. So at best it will arrive a couple of days before the show, at worst after the show.

Thought I would forewarn everybody.

[Dave Sheldrake]

Sintech Optronics in Singapore do the same sources at $5,700

If you need a contact there drop me a line and I'll give you Pedro's email

cheers

Dave

[Mike Null]

I would contact Photovac in Ohio and see what they want to remanufacture the tube. I'm sure it will be less and faster.

[Mike Lassiter]

the cost of the exchange seems reasonable enough, $1250. It doesn't seem to matter what wattage you have the price is the same. Certainly not the case buying them new. Also my understanding is this is only for cartridges purchased from ULS.

[matt heinzel]

We just got our replacement in on Wednesday from them. It was only a 5 day wait for the 30 watt. I was very happy with the process, and they were very upfront on the timeline. Lucky we have multiple systems so the time wasn't as big of an issue for us.

[Scott Shepherd]

Mike, have you gone up the chain of command yet? You might try that. Might cut some time off of it. That's unacceptable. 2 weeks without a tube for a person with a single tube machine, and only that one machine, could put you out of business.

[Mike Lassiter]

Mike, have you gone up the chain of command yet? You might try that. Might cut some time off of it. That's unacceptable. 2 weeks without a tube for a person with a single tube machine, and only that one machine, could put you out of business.

I agree and sort of why I shared the story. We are not "down" exactly as I do have the 75 watt cartridge still. However, what I need to cut for our primarly customer I cannot cut with it. At least not in a reasonable amount of time. I think our 60 watt cartridge has been failing for longer than first believed. We got the extra cartridge because of the difficultly in cutting her parts with the 60 watt alone. Naturally with the extra power the cutting was spead up but still not where I wanted it. Understand also the material is a big part of the problem, but to me thinking back it really seems the 60 watt was going out when we got the extra one. So having another 75 watts sort of masked that I think. Cutting a full 24"x48" sheet of her beard board with several dozen crosses being cut - was painfully slow. I had to cut the sheet 6 times total and 3 hours cutting time.
Not knowing or suspecting the orignal 60 watt cartridge was failing I attributed the problem to the exterior siding. But now I really think the signs of the failing cartridge were there a year ago. But with the second cartridge added and being used in combination with it the real issue wasn't apparent.

Now, cutting for 10-15 minutes what cuts out completely in the beginning does not at the end. Have to run file twice. Ran test using each cartridge individually and plainly see the 60 watt starts cutting fully but within 5 minutes use, it slowly and gradually fades away. Viewed from the back side the last of 50 1/2" squares cut in order you couldn't see any mark at all on the back of 1/4" MDF.

My first thoughts are 2 weeks is just unacceptable. Yelling and being a dick to everyone will not change that IF that is really the case. And honestly, I have another cartridge that does allow me to do SOMETHING whereas someone with only one machine (all I have) AND a single cartridge would be down. So if I force the issue and get one "early" it think I would be getting one that someone else with only a single cartridge really needs and pushing their receipt back further. That's not right, and I honestly think ULS will do the best they can. They have no way to predict when people will need a cartridge nor what wattage. They also have to wait for everyone to send in their bad one so I can see were things get messy.

I really hope for getting one next week, but I am not going to pressure anyone to do that because I think it unfair, not right for me to take someone else's when they need theirs maybe worse than I need mine. I got in line, just like all the others before me. I have been very pleased with both our laser and ULS overall since we got it. I don't think they would have laser tubes available knowing how important they are to people with lasers and hold them from shipment.
Fingers crossed!

[Scott Shepherd]

Mike, that's a nice way to look at it all. I'd look it from a different standpoint. Are they promising 2 weeks and then going home after 8 hours every day? If so, then I'd say that's unacceptable. If they are that far behind, then they should be working 6 or 7 days a week to clear the backlog. Maybe they are, I have no idea. There's a BIG difference in 2 week backlog and we're working 2 shifts, 7 days a week to clear it, as opposed to we're 2 weeks and we have one shift, working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

I hope it's a short term issue and not a trend moving in that direction.

[Ed Maloney]

Recently Epilog also had a back order problem. Took about a week to get the replacement, but luckily I was doing a preemptive replacement before the tube gave out totally. I reordered a 35W and thy sent me a 40W which was cool.

And what I didn't know at the time was that I could upgrade all the way to 60W tube.

[Mike Lassiter]

Update: I received an email late Thursday saying it looked like our cartridge would be scheduled to ship Monday (11-3) from our dealer Paul, and if it shipped before he would let me know. Ok so today comes with great excitement that the shipped next day air laser cartridge would arrive at my wife's job. Around 11 am I messaged her about it. No, nothing yet. WTH? It is my understanding things shipped next day are considered high priority and normally delivered first thing in the morning. Wife remarked that UPS typically comes there around 2:00 pm. Wouldn't help much to be waiting on a critical item and it arrive at the close of business "the next day" would it? So, a couple of emails from my phone and later I got a reply from David at ULS saying there were still 7 more laser cartridges ahead of me to be done, mine should ship this week. Ordered 13 days ago with a 2 week waiting list. Not sure how long it takes to recondition 8 cartridges, but tomorrow would be the 2 weeks and it doesn't sound like it is expected to ship then. I haven't worried anyone, thinking they know I (we) need them and they are working to the best of their ability to get them out. Yet, inside I am disappointed that I was thinking they told me 2 weeks and would beat that, and look good having done better than they advised me at the time of order. Now it looks like the 2 week delay is going to be longer. Not so happy about that.....

[Ed Maloney]

If this happened to me I would be very close to being out of business.

[Paul Phillips]

Hey Mike, I feel your pain, I had the same thing happen last week to my dual 60 watt PLS, confirmed payment and got in "the queue" but haven't heard any word yet on ETA. I expected better things when I purchased my ULS!

[Nicolas Silva]

If this happened to me I would be very close to being out of business.

Ditto. I have orders on a daily basis so if it goes down I would be backlogged for a month. That pisses customers off.
Have you checked with your dealer to see if they have a loaner cartridge? Certainly they can spare one from a demo model.

[Mike Lassiter]

I just recieved an email with a tracking number for next day air shipping. therefore the originally estimate of a two week wait was esentially dead on accurant as the order was placed two weeks ago today.

ps in addition yesterday when I inquired about not getting laser yesterday David at ULS replied around 1:30 pm "There are still 7 lasers ahead of yours. It has not shipped yet. It should ship this week." I was wondering how many were produced a day.

[Martin Boekers]

exchange like for like size. Don't have another $11,500 to get another 75 watt cartridge

Did I read you right? $11.500 for just a tube?!!!