Laser Tube problems EPILOG

[John Ness]

Hello,

I am experiencing problems with my new tube from Epilog. I just replaced the tube 2 weeks ago, and today I was cutting some 1/8" acrylic with photos on them. I have a 35 watt unit, 12" x 24" table.

I ran the photos on part of the acrylic to test, and the image was perfect. I flipped the acrylic around to cut the actual piece and the machine neither cut the photo cleanly (dark and spotty) nor did it cut through (contoure cut) the acrylic (only part way through).

I used the same settings for the test photo and the actual job. I used the same piece of acrylic for both and the job was set up to run in the same x - y area of the table so i know it is not a problem with the table level or distance from the tube.

I rebooted the computer and engraver and even ran a sample photo I cut all the time as a sample, but I got the same bad quality. The Epilog sales rep said it sounds like a tube issue.

Has anyone run into this with Epilog tubes? I was told they are now making their own tubes and am wondering if this is a new problem.

It is now Saturday, so if anyone has any input this weekend I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
John Ness

[Joe Pelonio]

Sorry that had to happen on the weekend.

I am on my 3rd tube (about 5 years) and never had one fail that soon. It is, of course, possible to get a bad replacement.

It's could be that your original was actually more than 35 watts, and the new one is right at or even below, there's some range. My latest one seems to have more power than the first two. Your 35 watt, according to my manual, should cut 1/8" acrylic at speed 10, 100% power, 5000 frequency, is that what you are using?

Another possibility is that when installing you didn't get all of the adjustments to the mirrors done correctly, or didn't glue them so they have since moved and need adjusting again.

Then there's the obvious that you have probably checked already, like focus, warped honeycomb grid, and cleaning of mirrors and lenses.

[David Fairfield]

Odd, three years no problems at all with my tube, no noticable loss of power either. Anyway, don't worry, the tech people will take good care of you when they're back to work on Monday.

Dave

[John Ness]

Hi Joe,

The setting you mentioned are just about what I am using, except I was using 12% speed. I can get the 1/8" acrylic to cut all the way through by going to 8%, but can't get the photos to engrave well at all.

When I got the tube replacement from Epilog, there wer no instructions to do anything with the lens assembly. I followed the directions and thye replacing only took about 10 minutes - very easy.

I spoke to someone else at my shop today and he had trouble cutting through 1/16" LaserMax plastic this week. It would cut through some of the 5/8" x 6" pieces (for nameplates) sometimes and others it would not. We always use 2 passes on the plastic to prevent warping, but some would not even cut through until a 3rd pass. He cut 105 pieces so it was a good run that should eliminate any flukes.

I have also gone through 3 controller boards in 2 years. This fall I had to replace the replacement after 1 - 2 months.

I hope it is not a case where the machine is just falling apart piece by piece now.

Thanks for your help.

John Ness

[Larry Bratton]

John:
Did you do an alignment? When you change the tube you have to realign the beam. That will definitely affect everything if you didn't. That's the hardest part of a tube change out.

[Scott Shepherd]

I agree with Joe and Larry. You didn't align the mirrors after installed the new tube. That is a MUST do. You cannot install a new tube without realigning the mirrors.

I suspect that will resolve your issue. Search for alignment and see if you can track down the instructions. I know it's been asked several times. Hopefully someone posted the instructions.

[Doug Griffith]

The question is: since you changed the tube 2 weeks ago and it is acting up now, did it work fine after installation or is this the first time you've used it?

Did you test your machine after installation? Was it fine then and is now failing?

If so, your tube sounds like a likely culprit. Otherwise, Joe's point about needing to re-focus is logical. I'd re-focus and make decisions from there.

Cheers,
Doug

[Scott Shepherd]

Doug, it could give inconsistent results depending on where's he's engraving. It's not the focus that's out, it's the alignment of the mirrors. Anytime you take a tube out of an Epilog, you have to align the mirrors. It's a selling point of their competitors. ULS demonstrates how you don't have to do that with their machines. They take the tube in and out and it doesn't need to be aligned.

Not the case with the Epilog. It'll take 30-60 minutes, and only then will you know if it's the tube failing or not. You can't make that call until it's aligned.

[Ed Maloney]

I posted the alignment docs last year...There is a small difference between the two. If I remember one has a better explanation. Luckily I never had to look at them again!


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=67311

[John Ness]

Yes, my laser was engraving the photos perfectly just 5 minutes before the problem. I engraved a sample photo, then went to engrave the photo for the job on the same piece of acrylic in the same x-y location on the table and could not get it to work well at all. By using the same acrylic piece I eliminated varying thickness and by engraving in the same x-y location I eliminated any chance of the table being off.

I even tried a sample photo I use all the time and it looked terrible.

I'll have to talk to Epilog on Monday to see what' up.

I am not very happy with the quality of boards and now tubes I have been receiving from them - too many failures.

Thanks,
john ness

[Ross Lowry]

John, as far as the motherboards go after using your machine, unplug it!
I went through two of them even though they was plugged into a surge protector. I was told that during a thunderstorm the board can still get knocked out even when being plugged into a protector.
When you call Epilog Monday talk to Dan, he is excellent at helping.
He will give you all the help you need!

[John Noell]

And don't forget to unplug the connection to the printer - Ethernet or USB. We had a thunderstorm and I disconnected the power line (which runs thru a UPS) but apparently the nearby lightning caused a spike that went through the LAN connections and in via the Ethernet port -- frying the motherboard. If you leave a USB connected device attached and it is connected to the power lines, you can have the same thng happen. (I help out at a local computer repair shop and every big thunderstorm brings in repair jobs.)