Our lasers are able to do much: cut, engrave, do photos on different materials... Our lasers have complex
electronics inside and the advanced drivers. But our lasers cannot do one simple operation - cannot correctly
choose power with which it is necessary to process a material.
Let's look at a calendar. The XXI-st century!!! Why in the XXI-st century I should speak to this "stupid" laser with
what power it should work?! 8-)))
It seems to me, I have found an easy and fast method to define what power is optimum for a processed material.
However, this method well works on lasers of ULS ( I use Versalaser 3.50). Probably this method can be used on
lasers of other manufacturers. Try it!
I made all works on marble because my compressor is still faulty (ULS service in Egypt still sleeps for 1.5 months)
and I cannot work with other materials yet. 8-((
Ok, let's begin.
There is one remarkable function in ULS driver - 3D. In this mode power of the laser inversely proportional
brightness of the image. White colour - 0 % of laser power, black colour - 100 % of laser power.
I use a grey scale with brightness from 0 % to 100 %.
1) In program Autocad I have drawn a rectangle and have filled it with a gradient from white to the black.
(Gradient ¹0)
2) On a rectangle I have made a scale, it allow to you to measure power of the laser in the given point easily. It is
possible to use a usual ruler (long side of rectangle was made 100 mm) and each millimetre there corresponds 1
% of power of the laser. (Only for Gradient ¹0)
3) Installations for driver ULS:
- Print Mode = 3D
- Power = 100 %
- Speed = 100 %
- Image density = 3 (250dpi) / for marble /
- Image Enhancement - OFF (don't use in mode 3D)
4) Print rectangle Gradient ¹0 using ULS driver from Autocad or another program that are working with dfx files.
5) Swith ON laser and make an engraving on black marble.
6) Investigate drawing and find a point whit minimal power.where picture contrast turns out the greatest.
That is power you are looking for.
7) Now you can make trial drawing on a black marble.
For wood and combustible materials please use other Gradients!!!
The material can burn at the high power!!!
At first use the Gradient ¹1 which give your laser the maximum power of 30 %.
If this power insufficiently use the Gradient ¹2, power will changes from 30 % to 60 % and the Gradient ¹3 (from 60 % to 100 %).
Also Gradients ¹1, ¹2 and ¹3 you can use for fine adjustment.
Also now you can play also with different speeds and easily define necessary power.
All files are in a format dfx (Autocad 2004 and later).
PS Forgive me for my bad English, my native language is Russian. (But I live in Egypt)
Best regards.
Andrey Anfimov