Pre Laser Test

Standard Tests

Starting with my upcoming baseball themed Stencil run, I am now performing a standardized 20 second concentric 3 circle test to see what minimum power is need to cut through the 1/12th inch extruded plexiglass.

I tried 15%/20%25% power and all cut through evenly cleanly. Previously, powers as high as 30% were required in mid to late 2018. However, now that the laser is so well aligned and the beam cross section is nearly circular, I'm able to use half the power to achieve full cutting. You are all encouraged to run similar quick tests to find the minimum power needs; running at lower powers will length the tube life and minimize debris in the chamber.

Notice from the photos below how smooth and crisp the cut edges appear.