PS36 Laser Cutter
Maintenance
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Only Robot Garden equipment marshals should perform any of these tasks. Marshals are RG members who have been trained and preselected to help maintain equipment. They are also the ones who offer classes and SBU's. Regular members should NOT perform maintenance tasks on equipment.
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Recommended Maintenance Schedule
Clean mirrors - weekly
Vaccuum the interior - monthly
Change cooler water - monthly
Align mirrors - as needed
Set the focus - as needed
Cleaning Mirrors
Mirrors should be cleaned with 90% isopropyl alcohol with Qtips or optical-grade cleaning wipes.
Wiping the main mirror (mirror 3 on the laser head) after every use or, at the very minimum, once a week. This mirror gets dirtier quickly.
Clean all three mirrors once a week.
Vacuuming The Interior
We can probably get away with vacuuming the interior only once a month and wiping down any dust, soot, or particles.
Use the key that is on top of the laser.
Open the front, back, and side panels.
Remove the honeycomb bed and use a size 8 socket wrench to remove the metal slats so you can vacuum the bottom part of the laser.
Vacuum any laser debris from anywhere you can reach inside the laser.
Use a microfiber cloth to go around and dust off all surfaces (not the mirrors or lens)
Jami's note
Probably should grease the rails, but I wasn't sure which type of grease to use or where to find it in R.G.
Changing Cooler Water
This video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPsZCxEf5mA&t=754s suggests that we should clean out the cooler water once a month.
Aligning Mirrors
Follow the instructions in the manual. You will do 4 quick pulse tests using painter's tape**.
You start in the upper left corner and send a pulse.
Then move the head to the upper right corner and send a pulse.
Next move the head to the bottom right and send a pulse
Move the head to bottom left and send a pulse.
You want all the holes on top of each other perfectly otherwise, you need to adjust the mirrors. See the manual.
Another source for aligning mirrors: https://fsl3d.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8044520192155-Pro-Series-Mirror-Alignment
** It is best to NOT use painter's tape since the adhesive can leave a residue on the lens. It is best to use
Setting The Focus
In order to measure and verify the focal distance of the lens, execute a Ramp Test. You will then have the exact distance the lens should be set above the material being cut or engraved.
YouTube Video - How to do a Ramp Test
Cleaning Lens
Resources:
https://fslaser.com/blog/co2-laser-repair-services-or-selftroubleshooting/
https://fslaser.com/blog/laser-cutter-support-faq/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPsZCxEf5mA&t=754s