Sub Surface laser engraving

[Richard Nield]

Greetings to everyone, I have a real predicament and would really appreciate some assistance if at all possible. I have been let down by a manufacturer who sold me a sub surface laser engraving machine from China - for engraving 3D images into the centre of crystal blocks. I met them at a show in Cologne, Germany and they were a good company at the time. The supplied support for 8 years then closed that portion of their business. After refurbishing a DPSS laser it lasted only 2 years instead of 10.

I then bought out another company that experienced the same problem during COVID. I am rebuilding that laser. The Laser Diode is ARGES from Germany and good quality. The software is loaded and working. The process should go from red to green for engraving, but I cannot get a bright enough beam through the mirror system.

The laser Diode is 40w. Can anyone advise me on the required Amps, and KHz ? I am worried about pumping up the power too much ? No beam is coming out the other side, which should go to mirrors and into a galvanometer system to direct the laser beam. The Diode is new

Thank you very much

Richard Nield

 

[Commander J. Bloodmaker]

I would expect it to be in the 20-30khz range or more for your signal. I mess with some engravers, not on that power level though. My main machine board is up to 30khz. I would expect something similar on that side of things. If it were me, I would just slowly ramp it up, checking my heat output, amps, voltage, etc , as I went. Again, I am extrapolating. Just be gentle, don't go crazy and max it out. try 10khz etc, just step up a few % and khz at a time. As for the input amps, I would imagine quite a bit. The cables alone look fat enough for a substantial amount of current. I wouldn't be worrying to much there, just give her a little more at a time like with your ttl/pwm signal.