To create new cut settings for new materials or to tune existing settings, it is essential to follow certain steps to ensure accuracy and repeatability of results.
First, verify that the mechanical components are in their appropriate position. The laser, laser head, and focus lens should be in their origin. Additionally, inspect the lower protective window for any damage or burns, and replace it if necessary. Ensure that the gas bottle has sufficient pressure to meet the maximum pressure needed for layer cutting. Proceed through the BCS-100 calibration process and complete all three steps using the new material as the calibration material. Center the laser beam through the nozzle and inspect the nozzles for any damage.
Have a simple design ready to set up a test file that tests edge quality. Draw a square with a circle in the center, make sure the sizes are known. Sort the shapes so that the center hole cuts out first and apply lead ins as needed. Before starting we recommend using a material table to look up an acceptable speed setting for the laser. The settings will vary based on power, material type, and thickness. Select the gas type and starting pressure, using oxygen for carbon steel sheet and nitrogen for other materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, and <1mm carbon steel. For nitrogen, use single nozzles, while oxygen will use double nozzles. The nozzle diameter partially determines the kerf width, and the focus should be set above the material for steel, near the surface for thin materials, and below lower into the material for stainless and aluminum.
Run your sample job, keeping your finger on the pause button of the hand controller in case the material bubbles up or there is a risk of damaging the laser head. Ensure that you are picking up the correct test parts when retrieving the cut part from the catch basin. Inspect the edge quality and make adjustments per the laser cut quality guide. Make small adjustments to parameters, adjusting one parameter at a time to ensure a clear correlation between the variable and the result. The goals for cut parameters include a smooth, polished edge of the laser cut part with no excessive melting on corners or the bottom of the material, no dross, melted metal, or slag, close dimensional accuracy to the drawing, no heat warping or discoloration, minimal temperature gain, repeatability, efficient cut speed, and efficient gas usage.
Finally, save your parameters using the save symbol in the layers menu, following the naming convention of: Material Thickness-Focus Position- Gas- Pressure- Nozzle Opening. For example, CS3mm-K+4.5-O2-0.6-D1.0 is what we named 3 mm thick carbon steel with a focus position of +4.5, oxygen was used at a pressure of 0.6 and a dual nozzle with a 1mm opening was used.
Remember to remove any old settings that the new setting will be replacing into an archive folder. It is essential to set pierce settings for any material greater than 3mm thick, with 1, 2, or 3 stages depending on the material thickness. For very thick steels (>6mm), pre-pierce settings should be on, and the pierce should fully penetrate to the bottom of the material. Ensure that you use lead ins on parts and follow any previous examples for how to add pierce settings and parameters.
Still having Issues?
Please create a Support Ticket by using the button below or sending an e-mail to support@fslaser.com stating you've done all previous troubleshooting steps.
- When submitting via an e-mail you may attach any pictures, videos and project files needed for support to see.
- When submitting a ticket using the button below please either respond to the automated generated email stating we have received the ticket with your pictures, videos and project files or upload these to a Google Drive or Dropbox folder and include this link within the support ticket "Your Issue" dialog upon creation.
