Finishing building a homemade fiber laser machine...

[arkcnc]

They are coupled together...

 

[Milland]

they are coupled together...

That's interesting. How efficient is the coupling, how much deviation do you get from slightly different frequencies from the individual diodes? Does it affect focus, or is it a non-issue?

If the coupler is a commercial product, please post a link to it, I'd like to see how it works.

 

[adama]

^ Yes please more details about the laser bits, especially cost, most of us here can make a working gantry setup with our eyes shut, but if lasers (i mean more than the 40 watt chinese sealed co2 tubes) are affordable that's a game changer.

 

[Chip Chester]

Also... If he's this far along 3 weeks in, it's not amateur hour. But if he's still at the same point 3 months in, I withdraw my kudos.

 

[arkcnc]

I paid $3,800.00 per diode. Compared with +100K for a decent fiber laser machine. I think that it is a very good deal.
On top of that, if you build your own machine it is scalable.
And you do not have to buy all the diodes on one shot.

 

[Milland]

I paid $3,800.00 per diode. Compared with +100K for a decent fiber laser machine. I think that it is a very good deal.
On top of that, if you build your own machine it is scalable.
And you do not have to buy all the diodes on one shot.

Damn, that's still a chunk of change. I'd like to have a lighter-duty machine to cut carbon fiber layups, not sure if the wavelength's right for this application, but at least just one 70W pump would likely be enough.

Interesting, a quick check brings up these guys: Carbon Fiber - Laser Cutting and Marking Carbon Fiber | ULS who recommend a hybrid of 10.6u CO2 and 1.06u Fiber for pre-preg.

 

[adama]

$3.8K is nothing in the industrial laser world, unless you have seen the bills in keeping a industrial setup cutting its just scary how expensive they are to buy, mantain and run. Fibre gets around so much of that its unreal.

by the time you add lenses, power supplies etc and such though though probably talking double that number, but its lower than i was expecting, probably fair to say fiber laser sources are still dropping in price pretty hard and fast like most new tech, just a couple of years ago there were none i could find on ebay or actually for sale from std parts retailers and thats looking like its starting to change, hence it would not surprise me to see the costs drop a lot more over the next few years.

 

[SBAER]

Keep the pictures coming, I am interested in seeing what the parts that come off of this machine look like. I could use a small footprint machine to accurately cut motor lamination steel(0.012" to 0.02" thick).

 

[Strostkovy]

How are they coupled together?

You can get equally powerful CO2 lasers for much, much cheaper, though I'm not sure at what price point beam quality would be the same.

 

[rcoope]

Damn, that's still a chunk of change. I'd like to have a lighter-duty machine to cut carbon fiber layups, not sure if the wavelength's right for this application, but at least just one 70W pump would likely be enough.

Interesting, a quick check brings up these guys: Carbon Fiber - Laser Cutting and Marking Carbon Fiber | ULS who recommend a hybrid of 10.6u CO2 and 1.06u Fiber for pre-preg.

Thanks for the link Milland that's interesting. We may end up soon needing to make maybe 60-100 pieces of prepreg for a small lay up (~6"x12"). We have access to a 60W 10.6um Universal VersaLaser for nonferrous and our in-house waterjet (which could actually work fine if you sandwiched a stack of pieces). I'd be curious if the CO2 laser by itself will work or you really need the hybrid technology as described in the link.

Since we are all here, Milland, can you speak at all to laser vs CNC knives for carbon fiber? I could see the knives working better on plan cloth where they might have trouble with prepreg? Those videos of F1 teams and such show lots of knives but perhaps this is all rather 2006 and if you started now you'd get a big table 70W laser?

 

[adama]

CO2 won't cut the resin, it cuts the carbon fiber and the resin makes a real mess. Think there is videos of people attempting it on youtube. Its one of the lovely quirks of laser cutting, certain materials just don't absorb certain wavelengths.

Its why a CO2 laser is reasonably eye safe even if its a 4kw laser, yet a piddly 70 wats from a fibre laser is so damn dangerous to the human eye ball. (no not talking stare into beam, but talking accidental exposure.

Comparing fibre to CO2 laser purchase price is one small part of it, beam paths for CO2 are expensive and high maintenance as are CO2 lasers, fibre are near as damn it led light bulbs with a nice flexible delivery fiber, down the road costs are what will cripple you with a CO2 laser compared to fibre and thats before you even mention power efficiency.

 

[CarbideBob]

The world of lasers and cutting is complicated to say the least.
They are not born equal and you can't compare power ratings between types.
Now with the pricing of Pico and Femto-second speed devices coming down into realistic land it opens manufacturing possibilities not seen cost effective the past.
You certainly don't compare outputs here to a CO2.
It's like saying Cobalt, HSS, carbide and PCD tools are all just the same cutting tools
Bob

 

[arkcnc]

How are they coupled together?

You can get equally powerful CO2 lasers for much, much cheaper, though I'm not sure at what price point beam quality would be the same.

I coupled all the diodes together with a fiber coupler and some optics, that part is really easy. (but you have to be very patient, to do it right)

I build this machine to cut very small and accurate sheet metal parts. A friend of mine has a 400w CO2 laser machine and the result when we were cutting metal was not the ideal.
Fiber lasers are much better than CO2 on many ways. special if you need to cut metal

 

[Milland]

Thanks for the link Milland that's interesting. We may end up soon needing to make maybe 60-100 pieces of prepreg for a small lay up (~6"x12"). We have access to a 60W 10.6um Universal VersaLaser for nonferrous and our in-house waterjet (which could actually work fine if you sandwiched a stack of pieces). I'd be curious if the CO2 laser by itself will work or you really need the hybrid technology as described in the link.

Since we are all here, Milland, can you speak at all to laser vs CNC knives for carbon fiber? I could see the knives working better on plan cloth where they might have trouble with prepreg? Those videos of F1 teams and such show lots of knives but perhaps this is all rather 2006 and if you started now you'd get a big table 70W laser?

I'm certainly not an expert, but the need to match materials being cut to the right frequency is one I'm well aware of. I would go ahead and try the CO2 laser on the prepreg, but going by the link I'd expect you may have some issues with the CF itself, while the epoxy is removed. It seems that the fiber laser does a better job with the CF fabric.

On the ultrasonic CNC knives, I bet they work really well when doing multiple layers of fabric, and a diamond-like coating on the knife should reduce risks of sticking when cutting prepreg. But if you're a small time hobbyist (like us), if you can find a laser setup that works it's probably the easiest way to go.

 

[rcoope]

There have been rumblings in these parts about getting a non ferrous laser cutter. If our carbon stuff really takes off we will certainly investigate the fiber plus CO2. Anyway, to the OP this is a fine thread, and keep us posted on progress.

 

[crij]

Since there seems to be a bunch of people up on their laser info. Can anyone tell me what frequency/wavelength and wattage would I need to get deep etching (~1/32" need it deep enough to hold the engravers wax (or whatever they call that crayon) and up to 10ga piercing (even if 2 different wattages) of 304/316 stainless?

I've been looking into them for a while and can't seem to find that bit of critical info, or when I did, sites were disagreeing on the wavelength.

At work we still use an electro-etch with the blue impression paper, hand stamps and a pantagraph style New Hermes engraver for marking equipment. Probably we are one of the few offices within a 30 mile radius that has a manual typewriter still in use... Their paid for and they work great, but it would be nice to upgrade, if we can afford it.

Does anyone make a variable frequency laser (without it being different laser modules)?

Thanks,
Rich C.

 

[Strostkovy]

Since there seems to be a bunch of people up on their laser info. Can anyone tell me what frequency/wavelength and wattage would I need to get deep etching (~1/32" need it deep enough to hold the engravers wax (or whatever they call that crayon) and up to 10ga piercing (even if 2 different wattages) of 304/316 stainless?

I've been looking into them for a while and can't seem to find that bit of critical info, or when I did, sites were disagreeing on the wavelength.

At work we still use an electro-etch with the blue impression paper, hand stamps and a pantagraph style New Hermes engraver for marking equipment. Probably we are one of the few offices within a 30 mile radius that has a manual typewriter still in use... Their paid for and they work great, but it would be nice to upgrade, if we can afford it.

Does anyone make a variable frequency laser (without it being different laser modules)?

Thanks,
Rich C.

I want to say our CO2 laser at work pierces 10 gauge stainless at 700 watts, if that's any help.

I hear fiber is better but CO2 is typically fine.

 

[PlasmaOnTheBrain]

Very nice! I want one...
How hard would it be to hook up more diodes for more power and/or whats the theoretical limit on power from linking them all up?

 

[arkcnc]

Very nice! I want one...
How hard would it be to hook up more diodes for more power and/or whats the theoretical limit on power from linking them all up?

I coupled all the diodes together with a fiber coupler and some optics, that part is really easy. (but you have to be very patient, to do it right)

I going to upload videos, as soon I finish the machine. to my youtube channel: Ark Channel
Where I currently have 3 videos, of a CNC router (with single and dual head) That I design and build some time ago, and my laser engraver machine

 

[IkeHarris]

Tell us about the cutting evaluation you did with these diodes prior to making this purchase.

You are saying you have some diodes, not a fiber laser.