Here is what our another clients said:
"Hi all
I would like share my experience between and USA laser cuter (EPLOG 1280) and Chinese laser cuter from xyz-tech . (EXLAS). We do architectural models and we did use the EPLOG for cutting and engraving mainly acrylic and soft wood. The decision come from me to employ a big laser cuter machine (120 cm*80 cm) . after a lot of browsing and checking throw alibaba.com we came to decision to order the EXLAS 1280 machine. One of the main decision was based in ordering from small or medium company size, as my business experience large company do not offer expellant online or distance after sails services. They need a local dealer to do that. We don’t have local Chinese dealer as far as I know in Saudi Arabia. We do have EPLOG one, and the service is bad unfortunately. I will be very short for the comparison according to my experience.
Laser tube. EXLAS use 80w CO2 glass tube, it is much powerful, much more than we need actually, but we are pleased with the result in cutting 5mm acrylic from one pass,(speed 15. Power 40). With the EPLOG (30w RF tube) we need more than 5 pass same speed and 100 power. Do I like the CO2 laser, I think RF tube are stable and can run for long time (10h) with no problems, CO2, I am not sure, we need more time to find out. And we don’t need too much time for cutting due to its high power any way, I do have plan to test it heavily and I will let you know in the future.
Engraving. EPLOG can except 256 gray bit map directly from CorelDraw it simply make you life easy just print directly to the laser driver, laser will fire more points at dark areas. And less points at lighter, EXLAS laser cut 5.3 dos only use 2 bit files so you have to do it yourself and result are so similar, the result if favor to EPLOG, it really do semi 3D engraving feeling. But with some knowledge in Photoshop you can get excellent results with EXLAS. Put in your mind if you are doing only engraving 30w laser tube has sharper result and higher resolution.
Architecture.
EPLOG and EXLAS are so similar from my point of view. I am not and electrician or mechanical engineer, but I can have an overall feeling, EPLOG looks more hardly built, but it is smaller than the EXLAS, the EXLAS design is much beautiful (I am an architect) only the cover I don’t like, Bothe machine has pass throw material, lifting table at EXLAS has 2 motors, at EPLOG only one, and one day was broken and we replaced it. Electrical and boards. Again from what I can see how the EXLAS are working it is smooth, and fast, no big deferent , but EPLOG movements seems to be smother. And less noisy. Maybe because it is smaller. The electrical mother board and power supply, and X & Y & Z drive are located nicely at the side of the EXLAS, (and all other Chinese laser) EPLOG is under the RF laser at the back of the machine, it is mint to be like that so nobody play with it only their authorized engineers. EXLAS for me is better where I can do the maintenance much easily. At my town no EPLOG or any Chinese manufacture dealer are there. I do have to admit XYZ EXLAS have excellent online distance after sails service .
Working We did use the EPLOG for 6 years, and EXLAS for only 4 months, it is not fair to do comparison hear, but I can assure you the next 6 months we will put the EXLAS to the extreme working environment. We do have plan to build a city model (7m by 4m) (22ft by 13ft) we will do thousand of small houses cutting and engraving, hopefully the EXLAS will do most of the job, as an professional I do not recommend one machine in an office for work. You have to put in your minds a down time is always happen, even when we have only the EPLOG. We do experience a power supply broking, working table motor broken, we did scratch one mirror, still we did not replaced it yet, so another machine will be very good.
Software. EPLOGE has a printer driver, you can use it from coral auto cad directly, EXLAS use lasercut 5.3, it is similar to the very old coral program (DOS golden days if you are old) . You have to import artwork from coral and send it to lasercut, for me it is okay, I do prefer direct sending, but also the lasercut is doing fine, it has some bugs, (as any windows base programs). Do use it carefully under windows XP only. And do not load any memory base program while firing the laser. Spear cheep old Pentium PC only for the laser will be good idea,
Final Final product results are very similar, but Chinese laser you have to do more study and tests until you can produce perfect cutting and engraving, USA laser are much easier, something like PC users, PC with old DOS operating system, and windows, Chinese laser You have to use it carefully, get an industrial water chiller, study will about laser safety. You will need it for when you replace the tube, or test the power voltage or when you place water very close to high voltage wiring. Tomorrow at light time I will post pics about our old EPLOG, and EXLAS. Thanks an sorry for long text and bad English
you can check more here:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/826594-post16.html
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/827702-post22.html