co2 laser question

[CNCadmin]

I have a 50 co2 laser that I just got and the anode ring is being etched away or eroded. Everything is set-up right, power, water etc, what can cause this? It's a china laser and I'm getting the feeling they well not replace it. I believe that the material they used has impurities in the metal and it's reacting with the high voltage? Any ideas?

[greybeard]

Hi Paul. Sounds like it might be a good question for the alt.laser news group.
If the "erosion" is the impurities reacting in some way, perhaps it will be self-correcting when there are none left ?
John

[CNCadmin]

Well when you have erosion like that it plates the mirror and than you start losing out-put power.

[miljnor]

Is the errosion in the sealed gas area or the electrical connection area? or somewhere else?

If it is eroding around you HV connections its probably electrolysis from disimilar metals coupled with the HV.

You would have to change the connector to the same material as the annode so as not to get material migration.

Thats all I got as a guess.


and where do you get your honeycomb material for you laser bed and how much does it cost?

[khasabog]

I have exact same setup. My tube has the same marks and I only have about 40 hours on it.
Can you share your experience with this setup? Do you have any problems with it? Unstability etc. I have a big problem with low power output. Engraving on balsa very unstable and I can't find what's causing it.
Thanks,
George.

[khasabog]

Here is the picture of my tube anode. Again I have only 40 hrs on it! May be it's normal?