Need Help!- Lens contamination cutting with shop air.

[LaserPro]

Hey guys,

Been in the Laser bizz for many years, but cutting with shop air is new to me. I currently have a Trumpf 3030-4k, and 2030-3200k. I'm cutting 20ga Cold Rolled parts, on both machines, and I seem to get an oil buildup on the bottom side of the lens after about 16 hours of run time. Acetone, or Distilled Vinegar won't remove this, and I'm forced to use the paste. Just wondering if anyone has seen this happen before and what some of the possible cause's might be.

Thanks,

Travis

[HuFlungDung]

What is your source of shop air? Sounds like oil from the compressor making its way into the lines perhaps? Can you add some sort of a filter to the local airline you are using? You might also need a condensation drop below the fitting where you take air from the system, and purge that regularly.

I know if the wife spills oil in the oven and bakes it on, it does not come off too easy.

[rayscott]

I absolutely agree with the moderator... You must ensure that your source of air is clean. This doesn't mean that you replace the compressor, but you do need to clean the air. I know that the lenses are expensive. It would be a great investment to add an oil/water mist seperator and maybe a hepa filter. Make sure to use a spin type seperator (not a desicant type). I also recommend that you use an auto drip style also. Also make sure to match the volume of air flow to the size of the spin seperator.... Too much or too little air flow can stop the seperator from working efficiently. After the spin filter.. use a small micron filter.. check it often and replace it when it gets clogged.

This might sound somewhat complicated, but it will save you lots of time, money, and headache with the laser lens.

Ray Scott
www.scottware.net
3503 Carol Ann Lane
Middletown,OH 45044

laser machine sales in the USA

[protomate]

Hello LaserPro,
I too have had heard of the same problem from numerous people in the past. I specialize in designing and building smaller systems than you are running, but the same rules apply. I agree with rayscott as a first step. If you could, size and setup the de oiler. Then disconnect the air hose as close to the head as possible. Run the air through a pale partially filled with coffee at similar flow rate as the head see's. For 1/2hr. Then let the stirred up coffee settle. If oil is present, you will see it floating on the coffee's surface. This is my detection method. CO2 lenses are big money! On all of my projects, I use dry air pumps. NO SHOP AIR! Not only do you have the potential for damaging lenses, but of line condensation/rust etc. The dry air pumps come in two varieties.
1) Special diaphram pump made of suitable material (like big fish pump bubblers)
or
2) Special piston pumps(made to not degrade in a way not to send particulate into stream)
In both scenario's I recommend using some medium to remove water(as you are still compressing atmosphere)
I hope this helps

[LaserPro]

Thanks guys, I will give the filters a try.

[mach1dleet1]

not so funny story. "they" come setup the laser etc... get up and running for awhile(maybe a year or so) then get a oil problem. well... "they" dont supply you prefiltration at the laser. come to find out we should of had a much better, exspensive, prefiltration system. cost us a couple of mirrors and shoulda replaced the bellows. now use a 3stage filtration (3 different filters) right before air enters laser, not to mention the filtation it runs through for the rest of the plant. dont mean to dis "they" no probs since.

[lrob]

I use to sell equipment for Compressed air oil removal. So I would suggest you go to Mcmastercarrdotcom and put in oil removal filters. There are several choices. Best to size per your compressor cfm output or amount being used for the laser. There are some small ones for less than $11.00 that change color when full that might work well.

Larry