Laser Upgrade advice? Need for Speed!

[Urthman]

Hello folks,
I'm new to the forum, and a new laser-user as well.
I've owned a K40D for a few months, and it's doing a good job (after the usual tinkering to get it cutting square, etc)
I'm creating a line of model kits in 3mm MDF. The K40 does the job, but SLOWLY. I'm cutting at 13mm/sec, (12mA power)

I'm in the market for a BIGGER and FASTER machine- which means more power, I'm sure.
I like the idea of buying from a U.S. supplier, but the prices are prohibitive.
I'm not afraid of another Chinese machine, particularly if it gives me the power and speed I need at a good price.

Currently I'm looking at the Chinese 80W 500x700 machine- since that would allow me to cut (4) model kits at once. (the kits are 12"x9")

Questions:
1) Would the 80W 500x700 machine allow me to cut 3mm MDF significantly faster than my current K40? (anyone have real-world experience here?)
2) Is there a different machine I should consider? Different Wattage? Something that would be FASTER? Looks like the 500x700x80W can be had for about $2500 delivered. I'd like to keep the cost under $3k if possible. (but could go higher if there were compelling reasons to do so)

Thanks all!

-Jeremy

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[grawley]

Hello folks,
I'm new to the forum, and a new laser-user as well.
I've owned a K40D for a few months, and it's doing a good job (after the usual tinkering to get it cutting square, etc)
I'm creating a line of model kits in 3mm MDF. The K40 does the job, but SLOWLY. I'm cutting at 13mm/sec, (12mA power)

I'm in the market for a BIGGER and FASTER machine- which means more power, I'm sure.
I like the idea of buying from a U.S. supplier, but the prices are prohibitive.
I'm not afraid of another Chinese machine, particularly if it gives me the power and speed I need at a good price.

Currently I'm looking at the Chinese 80W 500x700 machine- since that would allow me to cut (4) model kits at once. (the kits are 12"x9")

Questions:
1) Would the 80W 500x700 machine allow me to cut 3mm MDF significantly faster than my current K40? (anyone have real-world experience here?)
2) Is there a different machine I should consider? Different Wattage? Something that would be FASTER? Looks like the 500x700x80W can be had for about $2500 delivered. I'd like to keep the cost under $3k if possible. (but could go higher if there were compelling reasons to do so)

Thanks all!

-Jeremy

You can get immediate speed improvements (and quality improvements by having a reduced Kerf, or burn back on the cut sides), by adding a nozzle with the smallest possible orifice that you can align to (like 1 mm). Then, use 30-40 psi air pressure. For the K40, I have seen some on eBay and designs available on the internet with step-by-step build your own.

For upgrading in power, you have additional options over those listed. For example, you can buy a gas refilled CO2 metal tube laser, made by Synrad or Coherent or ULS and put that into your Chinese laser machine. You can request a quote for a Chinese laser machine without the glass tube, ps, and chiller. Then, buy the laser on eBay and get it gas refilled, or buy it from a reseller.

[cinematic2]

... you can buy a gas refilled CO2 metal tube laser, made by Synrad or Coherent or ULS and put that into your Chinese laser machine...

For cutting only 3mm MDF it makes no sense.

[grawley]

Because many people only compare watts to watts, that thinking is common. However, in my experience, the CO2 glass tube laser output power fluctuates significantly and it affects cut quality. A few reasons for that are that the power supply (and the manual clearly states this issue), will change its output control power to the laser tube, when its input AC voltage changes. So, for me, when I run the 150 watt at lunch time, the AC power is much different than before and after lunch, so the laser output power changes by more than 10 percent. The RF metal tube lasers tend to use regulated DC power supplies in order to minimize this problem.

[cinematic2]

Because many people only compare watts to watts, that thinking is common. However, in my experience, the CO2 glass tube laser output power fluctuates significantly and it affects cut quality. A few reasons for that are that the power supply (and the manual clearly states this issue), will change its output control power to the laser tube, when its input AC voltage changes. So, for me, when I run the 150 watt at lunch time, the AC power is much different than before and after lunch, so the laser output power changes by more than 10 percent. The RF metal tube lasers tend to use regulated DC power supplies in order to minimize this problem.

Oh My God!!!
grawley, I beg you. Do not write about things you do not understand.
RF lasers DO NOT RESOLVE ANY PROBLEM using imaginated "regulated DC power supplies".
RF lasers DO NOT HAVE problems common for DC exceeded lasers because RF lasers works in quite different way than DC lasers.