I am having 500x300 50W laser cutter. It is standard Blue - White chinese model with Ruida controller. The same model is listed here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002282772625.html For air assist I am using bundled air pump with no modifications (air goes trough head). For cooling I am using 15L tank with distilled water and bundled water pump. I don't installed mAmp-meter, so I can't tell its readings.
I am using the laser for several months, but I am using it rarely, maybe there is 20 - 30 hours of total runtime. There was enough time to be sure that laser work good while it was new and way too less time that there could be possibility of normal wear-out.
I have found that the best option to cut 3,5~4mm veneer is 80% power and 12mm/s feed. However the laser began to not cot trough veneer. I thought that it wasn't enough power. I have tried to reduce feed to 6mm/s but it still wasn't enough power to do the cuts.
I thought that it laser lost its power until I have noticed that cutting line become thicker than it was before. I am not sure if there is ability to understand line thickness but at least I have tried: https://tinyurl.com/2ydchy55 . Also there are much more burnouts than before.
I have tried to film how laser works and uploaded video here:
. Despite fact that I am using default air assist system, there are way too much flames. I have checked if air assist works, and it works same as it was new.
Thicker line could mean that laser's focal point is lost. However focal point was retested and it is the same as it was before.
The strangest thing is that I have small 10x30 mm rectangle cut sample, if I need to test something. Usually it cuts fine trough it but while it is other cuts it begin to fail. And I can't understand why. The files are correct.
I have tried to replace distilled water, I have also tried to leave laser for long time for cool-down. So I believe that there shouldn't be problems with cooling and overheating.
For me, it looks like lens can't focus the laser beam. Is it possible that lens could out of order because of no actual reason? How to see if lens is out of order? Is there any solutions what I should check?
Make sure lens and mirrors are not clouded over and clean them if they are.
Make sure the machine is aligned by checking that the beam comes out center to the hole in the nose cone. I use painters tape. If not then you need to align the machine.
Air running thru nozzle should never allow it to flame up. Low pressure, high flow air should always be directed to the cut. Nozzles work best because air is straight down
Beam should create the smallest dot. Rise or lower wood to focus.
If none of this improves power then test fire into paper before the last vertical lens assembly. The shape should be round and solid. 3-5 mm. Donut or crescent shape is indication of a bad tube.
50w tubes should have chillers or water be chilled using ice. Higher temperatures can damage the tube.