Common Problems of Laser Engraver & The Solutions

Earlier, we recommended the best laser engravers and you liked them well. This article is all about the common problems of laser engravers with constructive way-outs for each of the problems.

So, let’s begin!

There’s no light

One common issue with laser engraving is that sometimes the engraver does not emit light. There are a few probable causes of this:

  • Maybe the power cable is loose
  • Connections to the motor may be poor
  • The fuse could blow and hit on the circuit breaker

These are the best practices you should follow in case the engraver is not emitting light or it is not powering on.

  • Your first step should be to check the ammeter status. You should be able to find it in the test button from the control panel. If the status is negative then this is sure that the laser engraver is not working at all and you need to plan the next action accordingly.
  • Check the power cable, and try reconnecting it to make sure that there is no power interruption.
  • Check the power switch from the back of your machine. Sometimes we forget to turn on the power switch.
  • If somehow the circuit breaker is tripped off, replace the fuse and re-power the machine.

Laser Lining is Inaccurate

Sometimes the laser lines of CO2 laser cutters do not follow the design and the accuracy costs a piece of material & the time you have put into the work. For such problems, the common causes could be:

  • Probably the laser head is loose due to loosening the screw.
  • Inspect if there’s anything else that is making the laser head flexible.
  • There could be dust in the focusing lens which deteriorates the laser beam.

Do not touch the laser head unless it is at a normal temperature. If you notice a misalignment issue within the work, wait until it cools down.

To get rid of this alignment issue, follow these steps:

  • Inspect the screws to ensure that the laser head is tightly fit.
  • clean the dust from the focusing lens and retry the work.

Volatile Temperature

Sometimes the heat of the laser light does not act like the prediction. It might get overweight or the temperature may be low. The possible reasons for this problem could be:

  • The flow of the coolant might be inaccurate
  • Laser lens may be damaged
  • Laser settings may be inaccurate to the resistance of the material
  • The connection switch could be damaged which interrupts the power flow

Here are the troubleshooting steps:

  • If there is an insufficiency of the coolant, check the water circulation and increase the flow of the coolant so that it matches the laser heat.
  • Clear dust from the lens or if needed, replace the laser lens to get the right laser heat.
  • If the laser settings are not consistent with the engraving material, recheck the settings. We strongly recommend taking the help of the experts or using recommended material by the manufacturer.
  • If the connection switch is the issue, check and fix that or replace the switch.

Inaccuracy in Depth

Sometimes laser engraving goes into the wrong depth and burns the material. If you are facing the incorrect depth issue, the problems could be due to the following reasons:

  • Error in focal length
  • Inappropriate water circulation
  • Inaccurate light path settings
  • Damaged lens
  • Inaccurate crossbeam
  • The laser tube is aged

Probably troubleshooting steps could be:

  • Check and set the right water circulation
  • Re-adjust the light path and focal lens settings
  • Re-check the material thickness and revise the laser settings accordingly
  • Re-check the crossbeam alignment and adjust it parallelly
  • Clean the laser tube and replace the focal lens if required
  • Replace the laser tube

Abnormality in engraved font

Sometimes the engraved font does not seem to be similar to the actual design. Here’s why you could face such an issue:

  • Volatile laser head
  • Belt tension of the X & Y axis is inaccurately set
  • The motor is not working well

The troubleshooting steps are as follows:

  • Identify the problems in the laser head and make sure that the head is fitting well in a tight manner
  • Check the belt tension and reset that properly for the X & Y axis
  • If the motor is not working well, repair or replace the motor
  • Check if there are any other screws that are making the overall laser engraving process volatile. If so, fix those

Damaged Lense

Sometimes, there could be minor cracks in the laser lens which deteriorates the quality of laser engraving. Here’s how you can fix that:

  • Try adhesive tape or epoxy solution to fix the minor cracks
  • If the cracks are severe, replace the entire lens

While replacing, you should always double sure the size and the type of the laser light with the earlier one.

Carving Error

Another common problem of laser engraving could be inaccurate depth and speed of carving. Usually, it happens due to inaccuracy in the focal length. For this, you should do the followings:

  • Clean the dust from the focal lens
  • Clean the laser tube
  • Check the laser path and try enhancing the working current. However, you shouldn’t cross the maximum limit
  • Upgrade the laser tube

Automatic Reset

Sometimes the engraver may reset the settings automatically even if the work is not completed. Probable reasons are:

  • Connection disruption
  • Inaccuracy in grounding condition
  • Strong electric or magnetic connection nearby
  • The original drawing may contain some missing stroke
  • Damaged laser tube or laser beam

To troubleshoot this error, follow these steps:

  • Check the condition of the grounding and make sure the grounding wares match the manufacturer’s specifications.
  • Fix all the connections and make sure no one is loosed.
  • Change the position of the machine if there is any heavy magnetic machine nearby.
  • Clean the laser head and laser tube, and if needed replace them.

Wrapping Up

These were the top common issues people often encounter with laser engravers. If your situation is different, do not hesitate to reach us. We will surely get back with a constructive solution.

For reference, follow this video

Ethan Robert
Ethan Robert

Hi, I'm Ethan.

After graduating from the University of North Dakota, I started knowing the CNC and that becomes my passion.

Earlier, I had fascination of 3d printers, Laser cutters and other CNC machines. Later on, I started analyzing those machine and started blogging on my known things by a different way.

I aim to assist you with the insights of 3d printer, laser engravers and computer printers with the help that you save your money and take the right decision before you purchase any machine.

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