Laser cutters are becoming more widely used due to their efficient and precise cutting capabilities. But the operation of a machine of this caliber is not that easy. As a result, you can run into some issues while using your laser cutter. But what can you do about these issues?

That is what we are here to help you with. We will talk about the most common laser cutter issues and how to solve them. And by the end of this article, you will be able to solve these problems by yourself. So, stick around till the end and let us jump right in.

6 Common Laser Cutter Issues and Their Solutions

The laser cutters can seem like very complex pieces of equipment, especially if you are not familiar with their inner mechanics. So, any issue can end up becoming much more pressing. But with the proper steps, you can fix these issues in minutes.

1. Poor Cutting or Not Enough Cutting

One familiar issue, users run into with laser cutters is that the cut may not be as good as expected, or in some cases, it does not cut entirely through. The setting on the machine can cause this problem.

The potentiometer or the power setting may be too small, the deflection of light, or a dirty lens. More causes include a reversed lens and the power supply of the laser.

As a result, there are also many ways to solve this problem. In the case of the power dropping or the current being unstable, you can solve this by replacing the laser tube. You can use a regulator with a larger voltage. Thus, increasing the current input and increasing the power of the output.

Another trick you can try is readjusting the focal length and the light path till you see the laser making a circular spot. In addition, you can try decreasing the deflection of light by applying light-absorbing material when working with reflective materials like aluminum or copper.

Lastly, when dealing with a dirty lens, clean the foreign matter in the nozzle. However, if you wish to prevent something similar from happening again, we recommend changing the cooling system’s water and increasing the auxiliary gas pressure.

2. Working On the Wrong Spot

Another common issue many users face is the machine working in the wrong area. The primary cause for this is a mismatch between the information in the design software and the laser setting. In the laser settings, the piece size is set as one thing, while in the design software, the workspace size is set to something else entirely.

The first thing you will need to do is match the piece size with that of the design software you are using. Depending on the software, it can have a different name; in Inkscape, it is the Page size; in CorelDraw, it is the workspace; and for illustrator, it is the artboard. 

3. Burrs On the Workpiece Surface

A common issue that can arise when cutting carbon steel is the appearance of burrs on the edges of the workpiece, which are difficult to remove. As a result, the workpiece can end up looking uneven.

If the upper and lower positioning of the laser focus is incorrect, burrs occur. We need to do a position test to ensure it is not incorrectly focused. If the nozzle selection is inappropriate, we need to replace it with the proper nozzle. We also need to maintain the purity and pressure of the cutting gas, as lack of force can cause burrs on the surface.

4. Plate Surface Roughness

The rough upper surface means the cutting focus is far away from the surface. So, moving the focus closer to the surface would prevent roughness.

Gas pressure being too high can also result in a rough surface, so reducing the cutting pressure can make the surface less rough. Lastly, surface roughness can result from slow cutting speed, so you should also try increasing the cutting speed.

5. No Light from Laser Tube

Another common issue that you can find in your laser cutter is no light emission from the laser tube. It results from the following:

• High-voltage lines are being interrupted.
• Burnt or cracked laser tube.
• The switch for the water level is broken.
• Lack of water circulation due to broken pumps or blocked pipes.
• Broken laser power.
• No 220V laser power.
• Weak connection or broken water protection line.
• A non-existent signal from the laser power source
• Broken online two-axis

But how do you solve these issues? Firstly, check and make sure there is proper water circulation for the laser cutter. You should also check if there is water in the water outlet pipe. If the outlet pipe is fine, you need to act according to the situation.

However, if it has been running for more than two hours, check for water on the outermost layer of the laser tube. If you find water on the tube, it means the water temperature is way too high, resulting in the tube bursting.

But if there is not any water, check the supply of power to the laser. Next, turn on the power supply and see if light emission is normal. If it is, chances are the water protection is malfunctioning. Check for blockage in the water outlet of the sewage and remove it.

6. Unable to Connect to The Laser Cutter

If you cannot seem to connect your PC to the laser cutter, you should check your drivers. As well as make sure the USB or network cables connect properly.

A faulty USB cable, broken adapter, or a stuck board will prevent your device from connecting. Replacing the USB cable or fixing the adapter or board can solve this problem quickly.

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about some of the most common laser cutter issues and how to solve them. If you still have more questions for us,  don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

Also, be sure to check out our collection of industry-leading laser cutting and engraving devices. Remember that a good-quality laser cutter will definitely cause far fewer issues than a poor-quality one.

We hope this article was insightful and solved some of your questions. Thank you for reading, and best of luck to you.