How to Extend the Lifespan of Laser Tubes with the Galvo Laser?

Method of extending laser tube in galvo laser

Before use, please turn on the cooling water and adjust the outlet pipe position according to the principle of low input and high output to ensure the cooling water fills the cooling tube without air bubbles inside. Then, turn on the power. The cooling water should be soft water (distilled water or pure water) and the water temperature should be controlled at 25°C-30°C. It should not be too high or too low, especially in summer. If the water temperature is found to be too high, replace the cooling water promptly or stop the machine for a period of time. In cold regions, the cooling water should not freeze, especially after the laser is turned off. Do not allow the cooling water to remain in the laser tube, which may cause bursting due to the freezing of the cooling water.

The two support points of the laser tube in the galvo motor system should be at 1/4 of the total length of the laser tube to ensure that the flow rate of the cooling water is 2L-4L/minute. Otherwise, the effect will be poor and may cause misalignment and a decrease in power. The cooling water backflow outlet in the water tank must be submerged to avoid the phenomenon of insufficient cooling water inside the laser tube each time the machine is turned on or off.

Pay attention to protecting the output window of the laser, avoid smoke splashing onto the surface of the output window during work (including the debugging process), to prevent pollution of the outer surface of the output window, which may cause a decrease in power. If this happens, you can use degreasing cotton or silk cloth dipped in anhydrous alcohol to gently wipe the outer surface of the output window.

During the debugging process, adjust the galvo laser or rotate the laser to achieve the best output effect, and then fix the laser. For the five-power laser mirror group, be sure to avoid dust accumulation near the high-voltage electrode, keep it dry, and keep the high-voltage end as far away from the metal as possible to prevent high-voltage ignition discharge. During the use of the laser, no scale should be formed in the cooling tube to avoid blockage of the cooling water and poor heat dissipation. If it is found, use a 20% dilute hydrochloric acid to clean the cooling tube and remove the scale. The laser is a fragile glass product. During installation and use, avoid local forces. Rational use of the laser tube, saving laser energy, and the best working current for the laser tube is 16mA.

Common faults in galvo laser and troubleshooting

Inadequate engraving depth

If it doesn't engrave deeply as soon as the light is on, first check whether the support points of the laser tube in the galvo motor system are reasonable, whether the light intensity is set too small, whether the light path is offset, whether the focal length is correct, whether the reflector surface of the yttrium plate is scratched and dirty, whether the flow rate and pressure of the cooling water are normal. If the above items are normal, check whether there are scratches and dirt on the mirror inside the output port of the laser tube. If it is normal, then it is a quality problem of the laser tube itself.

If it does not engrave deeply until the light has been on for a while, first check whether the support points of the laser tube are reasonable, whether the water temperature exceeds 30 degrees, whether the mirrors are heated during operation, whether the flow rate and pressure of the cooling water are normal and clean. If the above is normal, check the laser tube again.

High-voltage ignition and discharge

Check whether there is dirt and moisture around the high-voltage head and whether it is too close to the machine's metal part. In addition, whether the high-voltage connection device of the laser power supply has fallen off from the support and whether the internal high-voltage connection device is disconnected or damaged. If the above items are normal, then it is a quality problem of the galvo motor laser tube itself.