Thinking longer about this I do not think any more that the weight of the light source should cause such a big deformation.
But you could perform the same test like in post 14 (but with the ruler attached to the 3rd mirror mount) to see if warping is the issue.
And what about the 2nd mirror mount, can you check that, too?
Strange alignment problem...
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Martin Overberg
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue May 23, 2017
- Location: Herzebrock
- Country: Germany
- Nickname: Martin
- Laser Machine Make or Type: China Red/Black
- Laser Power: 60W
- Laser Bed Size: 500 mm x 700 mm
- Home Position: TR
- Control Software: LIGHTBURN
- RDWorks Version: 0.9.16
- Ruida Controller: Other
- Windows Version: 10
- Accessories: Rotary device
Martin
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Stefano Noto
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat May 15, 2021
- Location: Mesa, AZ
- Country: United States
- Nickname: Conundrum
- Laser Machine Make or Type: Universal
- Laser Power: 120
- Laser Bed Size: 48 x 24
- Home Position: TR
- Control Software: LIGHTBURN
- RDWorks Version: 1.18
- Ruida Controller: Other
- Windows Version: 10
- Accessories: Rotary, gas assist, multiple lens configurations. Particulate and vapor-phase filtration. If this is only for users of RDworks, then I apologize.
Ok with laser machines the floor level is not hyper-critical.
It's nice to have the machine reasonable level so that everything is roughly where it should be but it isn't necessary to base optical alignment on it.
So I would not obsess too much about absolute level. As soon as you move the machine to another location, the alignment is FUBAR anyway.
Is this your alignment process?:
1. Get the beam centered on #1 mirror on the end of the laser.
2. Get the beam centered on #2 mirror on the end of the X rail. It must be centered at both ends of Y travel.
3. Get the beam centered on the X-Carriage aperture at both ends of travel.
4. Make sure the beam is centered on the lens aperture and cone.
Now, I don't know where your laser is located, but the burns you showed make sense if the "fuzzier" burns are further away from the laser source. This is due to the divergence of the laser beam. Are you using a beam-expander or "collimator" as some call it?
It's nice to have the machine reasonable level so that everything is roughly where it should be but it isn't necessary to base optical alignment on it.
So I would not obsess too much about absolute level. As soon as you move the machine to another location, the alignment is FUBAR anyway.
Is this your alignment process?:
1. Get the beam centered on #1 mirror on the end of the laser.
2. Get the beam centered on #2 mirror on the end of the X rail. It must be centered at both ends of Y travel.
3. Get the beam centered on the X-Carriage aperture at both ends of travel.
4. Make sure the beam is centered on the lens aperture and cone.
Now, I don't know where your laser is located, but the burns you showed make sense if the "fuzzier" burns are further away from the laser source. This is due to the divergence of the laser beam. Are you using a beam-expander or "collimator" as some call it?