Current usage during operation

[Pradeep Kumar Gopalsamy]

Hello all,

I am using xt Laser (Carbon Laser). During usage I use specifically the manufacturers setting. The current usage in the control board shows around 28-30 mA when I use pulse setting. But when the same setting run from RDworks software the usage is around 5-6 mA.

My doubt is that, is this normal? Or when the program run from software uses minimal current to deliver full power?

[Gene Uselman]

Welcome- the Carbon laser is not common in the USA- is it a form of fiber laser? We would like to help but we deal almost exclusively with Chinese CO2 glass tube lasers. Sorry, Gene.

[Pradeep Kumar Gopalsamy]

Oh sorry it is CO2 Laser Chinese manufacturer.

[Pradeep Kumar Gopalsamy]

I am reframing my query.

Does the pulse mode and the program run from RDworks yields same amount of current or not?

Note that in both mode the max power setting is 100%

[Pete Cyr]

The current produced by "pulse" is a function of what is set in the control panel as a %pwr
The current produced by each RDWORKS layer is a function of what you assigned as a %pwr in the layer

[Pradeep Kumar Gopalsamy]

@Pete Cyr
what if both the pulse and layer function has 100% power as maximum and shows different current value?
"Pulse- 100% power - 28-30 mA
Layer setting-100% power - 5-6 mA"

In my case layer function shows the current usage is about 5-6 mA. I have a doubt that the whether layer setting deliver the laser at full power or not?

[Gene Uselman]

I switched over to Lightburn a couple years ago but I believe that there is a Vendor setting that attenuates the laser power [I just looked- Vendor param>Laser] I would try playing with that setting- this fresh install is set to 0.0%

[Pete Cyr]

As Gene indicated - there is a setting in the vendor setting that define the %pwr you permit the machine to operate

So - if you say in the vendor setting never exceed 90%pwr (assume 150w laser) then the max power you can use is 135 watts - So in RDWORKS if you say use 100%pwr - you will only get 135Watts

You will have to perform a power curve to determine Ma/watt - pulse at 10% = X Ma, Pulse 20% = x+Ma, Pulse 30% = X++Ma

Then you will be able to read Ma and understand the actual power be applied. This is on way to evaluate if you machine is operating correctly over time.

[Pradeep Kumar Gopalsamy]

As you suggested I change the vendor setting to 100% and perform the operation. Still there is difference in current readings. I attached videos along with this post.

[Pete Cyr]

I watched the videos.
I can only guess what the issue may be but everything I saw indicates you have set up pwr correctly.

Did you "write" the change to the vendor setting back to the controller (after you set it to 99%)?