Maintenance

Here are The Edge Laser cutter maintenance routines. There is a regular schedule, but maintenance is only carried out when required. The tasks below are based on the maintenance established when we first took delivery of the Laser and have been sourced from the Trello Fab Lab Equipment Logs.

Daily Maintenance: OPEN

Check internal mirror and laser optics at open and clean if necessary

Check “Last Cleaned” plate on Atmos Extractor to ensure maintenance is up to date

Check that the machine was given general clean after last use

Record Date, Time & Initials on “Last Checked” plate

Daily Maintenance: Every 2 Hours of Operation

Check internal mirror and laser optics and clean if necessary

Check for excessive debris on Lens Cone and in bed

Check Lens retaining collar is screwed in tight

Record Date, Time & Initials on “Last Checked” plate

Wipe down inside of machine with baby wipes to get rid of dust

Daily Maintenance: CLOSE

Remove cutting bed and clean debris from under bed. Wipe down with baby cloth

Check and clean internal mirror and laser optics if required

Remove Lense collar and clean thread on collar and Laser head

Remove laser head nozzle and clean inside and out with baby wipes

Wipe exterior down with baby wipe

Power down Laser

Delete all old cut files from RayJet software

Clean up files from desktop. not needed as edgeuser account refreshes on restart

Shut down laser computer

Put scrap pieces into scrap box

Weekly Maintenance

Clean mirrors inside side panel. Not needed weekly - inspect only and clean if needed

Clean any debris from side housing

Scrub air-intake with toothbrush

Clean entire enclosure

Check bed alignment plate screws (on bottom of bed) - tighten if needed

Clean glass

Check/replace top foam filter and clean top of extractor

Photograph laser lens and note any damage in log

Lens and Mirror Cleaning and Inspection

The RayJet lens is the most delicate part of the machine. It has a relatively soft Zinc Selenide (ZnSe) Lens, which is vulnerable to scratches from cleaning with dust on the lens, scraping, drop or thermal shock. Trotec Lenses are manufactured by http://www.iiviinfrared.com/, which as of 11/2021 is down. However there is a web archive of theircleaning handling page here

For a comprehensive overview of cleaning a ZnSe lens, check out the ULO Optics cleaning page.

The RayJet can take ether 1.5 inch or 2 inch lenses. We have been supplied with two types of lens - one fits on top of the lens holding nut (2 inch lens - black ), the other below (1.5 inch lens -red). The current lens is a 2 inch top mounted.

The mirror located in the lens housing is much more robust, but still requires delicate handling.

Before you start

You will need:

lens cleaning solution

lens cleaning tissue

a sheet of polypropelene or a clean cloth

The lense loupe - and/or your glasses :)

Cleaning Lens and Mirror

This procedure is adapted from the officialtrotec manual

Never use a cleaning tissue twice. Dust accumulated in the cleaning tissue could scratch the lens surface.

Remove Lens and Mirror

Move bed to about 10cm below lens assembly

Turn off Laser or power down with the button on the front panel

Move the lens to about the centre of bed, place sheet of poly or clean cloth under lens

Loosen mirror nuts, remove and place upside-down on poly

Loosen lens holding nut (turn clockwise for 2 inch top-seated lens - counter-clockwise for 1.5inch bottom seated lens)

Remove lens by sliding straight out

Place lens carefully on poly or cloth

Inspect and Clean Mirror

blow off the mirror the squeezy blower

Check the surface of the mirror again

If necessary clean the mirror

Spray with cleaner

Put on gloves

tilt to wash away coarse soiling

Dab dry with a clean cloth

Spray again and wipe clean with a new damp cloth (spray cloth with cleaner)

if necessary dry with a clean cloth

Replace Mirror

Inspect and Clean Lens

blow off the mirror the squeezy blower

Check the surface of the lens again

If necessary clean the lens

Hold the lens assembly by its edge and spray

While holding the lens at an angle, flush both surfaces of the lens, to wash away coarse soiling

Put the lens on a clean lens cleaning tissue

Put on gloves

Spray some lens cleaning liquid on one side of the lens

Leave the liquid to take effect for approximately one minute

Gently wipe it away with lens cleaning tissues soaked with lens cleaning liquid

Dry this side of the lens with dry lens cleaning tissues and repeat the cleaning process on the other side of the lens

Examine the lens. If it is still soiled, repeat the cleaning process until the lens is clean

this process may have to be repeated - with baked on crud expect at least five cleaning cycles

Carefully insert the lens holder with lens into the working head

The side marked “top” is facing up. This is guaranteed by the design of the lens holder

Tighten the lens holder - turning counter-clockwise for a 2 inch (black) lens and clockwise for a 1.5 (red) lense

Laser Cutter Air Filter Maintenance

How often should this be done? Maintenance of the Atmos500 is essential to keep fumes and particulates from the Fabrication Lab air. The top filter is augmented by a thin layer of rockwool insulation, which is the regular consumable for the filter.

Before you start

Always wear gloves and a respirator type mask. Collect a bin liner from the cleaning store.

Unlock top filter with large allan key from service kit

roll-up rockwool and place in garbage bag

Check filth level on filter liner (the cream coloured foam)

if there are visible beads of gunk, then discard into bin

wipe down internals of top filter

replace filter liner

tear off a section of rockwool, make a layer about 1 inch thick

lay rockwool on top of filter liner

close and lock top filter

update filter maintenance panel

Baseline Measurements

This is the base line measurement for the Atmos 500. Any time the filter components are changed refer to these settings.

Activated Carbon only 27% Activated Carbon + (new) HEPA only 27-28 % Activated Carbon + (new) HEPA + fiber filter 29 % Activated Carbon + (new) HEPA + fiber filter + foam 34%