amada fo3015 debris on the top of the focal lens 1

[b20vtechb]

i'm working with an older Amada laser fo3015 with 4000w fanuc resonator and a 160il controller. ever since we bought the machine used we keep getting what seems like very fine metallic dust on top of the lens and it has to be cleaned after just a couple hours of cut time or the cut quality goes downhill very rapidly. i'm trying to figure out what might be the cause of the material on the lens if anyone has any ideas. also the tubes have been very recently replaced about 2 months old. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[LASERNINJA]

Very very common with that vintage. Its the lens adapters. In order to maximize heat transfer, Amada chose not to apply a coating or anodizing to the threaded surfaces. The threads get galled and little dust flakes off when you cut with high pressure.

Solution:

1) Every time you clean the lens, wipe off the threads, lens mount, and adapter.

2) Make sure you have a gasket between the lens and the adapter and the adapter and the machine.

3) Use a very clean rag, towel, something, and clean out the lens holder cavity. Pull out the lens and the adapter and wipe down the inside of the cutting head.

Do this, and the problem will be managed. Or, you can buy new lens adapters.

 

[b20vtechb]

thanks for the tip. i should have added more information. the dust isn't just confined to the lens it is pretty much everywhere you look in the beam delivery path, even the tube coming out of the resonator has a thin film of this dust. a tech just recently came and cleaned out all the bellows. and the problem has gotten a little worse since then.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I seem to recall a recent thread where there was contamination of the entire delivery path... and it ended up being related to the breakdown of the material used for the bellows. How old are yours?

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[b20vtechb]

as far as i know the only new bellow is the y axis. the rest are probly original. also the dust looks metallic in nature. silver and very very fine.

 

[LASERNINJA]

Please investigate what i have suggested! 9 times out of 10, this is the cause.

Run an experiment. Clean the lens, run a sheet of steel with oxygen, standard pressure, 0.05MPa. When its done, pull the lens and see if the same dust is there.

I can help with the other 1 out of 10, but its a lot more typing.

 

[b20vtechb]

@ laserninja thanks for the replies. Unfortunately we are stuck cutting aluminum today. but i will try what you said and write back in the next few days. also i have allready taken both out lens holders and cleaned them very thoroughly so we will see if that helps any.