Help with cutting parameters 4

[kltex]

I bought a used Amada LC-2415 alfa III NT. (2kW)
I have no prior experience with laser cutting machines but i'm a fast learner.
2 weeks ago I finally finished the installation and the Amada technician here in Israel came and did all the necessary procedures to turn the machine ON.
For the last two weeks i've been cutting material 8 hours a day.
I have cut:
Plain steel 1mm-10mm
SS316 1mm-6mm
Alu 1050 1mm-2mm
Many of the materials were not on the machines cutting list and I had to find the right parameters to make the cut work.
I know it can cut much better than my "make it work" adjustments.
I did get a user manual but I did not get a cutting list manual.

I found it very difficult to understand the user manual because it doesn't really say much about how each parameter effects the cutting quality.
I did an intensive search and found a great book that was published here in this forum "Cutting know-how for amada lasers"
This was a good starting point but still I'm lacking the understanding of how the Edge, Fine Edge and such features work and effect the cut.
Everything about lenses is still a mystery to me, and i have no idea when to use the 5" and when to switch to 7.5" other than what it says on the already defined materials.

Here is my question -
Where can I get the cutting list parameters book for my laser?
Where can I find good literature on all the cutting functions and the effect they have?

 

[laserdog]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://res.cloudinary.com/engineering-com/raw/upload/v1446752862/tips/pierce_settings_bgbt6l.docx[/url]

 

[kltex]

Well, apparently my pierce conditions were wrong, and now with your parameters the pierce is much cleaner and faster.
Attached are the new pierce condition 103
And a sample cut with this pierce

But that does not solve the black cutting surface.
I am trying to think outside of the box, maybe the nitrogen isn't clean enough.
I'm using a 99.99% pure nitrogen with O2<50ppm.
Is that ok?

when cutting a circle, i get no burr, but when cutting straight lines i get burr on one side of the cut

Another annoying effect is black splatter under the sheet, which can be seen in the attached picture

 

[laserdog]

The color of the cut and the dross tells me that oxygen is getting in the line. Try these changes so we can test the focus and see where it is if you have a small part you can use it will save on material.

1. Change the nozzle gap to .5
2. Change the focus to -4
3. Cut a part
4. Change the focus to -7
5. Cut a part
6. Compare the 2 so we have a better idea with the focus

 

[laserdog]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://res.cloudinary.com/engineering-com/image/upload/v1446817063/tips/cutting_know_how_0322201108374700_2_xknl7k.pdf[/url]

 

[Foostrap]

With that edge color, your nitrogen gas is definitely contaminated. You may have received a bad batch of nitrogen. If you get the same results with your oxygen bottles closed and purged out, then contact your gas supplier to get a new 12-pack of nitrogen.

 

[kltex]

Foostrap you are right !
problem solved, tell you all about it later today.

 

[kltex]

Our story starts yesterday when I spent 4 hours trying to get a clean cut on a 6mm stainless steel.
After 4 hours with no luck, I had to do something, I had to start cutting.
So, I did.
The cuts came out black with sharp burr and all dirty with splatter.
But at least I made the cut.

So today (friday) I went back to work, and tried to adjust the parameters to make the cut clean and shine.
Again I spent 3 hours in the morning with no luck.

Afternoon I saw laserdog was asking about focus point, So I had back to work turned the machine ON and started cutting sample circles with different focus points. (at -8.5 the laser could not cut)

After the 3rd circle my nitrogen run out. just when I found that the best focus is going to be at -6.5.
I thought about closing everything and head back home to my family, but then decided to give it another try with the nitrogen cylinder from the dust collector.

How surprised was I when I changed nothing in the parameters but the cut came out beautiful.

Only then I realised that my nitrogen 12 pack are not as clean as they should have been.
I tried cutting rectangular and one side had a little black burr underneath.
I boost up the nitrogen pressure from 0.7 to 0.8 Mpa and the burr was gone.

 

[laserdog]

Now that is what good nitrogen cuts like. Good job.

 

[Foostrap]

Kitex, thanks for following up and letting us know what the issue was. It's always nice when people do so. Some ask questions and you never really know what their issue was, and what fixed it.

 

[giorgos1001]

Dear laserdog, your charts from operator's manual can be used on an amada lc1212 alpha 2 (1500w) as well?

 

[laserdog]

They should work but you will have to adjust your feed rate especially on the settings that call up 2000w.

 

[adam82]

Hey laserdog, would you have the tables for the 7.5" lens too? We're having trouble setting up the lens in our laser.

 

[jjl1210]

What laser do you have? All the cut conditions are posted so you can use anything over 3.2mm thickness with a 7.5" lens but I would change the nozzle gap to .028.

 

[adam82]

So the cut conditions don't change as such, just the nozzle gap when changing to a 7.5" lens?

We're running a LC-2415 A3.

 

[jjl1210]

This chart will give you an idea what nozzle to use with what lens along with the nozzle gap.

 

[Jr.Mfg]

Hey guys I'm running same machine but cutting 1/4" I'm having issues with the approach/edge parameters this is what the part looks like.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[jjl1210]

Can you show us you cut conditions along with the approach, edge and pierce data because the pierce looks wrong like your using the wrong gas.

 

[Jr.Mfg]

For the edge any approach data I'm using 203 an for pierce I'm using 103. The lead in length is 0.150" add Im using a micro tab of 0.05"

 

[jjl1210]

What I do for the lead in is have it the length of the material thickness so when I cut 1/4 it would be .25 long. I would change my pierce page. If the 101 pierce blows before the 5 seconds take away some power if it never gets thru add some power.

101 pierce power 3000, freq 15, duty 15, Incr freq 5, Incr duty 1, step count 1, pierce time 5.
103 pierce power 4000, freq 100, duty 100, Incr freq 0, Incr duty 0, step count 0, pierce time 3.

 

[LaserSpyder]

I think you were using empty bottles they shouldn't have drained that fast