Mitsubishi ML 3015LXP HELP with Cutting Conditons

[Sammy Jamal]

Hello all,
We purchased an old Mitsubishi ML 3015 LXP and trying to get good production cutting from it.
Our material is mostly 430 SS from 18 to 12 GA, Aluminized from 18 to 12 GA and HRS 12 GA.
At the current settings of cutting conditions, we are getting burrs on the underside of the material (430 SS 18 GA) with Nitrogen.
Where can I find some help on setting (or changing) proper materials cutting conditions tables.
I also need help aligning and focusing nozzle/beam.
I would appreciate any help you can provide.
Thank you in advance.
Sammy

 

[lasermate]

Hi Sammy,

The burrs you are getting are probably from an uncentered nozzle. If you perform a tape shot that should confirm.

As for cutting conditions, based on the information you provided, you should be using a 7.5" FL lens, and a 2.3mm nozzle.

I hope this helps.

 

[LaserIdiot]

Sammy,

I run an LZP with a 3020 Resonator (it's a dinosaur). I've self-taught myself how to laser cut and maintain this relic. Here's what I've learned, be warned: This may not work for your resonator or processing head, but it probably will.

Mild Steel:
0.250" and less: 1.5 Nozzle
0.375" and bigger: 4-hole double nozzle.

Stainless:
Shop Air Cutting:
18ga and less: 1.5 Nozzle.
Nitrogen & Oxygen:
18ga and less: 1.5 Nozzle.
16ga to 11ga: 2.0 Nozzle.
10ga to 0.1875": 2.5 Nozzle.
0.250" - 3.0 Nozzle

Aluminum:
Shop Air Cutting:
under 10ga: 1.5 Nozzle
10ga and up: 2.0 Nozzle

I use a 7.5" Focusing Lens for all my cuts.

To center your nozzle:
- Lower tip to 1mm from acrylic
- Run program 9450
- Examine the relation between piercing and white stain.
- Move tip using the nozzle adjustment screws in the direction of the stain.
- Repeat until the hole is center to the stain.
You can do these same things with lasermates suggestion of a tape shot. The same process, except you're placing electrical tape on the tip of the nozzle, firing the alignment program, and then examining the pierce and moving the nozzle the same way.

Focusing is a different beast altogether. You must have some knowledge on your processing head and how to adjust the lens focus gap and gauges. The process for my machine is this:

1. center nozzle (the big one, maybe a 3.0 or bigger)
2. Place some mill grade steel on table, move the tip to about 1" from the material.
3. Run focus program (uses high-pressure N2), lower/raise head on the Z-Axis until the brightest blue flame is found, then press reset.
4. Note your Z-Axis coord, lower your nozzle to within 1mm from the material, note difference in height. If your difference is a positive number, adjust your focusing lens using the lens height adjustment screw in the opposite direction (down), and vice versa. So if you focus your lens at a Z-height of 1.0000, then you move your nozzle to 1mm from material, and the Z-Height now reads -0.1250, you must move your processing lens (Lens Height Adjustment Screw) up 0.1250" inches to compensate for the focus difference.
5. Adjust your focus zero gauge to read zero. Zero the focus adjustment knob. Lock all screws into place.
Now properly focus (should be at 0, or top of material), then you can begin cutting. Now if you're cutting 11ga Mild Steel your focus will be a standard -30 clicks into the material (3mm), ao lower your lens focus 3mm (30 clicks), or if you're clean cutting (N2) thicker stainless, you'll want to be lowering that focus to -60 clicks (-6mm) or more depending on thickness of material processing.
LENS SAVER INFORMATION:
If you're using a lens saver it lowers your power by 7%.
If you cant adjust the power then you must slow your speed.
A lens saver has the tendency to straighten out a beam, which tempts you to lower the focus: DO NOT. You must RAISE your focus by .1" for a 6mm window.

So a nozzle centering and focus may not be the issue here. With older CO2 machines like ours, we have to contend with a lot of problems from dirty lenses, mirrors, improperly calibrated power supply, ball screw and joint oil/maintenance. Those all have a part in it. Worst case scenario while processing stainless or aluminum is back-reflection. Some machines have a sensor built in to sense when too much back reflection is occuring. However, if you don't have that installed and you end up reflecting the beam back into the resonator, you could very easily damage the internal resonator optics and/or the bellows or worse: light the machine on fire (I've done that but not with back reflection).

So take care in reading your supplied manuals, and if you didn't get any then GET THEM. It's super important to properly maintain your resonator and optics. It is a VERY expensive bill to have Mitsubishi do it for you.

most maintenance is easy, from the internal optic alignment of the resonator ($15000USD from Mitsubishi, I did mine for $120 and a few hours time). The bend mirror cleaning and alignment is 3 hour process that's also simple. And basic greasing and cleaning will keep your machine running for another 10 years.

If you need any help I'm (obviously) more then happy to help a fellow dinosaur operator!

- Mike
anaquodm@gmail.com