Dark matter

[robburge@sky.com]

Scientists have been looking for years but I've found it!

I was working at making some signal box kits for a show I was going to and my 3060 started degrading, returning poorer and poorer cuts. My first thought was that the tube was on its way out as nothing else had changed, but it's less than a year old and not heavily used. I phoned HPC.

Chris suggested a realignment job and a clean up. I carried out the mirror realignment as per his instructions (I have always tried to get the dots in the centre of the mirror (wrong!), this time I did it as he described (including having a cup of tea during the process).

For the first time ever I took the lens out for a clean ( I have always kept the mirrors clean) and noticed something strange: the inner centre of the lens is very dark - not the surface but inside the glass - far too dark to account for the extra thickness. Is this normal as I have never seen a new lens?

It's cutting a bit better better now but not as good as it used to, so I have had to slow all the files down a bit.

[PhillyDee]

Might be worth keeping spares if your business depends on it! Although Chris and co are very quick at getting replacements dispatched.
I have broken (in this order)
1 Lens
1 Mirror
1 USB key (This was kindof fixed see my latest topic!)

I now have 2 spare lenses and 2 spare mirrors. No doubt when tube and psu go, I will end up with a spare of each of them as well!

Ive had mine since April.

[Spooky]

Picture Rob?

could be a burt lens or crud permiation into the lens (lens arent technicaly solid)

best wishes

Dave

[avalonman]

I have had the very same problem with mine and i also mentioned it to HPC who sugested a clean, I only purchased my 6840 in april.

This i tried and guess what it didnt work.

correct me if im wrong but the inner or center of the lens will look like its got brown circles and having a closer inspection with a 20x loop I have found the reason.

What has happen is at some point some particles of waste have become stuck to the surface of the lens and when you start the next job the laser burns the particles off but also etches or engraves the lens, once that happens every time you fire up the laser the etched area becomes hot burns and etches a bit more and so on and so on until the whole area becomes burnt.

The only fix for this is a new lens, once that is fitted your cutting speeds and power rates will return to normal, mine did.

hope that helps

[robburge@sky.com]

Thanks for the replies. I didn't realise that lenses could degrade. I suspected that everything else could (tubes and mirrors). I'll try this: When I have a few moments I'll get the lens out and photo it the best I can and we can take it from there.

A very good night to you all - sweet dreams

Rob