Service Manual for XLE/XLT Series Laser Engravers

Service Manual for XLE/XLT Series Laser Engravers

Table of Contents Maintenance...1 Beam alignment...3 Auto focus alignment...8 Bridge alignment...10 Electronics panel replacement...11 X motor change...12 Encoder replacement...13

XLT/XLE maintenance Maintaining the XLT/XLE is important to assure the proper function of the system. The optics are the most important component for maintenance. Even the smallest particle of dust on an optic can cause a problem. Imagine what happens when even a small piece of dust that has settled on an optic is then hit with a 1000 degree laser beam. Each time this happens there is a tiny explosion and the coating on the optic is slightly damaged. Through time as this occurs over and over the coating on the optic will become ineffective. Each optic must be cleaned regularly. How often depends on the material being engraved and the environment that the system is in. If the machine is in a naturally dusty shop environment it will need to be cleaned more often. CLeaning The Optics The Optics on the XLT/XLE laser can be easily removed for cleaning and inspecting. There are up to seven optics that will need regular maintenance in order to keep the machine in optimal running condition. 4 mirrors (blue holder) 1 combinor for diode pointer (gold holder) 1 collimating lens (black holder) 1 focus lens (red holder) Removing the Optics To remove the mirror, simply pull it out of the assembly as shown on the below. Cleaning the Optics Clean the optics with the acetone solution that is included in the cleaning kit. Below is the proper method for cleaning: 1. Remove, clean and replace one mirror at a time to ensure that each is placed back in its proper place. 2. After removing a mirror/lens, blow on it gently to remove any loose particles. 3. Using acetone and the lint free cloths provided, gently wipe the mirror/lens surface. 4. Then, using a dry portion of the cloth, gently wipe the remaining acetone from the mirror/lens 1

Belts The belts on the motion system can be cleaned with a damp rag. The axis to be most concerned with is the X axis because of its position over the material as it is being engraved. Y axis belt X axis belt 2

Beam Alignment for the XLT/XLE Series Laser The laser beam on the XLT/XLE series laser is directed from the tube to the table via 4 mirrors. The laser beam reflects off of each mirror in order to reach the engraving material and therefore it is important that the beam is properly aligned. This process is very important because this will affect many aspects of the engraving. The following document will explain in detail how to properly align the beam. It is extremely important that each step be followed exactly as outlined. Where are the mirrors? The XLT/XLE series laser engraver has a total of: - 4 mirrors (blue holder) - 1 collimating lens depending on power level (black holder) - 1 combiner mirror (gold holder) - 1 lens (red holder) For the purpose of this document, all we will be concerned about are the 4 mirrors. The diagram below illustrates the location of the 4 mirrors. Mirror #4 Mirror #2 Mirror #3 Mirror #1 3

Moving the beam to the left is shown below. We do this because screw #8 will only move the mirror to the right. - Slightly loosen the #5 screw. You still want a great deal of tension on this screw to properly adjust the beam. - Back out the #8 set screw as much as necessary for the amount you wish to move to the left. - With your fingers move the mirror holder as shown below. - Tighten the #5 screw just enough to be snug but still allow for the #8 set screw to move it, then use the #8 screw to adjust the mirror to the right. TIP: Always try to align the beam by using the #8 set screw to move to the right. If you go too far follow the steps above to move the beam back to the left of center then start over with #8 set screw moving it right. Turn the mirror holder in this direction to reset position. Aligning the beam from mirror #1 to mirror #2 1. Make sure that mirror #1 is clean before getting started. 2. Place the laser in beam alignment mode as previously described. Use a power of 5 to 7 and a time duration of one second. 3. Carefully remove the collimating lens and insert a small piece of paper in the slot where the lens was. 4. Fire the laser beam. 5. Once complete, without removing the paper from the holder, visually compare the position of the burn mark with that of the opening of the mount holder. What you want to see is the burn mark in the CENTER of the opening. (It is ok if the beam is centered left to right but more toward the front.) 6. If it is not in the center, make a mental note of its position. Move back to the screws of mirror #1 and carefully adjust them to place the beam in the center. 7. Once you have made minor adjustments to mirror #1, replace the paper and re-fire the beam. 8. Repeat as needed until the burn mark is in the center of the opening. This will ensure that the beam is hitting the center of mirror #2. 8. Once complete, replace the collimating lens in its proper position and clean mirror #2. 4

Aligning the beam from mirror #2 to mirror #3 The alignment process of mirror #2 to mirror #3 is a little more involved, but nothing that we can t handle. The only added step in this process is to make certain the beam fires in the same place on our piece of paper when the mirrors are closest and when they are furthest apart. Remember that this step can be time consuming but not impossible so have patience. Ok lets get started! By this point, we know that the beam is centered (or close to it) on mirror #2. 1. Place the laser in beam alignment mode as previously described. Use a power of 5-7 and a time duration of 1 second. 2. Carefully remove the #3 mirror and insert a small piece of paper in the slot where the mirror was. Make sure that it is secure and will not shift when you jog the bridge. 3. Manually move the bridge to toward the back of the machine. Move it as far as it will go. This will put mirros #2 and #3 in their closest position. 4. Fire the beam. (It is preferable to have a brown spot without burning through the paper) 5. Do not remove the paper or move it in any way!!!!! 6. Carefully check to see that the beam made a mark on the paper. If it did not leave a mark, fire the beam again with a slightly higher power. 7. Once the beam leaves a mark on the paper, use the touch screen to move the bridge to appoximately halfway down the table. 8. Leaving the paper just as it has been, fire the beam again at a slightly higher power. Watch as the beam fires to see if the mark that is left is in the same postition as the first mark. 9. Make a note of where the second mark is made on the paper. We need both marks to be in the same position. When they are, the beam is traveling in a straight line. 10. Using the adjustment screws on the second mirror assembly, make minor adjustments to the beam so it hits the first mark. 11. Fire the beam again and check results. Repeat steps 1 through 10 until the beam is hitting the same spot from both positions. Once the beam is firing in the same spot from back to middle of the table: 1. Remove the paper. 2. Replace the paper with a fresh one. Move the bridge to the back of the machine once again. This will put mirrors #2 and #3 in their closest position. Repeat steps 1 through 10 above, except this time instead of moving the bridge to the center of the table, you will move it to the very front of the table. This will ensure that the beam is traveling in a straight line down the length of the table. Once the beam is firing in the same spot from back to front of the table: 1. Remove the paper. 2. Clean mirror #3 3. Replace mirror #3 in its proper position. 5

Screw #6 Screw #2 Screw #3 Screw #8 (inside slot at 45% angle..050 allen) Screw #7 Screw #1 Screw #5 Screw #4 How to adjust mirror #3 Screw #2 and set screw #3 will move the beam up and down. - Tightening screw #2 and at the same time loosening screw #3 will move the beam down. - Loosening screw #2 and at the same time tightening screw #3 will move the beam up. Moving the beam to the back involves a few different screws. - Screw #4 should always be tight. - Screw #5 should be fairly tight until the back to front alignment is complete, then tighten completely. - Screw #8 is the set screw used to move the beam back. Moving the beam to the front is shown below. We do this because set screw #8 will only move the mirror to the back. - Slightly loosen the #5 screw. You still want a great deal of tension on the screw to properly adjust the beam. - Back out the #8 screw as much as necessary for the amount you wish to move to the front. - With your fingers move the mirror holder as shown below. - Tighten the #5 screw just enough to be snug but still allow for the #8 set screw to move it, then use the #8 set screw to adjust the mirror to the right. TIP: Always try to align the beam by using the #8 set screw to move it to the back. If you go too far, follow the steps above to move the beam back to the front of center, then start over with #8 set screw moving it back. Turn the mirror holder in this direction to reset position 6

Aligning the beam from mirror #3 to mirror #4 To align the beam from mirror #3 to mirror #4 follow the same steps illustrated for alligning mirror #2 to mirror #3. Instead of putting paper in place of mirror #4 you can put a piece of post-it note or tape over the hole entering the head as shown below. Aligning beam to the center of this hole will center beam on mirror #4 7

How to align the auto focus pointer The auto focus switch on the XLE/XLT series laser is an optical switch. There is a diode pointer on the left side of the bridge that fires a red beam through the plunger on the head, then into a receptical on the right side of the bridge. When the pin in the plunger is pushed up it blocks the beam activating the switch. This document explains how to properly align the pointer beam through the plunger and into the receptical on the right side. Location of components and adjustment screws Screw #1 Screw #2 Output for diode pointer Screw #3 Screw #4 Hole in plunger Photo Transistor Pin in plunger 8

- Screws #1 and #2 control the front to back movement of the pointer beam. - Tightening screw #1 or loosening screw #2 moves the beam toward the front of the machine. - Tightening screw #2 or loosening screw #1 moves the beam toward the back of the machine. - Screws #3 and #4 control the up and down movement of the pointer beam. - Tightening screw #3 or loosening screw #4 moves the beam up. - Tightening screw #4 or loosening screw #3 moves the beam down. Adjusting the pointer beam 1. Jog the head to the right side of the table. 2. Using screws #1-#4 align pointer beam to the center of the hole in the plunger. 3. Once it is passing through the hole in the plunger begin to aling the pointer beam to the receptical. 4. Holding the tip of the allen wrench over the hole for the receptical allows you to see if the beam is centered in the hole. Tip: Try to tighten the adjustment screws rather than loosen as much as possible so that the pointer is firmly held in place. Testing the pointer: 1. Go to the service menu on the touchpad 2. Select check limits 3. Push up on the plunger pin with your finger. 4. When pin is pushed up Z low should darken, and when released it should be normal. 9

How To Square the Bridge on the XLT/XLE Laser If the bridge is not square to the table on the system the engraving will not line up with the X axis ruler, and a square box will engrave as a trapezoid. This document explains how to adjust the bridge to the table. The first thing to check is the table to make sure that it is square with the motion system. This is done by either using the diode pointer or engraving a line down the Y axis ruler. If the diode pointer, or engraved line does not follow the Y axis ruler exactly, then the table is out of square and needs to be adjusted. (see table adjustment document) Once you know that the table is square to the motion system you can check the bridge against the table. This is done in the same manner as the Y axis by either using the diode pointer or engraved line compared to the X axis ruler. If the diode pointer or the engraved line does not follow the ruler follow the steps below. 1. Go to the service menu, select beam alignment (this unlocks the motors) 2. Loosen the drive shaft coupler. 3. Push the bridge back so that the diode pointer is on the edge of the ruler. 4. Push the head left and right to see which way the bridge needs to be adjusted. 5. Put your left hand on the left side of the bridge by the motor and your right hand on the right side by the encoder and manually adjust the bridge. 6. Once you have adjusted the bridge so that the pointer follows the edge of the X ruler, tighten the drive shaft coupler and exit beam alignment mode. (be sure to clear home) X axis ruler Bridge Drive shaft coupler (you can use any one of the four on the system.) Head Drive shaft coupler Y axis ruler (if diode pointer does not follow Y ruler the table needs to be adjusted) X axis ruler Bridge Head 10

How to replace electronics panel Removal 1. Remove all the cables from the panel bulkhead. (fig 1) 2. Remove the mount bolt. (fig 1) 3. Lift the front of the panel and slide forward. (fig 2) 4. Slide the panel to the right until it clears the door opening. (fig 3) 5. Pull panel forward to remove the blue ethernet cable, grey ribbon cable, and beige touchscreen cable. (fig 4) Installation 1. Attach the blue ethernet cable, grey ribbon cable, and the beige touchscreen cable. 2. Slide the panel left with the front tilted up to clear the mount bracket. 3. Make sure that none of the cables get hooked into the mount bracket before sliding panel into place. (fig 5) 4. Once the panel is in position re-attach the cables to the bulkhead and re-install the mount bolt. Tip: When putting the panel back in place feel under the panel with your free hand to make sure that all of the cables in the back and on the left side are clear so that the panel can sit flat. Fig 1 Mount bolt Panel bulkhead Fig 2 Fig 3 Fig 4 Fig 5 11

Changing the X axis motor The X axis motor is mounted on the left side of the bridge. It is held on by three screws that screw in from the bottom of the mount plate. Changing the X axis motor requires unbolting the bridge from the Y axis and flipping it over to remove the mount screws. All work should be done with the machine turned off and unplugged. Screw locations Motor plug Fig 1 Fig 2 Bridge screw 1 Bridge screw 3 Bridge screw 2 Bridge screw 4 Motor screw 1 Motor screw 2 Motor screw 3 Fig 3 Removing the motor 1. Unplug the white motor plug. (Fig 1) 2. Remove the 4 bridge screws. (Fig 1-2) 3. With the 4 bridge screws removed gently flip the bridge over to give access to the motor screws. (Fig 3) 4. Remove the motor screws. 5. With the motor screws removed you can tilt the motor and roll the belt off of the pulley. Installing the new motor Reverse the steps above. Make certain that you mount the new motor in the same positon (clocked correctly) to assure that all of the cables reach properly and clear the motion system. (Fig 1) 12

How to change the encoder on an XLT/XLE laser 1. Turn off the machine 2. Cut zip tie that holds the connector for the encoder and unplug. (Fig 1) 3. Loosen the set screw on the collar of the encoder. (Fig 2) 4. Remove the two 4/40 button head screws that hold the encoder in place. (Fig 3) 5. Slide encoder up and off of the shaft. 6. Slide new encoder onto shaft. 7. Install the two 4/40 button head screws. 8. Tighten the set screw on the collar of the encoder. 9. Plug the connector in and fasten with zip tie. (Fig 4) Set screw on collar Connector Fig 1 Fig 2 Make sure this wire is not hanging down where it will hit mirror #2 when bridge moves back. 4/40 button head screws Fig 4 Fig 3 Make sure this wire is under bridge so it will not hit mirror #2 when bridge moves back 13