Hi,
I currently have a large CNC router I designed and built myself and I'm pondering the practicalities of adding a laser. Looking around the standard layout appears to be to have a laser tube mounted in the rear of the machine and deliver the beam to the head via mirrors. My machine is large (it is capable of cutting 8'x4' sheets) and I'm certain that the tolerances of the machine are not good enough to be able to maintain beam alignment through the full traversal of all the axis.
Is this standard layout due to needing to protect the CO2 tube from movement or is this simply about keeping cost of bearings and motors down as mirrors are lighter than a CO2 tube?
My machine lugs a Porter Cable 7518 router around at speed with no issue and so I was wondering if I could simply add a CO2 laser to my setup without mirrors by mounting the laser directly alongside my router.
Thoughts?
Many thanks, Matt
I currently have a large CNC router I designed and built myself and I'm pondering the practicalities of adding a laser. Looking around the standard layout appears to be to have a laser tube mounted in the rear of the machine and deliver the beam to the head via mirrors. My machine is large (it is capable of cutting 8'x4' sheets) and I'm certain that the tolerances of the machine are not good enough to be able to maintain beam alignment through the full traversal of all the axis.
Is this standard layout due to needing to protect the CO2 tube from movement or is this simply about keeping cost of bearings and motors down as mirrors are lighter than a CO2 tube?
My machine lugs a Porter Cable 7518 router around at speed with no issue and so I was wondering if I could simply add a CO2 laser to my setup without mirrors by mounting the laser directly alongside my router.
Thoughts?
Many thanks, Matt