Laser Engraver - I get to specify a new one - Looking for Manufacturers

[JasonB]

Hi guys,

Fortified 'big boy' real laser business here!

My boss has asked me to find and get a new laser engraver quoted. The one we have now is an Epilog 50 Watt and has a 24x18" XY table. It is air cooled and when we use it the cooling fans usually go to max pretty quick so we think we are running pretty hard. In the 5 years we have owned it we had to replace the laser twice and it is on its way out again.

So, our new requirements are 100 Watt, liquid cooled, with a 24 x 36" minimum size engraving table. We are looking at Xenetech. I don't have much knowledge about engravers so I thought I'd throw this out there to get some ideas. I think the tube is CO2.

Thanks guys! I think he came to me because he knows about the relationship I have with laser stuff LOL.

-Jason

[swamidog]

i wonder if you're overdriving the laser or if the ambient temperature in your shop is too hot. i lived in chicago for 12 years and those hot humid summers are pretty brutal. epilogs are quality machines, but all lasers have a finite life span.

i don't know what your budget or application is, but i recently built a 60W 36x24 table using components from lightobject.com. it has absolutely exceeded my expectations

Hi guys,

Fortified 'big boy' real laser business here!

My boss has asked me to find and get a new laser engraver quoted. The one we have now is an Epilog 50 Watt and has a 24x18" XY table. It is air cooled and when we use it the cooling fans usually go to max pretty quick so we think we are running pretty hard. In the 5 years we have owned it we had to replace the laser twice and it is on its way out again.

So, our new requirements are 100 Watt, liquid cooled, with a 24 x 36" minimum size engraving table. We are looking at Xenetech. I don't have much knowledge about engravers so I thought I'd throw this out there to get some ideas. I think the tube is CO2.

Thanks guys! I think he came to me because he knows about the relationship I have with laser stuff LOL.

-Jason

[JasonB]

Hey Swami, for some reason I'm not surprised you built your own engraver, thanks for the information. In this case I think it would be a hard sell to build our own or purchase a homebuilt unit.
I'm looking for manufacturers of laser engravers and am having a hard time finding anyone other than Epilog and Xenetech. The engraver will live in a climate controlled manufacturing area, an exhaust blower is available as is compressed air and just about any flavor of power up to 480VAC 3-phase....

An suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

[swamidog]

i wish i knew about your shop when i lived in chi...

Hey Swami, for some reason I'm not surprised you built your own engraver, thanks for the information. In this case I think it would be a hard sell to build our own or purchase a homebuilt unit.
I'm looking for manufacturers of laser engravers and am having a hard time finding anyone other than Epilog and Xenetech. The engraver will live in a climate controlled manufacturing area, an exhaust blower is available as is compressed air and just about any flavor of power up to 480VAC 3-phase....

An suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

[buffo]

My wife operates a Trotec laser engraver for the SPAWAR facility here in Charleston. They have one of the smaller units (18 x 30 table) but it works very well and she swears by it. They sell larger units too, with power levels up to 120 watts CO2 and 50 watts YAG. (Yes, you can get both lasers in the same unit, allowing greater flexibility in what you can cut or etch.)

Might want to give them a look...

Adam

[dsli_jon]

Hi Jason -

...our new requirements are 100 Watt, liquid cooled, with a 24 x 36" minimum size engraving table. ..

I'd recommend getting in touch with a 'neighbor' of ours at or building / shop in NY.. His name is Wayne S. (I'll ref his contact info, in a minute..) and he is an *absolute expert* at engraving, and all-manner of 'what's best in the industry', these-days - and for-what materials.. He's also an expert on 'flat-field scanning' / f-Theta lenses and various Scan-heads, etc.. Real nice guy, also..

..here's a past-thread from him, with his contact-info in it.. I'll let you 'do the homework'.. http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...102#post210102 ..He's usually most-responsive to calls, vs email / PMs, etc, and If you talk to him, let him know 'Jon from DS' sent ya.. He'll be sure to get ya hooked-up right..

fwiw.. cheers..
j

[JasonB]

Thanks guys, appreciate it; I'll contact those vendors. fyi so far I've found and contacted:

Redsail
http://www.hflaser.com/Laser-Engraving-Machine.html

Universal laser systems
http://www.ulsinc.com/

Trotec – quote in process
http://www.troteclaser.com/EN-US/LAS...-Overview.aspx

got quotes from
jamiesonlaser.com

Laserprona.com – mfg in TAIWAN

-Jason