Laser Lowrider V2

Hi all!

Any good idea for an Laser?, i think i will to 90% use it for logotypes and not cut, but sometimes i will try that to on thinner material. Have anyone here pictures and good references for lasers?, and will it works good? is better to have an real laser from 4w, instead of 15w fake laser. So if someone have good link to it, please share it to me… I’m ready to order that laser today .

Cheeers from Sweden

/Willy

I have a couple of these 3.5 watt lasers from NEJE,


they seem to work very well and, just as importantly for me, contain the PWM driver board and regulator internally. Fed with 12v. GND and a 3v3 PWM signal they perform flawlessly. They will cut balsa at about 0.75mm per pass at a decent speed and will engrave all mannor of substrates. They also have an integrated thermocouple should you want to utilise it for temperature control - I never bothered. NEJE have store on Aliexpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/For-NEJE-MASTER-Series/5424142_516764072.html

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Thank you. Excellent chooise
I will try that

/Willy

Hi Guys, has anyone tried these NEJE lasers with a Rambo Mini? so 12v goes to fan. what about the PWM ? Do i need to modify some pins for it to work? @dart1280

“so 12v goes to fan”…Noooooooo…the connector on top of the laser unit is a 4pin PH2.0 (red: 12V, black: GND, yellow: PWM, green: temperature signal), the integral fan on the laser is internally wired to the 12v and gnd…so the fan is always on when the 12v is connected…forget about the fan!
Red to +12v
Black to gnd
Yellow to the PWM output pin on your Rambo
Green not connected to anything unless you want to see the diode temperature. Instructions here

I don’t have a Rambo anything so I’m not in a position to advise you on configuring your board, a quick google search un-earthed some details about having to move a limit pin to make room to assign a PWM capable pin for PWM output… Maybe someone else with practical experience can chime in with some details…

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Awesome thanks. I think I know now what you mean. PWM is 3.3v on this laser and Rambo mini I think does 5v on the pin once you assign it as free. Wondering if that would be a problem?

Now the Rambo is connected to a 6A power supply for its main. Would that be sufficient for the 3.5w or did you go with a seperate power supply? Cheers

6A will be fine…I run mine off a 3A supply (its a bit cheeky but it doesn’t seem to be a problem)

I personally wouldn’t risk a 5v PWM signal. It may be fine - but these things cost folding money whereas you can buy 10x 5 to 3v3 level change boards for a couple of $US here…dead simple to wire up
5v pwm in to the HV1
3v3 pwm out from LV1
3v3 to LV
5v to HV
gnd to either gnd pin

I am assuming the Rambo has 3v3 available somewhere or else you will also need a 3v3 regulator.
you could also just use a resistor voltage divider…less accurate but simpler.
5 to 3v3 dropper

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Great thanks for the advice.

I’m familiar with the CO2 cutting, but the diode on the low rider 2 will be my firt attempt.
I looked about it on youtube, and so far, 15w diodes was very disapointing, i don’t think it’s realy 15w…
The 7.5W seems to be ok.
I’m looking for a good 7.5w or a true 15w, if anyone knows one who meets those requirements, please tell me :slight_smile: (for relativly cheap)

In other hand, i can give you advices for other things :
A blower is absolutly mandatory : it will reduce fire hasard, smoke and other thing. Your work will be much much cleaner.

Due to the wave lenght differences, a diode cant cut transparent PMMA, witch is a bommer. But it can do other things, like engraving metal…
Thank you for all your advices

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When I last looked the highest power 455um laser diode was 6.5 watts output power. Any manufacturer claiming @15 - 20 watts is kidding you by quoting the input power. To get anywhere near 20 watts with a LED laser you need a LED laser array. I believe the jury is out on engraving metal with a 6~7 watt laser…perhaps David (dkj4linux) could offer some actual testing results with his new NEJE 20Watt (Input power: approx. 12V2A, about20W (without fan power)
Output optical power: 5.5W)
module!!

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The wavelength matters too. Not just wattage. I don’t know enough to know what wavelengths are good for engraving metal, but a 50W diode can’t cut the same things as a 50W CO2 tube.

@dart1280 I think you’re right. I was thinking the 15w was 2*7.5w in array, but i think it’s a scam.

Do you have link of the diodes you talking about please ?

@jeffeb3
it’s what i was saying, i dont understand your reply.

I’m sorry, english is not my native tonge.

It was a while ago but here is a link that might be of interest.

If you are looking at engraving metals and not just burning paint off a metal surface then you are going to need some serious folding money…https://endurancelasers.com/an-endurance-brand-new-fiber-marking-module-for-metal-engraving/

Well, it was fun while it lasted… and I’m not gonna be much help. The “20W” laser played out this morning and now only puts out the very weakest of beams. I had cut a few rulers and was trying different feeds/speeds/focus and all of a sudden it decided it had had enough. It still responds to intensity and on/off control commands but no longer has the power, even at 100%, to mark the material. While it was running it was indeed more powerful than my little 2.5W laser but missing the finer spot of the lower powered unit. Still usable, however… until it wasn’t. There was no overheating or visible signs of damage but, thinking back, it is quite probable that I killed it… there is considerable static electricity this morning and I’ve gotten “bit” numerous times, touching various things around the house; i.e. doorknobs, light switches, engraving machine, etc. Oh, well… you’d think at this late date that I’d learn and/or know better :roll_eyes: