What to do if Your Laser is not Firing?

There could be many reasons why your laser is not firing. The first thing to check is whether the laser tube is lighting up when you running a job. If the laser tube is lighting up, but you are not seeing anything happening on your workspace, there are a handful of other things to check.

When Your Laser Tube is Not Lighting Up:

1) See if the Laser Tube is Disconnected

Unplug your laser cutter, remove the tube guard, and confirm that your laser tube is plugged in.

2) Check your Laser Tube's Life

Check your hour counter in your touchscreen (tools > about). Your tube should last 800-1200 hours, but can be less with really intense applications. Your laser tube likely needs replaced.

3) Power Supply Issues

If none of the above, your power supply likely needs replaced and will need to be sent in for servicing.

When Your Laser Tube is Lighting Up But Nothing is Happening:

1) Check Material Compatibility

Not all materials are laser compatible. Harder materials like stone, glass, and metal are too strong to be engraved by a 40W laser, so you will not see any marks appear even if the tube is firing.

2) Check Material Settings

It’s possible your material settings are too low in the software. Try turning up your power and heat in small increments (~10) to get a stronger laser output.

3) Check Mirror Alignment

Perform the 4 corner test to ensure that your mirrors are properly aligned. If not, then align your mirrors to improve laser output.

4) Check Tube Life

Check your hour counter in your touchscreen (tools > about). Your tube should last 800-1200 hours, but can be less with really intense applications. Your laser tube likely needs replaced.

5) Check Beam Combiner

Beam combiner could be loose. See if it wiggles when you touch it. If so, snap it back into place and tighten the screws.