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FEATURE: MAINTENANCE


“Some components – especially optical fibre cables – may have a lead time of multiple weeks”


gand disc lasers always allow a plug-and- play exchange of the damaged fibre, fibre lasers often require splicing of a replacement fibre by a service technician. This can be done in the field, but very often the laser source needs to be sent to the manufacturer. Besides a number of advantages, that is the most significant disadvantage of most high-power fibre lasers.’


Meier recommends that optical


components such as the processing head and cover slide should be checked at least once a day or once a shift – and more frequently, if required. He also advises that, if changing an optical fibre, tilting the fibre connector horizontal to avoid dirt falling on the lens should be standard procedure. ‘A lot of significant and expensive issues could be predicted in advance by continuous monitoring of relevant machine signals, such as temperatures and scattering light, by experienced technicians. Laser manufacturers offer such services for the latest laser models. However, most lasers that are a few years old are not supported like that. That’s the reason we offer a manufacturer- independent monitoring service, “laser care”. This is based on a safe direct network connection, completely separated from the customer’s network environment.’


Laser users should ensure that the room in which their machine is kept is continuously above 0°C, preferably 5°C


Chiller care As part of this regular monitoring, Meier believes that there should be a yearly maintenance of the system’s power supply and water chiller, as these can be the biggest causes of breakdown. He said: ‘Two more reasons for laser systems to fail are a breakdown of the cooling system (internal circuit or external chiller) and a failure of the laser power supply. Chiller problems can usually be avoided by a exchanging the water, filter and coolant at least once a year. While a power supply failure nearly always cannot be foreseen or prevented.’ Jacobs takes the importance of the


water chillers a step further. ‘Water chillers are an effective method of keeping the water temperature down to ensure the tube doesn’t overheat. It is therefore important to keep a close eye on chiller performance and monitor any temperature indication on the chiller display. ‘Every few weeks, locate the air filter in the chiller and remove any build-up of material. Use this time to check for water contamination and change if required. Use de-ionised or distilled water as the impurities in regular water can encourage bacterial growth, clogging piping, protection devices and filters in the water circuit.’


Laser maintenance often happens in a clean room, to ensure that delicate components, such as the optics, are kept in good condition during the repair


22 LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE SPRING 2020


In addition, said Jacobs, particular care must be paid during the cold season. He explained: ‘The drop in temperature during winter months means your machine needs extra attention and TLC. There are a few pointers to effectively maintain your laser throughout winter. For example, ensure the room in which the machine is in is kept above 0°C, preferably 5°C. ‘Take extra care in rooms susceptible to


a plummet in temperature overnight. If you struggle to maintain this temperature, use an approved anti-freeze. It is important that only an approved anti-freeze is used in the coolant circuit, and the use of coloured automotive coolant is avoided, as some formulations can rust coils and damage the seals of the chiller.’ As part of a healthy regular maintenance


routine, it is helpful for users to keep to a recommended schedule that is followed by everyone, and ensure a log of any maintenance activity is kept up-to-date. Having one or more trained, internal points- of-contact is recommended to help with diagnostics, or liaise with third party repair or maintenance professionals remotely and follow their advice. This could help reduce the need for downtime and potentially costly call-outs. Maintenance contacts should be aware of what key performance indicators are tracked, such as time spent on improvements of equipment or procedures, elimination of root causes, elimination of waste, and effectiveness of planned maintenance. A visual board on the shop floor can


afford employees a greater understanding of what these indicators are and why they are important, which helps them take greater ownership of maintenance procedures. Feedback should be sought from the maintenance contacts and they should be included in continuous improvement tasks. For users of laser cutters in particular, it is a good idea to keep a small collection of essential spare parts. It is also worth checking that the supplier stocks parts locally, and can deliver on a quick turnaround.


@LASERSYSTEMSMAG | WWW.LASERSYSTEMSEUROPE.COM


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