Fusion Pro 32 CO2

Features

Specification

 

Extraction

 

What is Laser Fume?

 

Lasers are now an essential tool in industry for cutting, marking and engraving a vast range of materials. In virtually all these operations some form of fume is given off as the laser thermally decomposes the substrate to a greater or lesser degree. This fume is a mixture of particulate and gaseous matter.

Fume from materials such as metals and glass is mainly particulate, the majority of which is less than 1µ (micron) in diameter. Organic materials, particularly plastics, produce much more complex fumes which require a greater level of extraction. Most of the particles are spherical and roughly 90% by weight are less than 1µ in diameter. These particles fall within the respirable range and need to be removed from the working environment to prevent bronchial or lung damage. These gaseous organic compounds produced are known as Volatile Organic Compounds, VOC's.

CSI have teamed up with BOFA International to offer a range of self contained fume extraction systems to suit your chosen laser and create a safe working environment.

 

BOFA AD 1000iQ

 

BOFA’s Advantage Oracle fume extraction and filtration system has been designed to provide a cost effective solution for light duty applications. This compact and extremely quiet system is ideal for use in schools, sign making workshops, small scale industrial environments and light laser coding applications.

Dats Sheet

Standard Features

• Filter condition display
• Built in silencing
• High airflow and pressure rates
• Filters with long life an low replacement costs
• Reverse flow filter technology
• Automatic flow control system
• DeepPleat DUO pre filter
• Combined HEPA/Gas filter incorporating ACF technology
• Real time airflow reading
• Independent filter condition monitoring, display and warnings
• High contrast display
• 'Run safe' operation
• Remote diagnostics via USB

 

Optional Features

• VOC gas sensor (Volatile Organic Compound)
• Remote stop/start interface
• Smart filter technology
• Filter change / System fail signal
• On board compressor
• Optional filter media's
• Interfacing with host laser

 

Direct to Air

Depending location and site requirements it may be possible to use direct-to-air fume extraction for your laser with a simple 'in line' fan or utilise an existing in house system. Please consult with our engineering team to discuss options.

Data Sheet

Materials Used

FAQ

 

 

What is a Laser?

The word LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In basic terms it is a source of light energy that is concentrated in a small area using a series of mirrors and a lens. Rather like concentrating the energy of the Sun through a magnifying glass to burn on a hole in paper on a hot summer's day!

 

What are the advantages with a laser system?

If you are comparing a laser with mechanical engraving then there are several advantages. Laser engravers are generally faster than mechanical systems. They are very quiet and a lot cleaner. There are no mechanical forces used in the engraving process so there is no need to clamp or stick your material to the bed. You don't have to worry about the tool size or how sharp it is, the laser uses the same spot size whether the image is 2.5 x 2.5mm or 250 x 250mm. You can use any typeface on your computer and logos are as easy to engrave as text.

 

How easy is it to use?

Think of a laser as you would a standard printer which you have at home or in the office and that instead of ink you have light energy. You create your image as you would for a normal document in black and white and then send it to print on the laser through the Epilog driver or 'Dashboard'. If you already work with graphic design software, you can be up and running in minutes! There is no proprietary software to learn so you can use the programs that you are already familiar with to make the transition into laser engraving as smooth as possible. 
It will take a bit of trial and error to learn what speed and power settings to use with different materials, but we include a comprehensive guide with your system that has recommended speed and power settings for various materials with which you will be working

 

Do I need to use a dedicated graphic software package?

Epilog laser systems do not require proprietary software. They are open architecture which means you can use most mainstream graphic software to create your images and then send them directly to print on the laser via the Epilog driver (dashboard)

 

What sort of images can I engrave or cut?

You can engrave scanned photos, logos, bitmaps, other images, text, and AutoCAD files. Essentially, if you can print it, you can engrave it. To cut, you will need a vector based graphic, such as an .eps or Illustrator file and again if you can create it the laser will cut it! Keep in mind the higher the quality of the graphic you're working with, the better your engraving results

 

What materials can I engrave or cut?

Epilog offers 2 types of laser source. Co2 gas and Fiber solid

With a Co2 laser you can engrave and/or cut a vast array of materials including paper, card, textiles, leather, wood and plastics to name but a few. With metals a Co2 laser requires the material to have some sort of pre treatment such as lacquer, anodising or compound like CerMark or Thermark. Glass can be marked directly or also with the aid of a compound. Please note that glass or metal cannot be cut using a Co2 laser source.

 A Fiber laser operates at a totally different wave length to that of a Co2 and is designed as a marking tool mainly for metals and industrial plastics. The benefit of using a Fiber laser is that these materials can be marked directly without the need for pre or post treatments. A fiber laser will not cut materials

 

Is it safe to use?

Yes, the laser is completely safe to operate. It is a Class 2 laser - 1mW CW Maximum 600-700 nm, which means that the laser is secured with interlock devices so it will not run with the doors of the system open. No special safety gear is required to run the laser

 

What are the computer requirements?

Investing in a new computer is a great way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your new laser equipment. A good computer won’t make a huge difference in how your laser runs, but when compared to a slow computer it will save untold amounts of time and frustration setting up the artwork that you “print” to the laser. Many users do not purchase new computers for use with their new laser because their current computers are perfectly adequate. There’s no magical cut-off that makes a computer too slow. If you’re comfortable with the performance and speed of your current computer, there’s probably no reason to purchase another one. The following recommendations are just options to consider if a new computer is necessary.

A new computer doesn’t have to be expensive to work well! Even many of today’s lower-cost computers work well for laser applications. As long as you don’t buy the cheapest computer you can find you should be fine. One thing to avoid is the Intel Celeron processor – while they are good processors, and will work with the laser, they don’t process graphics with the speed most laser user's desire.

• Operating System: All new Epilog lasers are designed to work with all versions of Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 or 8 operating systems. The Fusion Laser Series is also compatible with Mac operating systems OS X 10.7 and higher.
• RAM (Random Access Memory): 512 MB is recommended. RAM is kind of like short-term memory. It’s fast, readily available for the computer to access and makes time consuming tasks go much quicker if you have lots of it. Most users won’t notice a difference if they add more than 512 MB to their system, but almost all uses will notice the speed difference that 512 MB provides when compared to 256 MB (256 MB is essentially the next step down from 512 MB).
• Processor Speed: A faster processor will allow you to do more tasks in less time. While it’s not necessary to purchase the fastest processor available, you’ll want either an AMD Athalon processor or an Intel Pentium IV processor (do not purchase a computer that is using an Intel Celeron processor – they’re too slow for graphics applications). Processor speeds are always improving, but processor speeds of about 2.0 GHz or faster are a good place to start.
• 10/100 Network Interface Card (NIC): All new computers have a 10/100 network connection as standard equipment. As well as allowing multiple computers to be linked together in a network, this technology also allows direct printing from the computer to the Epilog system. Epilog supplies a network Crossover cable with each laser system that allows one computer to print to a single Epilog system.
• 20-30 GB Hard Drive: This is the permanent memory in your computer. Many users feel that you can never have a large enough hard drive, but for most laser applications 20 or 30 GB’s is going to be adequate for years of storage. Luckily, most computer manufacturers put at least 20 GB drives in new computers these days. When in doubt, buy bigger than you think you might need. It’s so inexpensive that it’s worth the peace of mind to have it available

 

Why do I need fume extraction?

When laser marking or cutting materials they will give off some form of fume as the laser thermally decomposes the substrate to a greater or lesser degree. This fume is a mixture of particulate and gaseous matter.

Fume from materials such as metals and glass is mainly particulate, the majority of which is less than 1µ (micron) in diameter. Organic materials, particularly plastics, produce much more complex fumes which require a greater level of extraction. Most of the particles are spherical and roughly 90% by weight are less than 1µ in diameter. These particles fall within the respirable range and need to be removed from the working environment to prevent bronchial or lung damage. These gaseous organic compounds produced are known as Volatile Organic Compounds, VOC's.

Your Epilog laser must have some form of fume extraction fitted. This can be a simple in line fan ducted from the laser direct to open air or a self contained fume extraction system to suit your chosen laser and create a safe working environment

 

What does the air compressor do?

The air compressor is designed to work with the included air assist feature of your laser system. It directs a constant stream of air onto your cutting surface to remove heat and combustible gases from the work area. This jet of air is pushed through the air assist structure, giving better results when cutting

 

Can I engrave cylindrical items?  

You can engrave onto cylindrical items using one of Epilog's rotary attachments. These devices are extremely user friendly ,easy to fit and accommodate various diameters depending on the laser model:

• Zing 24: 5.25" (133.35 mm)
• Mini 18: 3" (76.2 mm)
• Mini 24: 5" (127 mm)
• Helix 24: 8" (203.2 mm)
• Fusion 32: 10.75" (273 mm)
• Fusion 40: 10.75" (273 mm)
• FiberMark 24: 4" (101.6 mm)
• FiberMark Fusion: 7.75" (196.85 mm)
• 3-Jaw Chuck Style Rotary: 6.5" (165.1 mm)
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Which materials are unsafe to engrave or cut?

Hydrogen Chloride and Vinyl Chloride (mostly found in PVC and other man made materials) are hazardous to the life of your laser system. Engraving and cutting these materials can cause irreversible damage to your machine, so determining the components of your cutting and engraving materials is extremely important. Materials, such as Kydex, contain PVC.

Try to determine the chemical makeup of any product prior to lasering. Where possible request a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). This sheet is designed to provide the proper procedures for handling or working with a particular substrate and contain the elements used to make up the material. It will also indicate whether or not it contains elements that are potentially harmful to you or your engraving system

 

What is the cost of a laser?

The cost of our various laser systems is determined by speed (stepper vs. servo motors), engraving table size, and laser wattage (ranging from 30 watts to 120 watts). They can be bought outright or leased through one of our finance partners. Our entry level laser is the 30 watt Zing 16 and can be leased for as little as £45 per week subject to terms and conditions. For more information on how to own your own laser please contact our sales team