Your Epilog CO2 laser system uses the latest in laser technology to provide a powerful tool that is simple and safe to setup and operate. The Epilog Laser can mark, engrave, and cut a variety of non-metallic materials.
The CO2 laser beam itself is invisible and operates at a wavelength of 10.6 microns. The beam is about half the diameter of a #2 pencil. Unfocused, it will just make an ugly burn, leaving lots of charred material behind. The focus lens gives the beam an hourglass shape. At the center point the energy density is concentrated, allowing the very precise and clean material removal that is characteristic of laser engraving. The center of the hourglass is the focal point.
In Class 2 mode, the laser beam path is completely enclosed within the cabinet. Please do not disassemble or modify any of the covers or windows on the machine. If at any time you notice that the laser operates with an access door open, please contact Epilog technical support immediately.
The laser has two basic operating methods. For cutting (vector), the laser is driven along a path and the laser is left on all the time. The path could be the outline of a letter or a geometric shape like a circle. The laser will cut entirely through the material, separating the part from the background. For marking (engraving), the laser is swept across the work from left to right, and the laser is turned on and off at the correct points to produce the first line of the image. Then the carriage advances one line and the process is repeated, eventually assembling a full image.