I have the pro, I use in my classroom, and we just are really using this. I have yet to clean the lens. I thought that the only thing a dirt lens would do would be effecting the accuracy.
Anything wrong with letting this go? I am surprised its holding up so well, I use it a lot for the classroom. over 500 students a year!
I think it is always a good idea to follow the stated maintenance practices for a tool. Cleaning the lens is not a difficult process.
There is a lot of things, from burning more than cutting, to burning the dirt on the lens and damaging the lens permenantly.
Yes. You should always follow known recommendations for keeping machinery clean. In this case itâs every 40 hours of use. For some of us thatâs once a year. For you it might be once every 2 weeks. Youâll have to track your own use-hours since Glowforge doesnât tell you.
See below for details:
If the optics get dirty, it will no longer cut thru material, so if itâs still working fine, youâre good there.
The biggest concern would be how clogged up the fans are, especially the exhaust fan. A visual inspection is a good idea and, if it needs cleaning, take care of it as soon as you can.
The small air-assist fan on the head itself is also something to pay attention to, but not as frequently as the exhaust fan.
Yes, you need to clean the lenses and camera & fans. The period between cleanings will vary by the material you use. Draft board is super messy and will clog up the fans really fast. Acrylics may not be as dusty, but sometimes you can get deposits of the acrylic back on the lens.
The first thing I notice is loss of effective power if the lens is not clean. And worse will happen if you donât clean.
And if the camera is dirty, you wonât be able to see the bed clearlyâit will look darker and blurry.
All elements of the laser system can be affected, and as others noted, can lead to damage to your machine and have expensive consquences.
If youâre not cleaning the inside of the unit, not only are the lenses affected, but the exhaust fan can also get clogged up, and this has a dramatic impact on the performance. Debris falling through the crumb tray needs to be cleaned up as it could impact the airflow and exhaust.
And since this is in a classroom, you have a great opportunity to teach your students that itâs important to take care of their tools to ensure they are always ready for use and maximize their life. And you can do a lesson on how a laser works and why itâs important the mirrors are clean!
First rule in lasers is keep your optics clean. The wavelength of infrared is just light until it touches something, then itâs heat. Dirt on the lens hinders transmission, and If the energy isnât transmitted itâs deposited - it can burn the lens.
I sure wish my school had lasers! 
'zactly.
Posted:
I see that youâve already received some good information from our other community members. Thanks folks!
Are you having any issue with print results or material not cutting through? Below is some general information about operation as well as steps for cleaning your unitâs optics.
To cut successfully, there are three important things to check. First, your material must lie flat. This requires a clean, properly installed crumb tray and flat materials. Second, there must be no obstructions, dirt, or damage preventing the laser light from reaching your material. Third, your design must be set up properly - for example, with lines that are fully on the material and that are set to cut. Itâs hard to know which issue might be affecting your print, so please thoroughly inspect your unit and design according to the suggestions below.
If the Crumb tray is mispositioned or holding bits of material from packaging or printing, it could keep your material from lying flat. Even a millimeter difference in height could affect your laserâs ability to cut.
Even when the Crumb Tray is clean and flat, the material may not be lying flat on the surface. Some materials can develop a curve (called âwarpâ), and warped material may not cut through consistently. The problem is especially likely to occur if the print is large.
Your Glowforge unitâs laser is powerful, yet it can be stopped by a tiny amount of dirt or damage to the lens or windows. If something gets between the laser light and your materials, they wonât cut through. Hereâs how to check for damage and clean your lens and windows at the same time.
1. Remove Printer Head
Turn off your Glowforge. Grasp the printer head as shown, and pull gently up and back to disengage the magnets and remove it.
2. Remove lens and check for scratches or dirt.
Look at the lens on the tool. It should be resting on top of the tool like a bowl, with the top open and with the orange-colored optics on the bottom. If itâs upside down, it wonât work properly.
Gently slide the lens off the lens tool. Be careful to touch only the metal ring to avoid fingerprints on the lens.
3. Put the Lens Back In
If the lens appears clean, you can put it back.
4. Replace Printer Head
Review instructions for snapping in your printer head, then put the head back on.
5. Inspect the Head Window and the Laser Window
Once youâve inspected and cleaned, please try another print. We included an extra piece of Proofgrade Draftboard with your materials shipment for troubleshooting. Please print the Gift of Good Measure on Proofgrade Draftboard and let us know the result. If it doesnât print well, please let us know the date and time of your print and send photos of the front and back of the print.
Please let us know if youâre having any issue with your print results. Thank you!
Itâs been a little while since Iâve seen any replies on this thread so Iâm going to close it. If you still need help with this please either start a new thread or email support@glowforge.com.
