Impressions

Hi,

in this post I would like to reveal my first impressions. I'm sure this is the same thing what you have already experienced or will experience.

First impressions of the (first) package content: cheap, low quality and won't last long. But I have to admit that many parts are better than I thougth, e.g. the ventilator (which is very quiet). But to keep this post clear, I'm not going to tell you the details. This post should be more about the machine.

After the hard and exhausting unpacking I could hold the machine in my hands for the first time (not really in my hands because this thing is huge and weights around 20 kg). It is made of solid steel sheet and the case seems to be well processed. The mechanics don't look cheap and the rails and bars inside are also as solid as they should be.

After you turn on the machine you will soon notice that the motors are one of the cheapest. They make noise and strange sounds. If you have already worked with other laser cutting machines you know that they are very silent. Unfortunately the cheap sounding system adulterated the image of the machine.

Now the safety, and this is what has shocked me the most.

First of all, it has to be said that my father is safety engineer. He is more specialized on chemistry, but has also attended many laser safety trainings. I would like to list up some very dangerous thing or things, where the manufacturer has violated important international safety laws.

1. There is absolutely no certification of conformity on the machine, on the water pump or on the ventilator. In the item description, the reseller promised FDA, CE and ISO9001 compliance. You can't find a sticker or something like that on the machine. Just in case you find something like that on your machine, it's 100% fake. You can read below why this machines would never pass a european customs inspection.
2. The machine has not a single safety switch. You can operate the machine whenever you want, you don't need to close it. This is the most dangerous thing about this machine because you can't see the laser beam. The laser beam is directed to the lens by multiple reflection mirrors. If you accidentally put your hand into the beam while the machine is running, you risk burning your hand which can become a serious lifelong disability. Even the reflected laser radiation could be a problem. In most cases the laser beam is reflected when it hits the metal of the machine. The reflected rays are so scattered that they can't really damage anything around. But in some cases it could happen that some "concentrated" rays reach your eyes. Your retina starts boiling and you can become blind. The plastic glass on the cover plate absorbs the dangerous rays. Furthermore, you can easily open the cover to the power supply. There voltages between 24V and some kilovolts occur. Touching parts while the machine isn't separated from the power source can cause a fatal electric shock.
3. No emergency shut-off
4. No laser radiation warning (on the whole machine there is no label that warns you against laser radiation). There is a sticker missing that declares the laser class (this machine has laser class 4).

There are more minor things I could list up. My father is sure that the machines were imported illegally and must be destroyed when they are discovered. I don't know what happens if public authorities check the machine and what effects it could have for you. But be aware of that. At least, don't try to use this machine in a business. This could be rated as violation of working safety laws!

More will follow soon, thanks for reading!