Frequently Asked Questions

Email Support

Customer Support Email

support@omtechlaser.com

Phone Support

Contact Number

+1 (949) 539-0458

About OMTech

We are a U.S. based company selling quality CO2 laser engravers and fiber laser markers, as well as laser parts, accessories, software, and more! We strive to provide excellent U.S. based technical support and timely customer service to our users. 

Our headquarters and showroom are located in Anaheim, California. We have warehouses in California, Tennessee, and New Jersey.

OMTech Laser and Orion Motor Tech are “sister companies”. Orion Motor Tech currently sells laser engravers, as well as auto parts and more on Amazon and eBay. In early 2020, the laser engraver and fiber laser marker product lines branched out and formed what is now, OMTech Laser. 

Additional Information

Yes. It stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

We offer a large selection of DIY Craft Kits made readily available on our website. Our store is continuously updated with holiday projects, special occasion gifts, and more. Once you checkout, you’ll receive the highest quality SVG file ready for laser processing.

You only need eye protection when the hood is open and mirror alignment. 

This depends on the model of your machine. All CO2 Laser Engravers that use LightBurn are compatible with MacOS, version 10.11 and higher.

If you are a customer from Amazon or eBay, please submit your questions to help@cs-supportpro.com 

Air Assist

The air assist performs 4 major functions: extinguishing the flame, evacuating the kerf for deeper beam penetration, cooling the edges of the kerf to prevent drooping and reweld of plastics, and, finally, it keeps smoke and particulates from depositing on the lens. 

By upgrading your air assist, you will have better laser penetration into the stock, thereby, increasing your cutting capabilities. It will also help restabilize the edges of plastics so they don’t droop into the kerf and potentially reweld the gap left by the beam. You can read more information about the essentials of an air assist here.

Beam Alignment

That doesn’t matter at all. As long as it’s coming through the nozzle dead center and normal to the plane of the work surface, then you are ready to go. For more information on beam alignment, check out our article here.

Cameras

No. EZCAD2, LaserDRW and RDWorks do not support camera functions. However, any of the lasers that come with RDWorks are supported by Lightburn, which is compatible with cameras. Recently, we have added a LightBurn compatible motherboard for our K40 desktops to our product lineup. By upgrading the motherboard, you will be able to add a camera. 

If you’re using Lightburn, you can add a camera and order one here. 

The best camera would be the one with a wide enough angle to cover the entire bed. You can check out LighBurn’s selection guide here for more information. 

Cooling

A chiller is a self -contained dedicated closed-loop system for keeping your laser tube at the nominal operating temperature. It contains a coolant reservoir, a radiator and a pump. Some chillers include a compressor as well.  

No, you do not need a chiller; however, it is convenient . For occasional use, a 5 gallon circulating bucket shouldn’t have an appreciable rise in temperature to adversely affect the lifespan of the laser tube, and you can use ice packs to regulate the temperature. Beyond an hour of lasering, it becomes more an issue of practicality than anything else. Changing out ice packs takes freezer space, and, every time you open the lid of the 5 gallon bucket, you risk introducing contaminants and debris to your coolant. For more information on the benefits of a water chiller, click here. 

The 3000 series is great for light duty use in temperature controlled environments. The 5200 series is recommended for applications that aren’t in temperature controlled environments for sustained usage or medium or high power usage. Finally, the 5202 is internally the same as the 5200 but with double the inputs and outputs. This is ideal for people running multiple lasers or 2-tube lasers. 

You can use Propylene Glycol (RV antifreeze) and distilled water at a 1:1 ratio. 

Exhaust

That really depends on where you install the laser. If you have a strict lease on a retail space, you may want to invest in an air purification system. If you’re operating out of a garage, it’s much less likely you’d need to upgrade any kind of exhaust system since you can duct directly outside.

That occurs simply because you likely didn’t wait long enough for the built-in exhaust fans to move the entire volume of smoke through the exhaust duct. The built-in exhaust fans are designed to clear the volume of the cabinet in 18-30 seconds from the time the job is completed. 

NO! DO NOT TIE IN TO EXISTING VENTS OR DUCTING. In some cases, this is a hazardous situation. Additionally, an ember could make it through the exhaust fan of the laser and ignite any dust or particulates settled in the existing duct line. It may also set off gasses from sewage vents, creosote from chimneys, and fuel pooling in exhaust systems., and more. Please ensure that ALL laser exhausts remain independent from other exhausts and dust collection systems. 

Yes, this is doable; however, do not exceed 600CFM in the exhaust system. Too much airflow can cause the bed to vibrate moving the workpiece out of alignment with the motion system. 

Your inline fan should match the flow rate with the internal exhaust fans (100CFM) if you’re leaving the internal fans in place to prevent back currenting into the mainboard. Alternatively, you can remove the internal exhaust fan altogether, but do not exceed 600 CFM as this could affect the accuracy of the laser motion system. 

If the fumes can't be discharged outdoors or if you are working with a material that produces a lot of fumes, it is recommended to purchase an air purifier.  

Focus

This is a matter of personal preference. Focusing a laser isn’t challenging, but it can be intimidating. If you feel intimidated by the idea of focusing a laser, get the auto focus; however, take the time to learn how to focus your machine manually once you’ve gotten the hang of the machine.

Just like photography there are many techniques that can be employed by knowing how to manually adjust the focus.

Our Resource Hub offers a wide selection of blogs and articles that can help you with a variety of issues. Feel free to check out our blog on laser focusing here. Also, you can watch this video on how to focus your Co2 laser for both manual and auto focus machines here. 

The different focal lenses have different jobs. Shorter focal lengths provide higher detail on etches and engravings, while longer focal lengths provide the ability to cut through thicker stock sizes. View our collection of lenses here.

Machines

Finding the right OMTech machine can be often overwhelming. We get it! With so many wattages, bed sizes, focus types, and other components, the options seem endless. Check out our Ultimate Laser Engraver Buyer's Guide for an in-depth overview on our different machine options and what to looks for.

The CO2 laser beam is safe with necessary precautions. However, the fiber laser beam requires extra safety measures including specialized laser eyewear. 

Here at OMTech, our machines prioritize ease of use. That being said, we provide an instruction manual and user-friendly controls, as well as U.S. based technical support for additional assistance. 

Desktop lasers are often used for small-scale operations like arts & crafts and hobbyist projects, whereas mid-range and high power laser engravers are for large-scale ventures performed by various business industries. Both are capable of engraving applications such as wood, glass, leather, and acrylic. The mid-range and high power however have better cutting capabilities. Fiber markers ,on the other hand, are designed for metal materials and hard plastics. Fiber markers are more powerful and engrave quicker than desktop and cabinet lasers by concentrating the laser beam into a thinner point. 

The average wavelength of our CO2 laser engravers is around 10,000 nm. 

Yes, it can! We recommend to take out the non-fixed parts in the machine or fix them before tilting. 

The laser can't be used in a low temperatures. If the temperature is low, it is recommended to add antifreeze or drain the water in the laser tube every time you finish using the machine. 

Yes! You only need to be online to download software, but, after that, you can operate the software and machines without the internet.  

Please Refer to section 2.5 of your manual for a more comprehensive list and safety guidelines, but you can use a variety of materials including various plastics, wood, ceramics, glass, textiles, leather, rubber, stone. Additionally, you can remove finish coatings (type I/II anodization, paint, powder coat) from metals to expose the bare metal below the finish coating, and you can mark on raw metals with a marking spray.
You may find your CO2 laser manual in our Download Center or in the product page of your laser.

Materials

The speed and power settings would vary depending on the machine you have and the material you are working with. Please visit our technical support team’s typical parameter settings for more information.

¼” (5-7mm) cast acrylic is the best material to use when setting up your laser and getting a good feel of how your laser works. We recommend using acrylic because it minimizes the variability or your stock when getting used to your laser. Wood can/does warp causing inconsistencies in your engravings and cuts. You may find a large selection of acrylic and other materials available in our store here.

Materials that should not be laser engraved with our machines are leather containing chromium, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl butyral. Polytetrafluoroethylene, beryllium oxide, and any materials containing halogens, epoxy, or phenolic resins. 

Yes, you can! With the help of one of our CO2 Cabinet Laser Engravers of 55W+ and a rotary attachment, you can engrave tumblers and other mugs. 

Our fiber lasers are designe d to engrave metal and non-metal materials like hard plastics. 

Optimization

In order to engrave multiple parts at once, you want to minimize the number of changes in direction of your laser head and the total travel distance. Whatever you are engraving, arrange your items in a pattern that will reduce the number of path changes. 

Parts

In the product listing for each item, we have links available that will lead you to the correct page for your machine. You can locate these links and additional information under the ‘Buy It Now’ button for each product.

For replacement parts not offered on the website, please contact support@omtechlaser.com with a photo of the serial plate on your laser, and a photo of the part itself along with a description. Please make sure to include your original order number and your current shipping information. 

Rotary Axis

All the rotary axes we offer have different advantages. The roller style rotary is best suited for customers running shorter cylindrical objects because it can accommodate 2 coffee mugs, or 3 cylindrical rocks glasses. The 3 jaw chuck rotary can accommodate the smallest diameter objects such as pens, chopsticks, darts, etc. Finally, the 4 wheel style rotary is the most versatile right out of the box. It is most often used for tapered objects such as coated stainless steel tumblers, pint glasses, shot glasses, and stemware. For more information on the best rotary attachment for you, including setup, check out our blog here. 

In order to resolve this issue, remove the honeycomb bed followed by the knife bed. Next, place a platform, such as a piece of plywood, in the dust collection tray and set the rotary on the platform. 

Shipping, Warranties and Refunds

For warranty parts, please contact support@omtechlaser.com with a photo of the serial plate on your laser, and a photo of the part itself, along with a description. Please provide video evidence of any malfunctions via your preferred file sharing site, such as: Onedrive, DropBox, or Google Drive. Please make sure to include your original order number and your current shipping information.

Shipping Fee will be determined by the weight of the product and the distance. Please refer to the price on the checkout page for shipping Fee. 

On average, orders are fulfilled within 72 hours of payment confirmation. 

On average, shipping will take approximately 7-14 business days after fulfillment. However, with recent slowdowns caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, expect shipping to be delayed up to 14 business days. 

Once your order is confirmed, you will receive a tracking code within 72 hours. However, due to unprecedented shipping demand caused by the pandemic, it may take longer. Please copy and paste this number into the assigned carrier's website (i.e. UPS, FedEx, etc.). 

On average, you will receive a confirmation email within 72 hours of your placed order, followed by the tracking number. However, you can always reach our customer support at https://ca.omtechlaser.com/pages/contact-us 

We now ship to the United States, Canada and to certain EU countries. 

We ship to all U.S. states. All lower 48 states will receive free shipping; whereas, Hawaii and Alaska orders will have a shipping fee. 

Yes, we do! We currently offer a 2-year warranty on all machines, machine parts, and hardware. We offer a 1-year warranty on laser tubes and power supplies of 70W and up, 6-month warranty on laser tubes and power supplies 40W—60W. You can find more warranty information on the listing for each product.

You have 30 calendar days to return an item from the date you received it. For more information, you can read our policy at https://ca.omtechlaser.com/policies/refund-policy 

Once we receive your item, we will inspect it and notify you that we have received it. For more information, you can read our policy at https://ca.omtechlaser.com/policies/refund-policy 

Software and Manuals

You can download the software for your laser in the Download Center on our website or on the product page of every machine.

  • RDworks is compatible with:
    • Windows 10
  • Lightburn is compatible with:
    • Windows 10
    • MacOS
    • Linux
  • LaserDRW is compatible with:
    • Windows 10
  • EZCAD2 is compatible with:
    • Windows 10
  • CorelDraw is compatible with:
    • Windows 10
    • Windows 11
    • MacOS

You can also locate which software is compatible with your operating system within the product listing of each machine.
 

There are a few ways you can do so. With RDWorks or LightBurn, you can prepare an .RD file and bring it over on a USB flash drive, you can also communicate directly with the laser via a USB cable. If you are using LightBurn, you also have the option to send a file to your laser over an ethernet network (or ethernet crossover cable). 

You can find the current version of the manual in the product listing for each laser, or in the Download Center on our website.

Our 40W Desktop model include Laser draw, Corelaser and WinsealXP 2013. The K40 Whisperer is compatible, but not included.

 

Our 50W models and above include RDWorks and Corelaser. LightBurn and CADlaser are compatible, but not included. 

Once you purchase a class, you'll receive the files and videos for the class which you can watch unlimited times. In terms of mastering the software, we recommend watching the training at least 3 times. 

Technical Support

The lasers come with a built-in air pump and exhaust fan. The air pump can be found inside the machine cabinet and the exhaust fan (depending on the model of machine) can be found on the left side of the machine or on the rear. 

We recommend using white lithium grease on your machine. You will use this on the linear guide rails (X,Y axis) and on the ball screws (Z,U axis).

The socket at the back can connect chillers, water pumps, air purifiers, etc. Any components like the air pump or exhaust fan that are built into the laser do not need to be plugged in. 

No. This is not necessary because the outlet should already be properly and adequately grounded.

No. That is not possible without heavy modifications .

The K40 laser cannot be upgraded. The cabinet style lasers can be upgraded, but the laser power supply and the laser tube both need to be replaced with equal components; for example, a 60w laser tube will need a 60w power supply. In some cases, mirror mounting brackets and laser mounting brackets need to be changed as well to accommodate the tube diameter changes.

The ideal operating temperature is between 50 - 90F, and the ideal storage temperature is 40 - 120F. Anything under 40F will need to be weatherized appropriately.

We'd recommend a 20A or above. 

Our 40w lasers have a 42 two-phase four-wire stepping motor.
On all other machines, the motor used on the X, Y axis is (Kangda) 57 two-phase four-wire stepping motor. The
motor on the Z axis for auto focus machines is a 86 stepper motor and for motorized machines is an AC single-phase motor. 

Class 4

Yes. The honeycomb bed can be removed.

Yes, auto focus can be added to a manual focus machine.

KT332 - Password to restore the factory parameter: RT6666
RDC6442/6445 - Password to set the default parameter: HF8888
RDWorks - Password for vendor setting: RD8888 

Wattage and Power

The higher wattages are larger bed sizes mainly to accommodate the larger physical dimensions of the higher wattage laser tube. Higher wattage tubes are longer, thus the larger cabinet to enclose the tube makes more sense. Larger cabinets, in turn, have more room for larger bed sizes. 

No, that is incorrect. It is easier on a lower power machine because they’re set up with engraving in mind since they are installed with a short focal length lens. The higher wattage machines are set up with cutting in mind since they have a medium focal length lens installed. Additionally, there is more flexibility with the power settings on lower power machines making it easier to dial in a high quality etch or engrave. 

In North America, a dedicated 20 Amp 110 volt circuit is required to run a CO2 laser with a chiller. Please power up the laser first, wait 8-10 seconds for the capacitors to charge then power on the chiller.