Lense cleaner and q-tips required

@lasertechs we are out of cleaning buds and fluid, there are 2 bottles of mr muscle window cleaner here but is this the right stuff for the job. ie won’t remove the optic coating off the lens?

Lens cleaner is mostly isopropyl alcohol, window cleaner is a solvent cleaning agent but with other things like colour and scent. Don’t risk the window cleaner as it could do damage to the lens in several ways.
If you just need isopropyl, I’ve got some here that I use on my camera lenses.

Courty

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@Jonathan helped me out the other day and in doing so, mentioned that the window cleaner was for use on the removable red nozzle. Well, his exact words were ‘the nozzle is one of the parts you are allowed to use window cleaner on’. I’m under the impression you shouldn’t use it on the lens itself though.

When we first setup the laser cutter we had five consumables…

  1. Lens cleaner
  2. Cotten buds
  3. Window cleaner
  4. Mr Muscle
  5. Blue/white roll

The window cleaner was funnily enough for the Perspex window and the Mr Muscle was for cleaning the metal work like the ruler, bed, sides and cone. But when you look inside it’s clear that people aren’t cleaning any of it any more.

I’ll admit, I’ve only just started using the Mr Muscle to clean the red metal parts of the laser. I didn’t realise you could remove the nose-cone etc. As soon as Jonathan showed me, I adopted that in my practices.
Now, I honestly can’t remember if that was covered in my induction, so it may just be my forgetfulness…or maybe it’s not something that has been covered in great enough detail for everyone?

Either way, wouldn’t hurt to maybe stick an aide-memoir up on the wall nearby outlining the pre & post use checks/actions that everyone should be doing.

Is there a way for a pop-up to appear on the screen when you insert your fob for the tool control? Yes it’d be annoying, but at least it’d be a prompt for people to give the lens and housing a quick once over and hopefully remind people to clear up after they’ve finished using it?

This would be a good idea.

It is not connected to the computer so not easily no.

Up to lasertechs to give directions on this

Nozzle usually doesn’t get dirty…lens is usually clean, but essential to check before using

When I used it the other day, there was a white powdery residue on there. A few dabs with the Mr Muscle and it came right off.

Suppose it’s down to the materials being cut? Some must be more ‘messy’ than others. The problem is not routinely noticing your cut has created a mess. It’s not obvious unless you unscrew the nozzle and look inside.

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Just concerned that laser cutter users that don’t read discourse see the mr muscle , see that the optic cleaner is missing and use the mr muscle to clean the lens

I think the mr muscle should be removed from the area

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I think that the lens is hydroscopic , if we should be very careful about using anything with water in it

Where do we buy it and I’ll buy some now

Trotech originally advised us we can buy it from them, or save money and buy generic lens cleaner.

The main source of the white powder is etching/engraving acrylic, it looks like talc…

For cleaning, Isopropyl alcohol is one of the best solvents but it must be at least 90%+ pure (do not use rubbing alcohol, 30% water) !

Courty

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Ok, I’m back from holiday… I will purchase what’s required. Before I do, has anyone else already purchased more lens cleaner and cotton tip buds etc… ?

The cotton buds are from RS I believe.

The cleaning fluid is “Lens Clens #1

I was going to but no one replied with where this was purchased from. So no nothing ordered yet.

N