Calculating the actual cost of your engraving/cutting

Beambox and beamo Family
#1

Hi there Fluxers

I was just wondering if anybody has found a good method (or formula) to calculate (or at least approximate) the cost of your laser usage? Considering the following things: lifetime + initial cost of the machine, lifetime + cost of a laser tube, and the power you use (since using more power will reduce the lifetime of your tube faster than using less power) I’m fully aware this is a very difficult exercise to make since the laser tube will degrade over time even when you’re NOT using it.
So give me your 2 cents on this. Make an educated guess. How much (euro)cents per minute? Suppose the engraving & cutting takes about 10 minutes. Again: on average. I just want an order of magnitude, not a mathematical calculation down the cent.

Thanks & happy burning!

p

#2

I too have done quite a bit of research on this subject as I purchased a ‘spare’ tube shortly after I received the Pro. I tend to lean toward an unused tube should remain in a static state rather than degrade but then I’m an engineer and always keep spares! Lots of discussion on the 'web on this!

I have installed a temperature meter and cumulative hours run meter along with the tube current meter (although the latter is available on the BBPro) menu and the former can be obtained from the front of my external CTW3000 chiller as well as the BBPro menu. I guess I’d prefer them visible all the time!

With all the parameters in the equation it would be an interesting exercise to determine tube life but whether it is worth all the hassle I really don’t know! Maybe I’ll just have a standard pattern that I’ll load up and check periodically!! I Probably won’t buy a laser power meter!

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