Laser Air Assist Options
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- Опубликовано: 25 июн 2024
- Air assist is an often overlooked feature of laser cutters and engravers. In this video I test and compare 3 different options to see which one makes the most sense.
Laser Air Assist - amzn.to/3FEPBoA
Airbrush Air Compressor - amzn.to/3UN73eI
Aquarium Air Pump - amzn.to/3W3H0kC
My Favorite Tools - www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls...
00:00 Intro
00:27 Why Air Assist?
01:07 Comparison Metrics
02:11 The Contenders
04:06 Testing the Flow
06:20 Pressure Test
08:26 Airbrush Compressor Notes
09:02 Power Consumption and Noise
12:54 Conclusion Time! 
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1. Smoke acts as an obstacle for lasers, and the purpose of air assist is to clear the smoke away from the laser's path, making it more effective in cutting. This process also results in fewer burn marks as it eliminates flames and any soot.
2. An airbrush compressor can become extremely hot if operated for an extended period, while an air pump designed for hydroponics is built to run continuously. I opted for what you might call an aquarium pump for my CO2 and LED lasers.
I was surprised you did not do the only test that really counts. An actual cut test comparison.
I debated about including that. The problem is there are SO many variables. Laser power, material, speeds, etc. You can adjust each to accommodate for a lack of airflow, use tape to keep the top from burning, etc. In the end, I just wanted to compare the performance of each.
I wish I could give you 1000 thumbs up for that comment.
Nice. I was hoping you’d analyze the performance of the air assist on the Gweike laser. I’ve bypassed the filter unit on mine and now am just using that for the air assist. I’ve been thinking of getting a dedicated air assist unit (so I could just remove the air filter/pump entirely) so this video is well timed. I may just end up taking the Gweike pump out and powering it separately. Fwiw I’ve really been enjoying the Gweike. I’ve made probably over 100 prototypes for a new outdoor/travel product with it. It’s been rock solid so far. I wish it had a laser pointer and real auto-focus, but otherwise it’s been great. I have you to thank for putting me onto that unit. 🙏🙌
I was hoping you would take the laser air assist unit apart so we can see what kind of pump it has inside! Lol
I too would love to see the guts of the laser air assist.
Yes me too, sounds exactly like a little aquarium pump.
I also thought the big aquarium pump was going to blow it out of the water. 🤷♂️
They use a small radial pump inside the plastic case. Mine died in 4 months so I took it apart and they are extremely poor quality for the money
I was hoping we would see the best results on a test cut with each.
one important measurement not included in your comparison was duty cycle ... t
he aquarium pump is designed to run 24/7 the airbrush compressor is not it is designed to to start and stop.
the laser pump seems to be a nice balance between the two.
I use 2 of the 110W aquarium bubbler pumps to blow chips away on my CNC mill. have them both hooked up to the same hose with a simple T fitting. It's not perfect, but when its cutting for an hour or more at a time I didn't like my air compressor constantly on the entire time. They keep the cut clear of chips so I dont recut, and they are relatively cheap and disposable for when they do end up kicking the bucket.
Thanks for this, I am using a 30W (60 l/min they claim) air bubbler pump, but it's too weak for my cnc router, that has a long tube from the pump to the nozzle. How many l/min can your setup blow?
Thanks for that vid. If the compressor went to a small tank first, it wouldn’t be running the whole time. It would pump up to 80 and turn off until the pressure dropped. There could be a reg and a flow valve on the other end of the tank. It would still use more energy as it takes more work to get psi up to 80
I don't think the air brush compressor has a tank on it, the output goes straight to the regulator. The "tank" is the crankcase for the piston pump and the motor itself.
Agreed. The only thing on that setup that could be considered a tank is the airline drier. But that is too small to have any tank capacity...
I'm leaning towards the Air Assist unit because as of 12/13/22 Amazon has it with a $30 off coupon plus I plan on mounting my laser to a board so I can hang the entire thing on a wall when not in use (small shop, gotta save some space where I can). The small form factor & weight of the Air Assist would be perfect for my application.
With the air brush compressor will it maintain a constant 15psi for example or will it keep dropping and not be able to keep up if using that pressure for a while?
the air brush compesser does get hot when left on for a long time ?
Funny I have my 2 tank airbrush compressor for my k40 air assist for my laser cutter.. works great and I can use for painting..
also a counter top ice make as well for cooling.. Though about using one of those small college compact fridge as well to see if that may work for cooling..
Nice!
I Think also that the airbrush compressor would be the best option. It consumes way more power... but look at how long it would set idle before recharging the tank. That I think would compensate for the usage in power.....
Given that the air assist is an open airflow system, the pump PSI isn't that important. About all it needs to do is be able to overcome the pressure drop of all the air tubing between the pump and the air assist nozzle. CFM is more important for this application, but I don't know what an appropriate CFM at the air assist nozzle is ideal. You want enough to blow the smoke away from the lens and cutting surface and prevent flame ups in the cutting material. But you don't want so much that you are blowing your cutting material (or small cut-offs) around.
Yet everyone keeps yelling more psi. I wish i had the time and means to test this. I am thinking of buying a large pond air pump. One i am looking at is 5psi.
so what cfm range do most air assist machines especially made for lasers use?
@Dahna for keeping the lense cool and "clean" it takes very little. The small pumps are plenty to maintain this. But when you get into dirty material or cutting you will want more cfm.
The larger cfm is a by product of the more psi that everyone screams about.
With cfm air at the nozzle your air extraction of the unit is important. I have good results with 6" 350cfm fan. I tried more and just got more noise.
@@turboflush thankyou for your response . By "noise" do you mean sound or do you mean like a noise in a photo?
@Dahna fan noise.
My fan is mounted outside so it helps. But the air noise from rushing through the machine.
I use the air brush pump like your blue one. It will get extremely hot but I made a small wood tray that hold the pump and a 5 inch fan. The fan blowing over the pump continuously will keep it cool for 6-7 hours. As for air volume or pressure this one is more than enough. Had mine for two years and hundreds of hours free of any problems.
Same problem with mine was very worried about this burning up. But I put 2 computer fans on mine with bailing wire. 1 pushes 1 pulls and it's as cool as a cucumber..
@@MagnumPopeye I had the same issue, the aurbrush motor gets extremely hot as it is not suited for prolonged run time. I went with an aquarium pump and happy with the results
What did you use for a fitting coming off of the airbrush compressor to reduce it to fit into the skinny tubing that is attached to the laser?
The compressor came with 1/4in hose and fittings. If your compressor has a threaded output you could go to a hardware store or Home Depot and get a matching fitting( that fits the compressor) and has a tubing adapter end. Get some 1/4in tubing to run to the laser.@@wendytamburini
Good data to have. Thanks for the video. I'm currently using a HarborFreight "12V 100 PSI High Volume Air Inflator", which can cost as low as $25 when on sale, for my air assist. It seems working fine. It is loud, hot, and draws around 50W. It has no spec on its air flow though
Gotcha. I think just about any amount of consistent air flow helps.
@@RobertCowanDIY Do you get the power from a 12V battery?
@@glennablomquist3509 I'm not sure what you're asking. All the 12v options have a power adapter that just plugs into the wall.
Good video! I was surprised the aquarium pump performed so poorly! I second (or third) the request to have the laser assist one opened up. Curious what's in there!
Bummer, I should have done that before I sold it!
I'd assume you could restrict the air compressor output with an adjustable nozzle and still get plenty of airflow. That would let the compressor charge up the tank and run at a lower duty cycle so power is less of a concern. I have one of those (for actual painting) and with a typical airbrush nozzle set to full flow at constant draw it runs at well under 25% of the time and still blows pretty strong.
Gotcha, good idea.
I tried this with my air brush compressor. I pinch the line and don't get more flow out. (By my testing) actually watching this video to see what else is out there that can move more air and build more pressure in the nozzle of my cutting head to get more velocity at the cutting surface.
Entonces cual es mejor el compresor para aerografo?
Planning to get a California Air shop compressor and just run a small hose of the tank manifold. A small valve will provide plenty of flow.
Agreed. If I already have a shop air compressor with accumulation tank do I need a dedicated laser air assist?
@@keithbader683 Keep in mind that the air will be jetting out a very tiny hole in the lasers head. this is good for blowing things away, but its called a 'jet' for a reason. it provides thrust. so if u go too big u can actually move the head upwards. and if the pump vibrates in its actions and the air pressure also fluctuates u can get squiggly lines in your cut or even worse in engraving.
Would you be able to tell me what size the threads are on your adapter for the airbrush compressor? Or maybe a link to where you found it? Thanks!
I'm not sure, you can find them on the specs for the compressor. I just happened to have something sitting around, so I'm not sure what it was, it just fit.
great comparision. I bought the laser engreaver compressor and it latest 4 months and I never could get in touch with the supplier to get it replaced. So that is my only reason for not going that way a second time
I mean, which one matters most when laser engraving? Air flow or pressure? (I honestly don't know and am asking) I would think if you had a good amount of air flow coming out of your smaller tube there would be an inherent amount of pressure that would be there also...but is it enough pressure? Most of the metal you're lasing away, such as in fiber lasering, is small enough pieces that you wouldn't need a lot of pressure (I would think) but you would probably want a considerable amount of FLOW. Just my thoughts, as I am in the boat right now of considering adding air assist to my fiber setup. Thanks for the video. I think I'm liking the Laser Air Assist AND it's showing at $69 on Amazon right now.
like your Vid. The airbrush compressor doesn't have a tank it is just the motor and a piston that has a little stroke. its what i use on my adomstack x20 pro. With 120mm fan to keep it cool. it wasn't made to run constantly but i do it anyway and has not failed me yet. the Aquarium pump and the air assist pump use a diaphragm. need to add a nozzle to the equation.
Which compressor do you have and would it be able to stay at 15psi for around 40 minutes continuously?
@JoshColeHD I use one from Harberfreaght. They have some on Amazon for cheaper. I have a 120mm fan that helps keep it cool. I ran it for about 3 hours once with no problems and bet I could have gone longer.
Great, that was very informative. I think I'll go with the air brush compressor simply because it would give me a mini air compressor in my maker space. While I'm not lasering, I can use it for other things!
Hey Robert! Is the new season of battlebots started? I can't wait for another fight of copperhead.
The laser air assist seems to be the best one. 90 bucks isnt too bad tbh. I got the Genmitsu one for the FAC laser. Its a bit more powerful than the one you reviewed. Seems to be the best choice as its quiter and doesnt vibrate as much.
I think the point I tried to make was that everyone might have a different 'winner'? I'm just trying to provide some info and let people draw their own conclusions. What works best for me might not be right for others.
so what is the best range of psi for an air assist? that would be a big part of what we would use to make our decision.
I think somewhere in the ~30PSI range, but it really depends what material you're using and and if you're cutting/engraving, and how deep.
So, a year out, how is the airbrush compressor working out for you? I assume you noticed how hot it gets when running an extended time. Any fails since I don't think it has a 100% duty cycle? And most importantly, have you noticed any increased laser performance ( cutting deeper, cleaner, faster ) with the compressor. Thanks
I use one of these on my CNC router and just mounted a couple 120mm fans on top. It works well. I don't really use diode lasers, I just use the built-in air compressor on my xTool CO2.
I have been using my air brush pump however it’s noisy and gets really hot. I don’t think it’s made to run continuously and if I want to use it for painting it has to be refitted. So I ordered the Tetra aquarium pump for 60 to,100 gallon tanks ($16 on Amazon) it doesn’t put out quite as much volume as the air brush pump but it’s close enough. It’s whisper quiet and made to run continuously. At that price it’s a no brained.
Yeah, there are a lot of options out there, glad you found what worked.
Either Your pump is broken, or this "manifold" is severly limiting the air flow. I did same exact measurment with all 3 pieces of equipment You have here. And this "aquarium pump" (it's not really aquarium pump, but lets not get into that) have 17 times more airflow and 5 times more pressure than this "laser air assist". Also, Your testing is really bad, You have to point the outlet on the far outer rim of the anemometer. If You point it in center Your measurment will be extremely off. This gives me conclusion that You do not know what You are doing.
Yep, am idiot.
@@RobertCowanDIY lol I really appreciate being able to hear the differences between the units. Foxalien has a similarly looking rectangular unit with the spec of 8 to 10 L per minute. They also have a newer unit that looks completely different but it’s quoted to deliver 30 L per minute. Since I’m looking to replace my ancient air compressor in the garage that is basically a ticking time bomb, I was thinking of purchasing a “MAXIMUM 4-Gallon Ultra Quiet Portable Air Compressor” which is reportedly relatively quiet. If it isn’t, then I’ll guess I’ll invest in one of the smaller units.
@@dougw3531 Nice.
that air assist is now bundled with a ton of fittings at $60 somebody got the message
It may use more power, but it will also only run intermittently once the tank is charged. Less efficient to compress air to a higher pressure than you need though. It makes heat that ends up being lost energy.
research pressure vs. flow. also the air needs to blow through the kurf (surrounding the beam). not just air in the area. angled and offset air are not the best option.
I found with my airbrush compressor, it ran all the time, and did heat up a bit. There was no cycling at all.
If you are using more air than it can store/deliver, it will run constantly and heat up. They're originally made to run intermittently, so you might want to limit the airflow in some way so it's not running at 100% all the time. I usually only use mine in short bursts.
@@RobertCowanDIY how long would you consider running a long time continuously? And could it keep up at 15psi with no tank?
@@JoshColeHD Maybe several hours at a time?
Dont know if you look at a small air compresser. Would be more cost. Most already have regulation on it. More air if need. And if you put another storage tank on it would not kick on as much. And have other users if need
I have a small compressor, but some laser jobs take a LONG time, so having a constant stream of air is desirable.
Your pressure test should have been with a T going into a nozzle. Can't build pressure with a gaping hole in your system
The big thing that surprised me when I went shopping for air assist pumps is the lifespan on these $90 ones, they are rated for something absurdly low, in the 500h range
So it means the lifespan is too short eeh?
Interesting video. I think a better method of evaluation would have been under actual use condition. I have the Aquarium Pump & the Air Brush Compressor. I use the Aquarium Pump on my Diode Lasers (Laser Master, Laser Master 2, and a small CNC (3018) with Laser attachment. It works awesome on them, and I have never had a problem. I use the Air Brush Compressor on my OMTech K40 CO2 Laser. It workss awesome there, and, I have never had a problem with it either.
Fair, but this gives you an idea that there's more airflow out there, which might help with chip evacuation. There are a million applications for these, I'm just trying to show the comparative differences.
Try refrigerator compressor, it designed to run a-long-time...
Not like air brush compressor, not designed to run continuously for hours..
And for aquarium, it could run more longer than the laser itself.... but the flow very low...
For laser air assist, it's use radial compressor... and lifetime maybe comparable as laser life itself... or worse...
I've looked into those, good idea.
Mhh... Aren't you kind of confusing the Air Assists' purpose of _removing_ the vaporized material with how you may use it on your CNC to evacuate chips? I was under the impression of Air Assist on a Laser serving _mostly_ if not *_exclusively_* the purpose of extinguishing the inevitable formation of a flame with certain materials ( possibly also cooling down materials that may suffer from the heat caused by the Laser remaining in the material ). 🤔
AFAIUnderstand, the Air Assist improves performance by removing material including the fumes, which obscure the path for the laser. I'd say, cooling/extinguishing flames is the side effect rather than primary function.
Yes but the main reason I use it is to keep the smoke and debris away from the lens (expensive) clears the area and puts out fires.
Lol, most Laser Air Assists are actually re-boxed Aquarium Pumps.
It might have been interesting to see the "Laser Air Assist" torn down to see how they got the high CFM with such a light-weight unit.
based off this video, I bought the exact same black Laser Air Assist air pump which is now $59 and gauge as you have there, yesterday 8-5-2023 - absolute garbage!
Max PSI on that pump is 6PSI. not even worth the effort. I also would not run the airbrush compressor due to the simple fact it's not designed to run for a long time without over-heating. Better off with just an aquarium air pump
Take them apart and lets see how they're made.
so many words without example..
A flaw in your test for the airbursh compressor. It cant output 80 PSI constantly... its only doing that because you plugged it. Its not a valid test.
I'm not sure I understand? Should it NOT be plugged into power?
Sorry but this video is ALL WRONG
The airbrush compressor has not a tank, this is the airbrush compressor itself, the tank version has a slightly bigger tank on the bottom of this.
Then using different hose makes a lot of difference in the outcome.
Plus using the water trap is another think
This is enlightening, but moose air assist are fish tank pumps. Even the one that has it in it is a fish tank pump.
Don't believe? Take it apart...