Related Manuals for Omtech POLAR 350
Summary of Contents for Omtech POLAR 350
- Page 1 V20221021 OLAR 50W D ESKTOP ASER NGRAVER OWNER’S MANUAL Read Carefully Before Use Keep for Future Reference...
- Page 2 PREFACE Thank you for choosing the OMTech Polar 350 as your new laser engraver! Your CO₂ laser engraving machine is intended for personal and professional use. When used in accordance with these instructions, the Polar is a Class 1 laser system but some components remain extremely dangerous.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
CONTENTS 1. Introduction ............................... 1 1.1 General Information ........................... 1 1.2 Symbol Guide .............................. 2 1.3 Designated Use ............................2 1.4 Technical Specifications ..........................3 1.5 Components ..............................4 2. Safety Information ............................. 8 2.1 Disclaimer ..............................8 2.2 General Safety ............................. -
Page 4: Introduction
The Polar 350 works by emitting a powerful laser beam from a glass tube filled with carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen, and insulating gases; reflecting that beam off three mirrors and through a lens; and using this focused light to etch designs into certain substrates. -
Page 5: Symbol Guide
Safe and legal disposal of this product requires special considerations. 1.3 Designated Use The Polar 350 is intended for use engraving signs and other consumer products on applicable substrates. This laser can process a wide variety of materials including wood and cork, paper and cardboard, most plastics, glass, cloth and leather, and stone. -
Page 6: Technical Specifications
1.4 Technical Specifications Model Polar 350 Input Power 110–120 V ~ 60 Hz Power Consumption 600 W Rated Power 50 W Expected Service Life 11,000 / 10,000 / 8,000 hr. at <40% / 40–70% / >70% Power Laser Wavelength 10.6 μm (10,600 nm) Diameter 2.2 in. -
Page 7: Components
1.5 Components Main Components A A A A B B B B C C C C D D D D B B B B E E E E F F F F G G G G H H H H I I I I J J J J K K K K... - Page 8 P. LED Light Strips—These integrated lights help keep your workbed easy to see. Q. Camera—This fisheye camera helps you position your designs precisely. R. Water Tank—This tank helps keep your laser tube cool and stable. It arrives full of OMTech antifreeze but can also be replaced with distilled water.
- Page 9 G G G G A A A A H H H H B B B B D D D D C C C C E E E I I I I F F F F Rear View A. Beam Attenuator—This dial provides a master power control for your engraver. It should be turned completely clockwise to enable your software to use the engraver’s full power range.
- Page 10 Rotary Axes A. Rotary Aviation Plug—This plug should be covered during normal engraving. When you will use the rotary axes, the 4-pin connection will power and direct the rotary motor. B. Rotary Switches (covered)—These switches redirect power and control from the Y-axis motors to the rotary axis connection and back again.
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Page 11: Safety Information
2.2 General Safety Instructions • Your Polar 350 should come with warning labels in the following locations: If any of these labels is missing, illegible, or becomes damaged, it must be replaced. -
Page 12: Laser Safety
2.3 Laser Safety Instructions When used as instructed, the Polar 350 is a Class 1 laser system safe for users and bystanders. However the invisible engraving laser, the laser tube, and its electrical connections remain extremely dangerous. Used... -
Page 13: Electrical Safety
• DO NOT ever under ANY circumstances use this laser engraver if the water cooling system is not working properly. Always visually confirm that water is flowing through the entire system before turning on the laser tube. Immediately stop use if the water cooling system malfunctions. If the system pauses operation because the coolant has reached its maximum temperature of 122°F (50°C), allow at least thirty minutes for the system to cool before resuming operation. - Page 14 • DO NOT ever under any circumstances use this laser engraver if the exhaust system is not working properly. Always ensure that the exhaust fan can remove the dust and gas produced by the engraving process in accordance with all applicable local and national laws and regulations. Immediately stop use if the exhaust fan or vent pipe malfunctions.
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Page 15: Installation
INSTALLATION 3.1 Installation Overview A complete working system consists of the laser engraving machine, its integrated air assist and water chiller, its vent and exhaust fan, its control computer, all applicable connection cables, and the laser key. The cabinet can receive designs and commands from the control computer directly from its USB cable or remotely from its wireless network or ethernet cable. -
Page 16: Unpacking
3.3 Unpacking Your Engraver Your new Polar 350 arrives in a wooden crate with its accessories (including this manual) packaged inside the main bay. You should have placed the crate in a spacious flat area for unpacking, ideally near where you plan to operate the machine permanently. -
Page 17: Main Power
Open the cover and confirm that the plastic tank to the right of your main bay is full. The integrated water pump should arrive with about 1.6 quarts (1.5L) of OMTech coolant already in place. This should not require replacement during the first year of service, but refill it if the tank ever seems below two-thirds full before activation. -
Page 18: Wifi
123456abc If it does not appear, you may need to reconfigure your own device’s TCP/IP address. The default address of the Polar 350’s wireless network is . You will need to set your computer’s wireless network 192.168.1.100 card to use a similar but not identical address. Use for the first three sections and choose a unique 192.168.1... -
Page 19: Security
Taking care not to expose yourself to seeing or being hit by any possible reflected laser light, open the cover as little as possible. The laser should pause automatically and then restart once the cover is closed again. If the laser continues to engrave the design while the cover is raised, the automatic shutoffs are not working and must be repaired before the engraver can be used. -
Page 20: Operation
OPERATION 4.1 Operation Overview Operate the Polar 350 only in accordance with all the instructions provided in this manual. Failure to follow the proper guidelines detailed here can result in property damage and personal injury. This section will address only some of the options and features provided by the operation software. Before... - Page 21 Material Thickness Offset Inches Value 0.000 17.000 2.540 14.460 3.175 13.825 5.080 11.920 6.350 10.650 7.620 9.380 9.525 7.475 10.160 6.840 12.700 4.300 0.59 15.000 2.000 These are the values for materials passed through or placed at the level of the workbed. For thicker materials, find their height relative to the bed’s usual level, roughly 2¾...
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Page 22: Rotary Instructions
4.3 Rotary Operation Instructions The Polar 350 comes with two separate 4-wheel rotary axis devices to engrave round and cylindrical surfaces. Use Rotary Axis 1 for larger items and use 2 for smaller ones. Step 1 Create your design that you'd like to engrave. You can do this directly in your engraving software or use any other graphics program. - Page 23 Ceramics When engraving on ceramics, generally use moderate to high power. Using more loops rather than higher power and lower speed can help avoid cracking the material during work. Be mindful of the health risk posed by dust generated from ceramic engraving, especially for repetitive industrial applications. Depending on the material and the amount of work, a fan or even full ventilation system may be required to address the problem.
- Page 24 much power or at too low a speed can concentrate too much energy, causing the plastic to melt. Among other problems, this may produce poor engraving quality, noxious fumes, and even fires. High resolution engraving can cause the same problem, so medium to low resolution designs should be preferred for most plastics.
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Page 25: Maintenance
MAINTENANCE 5.1 Maintenance Overview The use of procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous laser radiation exposure. Before any cleaning or maintenance work, always switch off the device and disconnect it from power. Always keep the system clean, as flammable debris in the working and exhaust areas constitutes a fire hazard. - Page 26 Cleaning the Main Bay and Engraver Take care to NEVER touch the surface of any of these windows, mirrors, or lenses with your finger. Avoid pressing hard enough to cause scratches by grinding debris into the lenses. The 1st and 2nd mirrors are permanently aligned within a protective housing and should not require adjustment or cleaning.
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Page 27: Cooling System
5.4 Laser Path Alignment The Polar 350 goes through a complete beam alignment before shipping and its design should keep your mirrors locked into their proper positions at all times. If you wish to test the alignment by using the laser to mark pieces of tape along its path to your material, remember to never place the tape directly on any mirrors or lenses;... -
Page 28: Parts Replacement
QR code to the right. Join the OMTech community at our official laser group on Facebook or visit the company forums at our website! For helpful hints and instructions videos, visit our channel on YouTube and, if you encounter any problem regarding your engraver, do not hesitate to contact our support team at techsupport@omtechlaser.com.