This page contains research on XYZ-Tech’s EXLAS 1280 Laser Cutter that we did before purchasing it. This wiki has a large amount of information about the laser.
Cost
- $4217 base cost CIF
- $370 motorized up-down table (adds a motor to the Z axis)
- $470 Industry chiller CW-5000 (adds a chiller to the water cooling system)
- $50 red light position (allows you to visibly position the laser)
- $90 honeycomb table (nice thing that holds stuff up while cutting it)
- $109 set of spare lenses(spare lenses are cheap, so probably should get a set now just in case)
- $170 DSP Off-line control with usb port
- ”$5476 ”subtotal
- $1289 customs/shipping/exam/wtf/fees
- $150 rent a uhaul to move it to the space
- ”$6865” total needed for laser purchase
- $252.32 double doors upgrade (DONE)
- $234 sliding wall upgrade (DO LATER)
- $534 total for the space (I propose that this be paid for from AMT’s coffers since it’s physical upgrades to the space)
Cost of replacement tube: Approx $314(tube)+$108(Shipping cost with insurance)=$422 to Oakland
Official Specs
Official specs included with quote: [https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7zfvXpex4x8NmZiZDRiNjktMzIzOS00NmNlLWIwZmItZmJmMjM3OTkyMDhl&hl=en&authkey=CNWi3-UK pdf on google docs] — note the prices are slightly different, PDF contains “FOB” quote, while I received a “CIF” quote via email.
Purchasing info / quote
Info from guy who owns one of these models, and was helping me out with it:
Actually this price is CIF so all fees should be covered all the way to Oakland, I paid FOB price which meant once it reached NYC I was responsible for customs fees and such. The only fee I’m not sure about with CIF is the final warehouse fee, and that varries for each warehouse. I will get clarification on that for you. As far as moving it, we had a large enclosed trailer, and a forklift loaded it into the trailer at the warehouse. Then we used the crating to make a ramp for the 4″ difference into my building and lifted up the feet in the crate and rolled it right into my shop with 4 people (the machine is on feet that lift up and down, along with casters) If you can, renting a box truck with a liftgate would make life extremely easy if you have to bring it down to ground level, but if you have a building with a loading dock then you’d be set with a regular u-haul truck, but it won’t fit in the back of a pickup truck. As far as liking the machine, it does everything I wanted and then some. Quality was far above what other people warned me about. No loose wires, no bad welds, a few loose screws, and like I said the loose power plug, and lid, but vibrations will work some stuff loose. All in all I’m happy! I went to post a video, but I have to shoot a new one, for some reason the video from my camera is corrupt and won’t play. Laser alignment was very east, it was only about 1-2 mm off it didn’t take long to align it. My only complaint is the troubles I’ve had getting it to work on Win-7 It took 2 days to figure out all the kinks with that and software from one of my other machines is completely incompatible with win-7 but it’s ok because it has it’s own computer with XP, but I think my experience has taught the customer svc people at EXLAS how to run it on 7 so it should go smother for the next person. I’ve had it setup for almost a month now and it works every day without a glitch.
I confirmed it, they cover all shipping cost except import taxes which were less than $100, I can go dig through my emails and find my invoice and give you an exact price.
Here is my invoice, all you would be responsible for paying would be the duty fee. Mine was $138 but that was with the CNC router, and sign cutter.
Info on DSP unit
The DSP is the only way to have a USB connection, otherwise it’s a parallel connection. And with the DSP you can do multiple engraving depths, say you want to engrave a photo and text, but you want the text to be darker and/or deeper. You can engrave the image at 20% and the text at 50%, with the non DSP unit you control the power manually with the knob, so when you would have to quickly pause the etching between one engraving and the other, adjust the knob, then restart the engraving. I have a computer set up next to the engraver as well, and I have it connected directly via USB cable, another feature that is nice is you have control over the X, Y and Z axis from your computer screen, as well as test firing the laser. Pretty much with the DSP you have all the controls of the panel on your PC as well. Without it, you can connect to transfer the file to be engraved, then everything has to be operated from the panel. It also gives your more precise control over power of the laser, with the pot knob you’re kinda guessing as to percentage, with DSP you can etch at 22% or 21% precisely and repeatedly.
== Another review ==
[http://www.cnczone.com/forums/826594-post16.html http://www.cnczone.com/forums/826594-post16.html] [http://www.cnczone.com/forums/827702-post22.html http://www.cnczone.com/forums/827702-post22.html]
==== Hi all ====
I would like share my experience between and USA laser cuter (EPLOG 1280) and Chinese laser cuter from xyz-tech . (EXLAS). We do architectural models and we did use the EPLOG for cutting and engraving mainly acrylic and soft wood. The decision come from me to employ a big laser cuter machine (120 cm*80 cm) . after a lot of browsing and checking throw alibaba.com we came to decision to order the EXLAS 1280 machine. One of the main decision was based in ordering from small or medium company size, as my business experience large company do not offer expellant online or distance after sails services. They need a local dealer to do that. We don’t have local Chinese dealer as far as I know in Saudi Arabia. We do have EPLOG one, and the service is bad unfortunately. I will be very short for the comparison according to my experience.
==== Laser tube. ====
EXLAS use 80w CO2 glass tube, it is much powerful, much more than we need actually, but we are pleased with the result in cutting 5mm acrylic from one pass,(speed 15. Power 40). With the EPLOG (30w RF tube) we need more than 5 pass same speed and 100 power. Do I like the CO2 laser, I think RF tube are stable and can run for long time (10h) with no problems, CO2, I am not sure, we need more time to find out. And we don’t need too much time for cutting due to its high power any way, I do have plan to test it heavily and I will let you know in the future.
==== Engraving. ====
EPLOG can except 256 gray bit map directly from CorelDraw it simply make you life easy just print directly to the laser driver, laser will fire more points at dark areas. And less points at lighter, EXLAS laser cut 5.3 dos only use 2 bit files so you have to do it yourself and result are so similar, the result if favor to EPLOG, it really do semi 3D engraving feeling. But with some knowledge in Photoshop you can get excellent results with EXLAS. Put in your mind if you are doing only engraving 30w laser tube has sharper result and higher resolution.
==== Architecture. ====
EPLOG and EXLAS are so similar from my point of view. I am not and electrician or mechanical engineer, but I can have an overall feeling, EPLOG looks more hardly built, but it is smaller than the EXLAS, the EXLAS design is much beautiful (I am an architect) only the cover I don’t like, Bothe machine has pass throw material, lifting table at EXLAS has 2 motors, at EPLOG only one, and one day was broken and we replaced it. Electrical and boards. Again from what I can see how the EXLAS are working it is smooth, and fast, no big deferent , but EPLOG movements seems to be smother. And less noisy. Maybe because it is smaller. The electrical mother board and power supply, and X & Y & Z drive are located nicely at the side of the EXLAS, (and all other Chinese laser) EPLOG is under the RF laser at the back of the machine, it is mint to be like that so nobody play with it only their authorized engineers. EXLAS for me is better where I can do the maintenance much easily. At my town no EPLOG or any Chinese manufacture dealer are there. I do have to admit XYZ EXLAS have excellent online distance after sails service .
==== Working ====
We did use the EPLOG for 6 years, and EXLAS for only 4 months, it is not fair to do comparison hear, but I can assure you the next 6 months we will put the EXLAS to the extreme working environment. We do have plan to build a city model (7m by 4m) (22ft by 13ft) we will do thousand of small houses cutting and engraving, hopefully the EXLAS will do most of the job, as an professional I do not recommend one machine in an office for work. You have to put in your minds a down time is always happen, even when we have only the EPLOG. We do experience a power supply broking, working table motor broken, we did scratch one mirror, still we did not replaced it yet, so another machine will be very good.
==== Software. ====
EPLOGE has a printer driver, you can use it from coral auto cad directly, EXLAS use lasercut 5.3, it is similar to the very old coral program (DOS golden days if you are old) . You have to import artwork from coral and send it to lasercut, for me it is okay, I do prefer direct sending, but also the lasercut is doing fine, it has some bugs, (as any windows base programs). Do use it carefully under windows XP only. And do not load any memory base program while firing the laser. Spear cheep old Pentium PC only for the laser will be good idea,
==== Final ====
Final product results are very similar, but Chinese laser you have to do more study and tests until you can produce perfect cutting and engraving, USA laser are much easier, something like PC users, PC with old DOS operating system, and windows, Chinese laser You have to use it carefully, get an industrial water chiller, study will about laser safety. You will need it for when you replace the tube, or test the power voltage or when you place water very close to high voltage wiring. Tomorrow at light time I will post pics about our old EPLOG, and EXLAS. Thanks an sorry for long text and bad English
==== Hi all ====
as I promise I am posting some of our early cutting and engraving using EXLAS 1280 Last cutting and engraving products..
#-Over look to the EXLAS . nicely designed I have to admit.
#-inside motor very nicely fixed & Professional ball screw lifting table with 2 motor drive
#-side reflecting mirror, easy to be alignment.
#-excellent output cutting and engraving wood at very high speed.
#-side door looking to power supply and controller.
#-Clean acrylic cutting.
My over look of the machine and its performance for our work, we are very pleased with the results. Sharp and clean cutting acrylic and wood. Engraving we do need to do some tricks in Photoshop and get excellent result from the EXLAS. For any architect need to do models, I hardly recommended over the EPLOG, it is much easy to handle and faster and cheaper. My advice don’t get 80w power you will not need it , 60 is better for us, we do have plane to get smaller EXLAS 6040 instead of fixing our EPLOG, re filing the 25w laser and getting new mirror and lens will cost us more than 2.5k. adding lettil more than we will get new small EXLAS in office. Mohammad
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