A dirty lens reduces laser power and causes poor cutting quality. Regular lens cleaning maintains optimal performance and extends lens life. Clean your lens when you notice reduced power, inconsistent cuts, or visible residue on the lens surface.

Handle with extreme care

The lens has a specialized optical coating that is easily damaged. Always wear gloves, use only 70% alcohol, and handle the lens by its edges only. Never touch the lens surfaces with bare hands.

Required materials

• Clean workspace with good lighting
• Lens paper (specialized optical paper)
• 70% isopropyl alcohol
• Hand air pump blower
• Latex or nitrile gloves
• Flathead screwdriver (small)
• Clean white paper (to work on)

Prepare your workspace: Make sure the area is clean and dust free so the lens does not get contaminated during cleaning.

Step 1: Remove the lens shaft from laser head

The lens is located inside the lens shaft, which sits in the laser head. You need to remove the entire lens shaft first.

Disconnect air hose and autofocus sensor

1. Remove air hose: Push down the blue ring on the air coupling and pull up the hose

2. Disconnect autofocus sensor (if equipped):

   • Locate the black plug with silver ring at the top of the sensor
   • Twist the silver ring counterclockwise
   • Pull the plug straight up and out

Remove lens shaft

3. Loosen fixation bolt(s) on the laser head by turning counterclockwise

4. Carefully remove the lens shaft from the laser head

Step 2: Disassemble the lens shaft

Take the lens shaft to your clean workstation.

1. Remove nozzle and nozzle mount by unscrewing, set aside

2. Note the lens position: If your lens shaft has multiple threaded positions (top and bottom), remember which position the lens is in. You must reinstall it in the exact same position.

3. Put on latex gloves to protect the lens coating from oils and fingerprints

Extract the lens

4. Loosen the lens fixation ring using a small flathead screwdriver:
   • Insert screwdriver tip into one of the small notches in the ring
   • Apply gentle pressure and rotate counterclockwise
   • Be careful the screwdriver does not slip and damage the lens
   • Once loose, continue unscrewing by hand

5. Hold the lens shaft carefully:
   • Hold the shaft at the top
   • Let the lens fixation ring, white lens ring, and lens sit at the bottom
   • Carefully unscrew the fixation ring completely
   • Do not drop the lens (it is fragile and will break if dropped)

Step 3: Clean the lens

Set aside the lens fixation ring and white lens ring. Hold the lens carefully by its edges only.

Remove loose dirt

1. Use the hand air pump blower to remove loose dust and particles
   • Hold the pump at an angle to the lens surface
   • Blow air across the lens, not directly into it
   • This prevents particles from scratching during wet cleaning

Wet cleaning process

2. Prepare the lens paper sandwich:

   • Place one sheet of lens paper on your clean white paper
   • Place the lens on top of the lens paper
   • Place another sheet of lens paper on top of the lens

3. Apply alcohol:

   • Add 1 to 2 drops of 70% isopropyl alcohol to the top lens paper
   • The lens paper should be damp, not soaking wet

Use only 70% alcohol

Using any other cleaning product will permanently damage or remove the optical coating. A damaged coating cannot be repaired. The lens must be replaced.

4. Wipe the lens clean:
   • Gently pull the top sheet of lens paper across the lens in one smooth motion
   • Do not scrub or apply pressure
   • The lens paper will lift dirt and dry the surface simultaneously

5. Clean the other side:
   • Flip the lens over
   • Repeat steps 2 through 4 for the other side
   • Inspect both sides to ensure they are completely clean with no streaks or residue

Step 4: Reassemble the lens

Once the lens is completely clean and dry, reassemble the lens assembly.

Critical: Check lens orientation

The convex (curved) side must face UP toward the mirror. Installing the lens backwards will cause:

• Incorrect focus height
• Poor cutting quality
• Thick, unfocused beam

Assembly order (from bottom to top):

1. Lens fixation ring (threads facing up)
2. White lens ring
3. Lens with convex side facing UP
4. This assembly screws into the lens shaft

Remember the position

Install the lens in the exact same position in the lens shaft where you removed it from. Wrong position = wrong focus height.

Step 5: Install lens shaft back into laser head

1. Screw the lens assembly into the lens shaft from below
   • Hold the lens shaft in one hand
   • Hold the lens assembly (fixation ring, white ring, lens) in the other
   • Carefully thread the fixation ring into the lens shaft
   • Tighten snugly but do not over-tighten

2. Reattach nozzle and nozzle mount to the lens shaft

3. Insert lens shaft into laser head

   • Align the shaft with the mounting hole
   • Push firmly until fully seated

4. Tighten fixation bolt(s) on the laser head by turning clockwise

Reconnect air hose and autofocus

5. Reinsert air hose into the air coupling

   • Push the hose into the coupling until you hear a click
   • Gently pull to verify it is locked in place

6. Reconnect autofocus sensor (if equipped):

   • Locate the small alignment pin inside the plug
   • Align the pin with the hole in the sensor (only fits one way)
   • Push the plug straight down into the sensor
   • Twist the silver ring clockwise to lock

Do not force the autofocus plug

The plug has a small pin that must align with a hole in the sensor. Forcing the plug in the wrong orientation will break the pin, requiring replacement of the entire cable assembly. Take your time and ensure proper alignment.

After cleaning

Your machine is now ready to operate. Test with a small job to verify proper focus and cutting quality.

Need help? Submit a ticket if you experience issues after cleaning.

Cleaning schedule

• Light use (education): Clean every 2 to 3 months
• Medium use (creative): Clean monthly
• Heavy use (production): Clean weekly or when power drops

Signs you need to clean:

• Reduced cutting power
• Inconsistent engraving depth
• Poor edge quality
• Visible smoke residue or dirt on lens surface