Align Mirrors on my Laser Cutter

Aligning the mirrors on your Thunder Laser machine requires a bit of patience. All of our machines have the same mirror alignment setup, so these resources can be used no matter which Thunder Laser machine you own.

Signs Your Mirrors Aren't Aligned Properly

Inconsistent Cutting or Engraving Quality: If the laser beam does not hit the same spot on the third reflective mirror when the laser head moves to the four corners of the working table, it indicates a misalignment. This can lead to uneven cutting or engraving quality across the workpiece .
Difficulty in Cutting Through Materials: If the laser cutter struggles to cut through materials at certain points of the same piece, this could be due to the laser beam path not being aligned properly. The focus may be lost due to the bending of the material or an uneven working table, affecting the cutting performance .
Alignment: Your Print and Cut marks aren’t lining up properly

READ THIS FIRST!
Important Notes:

The Red Dot Pointer is a visual only and it is a separate light that is not the same as the Laser Tube. If you find yourself attracted to the red dot like a moth to a flame, place a piece of tape over the Red Dot Pointer for the duration of the alignment until you get to the part where you align the Red Dot to the Laser Pulse Spot.

1. Make sure the gantry is mechanically aligned else you will have trouble with mirror 3: (See Nova X and Y Verticality Adjustment)

2. Understand that the Red Dot is secondary to the Laser Beam. Mirrors are set to the Laser Beam, not the red dot. Do not fall into the trap of the red dot.

3. Adjusting a mirror adjusts both the Laser Beam Path and the Red Dot Beam Path

4. Adjusting the Red Dot Pointer is done by adjusting it in the stand it is mounted in and is the last step of alignment

5. Check your alignment first before making adjustment . Pulse a different piece of tape over mirror 3 entry with the Laser head in each of the 4 corners and evaluate

6. Start at mirror 1 always. Do not go to the next mirror until the previous one is set

7. To adjust the burn spot at mirror 2, adjust mirror 1

8. To adjust the burn spot at mirror 3, adjust mirror 2

9. To adjust the burn spot at the nozzle exit, adjust mirror 3 (Verticality)

10. Know that when you initially loosen the stop rings on the adjustment knobs you may inadvertently adjust the alignment.

11. Know that when you tighten the adjustment knob stop rings, you may inadvertently adjust the alignment. Spot check with a pulse

12. When tightening the silver screws for the mirror brackets, do not over tighten, snug is enough

13. Adjust the Pulse Power of your laser depending on your wattage using the max/min settings for the tube from the MENU button

14. Red dot is not the same as the beam spot, see note 2 above. It’s worth repeating. You will fall for the Red Dot visual and mess your alignment up worse.

15. Verticality of the beam is more tolerant of deviations with the 2″ Lens than the 4″ lens due to the distance the beam travels after being focused and the narrow exit of the nozzle cone

16. When starting the verticality step, you may need to swap to the larger opening nozzle cone or remove it entirely to find the laser beam spot

17. You will need tape and patience, lots of one or lots of the other. Be methodical about it. Small adjustments.