We are just having one of our 250 Omnichrome lasers rebuilt now. We
retube them as 40 mW. The cost is $9,300. Also, we send in the power
supply for a check over and for matching to the laser. The cost for
this is $250. Even though we buy a 40 mW retube, we have never seen one
come in as such. Usually, it is around 35 mW at the head. The power
typically drops a few mW in the first hundred hours or so and then
stabilizes. For maximum laser laser life, we will remelt every 1,000
hours.
Omnichrome was bought out by Melles Griot. Since then their retubing
time has increased dramatically. Years ago we could have a laser turned
in less than a week, then it took several weeks. They are now quoting us
5 weeks. Since we have two SLA250 and a SLA500, it doesn't hurt us to
have a machine down for this long, but if you had only one machine and
no laser core to rebuild, it would be worth it to pay 3D Systems top
dollar to get one right away.
Melles Griot just purchased Liconix, so now the Liconix laser people are
in the same boat as rest of us.
Ross Gates
Select Mfg. Services
Muskegon, MI
ross@selecteng.com
www.selecteng.com
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