Recommended Maintenance: MIRA

Applies to: MIRA 5, MIRA 7 and MIRA 9

This guide shows how to maintain your MIRA laser: the recommended schedule and the cleaning techniques for the laser head and optics, camera, exhaust system, honeycomb tray, blades, laser bed and chiller, plus care of the environment the machine runs in. Good maintenance maximizes the life of your machine and keeps it performing at its best.

Maintenance schedule

What you need

• Powder-free nitrile gloves
• Electronics air duster or compressed air
• Isopropyl alcohol, 90% or higher
• Microfiber cloth
• Lens wipes
• Allen key set
• Bottle brush, or a similar small scrubbing tool
• Distilled or reverse osmosis water
• Funnel
• Bucket
• Towels
• Citrus cleaning spray
• Screwdriver
• Vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment
• Dryer vent brush or lint brush

Laser head and optics

Lens

How often: after 40 work hours, or as needed.

Access the lens

1. Place something under the laser head, on the honeycomb or blades, to catch any small pieces that would otherwise drop into the bed of the machine.

2. Using a 2.5 mm Allen key, remove the two M3 Allen bolts and lock washers that hold the auto focus assembly and lens housing to the laser head.

   

3. Carefully rest the auto focus assembly on the gantry, safely out of the way, and slide out the lens housing.

   

Clean the lens

Replace the lens if the coating has any scratches, chips or discoloration.

1. Blow on the lens with an electronics air duster or compressed air to remove debris. Debris left on the lens can damage the coating when you wipe it.

2. Using isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) and a microfiber cloth or a lens wipe, carefully clean the lens in a sweeping motion from left to right.

Replace the lens

1. Using a 1.5 mm Allen key, loosen the three Allen bolts that hold the lens in the lens housing.

   

2. Remove the lens and set it aside.

3. Fit the new lens.

4. Tighten the three Allen bolts and plastic washers.

5. Reinstall the housing on the laser head.

Mirror 3

How often: after 40 work hours, or as needed.

Access Mirror 3

1. Using a 1.5 mm Allen key, remove the two M1.6 Allen bolts that hold the mirror in place, and set them aside.

   

2. Remove the Mirror 3 boomerang, the retainer that holds Mirror 3 in place, and set it aside.

   

3. Lift Mirror 3 out with a piece of painter’s tape.

   

Clean Mirror 3

Replace the mirror if the coating has any scratches, chips or discoloration.

1. Blow on the mirror with an electronics air duster or compressed air to remove debris. Debris left on the mirror can damage the coating when you wipe it.

2. Using isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) and a microfiber cloth or a lens wipe, carefully clean the mirror in a sweeping motion from left to right.

Replace Mirror 3

1. Remove the damaged mirror from the housing.

2. Wipe or blow any debris out of the mirror housing.

3. Gently place the replacement mirror in the housing on the laser head, with the reflective (gold) side facing down towards the lens. If your replacement mirror is not gold coated, place it with the reflective side facing down. Most silver coated mirrors that are reflective on both sides have a small arrow on the rim showing the orientation.

4. Put the boomerang back over Mirror 3.

5. Screw in the M1.6 Allen bolts.

Mirror 2

How often: inspect it when you clean Mirror 3, and clean it if it is dirty.

1. Blow on the mirror with an electronics air duster or compressed air to remove debris. Debris left on the mirror can damage the coating when you wipe it.

2. Using isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) and a microfiber cloth or a lens wipe, carefully clean the mirror in a sweeping motion from left to right. Do not push too hard, or you may need to realign the machine.

Mirror 1 and beam combiner

How often: inspect them when you clean Mirror 2.

Because of where the mirror bracket sits, you should rarely need to clean or replace Mirror 1 or the beam combiner. Contact support@aeonlaser.us if this area needs attention.

Auto focus sensor

How often: as needed.

1. Blow air into the auto focus sensor with an electronics air duster or compressed air to clear away debris.

2. Using isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) and a microfiber cloth or a lens wipe, carefully clean the outer surfaces of the sensor and pin.

Nozzle

How often: as needed.

1. Using isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) and a microfiber cloth or a lens wipe, carefully clean the outer surface of the nozzle.

2. Unscrew the nozzle and clean the inside the same way.

   

3. Reinstall the nozzle and make sure it is screwed on tightly.

   

Camera

How often: as needed.

1. Blow on the camera with an electronics air duster or compressed air to remove debris. Debris left on the lens can damage the camera when you wipe it.

2. Wipe the camera with a lens cleaner in a sweeping motion from left to right.

   

Exhaust system

A clean exhaust system prevents fire hazards, keeps the machine efficient, improves indoor air quality and keeps you in line with safety standards.

How often: every 3 to 6 months.

1. Remove the external exhaust hose from the machine.

2. Using a bottle brush or similar tool, clean the accessible surfaces of the fan so it runs efficiently. On the MIRA 7, bend the top of the bottle brush so it can reach inside the fan.

3. Check the duct hose for holes or damage. Remove any large debris from the hose with a vacuum or a dryer hose cleaning brush.

4. Reinstall the exhaust hose on the fan. Make sure the hose and fan are properly connected and sealed.

Honeycomb tray

How often: every 6 months, or as needed. If you start to see build-up, it is time to clean.

1. Remove the honeycomb from the laser bed.

2. Soak it in a citrus cleaner, such as LA’s Totally Awesome. A small plastic pool is a great place to clean a honeycomb tray.

   

3. Rinse off the cleaner with water. Do not use a power washer, which can bend the honeycomb.

4. Air dry the honeycomb tray quickly so it does not rust.

Blades

How often: every 6 months, or as needed. Clean them when you clean the honeycomb tray.

1. Remove the blades from the laser bed.

2. Clean them with a citrus cleaner and towels. Soak them if stains are hard to remove.

3. Rinse off the cleaner with water.

4. Dry the blades quickly with towels so they do not rust.

Laser bed

How often: every 6 months, or as needed. Clean it when you clean the honeycomb tray.

1. Vacuum any large debris out of the laser bed.

2. Wipe down the laser bed with a citrus cleaner and a towel. Spray the cleaner onto the towel, not directly onto the bed.

Chiller

Changing the chiller water routinely removes contaminants and clogs from the system and keeps cooling at its most efficient.

How often: every 2 to 3 months.

MIRA 5

1. Unplug the machine from the wall outlet.

2. Find the chiller on the right side of the machine, next to the E-Stop button.

3. Place a bucket under the water outlet.

4. Insert the spigot into the drain outlet and let the water drain from the chiller into the bucket.

5. Remove the spigot.

6. Open the water inlet and, using a funnel, refill the chiller with about half a gallon of distilled water.

7. Close the water inlet.

MIRA 7 and MIRA 9

1. Unplug the machine from the wall outlet.

2. Find the chiller on the back of the machine.

3. Place a bucket under the water outlet.

4. Unscrew the water outlet cap and let the water drain into the bucket. If the flow seems slow, remove the water inlet cap.

5. Once the water has fully drained, screw the water outlet cap back on.

6. Unscrew the water inlet cap.

7. Using a funnel, fill the chiller with distilled or reverse osmosis water until it reaches the “FULL” section of the fill gauge.

8. Screw the cap back onto the water inlet.

Add algaecide

Algaecide reduces the chance of algae growing in the laser tube. We recommend adding some to keep the internal components of the chiller clean and extend its life.

1. Drain all the water from the chiller.

2. Add 2 to 3 drops of aquarium algaecide per gallon of distilled water.

3. Refill the chiller with the algaecide and water mix to the “FULL” section of the fill gauge.

Recommended algaecide: Tetra Algae Control Water Treatment.

Environment

The MIRA 9 has an AC compressor and can operate as long as it stays above freezing. It runs best between 60 and 90 °F (15 to 32 °C). The MIRA 5 and MIRA 7 need an environment with a little more temperature control. The right setting for your workspace depends on the dew point and the location of the machine.

For the cold months, see Winterizing Your Laser.

In extreme temperatures, if the exhaust vents outdoors, disconnect the exhaust duct hose from the machine so outdoor air does not connect directly to it.