ACMER XMetal Setup, Operation & Maintenance Guide

Safety and Required PPE

The manual requires operators to read the safety chapter before using the equipment. Laser hazards cannot be treated in the same way as ordinary light sources. Direct radiation, mirror-like reflections and diffuse reflections can damage the retina, cornea and skin. The welding process can also produce ultraviolet radiation, blue light, hot spatter, fumes, noise, sparks and fire hazards.

Required personal and area protection

Optical and reflected-beam safety

• Never look directly into the welding nozzle, optical output or fiber-optic output connector.
• Do not position the laser or related optical output equipment at eye level, and do not use the laser in a dark environment.
• Do not point the torch toward another person or place any part of the body in the expected reflection cone.
• Use additional precautions for highly reflective materials such as aluminum and copper, and keep the opposite side clear of personnel and flammable materials.
• Inspect the output lens and following optical components for dust or debris before operation. Contamination can burn the lens and damage the optical system.
• Install, inspect, clean, calibrate and focus optical parts only with the laser off and the AC power disconnected.

Electrical, gas, fire and fume hazards

• Confirm the correct AC input voltage, wiring and protective earth before power-on. All cables and connections must be treated as potentially hazardous.
• Keep gas cylinders upright, secured and away from impact, heat, sparks and flames. Use a regulator, hoses and fittings suitable for the selected gas and pressure.
• Remove combustible materials from the work area. Never weld a container that holds flammable or combustible material; if its contents are unknown, treat them as flammable.
• Place a fire extinguisher within easy reach and ensure personnel are trained to use it.
• Use ventilation and exhaust equipment to remove welding fumes, vapor, particles and hazardous debris. The manual notes that fumes may affect the lungs, heart, kidneys and central nervous system.

Operating environment

Use the machine in a dry, cool, clean and ventilated location below 2,000 m altitude. The manual lists an operating temperature of -10 to 40 °C and an operating relative-humidity range of 10% to 85%. Keep the lower air intake clear for approximately 1 m around the machine and keep approximately 1 m above the top outlet unobstructed. Remove dust and dirt from the intake filter periodically.

Machine Structure and Interfaces

The front, rear and side panels contain the controls, electrical connections, gas connection and external-control interfaces used during setup and operation. The manual requires screen, torch, wire-feeder and other external connections to be made only while machine power is off.

Welding torch status indicators

The copper nozzle is part of the welding contact circuit. It must form a circuit with the workpiece before welding can be carried out.

Connections and Installation

Unpacking and transport inspection

The machine is shipped in a foam-insulated wooden crate with foam shock absorbers and an impact indicator. Before opening the crate, inspect the outer packaging for visible transport damage and check the package label, model code, serial number and shipping information.

1. Record and photograph any visible damage to the packaging before opening it.
2. Open the crate and remove the accessory package carefully.
3. Remove the machine without breaking, crushing or damaging the fiber-optic cable.
4. If damage is found, notify the freight forwarder immediately and preserve the packaging.

Power and grounding

1. Keep all machine switches off and provide a single-phase 200-240 VAC supply.
2. Use a copper-core power cable with a cross-sectional area of at least 4 mm² and a current capacity of at least 30 A.
3. Do not connect the machine directly to a household power strip.
4. Connect L to 220 VAC, N to 0 VAC and PE to protective earth. Confirm that the wiring is correct before startup and never leave PE disconnected.
5. Install the 32 A circuit breaker recommended in the manual between the power unit and the laser.
6. Connect the dedicated electrostatic grounding lead to the machine grounding point and external grounding point.

Safety lock

Before turning on the laser, connect the safety ground lock to the laser loop interface. Before emission, attach the alligator clip at the other end to the workpiece so that the clip and welding head form a circuit. The clip may be connected only to the workpiece; connecting it to the welding torch is strictly prohibited because it can create a risk of accidental laser emission.

Shielding and cutting gas connection

The welding head uses inert gas for protection and cooling. The manual specifies nitrogen or argon with 99.99% purity, a pressure-reducing flow-meter valve with a nominal flow of 25 L/min, and a hose with 6 mm outside diameter connected to the Gas In port.

Gas pressure must be adjusted according to the welding material and material thickness. For gas-flow adjustment, the manual instructs the operator to select the normally open gas-valve mode in Advanced Settings and adjust the flow to 15-20 L/min.

Screen and Operating Modes

The machine uses a 7-inch industrial screen connected to the host through a serial interface for control and status monitoring. Connect or disconnect the screen only while machine power is off. On first use, read the safety notice and select Agree before entering the operating interface.

Simple Mode

Simple Mode is designed for direct setup. Select the material, plate thickness and welding method, then select Laser Enable and the master switch. Wire feeding is enabled by default after the selections are made; turn off Wire Feeding Enable when filler wire is not required.

Home-page controls and status

Professional Mode parameters

Professional Mode provides detailed parameter editing. Values can be selected directly on the screen and entered with the numeric keypad. The laser power, scanning frequency, scanning amplitude and wire-feeding speed correspond to the values shown on the main page.

Laser output modes

Settings, status and information

The Settings interface is password protected and contains Device, Laser and Status sub-interfaces. The Information interface shows the machine model, software version, torch serial number, main-control serial number, torch version, system version, wire-feeder version, authorization date, machine time and expiration date. Status information includes total operating time in 10-minute units, power PD voltage and fan duty cycle.

Wire Feeding and Fish-Scale Mode

1. Prepare the wire-feeding nozzle, the bracket with its integrated wire-feeding tube, and the matching copper nozzle.
2. Install the wire-feeding tube and manually feed the welding wire until it passes through the bracket.
3. Install the wire-feeding nozzle on the bracket.
4. Install the bracket on the welding torch and tighten the fixing screw before welding.

Continuous wire-feeding parameters

Fish-scale pattern

The manual provides two methods. On the Home page, enable Fish Scale Pattern and select one of the two built-in parameter sets according to the welding effect. In Professional Mode, change wire feeding to Pulse Mode and adjust the pulse period, wire-feed speed and smoothness.

The manual identifies these as reference values. During operation, adjust them according to welding-wire material and model, laser power and weld width.

Pre-start Check and Startup Sequence

• Read the safety instructions and confirm that the laser-safe work area is enclosed, access controlled and marked with warning signs.
• Confirm that all personnel near the welding area are wearing suitable laser eyewear, face protection, gloves, protective clothing, hearing protection and respiratory protection as required.
• Remove flammable materials and unknown containers, provide ventilation and keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach.
• Inspect the protective lens, focusing optics and copper nozzle for contamination and damage.
• Confirm that the power wiring, protective earth and dedicated electrostatic grounding connection are correct.
• Confirm that all electrical, shielding-gas and grounding connections are secure before use.
• Connect the safety lock to the loop interface and attach the alligator clip only to the workpiece.
• Confirm that the inert-gas cylinder, regulator, hose and fittings are suitable and correctly connected.
• Install the wire-feeding tube, bracket, welding wire and matching nozzles before enabling laser output.
• Keep the fiber-optic cable free from crushing, impact and tight bends.

1. Connect rated power to the approved breaker and machine.
2. Connect the safety lock to the loop interface.
3. Connect the 6 mm shielding-gas tube and open the cylinder valve.
4. Turn on the rear power switch.
5. Release the emergency stop and turn the key switch to ON.
6. Use the touchscreen to enter the software interface and set laser power, scan amplitude, scan frequency, gas timing, slow rise, slow fall and output mode as required.
7. Adjust shielding gas to 15-20 L/min.
8. Attach the safety alligator clip to the workpiece.
9. Enable the laser and main control on the display.
10. Position the torch correctly, confirm nozzle contact, then press the trigger.

Maintenance and Optical Care

Before using the machine, inspect the protective lens for cleanliness and damage. The manual warns that a dusty or damaged protective lens can damage the focusing lens, extension tube and welding nozzle and can affect the welding result.

Cleaning equipment and preparation

• Lint-free optical cleaning cloth and lint-free swabs.
• Anhydrous ethanol with a concentration above 99.5%.
• Clean masking tape.
• Powder-free gloves or finger cots and a clean, dust-free work area.
• A microscope with approximately 20× magnification for protective-lens inspection.

Protective lens

1. Turn off the laser switch and disconnect the power supply.
2. Loosen the locking screw and remove the protective-lens holder from the torch head.
3. Seal the open lens chamber immediately with clean masking tape.
4. Wipe the complete protective-lens window with an optical cleaning cloth moistened with anhydrous ethanol.
5. Inspect the surface under a microscope at approximately 20× magnification.
6. If dust or particles remain, moisten a swab with ethanol, shake off excess liquid and gently move the contamination toward the edge. Replace the swab after use.
7. Inspect the surface again, install the clean lens in its holder, insert the holder and tighten the locking screw.

Focusing lens

1. Turn off the laser switch and disconnect the power supply.
2. Unscrew the focusing-lens compartment and remove it slowly.
3. Seal the open compartment with clean masking tape.
4. Wipe the full focusing-lens surface with an optical cleaning cloth moistened with alcohol.
5. Remove remaining dust with a fresh moistened swab, moving in one direction toward the lens edge. Do not wipe back and forth.
6. Return the lens to the focusing-lens compartment with the convex surface facing the torch muzzle, then tighten the screws.

Optical-cleaning restrictions

• Do not reuse lint-free cloths or cotton swabs.
• Do not touch a protective lens, focusing lens or swab tip with bare fingers.
• Do not blow contamination from a lens with the mouth.
• When compressed air is used, blow from the side rather than directly into the optical surface.
• Do not leave an open lens chamber unsealed.

Wire-feeder routine maintenance

Common Alarms and Safe Checks

Service and Warranty

Before requesting service

1. Read the operating and maintenance instructions and complete only the external checks described in the manual.
2. Contact ACMER or the local representative as soon as a fault is discovered.
3. Do not return the product until the return has been communicated and confirmed.
4. After authorization, return the product in matching protective packaging.
5. Document transport damage immediately so a claim can be made with the carrier.

Warranty scope

The manual states that defects caused by materials or production processes are eligible for repair or replacement during the contract warranty period when the product is used normally and within the documented requirements. A repaired or replacement product remains covered for the balance of the original warranty period.