3D Cutting Head Mazak Type M5 & M10 Assembly

Introduction

This blog follows the video above and describes how to assemble, disassemble, and test the Mazak Type cutting heads used on the Mazak 3D lasers such as the Space Gear, Fabri Gear, and U-44 models. Below, you will find step-by-step instructions for asembly as well as a discussion of the differences between the M5 and the M10, as both versions are interchangeable. Please note that all parts can be found for purchase on our website. In addition, we do offer the units fully assembled for both the M5 and M10. 

Assembling the M5

The “M5” is named as such because the nozzle thread is 5mm in diameter. The beginning of the assembly process is shown in the video from 0:07 to 2:33.

The following procedure outlines the steps taken in the video: 

1. Take the inner cone (M204S0) and put it through the first inner isolation ring (M203P0). Then take the second inner isolation ring (M203P0) and put it on top of the inner cone. Make sure both inner isolation rings are seated firmly against the top part of the inner cone. 
2. Take the inner cone with both inner isolation rings attached and put them inside the outer cone (M202S0). Push the inner cone down to make sure it is firmly seated into the outer cone. 
3. Take the upper locking nut (M205S0) and thread it into the top of the outer cone. Begin threading it by hand, and after it gets a little tight or is hard to hold by hand, take the upper locking nut tool (LT0009) and use it to tighten the upper locking nut until it is snug. 
4. Using the connector tool (LT0008), push the connector (M210B0) onto the end of the tool. It will have a tight fit. Next, place the connector protector ring (M208S0) around the connector. The ring acts like a washer on the connector. Put the spring on the connector (M210B0) through the threaded hole on the outer cone and tighten the connector into the cone by turning the connector tool (LT0008).
5. The sensor cable connection is a little wobbly in the connector protector ring if there is no Vespel collar (M209P0), but it will still function properly. It is recommended to use the Vespel collar so the connector in the cable is snug. Otherwise, the connector on the torch and the connector in the cable will wear more quickly over time. See the next section of the video for the procedure to fasten the Vespel collar so that it does not fall out. 

Fastening the Connector Collar

This section of the video (time 2:35 to 3:26) goes over how to superglue the Vespel collar into the metal ring to prevent it from falling out. The collar is only shown being glued into the M5, but it should be glued into the M10 as well. After gluing the collar, make sure to wait a few minutes before testing it. 

The procedure is as follows:

1. Put a small drop of super glue on the outside of the Vespel collar (M209P0), then slide the Vespel collar into the connector protector (M208S0), being careful not to get glue onto the connector. Immediately wipe away any excess glue. 
2. Wait a few minutes for the super glue to dry before testing it. To test this process, ensure that the Vespel collar (M209P0) doesn’t fall out when inverted. 

Continue M5 assembly after the glue dries

The final section focused on the M5 assembly can be seen in the video from 3:30 to 4:25. After the super glue has dried, the cable (M211S0) can be inserted to test the fit. Please note that if the preamp that the BNC side connects to is not mounted at the standard location, MG Laser can make the cable a custom length. Next, attach the Vespel nut (M201P0), and then finally the nozzle. Nozzle options can be found on the last page of the catalog here. The purpose of the Vespel nut is to fill in and cover the gap between the inner and the outer cone. This concludes the assembly of the M5 cutting head. 

Assembling the M10

The “M10” is named as such because the nozzle thread is 10mm in diameter. The assembly process is shown in the video from 4:30 to 6:28.

The following steps are taken in the video: 

1. Take the inner cone (M704S0) and put it through the first inner isolation ring (M203P0). Then take the second inner isolation ring (M203P0) and put it on top of the inner cone. Make sure both inner isolation rings are seated firmly against the top part of the inner cone. 
2. Take the inner cone with both inner isolation rings attached and put them inside the outer cone (M702S0). Push the inner cone down to make sure it is firmly seated into the outer cone. 
3. Take the upper locking nut (M205S0) and thread it into the top of the outer cone. Begin threading it by hand, and after it gets a little tight or is hard to hold by hand, take the upper locking nut tool (LT0009) and use it to tighten the upper locking nut until it is snug. 
4. Using the connector tool (LT0008), push the connector (M210B0) onto the end of the tool. It will have a tight fit. Next, place the connector protector ring (M208S0) around the connector. The ring acts like a washer on the connector. Put the spring on the connector (M210B0) through the threaded hole on the outer cone and tighten the connector into the cone by turning the connector tool (LT0008).
5. Add a small drop of super glue to the Vespel collar (M209P0) and slide it into the connector protector (M208S0). Wipe off any excess glue and wait a few minutes for the glue to dry. 
6. Complete the assembly by attaching the Vespel nut (M701V0) and then the nozzle tip. See the last page of the catalog for nozzle tip options. 

Comparing the M5 with the M10

This section of the video (6:35 to 6:58) shows a side-by-side comparison of both cutting heads. They are the same overall length. The M10 has a longer copper nozzle which helps to protect the expensive stainless steel cones in case of a crash that will crush the nozzle. By contrast, the smaller nozzle on the M5 is more likely to be crushed in case of a crash and will damage the inner and outer cones. Similarly, the crash must be more severe to damage the M10 when compared to the M5. The only disadvantage of the M10 is that the price of the copper nozzle tips is about 40% higher. 

Attaching the upper isolation ring

This section of the video (time 7:02 to 8:06) demonstrates the installation of the upper isolation ring (M206P0) using the Spanner wrench (LT0010). Tighten the isolation ring until the top of the cutting head is through the o-ring found on the inside of the isolation ring. This o-ring will hold the cutting head in place and will seal in the assist gas that flows through the cutting head. 

Disassembly

This part of the video (time 8:08 to 10:06) demonstrates the disassembly of the cutting head. Although the video only shows disassembly on the M5, the process is identical for the M10. Disassembly begins by removing the isolation ring, then the Vespel nut and the nozzle, then the connector, and finally removing the upper nut and taking the inner cone out of the outer cone. The torch must be disassembled in this order. If the inner cone is removed before the connector, the spring in the connector or the connector itself can be damaged. The image below demonstrates what the cutting head looks like under the outer cone, and why it can be a problem if the inner cone is removed first. 

Testing the Cutting Head

The last section of the video (beginning at 10:14) demonstrates how to test the cutting head. The purpose of the test is to make sure that (1) the invert cover is fully isolated from the outer cone, and (2) there is continuity from the nozzle tip, through the inner cone, and to the inner pin on the connector. The cutting head might need to be tested if there is an “auto gap alarm”, indicating that there is a problem with the noncontact capacitive height sensing profiler (often called the profiler or the noncontact sensor).

The steps taken in the video start with setting the multimeter to resistance to measure ohms. First, touch both leads to each other to test the meter. When the leads touch each other the meter will measure a direct short and the value shown in the meter should be less than one ohm, in this example the value is 0.1 ohms. 

The second step is to check the resistance from the inner cone to the outer cone. Polarity does not need to be considered when checking resistance, meaning that the black or red lead can be put on either component and you will get the same measurement. This is true for all of the following resistance measurements. There should be no resistance between the inner and outer cones. If there is any resistance, this could be because the inner isolation rings that separate the inner and outer cone are damaged or the spring in the connector is damaged and is touching the outer cone. If the cutting head has been heavily used, it could be that the inner cone needs to be removed and both cones need to be cleaned.

The third step is to check the continuity from the inner cone to the pin on the connector by touching the inner cone with one lead and the pin with the other lead. The value on the meter should be less than one ohm. This is checking to make sure the spring on the connector is making contact with the inner cone. 

The fourth step is to check the continuity from the pin in the connector to the outer cone by putting one lead on the pin and one lead in the outer cone. If there is no continuity from the inner cone or the pin in the connector to the outer cone, and there is a direct short from the inner cone to the pin on the connector, then the cutting head is assembled correctly. 

Other problems with the cutting head could be that the upper locking nut is not tight and the inner cone is moving inside the outer cone, or the pin on the connector is not making good contact with the sensor cable. In this case, you can check the resistance from the inner cone to the pin on the sensor when the cable is connected to the cutting head. To make sure there is continuity all the way through, the measurement should be less than one ohm because this should be a direct short all the way through. One last issue that occurs is when the cutting head is too tight into the upper isolation ring. If the cutting head is too deep, it can cause the top part of the cutting head to be too close to the upper section that the isolation ring is intended to separate the cutting head from. Finally, if there has been a crash, the upper isolation ring will sometimes be bent. This problem will cause incorrect geometries when cutting.

Converting the M5 to the M10 and Vice Versa

If your laser is currently equipped with the M5 Mazak Type cutting head and you want to switch to the M10, it is a simple task. The only parts that are different are the inner and outer cones and the Vespel nut.  All the other parts in the cutting head are the same. If you have extra parts on hand to rebuild the cutting head, they will all be usable except for the cones. 

If your laser is currently equipped with the Precitec Type Cutting Head, you are not able to convert to the Mazak Type Cutting Head without making other significant changes. This may include replacing the noncontact amplifier, the preamp, the wiring, and software upgrades including a Fanuc Ladder update. It is possible to do all of this but it is very expensive and time-consuming, so it may be cost-prohibitive.

Mazak Type M5 vs. Precitec Type M5

The Mazak Type M5 cutting head (M200S0) is easily confused with the Precitec Type M5 cutting head (M300S0), as both cutting heads look very similar. However, there are a few key differences. 

The Precitec Type M5 cutting head is manufactured by Precitec. This cutting head was used on Mazak’s 3D lasers before the Mazak Type cutting head. The easiest way to tell these cutting heads apart is the Precitec Types have a blue plug located to the right of the sensor cable connector. The port where this plug is located was designed to allow an airline to be connected for air cooling between the inner and outer cones. However, on the Mazak lasers, it was decided that the air could interfere with the laser cutting and so the airline was removed. 

These cutting heads are also tested differently. The procedure for testing the Precitec Type cutting head can be found here. The Precitec Type cutting head has a resistance of 50 megohms between the inner and outer cones. In contrast, the Mazak Type cutting head has no continuity between the inner and outer cones and the measurement with an ohm meter will show it is “open”.