MakerRepo Staff
74
edits
Changes
Digital technologies/Laser cutting/Rotary Laser Engraving (view source)
Revision as of 18:23, 1 August 2024
, 1 August→Setting Up the Part
==== Roller Positioning ====
==== Roller Positioning ====
The right hand roller can be repositioned to adapt to the length of your part. You want to choose a position that optimizes a flat top surface, a good rolling circumference, and a good balance.
The right hand roller can be repositioned to adapt to the length of your part. You want to choose a position that optimizes a flat top surface, a smooth rolling surface, and good balance.
==== Top Surface Leveling ====
==== Top Surface Leveling ====
If you have a conic part, you still need to have a flat top surface. To do so, you can raise the right side rollers to support the smaller circumference side of your part.
If you have a conic part, you still need to have a flat top surface. To do so, you can raise the right side rollers to support the smaller circumference side of your part. You can use a bubble level to help.
==== Tubing and Light Parts ====
==== Tubing and Light Parts ====
Lighter parts, such as tubes, tend to slip on the rollers due to lower friction. If possible add weight to your part (i.e. add water to a water bottle). If adding weight is not a option, you can use the attachment for tubing. It will clamp down the part onto the rollers to minimize slippage.
Lighter parts, such as tubes, tend to slip on the rollers due to lower friction. If possible add weight to your part (i.e. add water to a water bottle). If adding weight is not a option, you can use the attachment for tubing. It will clamp down the part onto the rollers to minimize slippage.
==== Part Position ====
You want your part to be sitting against the plastic bumper on the left side of the tool. The rollers are made intentionally so that it pushes the part against that small plastic bumper to minimize lateral movement. Additionally, to avoid having the part moving while engraving, you want to do a ''Top-Down'' engraving. If you do a ''Bottom-Up'' engraving the part will move away that plastic bumper and warp your engraving.
=== Setting Home Point ===
=== Setting Home Point ===
Focusing the laser works the same as usual. <u>Do not use the Auto Focus feature</u> on the Epilog laser in the Makerspace. Doing so will cause the bed to crash into the laser head. Use the manual focus by pressing the ''Focus'' <sup>(7.)</sup> button on the control panel, then add the focus tool to the laser head and use the up and down arrows <sup>(8.)</sup> so that the tip of the focus tool barely touches your part.
Focusing the laser works the same as usual. <u>Do not use the Auto Focus feature</u> on the Epilog laser in the Makerspace. Doing so will cause the bed to crash into the laser head. Use the manual focus by pressing the ''Focus'' <sup>(7.)</sup> button on the control panel, then add the focus tool to the laser head and use the up and down arrows <sup>(8.)</sup> so that the tip of the focus tool barely touches your part.
[[File:Focusing.png|left|thumb|557x557px|Focusing tool should not be sitting on the part, only barely touching.]]
[[File:Focusing.png|left|thumb|557x557px|Focusing tool should not be sitting on the part, only barely touching.]]
=== Setting Up Your File ===