Full Version: Oh Oh! What's happening here?

From: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#1]
 16 Apr 2007
To: ALL

This point is where the laser first enters and then exists the cut. I first thought this was a nick but it's just a residue that can be cleaned off.

Settings have not changed since last job.

It's not the deal I thought it was but not sure why it's doing this.

EDITED: 17 Apr 2007 by INKSQUIRTER

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2]
 17 Apr 2007
To: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#1] 17 Apr 2007

If you are using air assist, try it with different settings, or without.

If you are not using it, try it with the air assist. (This from someone who does not have it available.)

In acrylic I do get very faint nicks or a very few thousandths of uncut at a joint. (Tremendous expansion even in slight temperature changes. Enough to make the sheet shift faintly as the cut areas cool.) On single pieces it does not happen, but on a whole sheet it usually happens.

What material is it? That may play a part in the problem.

From: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#3]
 17 Apr 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2] 17 Apr 2007

Harvey,

I edited my first post to read it wasnt a nick.......but was leaving a deposit where bean entered and exited. I was able to clean it off easily.

It is lasermax material....

I do NOT have air assist and this hasn't happened before.....

From: laserman (MIKEMAC) [#4]
 17 Apr 2007
To: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#1] 17 Apr 2007

Brian,

What power and speed are you running?

Is this a group of vector lines?

EDITED: 17 Apr 2007 by MIKEMAC

From: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#5]
 17 Apr 2007
To: laserman (MIKEMAC) [#4] 17 Apr 2007

Hi Mike,

30W 50p 3s single line.....

From: Boz (CHEDDARHEAD) [#6]
 17 Apr 2007
To: ALL

Brian, is this happening on just one piece placed in the back left corner of the machine? Do you get the same results if you move the graphic so it runs further down the table?

From: sprinter [#7]
 17 Apr 2007
To: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#5] 17 Apr 2007

Is your cutter grid dirty?

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#8]
 17 Apr 2007
To: ALL

I get the same thing and have for years. I think he has identified it correctly. It is the beginning and end of the cut and always in the upper left corner of the name tag on all pieces. It happened with my ULS and the Trotec.

As he says, it cleans up.

From: laserman (MIKEMAC) [#9]
 17 Apr 2007
To: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#8] 17 Apr 2007

Brian,

Take the contour group and break them apart and then select one line and mirror it Horizontally, then select another one and mirror it vertically, then select another one and rotate it 180 degrees.

What is happening is the contour group of lines all start and end in the same position. If you change the starting point for the different contour lines then they will start and stop in different locations thus removing this issue.

Forget all of this I just re read the post and see that you are using a single line not multiples. However 50 power seems high for this material are you vectoring the line or rastering?

I don't know if the time difference would be that much between vectoring that line or rastering the line.

Try switching the mode in the driver to "RAST" and check to see if that helps and or if it takes any longer to run the badge.

EDITED: 17 Apr 2007 by MIKEMAC

From: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#10]
 17 Apr 2007
To: Boz (CHEDDARHEAD) [#6] 17 Apr 2007

It was a multiple piece job and did it on each one....

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#11]
 17 Apr 2007
To: ALL

Just to clarify one thing; this happens when I'm making round corner name tags only. Not on other shapes. I believe it is normal.

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#12]
 17 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#11] 17 Apr 2007

The laser slows down at rounded areas and drops the power. It does not always drop it in perfect proportion to the speed.

You might try converting the border to a curve, if it is not that way already. Then with the node editor, add a node in the center of the straight line. Break it at that spot, and that is where it will start/end. It might help, and it might not.

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#13]
 17 Apr 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#12] 18 Apr 2007

Harvey:

I make lots and lots of these nametags every year out of 1/32" IPI material. I don't perceive this to be a problem.

I would wager that your machine operates the same way. Make a 1" x 3" rectangle and use the corner rounding tool to a 25 setting then vector the material.

To work properly the machine has to have a beginning point and an ending point--hopefully they are the same.

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#14]
 18 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#13] 18 Apr 2007

I do not have that problem at all. I occasionally do rounded corner tags. I find your problem alien to me so I gave you something that might help. Normally Corel starts at the end of a rounded corner and comes back to it. It is puzzling to me that it happens, but others here report the same thing.

I do not have air assist but have a very large amount of air going over the surface through the exhaust. It is rare after 8 hour of lasering that I have to clean the lenses. I check and clean them anyway but it is a rare occasion that I can see anything on them. (Of course when I forget to turn on the blower, it is a mess in 5 seconds and desperately needs cleaning.)

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#15]
 18 Apr 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#14] 18 Apr 2007

Harvey:
I will try your suggestion. Keep in mind I do not perceive this to be a problem.

When you do an item like this where does your machine start and stop.?

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#16]
 18 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#15] Unread

Memory is a terrible thing to lose. I think it starts on the lower left corner, goes left and up around the curve. Next time I do it I am going to have to watch it.

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