https://wiki.asmbly.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=DanHawnAsmbly Wiki - User contributions [en]2026-04-22T04:32:33ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.35.8https://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=File:Illustrator_Laser_Media_Size_Setting.png&diff=3163File:Illustrator Laser Media Size Setting.png2024-11-09T20:02:54Z<p>DanHawn: </p>
<hr />
<div>A screenshot of the settings that usually work for sending art to Blue</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Blue&diff=3162Blue2024-11-09T19:59:44Z<p>DanHawn: Updated bed size</p>
<hr />
<div>Asmbly owns a '''Universal Laser Systems PLS 6.60 laser cutter''' colloquially known as "Blue". It is a 60W CO2 laser with 32" x 18" bed capable of cutting, engraving, and marking a number of different materials quickly and accurately when driven from CAD software such as CorelDraw and Inkscape. <br />
<br />
{{Required|Small Lasers}}<br />
<br />
{{ToolPhoto|BlueLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
== ULS 6.60 Laser Cutter ==<br />
<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
There are two main variables that the laser uses to cut and etch: speed and power. When cutting, the laser power is increased and the speed is decreased so that the cutting beam spends a longer time hitting the material in order to cut though. While etching the speed is increased and the power reduced, this way the laser only removes a little material from the surface, leaving just the etching.<br />
<br />
== Materials ==<br />
There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself. It is therefore imperative that you check the list of [[Laser Cutter Materials]] before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.<br />
<br />
[[Laser Cutter Materials]]<br />
<br />
Blue's bed size is 32"x18" This is important for when you're sending artwork to the laser, and you may find that making your artboard the same size as the laser bed makes the process a little easier.<br />
<br />
== Laser Cutter Settings ==<br />
Recommended settings for a variety of materials: [[Blue Laser Cutter Settings]]<br />
<br />
Don't press the focusing on button the machine(white button) or adjust the focus setting in the software. These settings are calibrated regularly by the people authorized to work on the machine and are not intended for users to change. Doing this messes up other people's work and it's NOT COOL. As with everything in the space, when you're done, leave things as they were when you started. Changing this setting means the laser is not right when the next person comes to use the machine.<br />
<br />
Currently the focus tool for Blue is a 3D printed part that says Pearl on it, but works for both machines. (as of Nov 9 2024)<br />
<br />
To focus the laser, just align the focus tool to the screw on the laser head and adjust the Z-height to meet your material.<br />
<br />
== Manuals ==<br />
Engravers Network has [http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/support_uls_manuals.html an online archive that includes many ULS laser system manuals]. <br />
<br />
These appear to be the relevant manuals for our laser: <br />
<br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS375_475_675_6150D%20Installation%20and%20Setup.pdf PLS Installation Manual] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS_User_Guide.pdf PLS User Guide] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/Advance-Manual%20Control%20Panel%20(48-60).pdf Print Driver-Advanced Manual Control] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/UCP-All%20Systems%20(24-41).pdf UCP-Universal Control Panel]<br />
*[http://www.atxhs.org/wiki/File:PLS_Service_Manual.pdf PLS Service Manual]<br />
*(links in this category broken as of 11/9/2024)<br />
*<br />
<br />
== Theory: How it Works ==<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors onto a moving head and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
The infrared (IR) light that the laser cutter produces would blind you instantly if you were to look directly at it - and it's so bright that even you were only looking at the light reflected off the material that's being cut, it could still blind you. The IR light is also totally invisible. Fortunately, IR light doesn't pass easily through the window of the cutter that is made of a Polycarbonate plastic (which strongly absorbs light in those wavelengths). For this reason, if the lid (and the front panel) of the laser are not properly shut, then the IR laser will turn off automatically. The intense white light that you sometimes see when the cutter is operating is actually visible light that's being emitted by the material that the laser is burning off (it's literally 'white hot'!). There is also a red "guide laser" that is not dangerous to look at which allows you to see how the head is moving even when the IR laser is turned off. You can tell when the lid isn't properly shut because there is a red light on the control panel that flashes when there is a problem. <br />
<br />
For carbon-based (organic) materials (like wood, paper, cloth and leather), you see the material being burned away and there may be black residue left behind. For plastics like Acrylic, the material is chemically decomposed by the laser and you don't see that white hot trail as it cuts. However, when the laser hits the metal grid beneath the material, there will still be bright flashes of light from that. <br />
<br />
== IMPORTANT: Dirty optics and other problems ==<br />
First and foremost, repair and servicing of the laser cutter may only be performed by persons designated by the Asmbly's Director of Facilities.<br />
<br />
If the laser cutter is operating particularly poorly, then dirty optics is a likely cause. Smoke and debris can stick to the lens and mirror and build up slowly over time.<br />
<br />
It's a good idea to inspect the laser optics before you start work. Use the mirror and lamp provided (both are supposed to be sitting on top of the laser cutter). Carefully place the mirror onto the vector table, underneath the cutting head and shine the lamp down onto it to illuminate the underside of the head:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser1.jpg|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser1.jpg]]<br><br />
When it's dirty, it looks dull and greyish-brown like this:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser2.png|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser2.png]]<br><br />
It should be a golden yellow color because the lens is coated with a thin layer of gold.<br />
<br />
It's also possible that one or more of the three mirrors is dirty - but this is a rarer situation because they aren't in the direct stream of smoke that is kicked up when the laser is working.<br />
<br />
* '''Don't use the laser when the mirror and/or lens are dirty''' - especially not at high power settings - because doing so causes the dirt to get very hot and that can permanently ruin the gold coating or even crack the optics - which cost hundreds of dollars to replace and could result in the laser cutter being offline for weeks.<br />
* '''Don't touch or attempt to clean the lens/mirror unless you've been properly trained to do so'''. The procedure for cleaning these delicate parts is described in [[LaserCleaning|Cleaning the Laser Cutter]], but this is a task that should not be undertaken without specific training because these parts are fragile (they're made of a surprisingly soft material) and it's easy to damage the thin gold coating by cleaning them even slightly incorrectly.<br />
<br />
The correct procedure if you believe that the lens is dirty is:<br />
<br />
# Enter your suspicions into the log book.<br />
# eMail the issue to the mailing list.<br />
# Do not operate the laser cutter or you could end up with...<br />
[[File:DestroyedLaserLens.jpg|150px|link=Special:FilePath/DestroyedLaserLens.jpg]]<br />
<br />
== Making drawings for the Laser Cutter ==<br />
To tell the cutter how to cut/etch/raster, you make your drawing in various colors. Generally we do this in CorelDraw (which is installed on the laser cutter's computer) or by importing SVG files from Inkscape.<br />
<br />
By convention: <br />
<br />
*Draw raster objects as image files in shades of grey (darker means more laser power, lighter means less)<br />
*Lines to be cut all the way through should be drawn in red. <br />
*Lines to be etched in either blue or green.<br />
<br />
However, these are only conventions - you can actually set the laser power, speed, raster/vector, points-per-inch and Z-depth independently for each of the colors Black, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. The laser cuts things out in the order of those colors - so it'll do all of the black things before all of the red things, then all of the green and so on - this can sometimes be useful to know (eg if you have small parts or springy material that may move once they've been cut out - then you'll want to etch and raster before cutting).<br />
<br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
Some helpful laser related links. Need to organize:<br />
<br />
*[http://regal-plastics.com/ Regal Plastics - Local supplier]<br />
*[https://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=330 Tissues for cleaning optics]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq3G9zu0ick ULS 3D calibration]<br />
*[http://jerryarutherford.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-laser-fire.html Why not to leave the laser]<br />
*[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/05/27/fabfont-a-typeface-for-lasercut-stencils/ Typeface for stencils]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ Laser Origami]<br />
*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Round-stoolstype-all-rounds/ Laser cut round stools]<br />
*[https://support.epiloglaser.com/article/ka-01213/ Removing wood residue]<br />
*[http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/ Tabbed box maker]<br />
*[https://festi.info/boxes.py/Gallery Boxes.py]<br />
*[http://ferroworld.org TherMark laser bonded marking]<br />
*[https://www.ulsinc.com/material/materials-library USL Materials Library]<br />
*[https://github.com/timur-tabi/svg-tuckbox Tuck box python script]<br />
*[http://www.lasersaur.com/ Lasersaur DIY laser cutter]<br />
*[http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/06/17/how-to-make-snug-joints-in-acrylic/ How to make snug joints in acrylic]<br />
<br />
== Maintenance and Parts ==<br />
<br />
Replacement lens are usually purchased on ebay. Search for "ZnSe Lens 19.05mm". The key properties are that it should be 19.05mm in diameter, have a focal length of 2.0 inches, and be a ZnSe lens for IR laser cutters / engravers. An example ebay item is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172251072909 .<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Blue&diff=3161Blue2024-11-09T17:48:32Z<p>DanHawn: /* Manuals */</p>
<hr />
<div>Asmbly owns a '''Universal Laser Systems PLS 6.60 laser cutter''' colloquially known as "Blue". It is a 60W CO2 laser with 32" x 18" bed capable of cutting, engraving, and marking a number of different materials quickly and accurately when driven from CAD software such as CorelDraw and Inkscape. <br />
<br />
{{Required|Small Lasers}}<br />
<br />
{{ToolPhoto|BlueLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
== ULS 6.60 Laser Cutter ==<br />
<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
There are two main variables that the laser uses to cut and etch: speed and power. When cutting, the laser power is increased and the speed is decreased so that the cutting beam spends a longer time hitting the material in order to cut though. While etching the speed is increased and the power reduced, this way the laser only removes a little material from the surface, leaving just the etching.<br />
<br />
== Materials ==<br />
There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself. It is therefore imperative that you check the list of [[Laser Cutter Materials]] before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.<br />
<br />
[[Laser Cutter Materials]]<br />
<br />
Blue's bed size is [CITATION NEEDED] - this is important for when you're sending artwork to the laser.<br />
<br />
== Laser Cutter Settings ==<br />
Recommended settings for a variety of materials: [[Blue Laser Cutter Settings]]<br />
<br />
Don't press the focusing on button the machine(white button) or adjust the focus setting in the software. These settings are calibrated regularly by the people authorized to work on the machine and are not intended for users to change. Doing this messes up other people's work and it's NOT COOL. As with everything in the space, when you're done, leave things as they were when you started. Changing this setting means the laser is not right when the next person comes to use the machine.<br />
<br />
Currently the focus tool for Blue is a 3D printed part that says Pearl on it, but works for both machines. (as of Nov 9 2024)<br />
<br />
To focus the laser, just align the focus tool to the screw on the laser head and adjust the Z-height to meet your material.<br />
<br />
== Manuals ==<br />
Engravers Network has [http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/support_uls_manuals.html an online archive that includes many ULS laser system manuals]. <br />
<br />
These appear to be the relevant manuals for our laser: <br />
<br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS375_475_675_6150D%20Installation%20and%20Setup.pdf PLS Installation Manual] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS_User_Guide.pdf PLS User Guide] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/Advance-Manual%20Control%20Panel%20(48-60).pdf Print Driver-Advanced Manual Control] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/UCP-All%20Systems%20(24-41).pdf UCP-Universal Control Panel]<br />
*[http://www.atxhs.org/wiki/File:PLS_Service_Manual.pdf PLS Service Manual]<br />
*(links in this category broken as of 11/9/2024)<br />
*<br />
<br />
== Theory: How it Works ==<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors onto a moving head and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
The infrared (IR) light that the laser cutter produces would blind you instantly if you were to look directly at it - and it's so bright that even you were only looking at the light reflected off the material that's being cut, it could still blind you. The IR light is also totally invisible. Fortunately, IR light doesn't pass easily through the window of the cutter that is made of a Polycarbonate plastic (which strongly absorbs light in those wavelengths). For this reason, if the lid (and the front panel) of the laser are not properly shut, then the IR laser will turn off automatically. The intense white light that you sometimes see when the cutter is operating is actually visible light that's being emitted by the material that the laser is burning off (it's literally 'white hot'!). There is also a red "guide laser" that is not dangerous to look at which allows you to see how the head is moving even when the IR laser is turned off. You can tell when the lid isn't properly shut because there is a red light on the control panel that flashes when there is a problem. <br />
<br />
For carbon-based (organic) materials (like wood, paper, cloth and leather), you see the material being burned away and there may be black residue left behind. For plastics like Acrylic, the material is chemically decomposed by the laser and you don't see that white hot trail as it cuts. However, when the laser hits the metal grid beneath the material, there will still be bright flashes of light from that. <br />
<br />
== IMPORTANT: Dirty optics and other problems ==<br />
First and foremost, repair and servicing of the laser cutter may only be performed by persons designated by the Asmbly's Director of Facilities.<br />
<br />
If the laser cutter is operating particularly poorly, then dirty optics is a likely cause. Smoke and debris can stick to the lens and mirror and build up slowly over time.<br />
<br />
It's a good idea to inspect the laser optics before you start work. Use the mirror and lamp provided (both are supposed to be sitting on top of the laser cutter). Carefully place the mirror onto the vector table, underneath the cutting head and shine the lamp down onto it to illuminate the underside of the head:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser1.jpg|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser1.jpg]]<br><br />
When it's dirty, it looks dull and greyish-brown like this:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser2.png|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser2.png]]<br><br />
It should be a golden yellow color because the lens is coated with a thin layer of gold.<br />
<br />
It's also possible that one or more of the three mirrors is dirty - but this is a rarer situation because they aren't in the direct stream of smoke that is kicked up when the laser is working.<br />
<br />
* '''Don't use the laser when the mirror and/or lens are dirty''' - especially not at high power settings - because doing so causes the dirt to get very hot and that can permanently ruin the gold coating or even crack the optics - which cost hundreds of dollars to replace and could result in the laser cutter being offline for weeks.<br />
* '''Don't touch or attempt to clean the lens/mirror unless you've been properly trained to do so'''. The procedure for cleaning these delicate parts is described in [[LaserCleaning|Cleaning the Laser Cutter]], but this is a task that should not be undertaken without specific training because these parts are fragile (they're made of a surprisingly soft material) and it's easy to damage the thin gold coating by cleaning them even slightly incorrectly.<br />
<br />
The correct procedure if you believe that the lens is dirty is:<br />
<br />
# Enter your suspicions into the log book.<br />
# eMail the issue to the mailing list.<br />
# Do not operate the laser cutter or you could end up with...<br />
[[File:DestroyedLaserLens.jpg|150px|link=Special:FilePath/DestroyedLaserLens.jpg]]<br />
<br />
== Making drawings for the Laser Cutter ==<br />
To tell the cutter how to cut/etch/raster, you make your drawing in various colors. Generally we do this in CorelDraw (which is installed on the laser cutter's computer) or by importing SVG files from Inkscape.<br />
<br />
By convention: <br />
<br />
*Draw raster objects as image files in shades of grey (darker means more laser power, lighter means less)<br />
*Lines to be cut all the way through should be drawn in red. <br />
*Lines to be etched in either blue or green.<br />
<br />
However, these are only conventions - you can actually set the laser power, speed, raster/vector, points-per-inch and Z-depth independently for each of the colors Black, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. The laser cuts things out in the order of those colors - so it'll do all of the black things before all of the red things, then all of the green and so on - this can sometimes be useful to know (eg if you have small parts or springy material that may move once they've been cut out - then you'll want to etch and raster before cutting).<br />
<br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
Some helpful laser related links. Need to organize:<br />
<br />
*[http://regal-plastics.com/ Regal Plastics - Local supplier]<br />
*[https://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=330 Tissues for cleaning optics]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq3G9zu0ick ULS 3D calibration]<br />
*[http://jerryarutherford.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-laser-fire.html Why not to leave the laser]<br />
*[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/05/27/fabfont-a-typeface-for-lasercut-stencils/ Typeface for stencils]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ Laser Origami]<br />
*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Round-stoolstype-all-rounds/ Laser cut round stools]<br />
*[https://support.epiloglaser.com/article/ka-01213/ Removing wood residue]<br />
*[http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/ Tabbed box maker]<br />
*[https://festi.info/boxes.py/Gallery Boxes.py]<br />
*[http://ferroworld.org TherMark laser bonded marking]<br />
*[https://www.ulsinc.com/material/materials-library USL Materials Library]<br />
*[https://github.com/timur-tabi/svg-tuckbox Tuck box python script]<br />
*[http://www.lasersaur.com/ Lasersaur DIY laser cutter]<br />
*[http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/06/17/how-to-make-snug-joints-in-acrylic/ How to make snug joints in acrylic]<br />
<br />
== Maintenance and Parts ==<br />
<br />
Replacement lens are usually purchased on ebay. Search for "ZnSe Lens 19.05mm". The key properties are that it should be 19.05mm in diameter, have a focal length of 2.0 inches, and be a ZnSe lens for IR laser cutters / engravers. An example ebay item is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172251072909 .<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Blue&diff=3160Blue2024-11-09T17:40:02Z<p>DanHawn: added placeholder for Blue's bed size so I can confirm when I'm there in person.</p>
<hr />
<div>Asmbly owns a '''Universal Laser Systems PLS 6.60 laser cutter''' colloquially known as "Blue". It is a 60W CO2 laser with 32" x 18" bed capable of cutting, engraving, and marking a number of different materials quickly and accurately when driven from CAD software such as CorelDraw and Inkscape. <br />
<br />
{{Required|Small Lasers}}<br />
<br />
{{ToolPhoto|BlueLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
== ULS 6.60 Laser Cutter ==<br />
<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
There are two main variables that the laser uses to cut and etch: speed and power. When cutting, the laser power is increased and the speed is decreased so that the cutting beam spends a longer time hitting the material in order to cut though. While etching the speed is increased and the power reduced, this way the laser only removes a little material from the surface, leaving just the etching.<br />
<br />
== Materials ==<br />
There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself. It is therefore imperative that you check the list of [[Laser Cutter Materials]] before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.<br />
<br />
[[Laser Cutter Materials]]<br />
<br />
Blue's bed size is [CITATION NEEDED] - this is important for when you're sending artwork to the laser.<br />
<br />
== Laser Cutter Settings ==<br />
Recommended settings for a variety of materials: [[Blue Laser Cutter Settings]]<br />
<br />
Don't press the focusing on button the machine(white button) or adjust the focus setting in the software. These settings are calibrated regularly by the people authorized to work on the machine and are not intended for users to change. Doing this messes up other people's work and it's NOT COOL. As with everything in the space, when you're done, leave things as they were when you started. Changing this setting means the laser is not right when the next person comes to use the machine.<br />
<br />
Currently the focus tool for Blue is a 3D printed part that says Pearl on it, but works for both machines. (as of Nov 9 2024)<br />
<br />
To focus the laser, just align the focus tool to the screw on the laser head and adjust the Z-height to meet your material.<br />
<br />
== Manuals ==<br />
Engravers Network has [http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/support_uls_manuals.html an online archive that includes many ULS laser system manuals]. <br />
<br />
These appear to be the relevant manuals for our laser: <br />
<br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS375_475_675_6150D%20Installation%20and%20Setup.pdf PLS Installation Manual] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS_User_Guide.pdf PLS User Guide] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/Advance-Manual%20Control%20Panel%20(48-60).pdf Print Driver-Advanced Manual Control] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/UCP-All%20Systems%20(24-41).pdf UCP-Universal Control Panel]<br />
*[http://www.atxhs.org/wiki/File:PLS_Service_Manual.pdf PLS Service Manual]<br />
*<br />
<br />
== Theory: How it Works ==<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors onto a moving head and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
The infrared (IR) light that the laser cutter produces would blind you instantly if you were to look directly at it - and it's so bright that even you were only looking at the light reflected off the material that's being cut, it could still blind you. The IR light is also totally invisible. Fortunately, IR light doesn't pass easily through the window of the cutter that is made of a Polycarbonate plastic (which strongly absorbs light in those wavelengths). For this reason, if the lid (and the front panel) of the laser are not properly shut, then the IR laser will turn off automatically. The intense white light that you sometimes see when the cutter is operating is actually visible light that's being emitted by the material that the laser is burning off (it's literally 'white hot'!). There is also a red "guide laser" that is not dangerous to look at which allows you to see how the head is moving even when the IR laser is turned off. You can tell when the lid isn't properly shut because there is a red light on the control panel that flashes when there is a problem. <br />
<br />
For carbon-based (organic) materials (like wood, paper, cloth and leather), you see the material being burned away and there may be black residue left behind. For plastics like Acrylic, the material is chemically decomposed by the laser and you don't see that white hot trail as it cuts. However, when the laser hits the metal grid beneath the material, there will still be bright flashes of light from that. <br />
<br />
== IMPORTANT: Dirty optics and other problems ==<br />
First and foremost, repair and servicing of the laser cutter may only be performed by persons designated by the Asmbly's Director of Facilities.<br />
<br />
If the laser cutter is operating particularly poorly, then dirty optics is a likely cause. Smoke and debris can stick to the lens and mirror and build up slowly over time.<br />
<br />
It's a good idea to inspect the laser optics before you start work. Use the mirror and lamp provided (both are supposed to be sitting on top of the laser cutter). Carefully place the mirror onto the vector table, underneath the cutting head and shine the lamp down onto it to illuminate the underside of the head:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser1.jpg|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser1.jpg]]<br><br />
When it's dirty, it looks dull and greyish-brown like this:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser2.png|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser2.png]]<br><br />
It should be a golden yellow color because the lens is coated with a thin layer of gold.<br />
<br />
It's also possible that one or more of the three mirrors is dirty - but this is a rarer situation because they aren't in the direct stream of smoke that is kicked up when the laser is working.<br />
<br />
* '''Don't use the laser when the mirror and/or lens are dirty''' - especially not at high power settings - because doing so causes the dirt to get very hot and that can permanently ruin the gold coating or even crack the optics - which cost hundreds of dollars to replace and could result in the laser cutter being offline for weeks.<br />
* '''Don't touch or attempt to clean the lens/mirror unless you've been properly trained to do so'''. The procedure for cleaning these delicate parts is described in [[LaserCleaning|Cleaning the Laser Cutter]], but this is a task that should not be undertaken without specific training because these parts are fragile (they're made of a surprisingly soft material) and it's easy to damage the thin gold coating by cleaning them even slightly incorrectly.<br />
<br />
The correct procedure if you believe that the lens is dirty is:<br />
<br />
# Enter your suspicions into the log book.<br />
# eMail the issue to the mailing list.<br />
# Do not operate the laser cutter or you could end up with...<br />
[[File:DestroyedLaserLens.jpg|150px|link=Special:FilePath/DestroyedLaserLens.jpg]]<br />
<br />
== Making drawings for the Laser Cutter ==<br />
To tell the cutter how to cut/etch/raster, you make your drawing in various colors. Generally we do this in CorelDraw (which is installed on the laser cutter's computer) or by importing SVG files from Inkscape.<br />
<br />
By convention: <br />
<br />
*Draw raster objects as image files in shades of grey (darker means more laser power, lighter means less)<br />
*Lines to be cut all the way through should be drawn in red. <br />
*Lines to be etched in either blue or green.<br />
<br />
However, these are only conventions - you can actually set the laser power, speed, raster/vector, points-per-inch and Z-depth independently for each of the colors Black, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. The laser cuts things out in the order of those colors - so it'll do all of the black things before all of the red things, then all of the green and so on - this can sometimes be useful to know (eg if you have small parts or springy material that may move once they've been cut out - then you'll want to etch and raster before cutting).<br />
<br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
Some helpful laser related links. Need to organize:<br />
<br />
*[http://regal-plastics.com/ Regal Plastics - Local supplier]<br />
*[https://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=330 Tissues for cleaning optics]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq3G9zu0ick ULS 3D calibration]<br />
*[http://jerryarutherford.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-laser-fire.html Why not to leave the laser]<br />
*[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/05/27/fabfont-a-typeface-for-lasercut-stencils/ Typeface for stencils]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ Laser Origami]<br />
*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Round-stoolstype-all-rounds/ Laser cut round stools]<br />
*[https://support.epiloglaser.com/article/ka-01213/ Removing wood residue]<br />
*[http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/ Tabbed box maker]<br />
*[https://festi.info/boxes.py/Gallery Boxes.py]<br />
*[http://ferroworld.org TherMark laser bonded marking]<br />
*[https://www.ulsinc.com/material/materials-library USL Materials Library]<br />
*[https://github.com/timur-tabi/svg-tuckbox Tuck box python script]<br />
*[http://www.lasersaur.com/ Lasersaur DIY laser cutter]<br />
*[http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/06/17/how-to-make-snug-joints-in-acrylic/ How to make snug joints in acrylic]<br />
<br />
== Maintenance and Parts ==<br />
<br />
Replacement lens are usually purchased on ebay. Search for "ZnSe Lens 19.05mm". The key properties are that it should be 19.05mm in diameter, have a focal length of 2.0 inches, and be a ZnSe lens for IR laser cutters / engravers. An example ebay item is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172251072909 .<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Blue&diff=3159Blue2024-11-09T17:35:14Z<p>DanHawn: /* Laser Cutter Settings */</p>
<hr />
<div>Asmbly owns a '''Universal Laser Systems PLS 6.60 laser cutter''' colloquially known as "Blue". It is a 60W CO2 laser with 32" x 18" bed capable of cutting, engraving, and marking a number of different materials quickly and accurately when driven from CAD software such as CorelDraw and Inkscape. <br />
<br />
{{Required|Small Lasers}}<br />
<br />
{{ToolPhoto|BlueLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
== ULS 6.60 Laser Cutter ==<br />
<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
There are two main variables that the laser uses to cut and etch: speed and power. When cutting, the laser power is increased and the speed is decreased so that the cutting beam spends a longer time hitting the material in order to cut though. While etching the speed is increased and the power reduced, this way the laser only removes a little material from the surface, leaving just the etching.<br />
<br />
== Materials ==<br />
There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself. It is therefore imperative that you check the list of [[Laser Cutter Materials]] before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.<br />
<br />
[[Laser Cutter Materials]]<br />
<br />
== Laser Cutter Settings ==<br />
Recommended settings for a variety of materials: [[Blue Laser Cutter Settings]]<br />
<br />
Don't press the focusing on button the machine(white button) or adjust the focus setting in the software. These settings are calibrated regularly by the people authorized to work on the machine and are not intended for users to change. Doing this messes up other people's work and it's NOT COOL. As with everything in the space, when you're done, leave things as they were when you started. Changing this setting means the laser is not right when the next person comes to use the machine.<br />
<br />
Currently the focus tool for Blue is a 3D printed part that says Pearl on it, but works for both machines. (as of Nov 9 2024)<br />
<br />
To focus the laser, just align the focus tool to the screw on the laser head and adjust the Z-height to meet your material.<br />
<br />
== Manuals ==<br />
Engravers Network has [http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/support_uls_manuals.html an online archive that includes many ULS laser system manuals]. <br />
<br />
These appear to be the relevant manuals for our laser: <br />
<br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS375_475_675_6150D%20Installation%20and%20Setup.pdf PLS Installation Manual] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS_User_Guide.pdf PLS User Guide] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/Advance-Manual%20Control%20Panel%20(48-60).pdf Print Driver-Advanced Manual Control] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/UCP-All%20Systems%20(24-41).pdf UCP-Universal Control Panel]<br />
*[http://www.atxhs.org/wiki/File:PLS_Service_Manual.pdf PLS Service Manual]<br />
*<br />
<br />
== Theory: How it Works ==<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors onto a moving head and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
The infrared (IR) light that the laser cutter produces would blind you instantly if you were to look directly at it - and it's so bright that even you were only looking at the light reflected off the material that's being cut, it could still blind you. The IR light is also totally invisible. Fortunately, IR light doesn't pass easily through the window of the cutter that is made of a Polycarbonate plastic (which strongly absorbs light in those wavelengths). For this reason, if the lid (and the front panel) of the laser are not properly shut, then the IR laser will turn off automatically. The intense white light that you sometimes see when the cutter is operating is actually visible light that's being emitted by the material that the laser is burning off (it's literally 'white hot'!). There is also a red "guide laser" that is not dangerous to look at which allows you to see how the head is moving even when the IR laser is turned off. You can tell when the lid isn't properly shut because there is a red light on the control panel that flashes when there is a problem. <br />
<br />
For carbon-based (organic) materials (like wood, paper, cloth and leather), you see the material being burned away and there may be black residue left behind. For plastics like Acrylic, the material is chemically decomposed by the laser and you don't see that white hot trail as it cuts. However, when the laser hits the metal grid beneath the material, there will still be bright flashes of light from that. <br />
<br />
== IMPORTANT: Dirty optics and other problems ==<br />
First and foremost, repair and servicing of the laser cutter may only be performed by persons designated by the Asmbly's Director of Facilities.<br />
<br />
If the laser cutter is operating particularly poorly, then dirty optics is a likely cause. Smoke and debris can stick to the lens and mirror and build up slowly over time.<br />
<br />
It's a good idea to inspect the laser optics before you start work. Use the mirror and lamp provided (both are supposed to be sitting on top of the laser cutter). Carefully place the mirror onto the vector table, underneath the cutting head and shine the lamp down onto it to illuminate the underside of the head:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser1.jpg|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser1.jpg]]<br><br />
When it's dirty, it looks dull and greyish-brown like this:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser2.png|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser2.png]]<br><br />
It should be a golden yellow color because the lens is coated with a thin layer of gold.<br />
<br />
It's also possible that one or more of the three mirrors is dirty - but this is a rarer situation because they aren't in the direct stream of smoke that is kicked up when the laser is working.<br />
<br />
* '''Don't use the laser when the mirror and/or lens are dirty''' - especially not at high power settings - because doing so causes the dirt to get very hot and that can permanently ruin the gold coating or even crack the optics - which cost hundreds of dollars to replace and could result in the laser cutter being offline for weeks.<br />
* '''Don't touch or attempt to clean the lens/mirror unless you've been properly trained to do so'''. The procedure for cleaning these delicate parts is described in [[LaserCleaning|Cleaning the Laser Cutter]], but this is a task that should not be undertaken without specific training because these parts are fragile (they're made of a surprisingly soft material) and it's easy to damage the thin gold coating by cleaning them even slightly incorrectly.<br />
<br />
The correct procedure if you believe that the lens is dirty is:<br />
<br />
# Enter your suspicions into the log book.<br />
# eMail the issue to the mailing list.<br />
# Do not operate the laser cutter or you could end up with...<br />
[[File:DestroyedLaserLens.jpg|150px|link=Special:FilePath/DestroyedLaserLens.jpg]]<br />
<br />
== Making drawings for the Laser Cutter ==<br />
To tell the cutter how to cut/etch/raster, you make your drawing in various colors. Generally we do this in CorelDraw (which is installed on the laser cutter's computer) or by importing SVG files from Inkscape.<br />
<br />
By convention: <br />
<br />
*Draw raster objects as image files in shades of grey (darker means more laser power, lighter means less)<br />
*Lines to be cut all the way through should be drawn in red. <br />
*Lines to be etched in either blue or green.<br />
<br />
However, these are only conventions - you can actually set the laser power, speed, raster/vector, points-per-inch and Z-depth independently for each of the colors Black, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. The laser cuts things out in the order of those colors - so it'll do all of the black things before all of the red things, then all of the green and so on - this can sometimes be useful to know (eg if you have small parts or springy material that may move once they've been cut out - then you'll want to etch and raster before cutting).<br />
<br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
Some helpful laser related links. Need to organize:<br />
<br />
*[http://regal-plastics.com/ Regal Plastics - Local supplier]<br />
*[https://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=330 Tissues for cleaning optics]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq3G9zu0ick ULS 3D calibration]<br />
*[http://jerryarutherford.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-laser-fire.html Why not to leave the laser]<br />
*[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/05/27/fabfont-a-typeface-for-lasercut-stencils/ Typeface for stencils]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ Laser Origami]<br />
*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Round-stoolstype-all-rounds/ Laser cut round stools]<br />
*[https://support.epiloglaser.com/article/ka-01213/ Removing wood residue]<br />
*[http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/ Tabbed box maker]<br />
*[https://festi.info/boxes.py/Gallery Boxes.py]<br />
*[http://ferroworld.org TherMark laser bonded marking]<br />
*[https://www.ulsinc.com/material/materials-library USL Materials Library]<br />
*[https://github.com/timur-tabi/svg-tuckbox Tuck box python script]<br />
*[http://www.lasersaur.com/ Lasersaur DIY laser cutter]<br />
*[http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/06/17/how-to-make-snug-joints-in-acrylic/ How to make snug joints in acrylic]<br />
<br />
== Maintenance and Parts ==<br />
<br />
Replacement lens are usually purchased on ebay. Search for "ZnSe Lens 19.05mm". The key properties are that it should be 19.05mm in diameter, have a focal length of 2.0 inches, and be a ZnSe lens for IR laser cutters / engravers. An example ebay item is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172251072909 .<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Blue&diff=3158Blue2024-11-09T17:32:19Z<p>DanHawn: /* Manuals */</p>
<hr />
<div>Asmbly owns a '''Universal Laser Systems PLS 6.60 laser cutter''' colloquially known as "Blue". It is a 60W CO2 laser with 32" x 18" bed capable of cutting, engraving, and marking a number of different materials quickly and accurately when driven from CAD software such as CorelDraw and Inkscape. <br />
<br />
{{Required|Small Lasers}}<br />
<br />
{{ToolPhoto|BlueLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
== ULS 6.60 Laser Cutter ==<br />
<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
There are two main variables that the laser uses to cut and etch: speed and power. When cutting, the laser power is increased and the speed is decreased so that the cutting beam spends a longer time hitting the material in order to cut though. While etching the speed is increased and the power reduced, this way the laser only removes a little material from the surface, leaving just the etching.<br />
<br />
== Materials ==<br />
There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself. It is therefore imperative that you check the list of [[Laser Cutter Materials]] before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.<br />
<br />
[[Laser Cutter Materials]]<br />
<br />
== Laser Cutter Settings ==<br />
Recommended settings for a variety of materials: [[Blue Laser Cutter Settings]]<br />
<br />
Don't press the focusing on button the machine(white button) or adjust the focus setting in the software. These settings are calibrated regularly by the people authorized to work on the machine and are not intended for users to change. Doing this messes up other people's work and it's NOT COOL. As with everything in the space, when you're done, leave things as they were when you started. Changing this setting means the laser is not right when the next person comes to use the machine.<br />
<br />
== Manuals ==<br />
Engravers Network has [http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/support_uls_manuals.html an online archive that includes many ULS laser system manuals]. <br />
<br />
These appear to be the relevant manuals for our laser: <br />
<br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS375_475_675_6150D%20Installation%20and%20Setup.pdf PLS Installation Manual] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS_User_Guide.pdf PLS User Guide] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/Advance-Manual%20Control%20Panel%20(48-60).pdf Print Driver-Advanced Manual Control] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/UCP-All%20Systems%20(24-41).pdf UCP-Universal Control Panel]<br />
*[http://www.atxhs.org/wiki/File:PLS_Service_Manual.pdf PLS Service Manual]<br />
*<br />
<br />
== Theory: How it Works ==<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors onto a moving head and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
The infrared (IR) light that the laser cutter produces would blind you instantly if you were to look directly at it - and it's so bright that even you were only looking at the light reflected off the material that's being cut, it could still blind you. The IR light is also totally invisible. Fortunately, IR light doesn't pass easily through the window of the cutter that is made of a Polycarbonate plastic (which strongly absorbs light in those wavelengths). For this reason, if the lid (and the front panel) of the laser are not properly shut, then the IR laser will turn off automatically. The intense white light that you sometimes see when the cutter is operating is actually visible light that's being emitted by the material that the laser is burning off (it's literally 'white hot'!). There is also a red "guide laser" that is not dangerous to look at which allows you to see how the head is moving even when the IR laser is turned off. You can tell when the lid isn't properly shut because there is a red light on the control panel that flashes when there is a problem. <br />
<br />
For carbon-based (organic) materials (like wood, paper, cloth and leather), you see the material being burned away and there may be black residue left behind. For plastics like Acrylic, the material is chemically decomposed by the laser and you don't see that white hot trail as it cuts. However, when the laser hits the metal grid beneath the material, there will still be bright flashes of light from that. <br />
<br />
== IMPORTANT: Dirty optics and other problems ==<br />
First and foremost, repair and servicing of the laser cutter may only be performed by persons designated by the Asmbly's Director of Facilities.<br />
<br />
If the laser cutter is operating particularly poorly, then dirty optics is a likely cause. Smoke and debris can stick to the lens and mirror and build up slowly over time.<br />
<br />
It's a good idea to inspect the laser optics before you start work. Use the mirror and lamp provided (both are supposed to be sitting on top of the laser cutter). Carefully place the mirror onto the vector table, underneath the cutting head and shine the lamp down onto it to illuminate the underside of the head:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser1.jpg|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser1.jpg]]<br><br />
When it's dirty, it looks dull and greyish-brown like this:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser2.png|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser2.png]]<br><br />
It should be a golden yellow color because the lens is coated with a thin layer of gold.<br />
<br />
It's also possible that one or more of the three mirrors is dirty - but this is a rarer situation because they aren't in the direct stream of smoke that is kicked up when the laser is working.<br />
<br />
* '''Don't use the laser when the mirror and/or lens are dirty''' - especially not at high power settings - because doing so causes the dirt to get very hot and that can permanently ruin the gold coating or even crack the optics - which cost hundreds of dollars to replace and could result in the laser cutter being offline for weeks.<br />
* '''Don't touch or attempt to clean the lens/mirror unless you've been properly trained to do so'''. The procedure for cleaning these delicate parts is described in [[LaserCleaning|Cleaning the Laser Cutter]], but this is a task that should not be undertaken without specific training because these parts are fragile (they're made of a surprisingly soft material) and it's easy to damage the thin gold coating by cleaning them even slightly incorrectly.<br />
<br />
The correct procedure if you believe that the lens is dirty is:<br />
<br />
# Enter your suspicions into the log book.<br />
# eMail the issue to the mailing list.<br />
# Do not operate the laser cutter or you could end up with...<br />
[[File:DestroyedLaserLens.jpg|150px|link=Special:FilePath/DestroyedLaserLens.jpg]]<br />
<br />
== Making drawings for the Laser Cutter ==<br />
To tell the cutter how to cut/etch/raster, you make your drawing in various colors. Generally we do this in CorelDraw (which is installed on the laser cutter's computer) or by importing SVG files from Inkscape.<br />
<br />
By convention: <br />
<br />
*Draw raster objects as image files in shades of grey (darker means more laser power, lighter means less)<br />
*Lines to be cut all the way through should be drawn in red. <br />
*Lines to be etched in either blue or green.<br />
<br />
However, these are only conventions - you can actually set the laser power, speed, raster/vector, points-per-inch and Z-depth independently for each of the colors Black, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. The laser cuts things out in the order of those colors - so it'll do all of the black things before all of the red things, then all of the green and so on - this can sometimes be useful to know (eg if you have small parts or springy material that may move once they've been cut out - then you'll want to etch and raster before cutting).<br />
<br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
Some helpful laser related links. Need to organize:<br />
<br />
*[http://regal-plastics.com/ Regal Plastics - Local supplier]<br />
*[https://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=330 Tissues for cleaning optics]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq3G9zu0ick ULS 3D calibration]<br />
*[http://jerryarutherford.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-laser-fire.html Why not to leave the laser]<br />
*[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/05/27/fabfont-a-typeface-for-lasercut-stencils/ Typeface for stencils]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ Laser Origami]<br />
*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Round-stoolstype-all-rounds/ Laser cut round stools]<br />
*[https://support.epiloglaser.com/article/ka-01213/ Removing wood residue]<br />
*[http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/ Tabbed box maker]<br />
*[https://festi.info/boxes.py/Gallery Boxes.py]<br />
*[http://ferroworld.org TherMark laser bonded marking]<br />
*[https://www.ulsinc.com/material/materials-library USL Materials Library]<br />
*[https://github.com/timur-tabi/svg-tuckbox Tuck box python script]<br />
*[http://www.lasersaur.com/ Lasersaur DIY laser cutter]<br />
*[http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/06/17/how-to-make-snug-joints-in-acrylic/ How to make snug joints in acrylic]<br />
<br />
== Maintenance and Parts ==<br />
<br />
Replacement lens are usually purchased on ebay. Search for "ZnSe Lens 19.05mm". The key properties are that it should be 19.05mm in diameter, have a focal length of 2.0 inches, and be a ZnSe lens for IR laser cutters / engravers. An example ebay item is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172251072909 .<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Dorian&diff=2952Dorian2024-07-01T01:27:09Z<p>DanHawn: Added section on materials with link to forbidden materials page. Added a checklist of things to watch out for when starting a job.</p>
<hr />
<div>Dorian is our Laguna EX-C 150W laser cutter. The bed size is 36" x 51" and it uses Lightburn software with a controller and interface similar to [[Tarkin]]. Dorian also has a rotary fixture, so you can use it to engrave round things like glassware.<br />
<br />
As of 4/5/22, it is online and ready for member use.<br />
<br />
{{Required|Big Lasers}}<br />
<br />
== Common Issues and Troubleshooting ==<br />
<br />
# Make sure that the laser is on. (Black knob on the right side) If the light doesn't turn on, twist the red knob. If someone used the e-stop to turn the machine off the red knob will pop up.<br />
# Make sure that the chiller is on. You won't be able to cut if it's not on.<br />
# Consider rebooting the PC before starting your project as this will clear the previous users settings and return you to a somewhat default state.<br />
# Verify you're using the appropriate origin settings when sending files from Lightburn to the laser. If you frame your job and the laser moves somewhere you didn't expect it to, this might be your problem.<br />
# If you're getting blurry, low power cuts or etches you may have forgotten to focus, or refocus.<br />
<br />
== Know Your Materials ==<br />
Before even considering a job, make sure that your material is laser-safe by checking the [[Laser Cutter Materials]] page.<br />
<br />
You may not know it, but the following are not permitted at asmbly:<br />
<br />
* Lexan/Polycarbonate - Looks a lot like acrylic, but can damage the laser.<br />
* Epoxy - A common material for woodshop projects, but not laser-safe.<br />
* PVC - Releases toxic chlorine gas! (not to mention damages the machine)<br />
* Material with Sticky Glue Backing - There are some materials advertised as laser safe that use a sticky glue backing, but this is not allowed at asmbly. The glue residue is worse than resin, and can't be removed without risking damage to the lens, requiring a lens replacement.<br />
* Polystyrene and Polypropylene - These catch fire and make a terrible mess!<br />
<br />
== Example Checklist Before Starting a Job ==<br />
<br />
* Consider rebooting the computer to restore default Lightburn settings. If a previous user changed a setting deep in a menu it could affect your job and it may be difficult to troubleshoot.<br />
* Start by verifying the size of your artwork in Lightburn before moving on to anything else. There are situations where your files can import at the wrong size depending on file type and the program they were exported from.<br />
* Focus the laser every time you put a new sheet of material in the laser.<br />
* Verify your desired origin settings are selected<br />
* It's a good idea to make sure your inner cuts are the top layers so they cut first.<br />
* Use the Preview Window to check the run time of your job. Make sure the run time isn't longer than you expected or longer than your reservation.<br />
* Make sure your material is secured firmly to the bed. Heavier materials may not need anything to secure them, but your material should be as flat and parallel to the bed as possible for best results. (Technically you want it parallel to the gantry, but the bed is the best reference we have)<br />
* Make sure the head will not collide with your material or anything you're using to secure the material.<br />
* When possible always do a small test cut/etch on a sample of the same material as you're using for your project. If you don't have the exact same material to spare, try to find a scrap of comparable density material with the same thickness.<br />
* Always confirm your origin and frame the artwork before running the job. When you're satisfied, press send monitor<br />
* You can press pause to stop your laser without ruining the job if you need to step away from the machine. (Never leave an active laser unattended!)<br />
{{ToolPhoto|DorianLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Lightburn&diff=2948Lightburn2024-06-27T01:12:48Z<p>DanHawn: /* Helpful Lightburn Links */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Helpful Lightburn Links ==<br />
<br />
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmBRhAFpGA LightBurn Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier]<br />
* [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/CoordinatesOrigin.html Official Lightburn Getting Started Doc]<br />
* [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/BeginnerUITour.html#main-toolbar Lightburn UI Tour - "How to use Lightburn"]<br />
* [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/Tools/IntervalTest.html Interval Test] and [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/Tools/MaterialTest.html Material Test] are must learn tools for dialing in your raster settings.<br />
* [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/OptimizationSettings.html Optimization Settings] has a lot of automatic options for making your cuts more efficient.<br />
* [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/PrintAndCut.html Print + Cut] is an extremely useful tool for salvaging failed cuts/etchs or cutting out pre-printed/sublimation designs. <br />
<br />
== Setup of your personal copy of Lightburn ==<br />
Lightburn is a very reasonably priced annual subscription and often used by members as their own CAD software for their designs. A member's LB installation is not to be used to control Tarkin directly, but create project files to load into Asmbly's workstation <br />
<br />
It is cross-platform and has Windows, iOS, and Linux versions. There is a fully capable 30-day-limit trial version.<br />
<br />
After installation, Lightburn asks which machine you have. It is sufficient to simply enter "Ruida" and bed size 1640x1000 <br />
<br />
However, a better alternative would be to download the current Tarkin machine profile here [TBD] and load that on to your machine on startup, or add under the Laser Panel->Devices. LB will create a copy of the machine profile file in its own directory so the file you pointed to is no longer necessary and can be moved. This has all the parameters that will allow you to get accurate time predictions in the Preview window. The machine parameters may be updated periodically so be sure you have the latest file<br />
<br />
A Lightburn Material Database for Tarkin's material settings ready to install on your machine is located here [TBD: add '$wgFileExtensions = array( "clb", lbset" );' to LocalSettings.php]<br />
<br />
There is a very useful class of single-line fonts called SHX that are free but not included with the standard download. Instructions to install are included here: https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/shx-font-collection/25298</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Lightburn&diff=2947Lightburn2024-06-27T00:33:06Z<p>DanHawn: /* Helpful Youtube Links on Lightburn */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Helpful Lightburn Links ==<br />
<br />
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmBRhAFpGA LightBurn Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier]<br />
* [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/CoordinatesOrigin.html Official Lightburn Getting Started Doc]<br />
<br />
== Setup of your personal copy of Lightburn ==<br />
Lightburn is a very reasonably priced annual subscription and often used by members as their own CAD software for their designs. A member's LB installation is not to be used to control Tarkin directly, but create project files to load into Asmbly's workstation <br />
<br />
It is cross-platform and has Windows, iOS, and Linux versions. There is a fully capable 30-day-limit trial version.<br />
<br />
After installation, Lightburn asks which machine you have. It is sufficient to simply enter "Ruida" and bed size 1640x1000 <br />
<br />
However, a better alternative would be to download the current Tarkin machine profile here [TBD] and load that on to your machine on startup, or add under the Laser Panel->Devices. LB will create a copy of the machine profile file in its own directory so the file you pointed to is no longer necessary and can be moved. This has all the parameters that will allow you to get accurate time predictions in the Preview window. The machine parameters may be updated periodically so be sure you have the latest file<br />
<br />
A Lightburn Material Database for Tarkin's material settings ready to install on your machine is located here [TBD: add '$wgFileExtensions = array( "clb", lbset" );' to LocalSettings.php]<br />
<br />
There is a very useful class of single-line fonts called SHX that are free but not included with the standard download. Instructions to install are included here: https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/shx-font-collection/25298</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Lightburn&diff=2946Lightburn2024-06-25T22:32:24Z<p>DanHawn: /* Helpful Youtube Links on Lightburn */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Helpful Youtube Links on Lightburn ==<br />
<br />
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmBRhAFpGA LightBurn Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier]<br />
* [https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/CoordinatesOrigin.html Official Lightburn Getting Started Doc]<br />
<br />
== Setup of your personal copy of Lightburn ==<br />
Lightburn is a very reasonably priced annual subscription and often used by members as their own CAD software for their designs. A member's LB installation is not to be used to control Tarkin directly, but create project files to load into Asmbly's workstation <br />
<br />
It is cross-platform and has Windows, iOS, and Linux versions. There is a fully capable 30-day-limit trial version.<br />
<br />
After installation, Lightburn asks which machine you have. It is sufficient to simply enter "Ruida" and bed size 1640x1000 <br />
<br />
However, a better alternative would be to download the current Tarkin machine profile here [TBD] and load that on to your machine on startup, or add under the Laser Panel->Devices. LB will create a copy of the machine profile file in its own directory so the file you pointed to is no longer necessary and can be moved. This has all the parameters that will allow you to get accurate time predictions in the Preview window. The machine parameters may be updated periodically so be sure you have the latest file<br />
<br />
A Lightburn Material Database for Tarkin's material settings ready to install on your machine is located here [TBD: add '$wgFileExtensions = array( "clb", lbset" );' to LocalSettings.php]<br />
<br />
There is a very useful class of single-line fonts called SHX that are free but not included with the standard download. Instructions to install are included here: https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/shx-font-collection/25298</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Lightburn&diff=2942Lightburn2024-06-24T15:35:48Z<p>DanHawn: </p>
<hr />
<div>== Helpful Youtube Links on Lightburn ==<br />
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmBRhAFpGA LightBurn Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier]<br />
<br />
== Setup of your personal copy of Lightburn ==<br />
Lightburn is a very reasonably priced annual subscription and often used by members as their own CAD software for their designs. A member's LB installation is not to be used to control Tarkin directly, but create project files to load into Asmbly's workstation <br />
<br />
It is cross-platform and has Windows, iOS, and Linux versions. There is a fully capable 30-day-limit trial version.<br />
<br />
After installation, Lightburn asks which machine you have. It is sufficient to simply enter "Ruida" and bed size 1640x1000 <br />
<br />
However, a better alternative would be to download the current Tarkin machine profile here [TBD] and load that on to your machine on startup, or add under the Laser Panel->Devices. LB will create a copy of the machine profile file in its own directory so the file you pointed to is no longer necessary and can be moved. This has all the parameters that will allow you to get accurate time predictions in the Preview window. The machine parameters may be updated periodically so be sure you have the latest file<br />
<br />
A Lightburn Material Database for Tarkin's material settings ready to install on your machine is located here [TBD: add '$wgFileExtensions = array( "clb", lbset" );' to LocalSettings.php]<br />
<br />
There is a very useful class of single-line fonts called SHX that are free but not included with the standard download. Instructions to install are included here: https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/shx-font-collection/25298</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Blue&diff=2890Blue2024-05-08T22:09:42Z<p>DanHawn: /* Usage */ moved this section to the main Lasers page</p>
<hr />
<div>Asmbly owns a '''Universal Laser Systems PLS 6.60 laser cutter''' colloquially known as "Blue". It is a 60W CO2 laser with 32" x 18" bed capable of cutting, engraving, and marking a number of different materials quickly and accurately when driven from CAD software such as CorelDraw and Inkscape. <br />
<br />
{{Required|Small Lasers}}<br />
<br />
{{ToolPhoto|BlueLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
== ULS 6.60 Laser Cutter ==<br />
<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
There are two main variables that the laser uses to cut and etch: speed and power. When cutting, the laser power is increased and the speed is decreased so that the cutting beam spends a longer time hitting the material in order to cut though. While etching the speed is increased and the power reduced, this way the laser only removes a little material from the surface, leaving just the etching.<br />
<br />
== Materials ==<br />
There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself. It is therefore imperative that you check the list of [[Laser Cutter Materials]] before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.<br />
<br />
[[Laser Cutter Materials]]<br />
<br />
== Laser Cutter Settings ==<br />
Recommended settings for a variety of materials: [[Blue Laser Cutter Settings]]<br />
<br />
Don't press the focusing on button the machine(white button) or adjust the focus setting in the software. These settings are calibrated regularly by the people authorized to work on the machine and are not intended for users to change. Doing this messes up other people's work and it's NOT COOL. As with everything in the space, when you're done, leave things as they were when you started. Changing this setting means the laser is not right when the next person comes to use the machine.<br />
<br />
== Manuals ==<br />
Engravers Network has [http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/support_uls_manuals.html an online archive that includes many ULS laser system manuals]. <br />
<br />
These appear to be the relevant manuals for our laser: <br />
<br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS375_475_675_6150D%20Installation%20and%20Setup.pdf PLS Installation Manual] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS_User_Guide.pdf PLS User Guide] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/Advance-Manual%20Control%20Panel%20(48-60).pdf Print Driver-Advanced Manual Control] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/UCP-All%20Systems%20(24-41).pdf UCP-Universal Control Panel]<br />
*[http://www.atxhs.org/wiki/File:PLS_Service_Manual.pdf PLS Service Manual]<br />
<br />
== Theory: How it Works ==<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors onto a moving head and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
The infrared (IR) light that the laser cutter produces would blind you instantly if you were to look directly at it - and it's so bright that even you were only looking at the light reflected off the material that's being cut, it could still blind you. The IR light is also totally invisible. Fortunately, IR light doesn't pass easily through the window of the cutter that is made of a Polycarbonate plastic (which strongly absorbs light in those wavelengths). For this reason, if the lid (and the front panel) of the laser are not properly shut, then the IR laser will turn off automatically. The intense white light that you sometimes see when the cutter is operating is actually visible light that's being emitted by the material that the laser is burning off (it's literally 'white hot'!). There is also a red "guide laser" that is not dangerous to look at which allows you to see how the head is moving even when the IR laser is turned off. You can tell when the lid isn't properly shut because there is a red light on the control panel that flashes when there is a problem. <br />
<br />
For carbon-based (organic) materials (like wood, paper, cloth and leather), you see the material being burned away and there may be black residue left behind. For plastics like Acrylic, the material is chemically decomposed by the laser and you don't see that white hot trail as it cuts. However, when the laser hits the metal grid beneath the material, there will still be bright flashes of light from that. <br />
<br />
== IMPORTANT: Dirty optics and other problems ==<br />
First and foremost, repair and servicing of the laser cutter may only be performed by persons designated by the Asmbly's Director of Facilities.<br />
<br />
If the laser cutter is operating particularly poorly, then dirty optics is a likely cause. Smoke and debris can stick to the lens and mirror and build up slowly over time.<br />
<br />
It's a good idea to inspect the laser optics before you start work. Use the mirror and lamp provided (both are supposed to be sitting on top of the laser cutter). Carefully place the mirror onto the vector table, underneath the cutting head and shine the lamp down onto it to illuminate the underside of the head:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser1.jpg|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser1.jpg]]<br><br />
When it's dirty, it looks dull and greyish-brown like this:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser2.png|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser2.png]]<br><br />
It should be a golden yellow color because the lens is coated with a thin layer of gold.<br />
<br />
It's also possible that one or more of the three mirrors is dirty - but this is a rarer situation because they aren't in the direct stream of smoke that is kicked up when the laser is working.<br />
<br />
* '''Don't use the laser when the mirror and/or lens are dirty''' - especially not at high power settings - because doing so causes the dirt to get very hot and that can permanently ruin the gold coating or even crack the optics - which cost hundreds of dollars to replace and could result in the laser cutter being offline for weeks.<br />
* '''Don't touch or attempt to clean the lens/mirror unless you've been properly trained to do so'''. The procedure for cleaning these delicate parts is described in [[LaserCleaning|Cleaning the Laser Cutter]], but this is a task that should not be undertaken without specific training because these parts are fragile (they're made of a surprisingly soft material) and it's easy to damage the thin gold coating by cleaning them even slightly incorrectly.<br />
<br />
The correct procedure if you believe that the lens is dirty is:<br />
<br />
# Enter your suspicions into the log book.<br />
# eMail the issue to the mailing list.<br />
# Do not operate the laser cutter or you could end up with...<br />
[[File:DestroyedLaserLens.jpg|150px|link=Special:FilePath/DestroyedLaserLens.jpg]]<br />
<br />
== Making drawings for the Laser Cutter ==<br />
To tell the cutter how to cut/etch/raster, you make your drawing in various colors. Generally we do this in CorelDraw (which is installed on the laser cutter's computer) or by importing SVG files from Inkscape.<br />
<br />
By convention: <br />
<br />
*Draw raster objects as image files in shades of grey (darker means more laser power, lighter means less)<br />
*Lines to be cut all the way through should be drawn in red. <br />
*Lines to be etched in either blue or green.<br />
<br />
However, these are only conventions - you can actually set the laser power, speed, raster/vector, points-per-inch and Z-depth independently for each of the colors Black, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. The laser cuts things out in the order of those colors - so it'll do all of the black things before all of the red things, then all of the green and so on - this can sometimes be useful to know (eg if you have small parts or springy material that may move once they've been cut out - then you'll want to etch and raster before cutting).<br />
<br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
Some helpful laser related links. Need to organize:<br />
<br />
*[http://regal-plastics.com/ Regal Plastics - Local supplier]<br />
*[https://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=330 Tissues for cleaning optics]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq3G9zu0ick ULS 3D calibration]<br />
*[http://jerryarutherford.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-laser-fire.html Why not to leave the laser]<br />
*[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/05/27/fabfont-a-typeface-for-lasercut-stencils/ Typeface for stencils]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ Laser Origami]<br />
*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Round-stoolstype-all-rounds/ Laser cut round stools]<br />
*[https://support.epiloglaser.com/article/ka-01213/ Removing wood residue]<br />
*[http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/ Tabbed box maker]<br />
*[https://festi.info/boxes.py/Gallery Boxes.py]<br />
*[http://ferroworld.org TherMark laser bonded marking]<br />
*[https://www.ulsinc.com/material/materials-library USL Materials Library]<br />
*[https://github.com/timur-tabi/svg-tuckbox Tuck box python script]<br />
*[http://www.lasersaur.com/ Lasersaur DIY laser cutter]<br />
*[http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/06/17/how-to-make-snug-joints-in-acrylic/ How to make snug joints in acrylic]<br />
<br />
== Maintenance and Parts ==<br />
<br />
Replacement lens are usually purchased on ebay. Search for "ZnSe Lens 19.05mm". The key properties are that it should be 19.05mm in diameter, have a focal length of 2.0 inches, and be a ZnSe lens for IR laser cutters / engravers. An example ebay item is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172251072909 .<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Category:Lasers&diff=2889Category:Lasers2024-05-08T22:09:16Z<p>DanHawn: This paragraph was found on the page for Blue, but it's general policy not specific to that machine, so I'm moving it to the main Lasers page</p>
<hr />
<div>CO2 lasers available for member use are described below. Each laser has a prerequisite class, but no additional fees for operation.<br />
<br />
[[File:July2022_laser_1.jpg|center|thumb|800x258px|View of central work table and lasers in Laser shop area. Photo by Riko Balakit, July 2022.]]<br />
<br />
=== Laser Summary ===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
!Laser<br />
!Power<br />
!Air Assist?<br />
!Rotary?<br />
!Camera?<br />
!Bed Size<br />
!Workflow<br />
|-<br />
|'''[[Blue]]'''<br />
|60W<br />
|N<br />
|N<br />
|N<br />
|18x32<br />
|ULS Print Driver<br />
|-<br />
|'''[[Pearl]]'''<br />
|100W<br />
|N<br />
|Y<br />
|N<br />
|18x32<br />
|ULS Print Driver<br />
|-<br />
|<s>[[Red]]</s><br />
|<s>120W</s><br />
|<s>Y</s><br />
|<s>N</s><br />
|<s>N</s><br />
|<s>24x48</s><br />
|<s>ULS Print Driver</s><br />
|-<br />
|'''[[Dorian]]'''<br />
|120W<br />
|Y<br />
|Y<br />
|Y<br />
|36x51<br />
|LightBurn<br />
|-<br />
|'''[[Tarkin]]'''<br />
|220W<br />
|Y<br />
|N<br />
|Y<br />
|39x63<br />
|LightBurn<br />
|}<br />
[[Laser Tips and Tricks]]<br />
==Usage==<br />
To be fair to other users, each member may only have one "active" reservation at a time in (maximum) three hour blocks. Additionally, we only allow one "active" reservation at a time for these machines. An "active" reservation is defined as a reservation that will occur at some point in the future. A second active reservation may be made with "bumpable" in the Booking Title field. This indicates a soft reservation that another member may bump if they need the time.<br />
==Materials==<br />
# <br />
<br />
[[Category:Tools]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Blue&diff=2888Blue2024-05-08T22:03:03Z<p>DanHawn: /* External Links */ updated links that moved and deleted links that were broken</p>
<hr />
<div>Asmbly owns a '''Universal Laser Systems PLS 6.60 laser cutter''' colloquially known as "Blue". It is a 60W CO2 laser with 32" x 18" bed capable of cutting, engraving, and marking a number of different materials quickly and accurately when driven from CAD software such as CorelDraw and Inkscape. <br />
<br />
{{Required|Small Lasers}}<br />
<br />
{{ToolPhoto|BlueLaser.jpg}}<br />
<br />
== ULS 6.60 Laser Cutter ==<br />
<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
There are two main variables that the laser uses to cut and etch: speed and power. When cutting, the laser power is increased and the speed is decreased so that the cutting beam spends a longer time hitting the material in order to cut though. While etching the speed is increased and the power reduced, this way the laser only removes a little material from the surface, leaving just the etching.<br />
<br />
== Usage ==<br />
To be fair to other users, each member may only have one "active" reservation at a time in (maximum) three hour blocks. Additionally, we only allow one "active" reservation at a time for these machines. An "active" reservation is defined as a reservation that will occur at some point in the future. A second active reservation may be made with "bumpable" in the Booking Title field. This indicates a soft reservation that another member may bump if they need the time.<br />
<br />
== Materials ==<br />
There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself. It is therefore imperative that you check the list of [[Laser Cutter Materials]] before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.<br />
<br />
[[Laser Cutter Materials]]<br />
<br />
== Laser Cutter Settings ==<br />
Recommended settings for a variety of materials: [[Blue Laser Cutter Settings]]<br />
<br />
Don't press the focusing on button the machine(white button) or adjust the focus setting in the software. These settings are calibrated regularly by the people authorized to work on the machine and are not intended for users to change. Doing this messes up other people's work and it's NOT COOL. As with everything in the space, when you're done, leave things as they were when you started. Changing this setting means the laser is not right when the next person comes to use the machine.<br />
<br />
== Manuals ==<br />
Engravers Network has [http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/support_uls_manuals.html an online archive that includes many ULS laser system manuals]. <br />
<br />
These appear to be the relevant manuals for our laser: <br />
<br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS375_475_675_6150D%20Installation%20and%20Setup.pdf PLS Installation Manual] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/PLS_User_Guide.pdf PLS User Guide] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/Advance-Manual%20Control%20Panel%20(48-60).pdf Print Driver-Advanced Manual Control] <br />
*[http://www.engraversnetwork.com/support/pdf/UCP-All%20Systems%20(24-41).pdf UCP-Universal Control Panel]<br />
*[http://www.atxhs.org/wiki/File:PLS_Service_Manual.pdf PLS Service Manual]<br />
<br />
== Theory: How it Works ==<br />
Inside the laser cutter there is a very powerful CO2 infrared laser that is bounced off of a few mirrors onto a moving head and is finally directed towards the material being cut or etched by a moving mirror and lens that aims the focused beam. These mirrors and lenses are gold coated to provide the best possible transmission of infrared energy. <br />
<br />
The infrared (IR) light that the laser cutter produces would blind you instantly if you were to look directly at it - and it's so bright that even you were only looking at the light reflected off the material that's being cut, it could still blind you. The IR light is also totally invisible. Fortunately, IR light doesn't pass easily through the window of the cutter that is made of a Polycarbonate plastic (which strongly absorbs light in those wavelengths). For this reason, if the lid (and the front panel) of the laser are not properly shut, then the IR laser will turn off automatically. The intense white light that you sometimes see when the cutter is operating is actually visible light that's being emitted by the material that the laser is burning off (it's literally 'white hot'!). There is also a red "guide laser" that is not dangerous to look at which allows you to see how the head is moving even when the IR laser is turned off. You can tell when the lid isn't properly shut because there is a red light on the control panel that flashes when there is a problem. <br />
<br />
For carbon-based (organic) materials (like wood, paper, cloth and leather), you see the material being burned away and there may be black residue left behind. For plastics like Acrylic, the material is chemically decomposed by the laser and you don't see that white hot trail as it cuts. However, when the laser hits the metal grid beneath the material, there will still be bright flashes of light from that. <br />
<br />
== IMPORTANT: Dirty optics and other problems ==<br />
First and foremost, repair and servicing of the laser cutter may only be performed by persons designated by the Asmbly's Director of Facilities.<br />
<br />
If the laser cutter is operating particularly poorly, then dirty optics is a likely cause. Smoke and debris can stick to the lens and mirror and build up slowly over time.<br />
<br />
It's a good idea to inspect the laser optics before you start work. Use the mirror and lamp provided (both are supposed to be sitting on top of the laser cutter). Carefully place the mirror onto the vector table, underneath the cutting head and shine the lamp down onto it to illuminate the underside of the head:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser1.jpg|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser1.jpg]]<br><br />
When it's dirty, it looks dull and greyish-brown like this:<br><br />
[[File:InspectingLaser2.png|300px|link=Special:FilePath/InspectingLaser2.png]]<br><br />
It should be a golden yellow color because the lens is coated with a thin layer of gold.<br />
<br />
It's also possible that one or more of the three mirrors is dirty - but this is a rarer situation because they aren't in the direct stream of smoke that is kicked up when the laser is working.<br />
<br />
* '''Don't use the laser when the mirror and/or lens are dirty''' - especially not at high power settings - because doing so causes the dirt to get very hot and that can permanently ruin the gold coating or even crack the optics - which cost hundreds of dollars to replace and could result in the laser cutter being offline for weeks.<br />
* '''Don't touch or attempt to clean the lens/mirror unless you've been properly trained to do so'''. The procedure for cleaning these delicate parts is described in [[LaserCleaning|Cleaning the Laser Cutter]], but this is a task that should not be undertaken without specific training because these parts are fragile (they're made of a surprisingly soft material) and it's easy to damage the thin gold coating by cleaning them even slightly incorrectly.<br />
<br />
The correct procedure if you believe that the lens is dirty is:<br />
<br />
# Enter your suspicions into the log book.<br />
# eMail the issue to the mailing list.<br />
# Do not operate the laser cutter or you could end up with...<br />
[[File:DestroyedLaserLens.jpg|150px|link=Special:FilePath/DestroyedLaserLens.jpg]]<br />
<br />
== Making drawings for the Laser Cutter ==<br />
To tell the cutter how to cut/etch/raster, you make your drawing in various colors. Generally we do this in CorelDraw (which is installed on the laser cutter's computer) or by importing SVG files from Inkscape.<br />
<br />
By convention: <br />
<br />
*Draw raster objects as image files in shades of grey (darker means more laser power, lighter means less)<br />
*Lines to be cut all the way through should be drawn in red. <br />
*Lines to be etched in either blue or green.<br />
<br />
However, these are only conventions - you can actually set the laser power, speed, raster/vector, points-per-inch and Z-depth independently for each of the colors Black, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. The laser cuts things out in the order of those colors - so it'll do all of the black things before all of the red things, then all of the green and so on - this can sometimes be useful to know (eg if you have small parts or springy material that may move once they've been cut out - then you'll want to etch and raster before cutting).<br />
<br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
Some helpful laser related links. Need to organize:<br />
<br />
*[http://regal-plastics.com/ Regal Plastics - Local supplier]<br />
*[https://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=330 Tissues for cleaning optics]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq3G9zu0ick ULS 3D calibration]<br />
*[http://jerryarutherford.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-laser-fire.html Why not to leave the laser]<br />
*[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/05/27/fabfont-a-typeface-for-lasercut-stencils/ Typeface for stencils]<br />
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ Laser Origami]<br />
*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Round-stoolstype-all-rounds/ Laser cut round stools]<br />
*[https://support.epiloglaser.com/article/ka-01213/ Removing wood residue]<br />
*[http://boxmaker.rahulbotics.com/ Tabbed box maker]<br />
*[https://festi.info/boxes.py/Gallery Boxes.py]<br />
*[http://ferroworld.org TherMark laser bonded marking]<br />
*[https://www.ulsinc.com/material/materials-library USL Materials Library]<br />
*[https://github.com/timur-tabi/svg-tuckbox Tuck box python script]<br />
*[http://www.lasersaur.com/ Lasersaur DIY laser cutter]<br />
*[http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/06/17/how-to-make-snug-joints-in-acrylic/ How to make snug joints in acrylic]<br />
<br />
== Maintenance and Parts ==<br />
<br />
Replacement lens are usually purchased on ebay. Search for "ZnSe Lens 19.05mm". The key properties are that it should be 19.05mm in diameter, have a focal length of 2.0 inches, and be a ZnSe lens for IR laser cutters / engravers. An example ebay item is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172251072909 .<br />
<br />
{{Owned}}<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawnhttps://wiki.asmbly.org/index.php?title=Laser_Cutter_Supplies&diff=2878Laser Cutter Supplies2024-04-05T00:19:48Z<p>DanHawn: /* Fine Lumber & Plywood (Austin Fine Lumber) */</p>
<hr />
<div>Where can you to buy materials to feed the Laser?<br />
<br />
== Plastics ==<br />
=== Regal Plastic Supply Company ===<br />
<br />
: 9311 Metric Blvd (corner of Rundberg, north of 183)<br />
: Austin, TX 78758 <br />
: (512) 836-3629 <br />
: http://www.regal-plastics.com/austin.html <br />
: http://www.yelp.com/biz/regal-plastic-supply-company-austin <br />
: M - F 8am - 5pm <br />
<br />
Note (updated Jun '13): Website mostly useless. <br />
Regal does have a sales office, but at least one of the sales people can be a bit hard on you if you don't know exactly what you want - be prepared to be treated as almost a nuisance until you cough up some money. Others are cool (esp. the lady at left). Some materials (thin cast acrylic) need to be ordered in advance, in thinner acrylic they only carry extruded. They used to allow people to rummage their discard pile, but no longer.<br />
<br />
Stuff already cut and left behind is called a "drop", and can be got more cheaply than asking for something by size (for which they would add a cutting fee, see below). This is interesting especially for colors. This is the way it works: look at their samples (on wall), ask if they have a "drop" in number-so-and-so color, and so-and-so thickness, and about-this-size. For 1/8 they most likely do, so you will be escorted to the back to pick the piece you will buy, which will be sold to you at the rate you would pay if you were buying wholesale a whole 4'x8' sheet. <br />
<br />
$5 fee for cuts, applies per master piece, that is, if you buy a whole sheet, and want is sized to our laser cutter (18"x32"), they will charge $5 only once, and also give you the "drops". Might take them way more than a day to get their cutting done.<br />
<br />
It would be nice if someone made friends with the boss, their discard pile (stuff under 1', doesn't make it as a drop) is awesome. <br />
[[User:Yamaplos|Yamaplos]] ([[User talk:Yamaplos|talk]]) 15:50, 4 June 2013 (CDT)<br />
<br />
=== Interstate Plastics ===<br />
This is the new address, they moved late 2012<br />
: 3714 Bluestein drive <br />
: Ste 790<br />
: Austin, TX 78721 <br />
: (512) 386-7422 <br />
: http://www.interstateplastics.com <br />
: http://www.yelp.com/biz/interstate-plastics-austin <br />
: Mon-Fri 8 am - 5 pm<br />
<br />
Note (July '13). Great website, prices look a bit lower than Regal. They are located south on 183. <br />
<br />
Walk-ins might get even better prices, as I am told their website products are served from California, and thus have additional shipping charges. Obviously not everything in the catalog is available in the store<br />
<br />
Friendly, patient guy helped me (Richard), gave me some suggestions and pointed to some better deals<br />
If you want/need something cut, it might take a day, but their "drops" area (cut pieces) is well populated and their pricing for drops is as wholesale<br />
<br />
=== Colorado Plastics ===<br />
<br />
Colorado Plastics sells remnants once a month: <br />
<br />
: http://www.coloradoplastics.com/retail/fourth-friday-half-price-remnant-sale/<br />
<br />
=== Inventables.com ===<br />
See [https://www.inventables.com/categories/laser-cutting/acrylic-sheets Acrylic Sheets] inventory.<br />
<br />
=== Austin Plastics & Supply, Inc. ===<br />
: 2415 Kramer Lane<br />
: Austin, TX 78758 <br />
: (512) 836-1025<br />
: http://www.austinplasticssupply.com/<br />
: Mon-Fri 7 am - 4 pm<br />
<br />
Call first. Website says hours are 8am-5pm, but this is wrong.<br />
<br />
== Wood ==<br />
=== Fine Lumber &amp; Plywood (Austin Fine Lumber) ===<br />
<br />
from asmbly :<br />
take south on Duval, turn left, go to the end of Brown, right at the corner to your right is the place, real close<br />
<br />
: 9407 Brown Lane <br />
: Austin, TX 78754 <br />
: (512) 836-8990 <br />
: http://www.finelumber.com <br />
: http://www.yelp.com/biz/fine-lumber-and-plywood-austin <br />
: M - F 7:30AM - 5PM <br />
: Sat 8AM - 12PM <br />
<br />
AFL carries high quality Baltic Birch plywood in several thicknesses. We have been using 5mm (6mm?) material that comes in 5x5' sheets (?)<br />
<br />
=== Woodcraft of Austin ===<br />
<br />
Smaller quantities and higher prices, but they're open longer hours. <br />
<br />
: 10901 IH 35 North<br />
: Austin, TX 78753<br />
: (512) 407-8787 <br />
: austin-retail@woodcraft.com <br />
: https://www.woodcraft.com/stores/austin<br />
: M-W,F 9AM - 7PM<br />
: Thu 9AM - 9PM<br />
: Sat 9AM - 6PM<br />
: Sun 11AM - 5PM<br />
<br />
=== Home Depot ===<br />
<br />
: various locations <br />
: http://www.homedepot.com <br />
: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-home-depot-austin-10 <br />
<br />
1/4" (actually 5mm) Birch plywood costs ~$27 for a 4x8' sheet <br />
1/4" (again, 5mm) lower quality plywood is available that costs ~$11 for a 4x8' sheet<br />
<br />
They will cut it down to 18x32" with their panel saw. This will yield 6 18x32" and 3 12x32" pieces.<br />
<br />
=== Lowe's ===<br />
<br />
: various locations <br />
: http://www.lowes.com/ <br />
<br />
They also have 5mm plywood that is reportedly of a low quality (but is still usable).<br />
<br />
[[Category:Suppliers]]<br />
[[Category:Lasers]]</div>DanHawn