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The Trotec Speedy 300 laser engraver is used to engrave and cut materials based on specified images and shapes. This is useful for making enclosures out of acrylic, engraving designs into many materials, creating trophies, and cutting any two dimensional shape out of a variety of materials. It also has a rotary attachment which enables drinking glasses and hydro flasks to be engraved with detailed designs.  

The Trotec Speedy 300 laser engraver is used to engrave and cut materials based on specified images and shapes. This is useful for making enclosures out of acrylic, engraving designs into many materials, creating trophies, and cutting any two dimensional shape out of a variety of materials. It also has a rotary attachment which enables drinking glasses and hydro flasks to be engraved with detailed designs.  

{{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qF8dHQPy6o}}

{{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qF8dHQPy6o}}[[File:Hydrowiki.jpg|thumb|400x400px|none|Example of an engraved Hydroflask. ]]

==Documentation==

==Documentation==

* CorelDraw - The program you will be using to design is CorelDraw. It allows you to type in words, edit logos, make your own logos and such to engrave or cut out of your material.

* CorelDraw - The program you will be using to design is CorelDraw. It allows you to type in words, edit logos, make your own logos and such to engrave or cut out of your material.

* Job Control - The program that interacts with the laser cutter to perform a cut.  

* Job Control - The program that interacts with the laser cutter to perform a cut.  

==== User Manual ====

==== User Manual ====

====Overview====

====Overview====

Performing a cut or engrave with the laser will always begin with CorelDraw by opening/importing an image, pdf, DXF, or similar file. If you do not have a file yet then it can also be used to create geometries. Once a file has been brought into CorelDraw, it must be adjusted  so that job control can distinguish between what should be cut out of the material and what should be engraved. A cut is indicated by changing the line type to hairline with a red fill (in the RGB color scheme) and an engrave is indicated by the color black. Any other colors should be deleted or set to white. After the graphic is prepared, it is transferred to job control using [File] > [Print] and making sure trotec is selected as the device. It will then pop up in the job list on the right hand side of the screen. At this point the laser should be set up by turning it on, placing the material on the honeycomb table, and then raising the table to focus the laser. The final steps are then to click the usb icon in job control to connect to the laser cutter, drag the job onto the to scale honeycomb table, set the correct material properties, and then click the play button to perform the cut. When performing an engrave on a glass or water bottle the set up process in CorelDraw is the same, but there are a few differences in job control and laser cutter itself. A big one is that the honeycomb table must be exchanged for the rotary tool which must be done while the laser cutter is OFF. The laser cutter should automatically recognize that the rotary is attached. The only change in job control is that the accessory should be changed in the settings from the honeycomb table to the rotary tool.  

Performing a cut or engrave with the laser will always begin with CorelDraw by opening/importing an image, pdf, DXF, or similar file. If you do not have a file yet then it can also be used to create geometries. Once a file has been brought into CorelDraw, it must be adjusted  so that job control can distinguish between what should be cut out of the material and what should be engraved. A cut is indicated by changing the line type to hairline with a red fill (in the RGB color scheme) and an engrave is indicated by the color black. After the graphic is prepared, it is transferred to job control using [File] > [Print] and making sure trotec is selected as the device. It will then pop up in the job list on the right hand side of the screen. At this point the laser should be set up by turning it on, placing the material on the honeycomb table, and then raising the table to focus the laser. The final steps are then to click the usb icon in job control to connect to the laser cutter, drag the job onto the to scale honeycomb table, set the correct material properties, and then click the play button to perform the cut. When performing an engrave on a glass or water bottle the set up process in CorelDraw is the same, but there are a few differences in job control and laser cutter itself. A big one is that the honeycomb table must be exchanged for the rotary tool which must be done while the laser cutter is OFF. The laser cutter should automatically recognize that the rotary is attached. The only change in job control is that the accessory should be changed in the settings from the honeycomb table to the rotary tool.  

====Demonstration====

====Demonstration====

====General Procedure====

====General Procedure====

 

# First off, to get your design, just copy an image and paste it into CorelDraw or find a pdf version of the file and open it.  

 

# Measure the size of your material, and set the page in CorelDRAW to those dimensions. You can alter the dimensions of the page you are putting the image on, and even the image itself in the top left. If you want to keep the image dimensions consistent, but just scale it down, click the lock button to the right of these dimensions. If you want to make your own design using text, squares, circles, etc, you can find everything you need in the column on the far left of the client.[[File:Image.png|thumb|827x827px|none]]

# Once you have your design, we need to alter the colors a little bit so the Laser Cutter can understand what you want it to do. It goes like this: a red line with a hairline thickness will cut, and anything that is black will engrave.  

# In order to do this, we need to split up the image into different pieces. This is called BitMapping, where it will divide the image into different pieces based on the color. Just right click and select Outline Trace → Logo. This works for the vast majority of things. If the detail is not good enough, try the other options and have some fun. If the file is already a vector format, such as a pdf, you DO NOT need to do this and can skip steps 4-5. [[File:Mitch2.jpg|thumb|827x827px|none]]

 

# After this, right click on the image and select Ungroup All Objects. This splits the image up into groups based on color, so you can tell the Laser Cutter what to cut and engrave.

# Next you will change the colors. Select a block of color, and on the right, you will see a window allowing you to change the Outline (line thickness) and Fill (color). Be sure to set the color scale to RGB. You will see values for R, G, and B, where all colors can be made using these. When each color has a 0 next to it, it will be fully black. When the red has a 255 next to it and the other have 0, it will be fully red. Make sure you check these bit values before continuing, since the machine is set to cutting material ONLY when it sees 255, 0, 0, and it will engrave material ONLY when it sees 0, 0, 0. Everything else, make it white, which is 255, 255, 255. You can drag around the value in the little box of colors to make this quicker.[[File:Mitch3.jpg|thumb|829x829px|none]]

 

# So once you have finished your design, it’s time to send it to the Laser Cutter! Hit print, make sure it is sending to Trotec Engraver but do not click [OK] yet.  

# Select [Preferences] to open the engraver properties. You will want to make sure the [Minimize to Job size] option is NOT selected and that the [Height] - [Width] values match the page size in the upper left corner. It is also recommended that the [Inner geometries first]  box is checked to improve cut quality. [[File:Mitch4.jpg|thumb|882x882px|none]]

 

# Then you can save these settings by selecting the button that shows the JC logo near the bottom of the window.

# Select OK to send the design to Job Control.

 

 

 

 

 

 

First off, to get your design, just copy an image and paste it into CorelDraw. Measure the size of your material, and set the page in CorelDRAW to those dimensions. You can alter the dimensions of the page you are putting the image on, and even the image itself in the top left. If you want to keep the image dimensions consistent, but just scale it down, click the lock button to the right of these dimensions. If you want to make your own design using text, squares, circles, etc, you can find everything you need in the column on the far left of the client.  

 

[[File:Image.png|center|thumb|600x600px]]

 

Once you have your design, we need to alter the colors a little bit so the Laser Cutter can understand what you want it to do. It goes like this: a red line with a hairline thickness will cut, and anything that is black will engrave. In order to do this, we need to split up the image into different pieces. This is called BitMapping, where it will divide the image into different pieces based on the color. Just right click and select Outline Trace → Logo. This works for the vast majority of things. If the detail is not good enough, try the other options and have some fun. After this, right click on the image and select Ungroup All Objects. This splits the image up into groups based on color, so you can tell the Laser Cutter what to cut and engrave.

 

 

Here is where you change colors. Select a block of color, and on the right, you will see a window allowing you to change the Outline (line thickness) and Fill (color). Be sure to set the color scale to RGB. You will see values for R, G, and B, where all colors can be made using these. When each color has a 0 next to it, it will be fully black. When the red has a 255 next to it and the other have 0, it will be fully red. Make sure you check these bit values before continuing, since the machine is set to cutting material ONLY when it sees 255, 0, 0, and it will engrave material ONLY when it sees 0, 0, 0. Everything else, make it white, which is 255, 255, 255. You can drag around the value in the little box of colors to make this quicker.

 

[[File:Mitch3.jpg|center|thumb|600x600px]]

 

So once you have finished your design, it’s time to send it to the Laser Cutter! Hit print, make sure it is sending to Trotec Engraver. Select Preferences to make sure you select and consult the supervisor for the Halftone option. For normal engraving on most materials, you will use Black and White, but there are some areas where you can alter it. Then you can save in info by selecting the button that shows the JC logo near the bottom of the window, and select OK to send the design to Job Control.

 

=== Job Control & Laser Cutter ===

=== Job Control & Laser Cutter ===

Also be aware that the laser cutter is only able to cut successfully through up to 1" of wood. It will also char the wood. If you want to engrave wood that is over 1" thick, that's perfectly fine. Just make sure that you come with a pre-cut shape to engrave upon or have a plan for cutting out your engraving after.

Also be aware that the laser cutter is only able to cut successfully through up to 1" of wood. It will also char the wood. If you want to engrave wood that is over 1" thick, that's perfectly fine. Just make sure that you come with a pre-cut shape to engrave upon or have a plan for cutting out your engraving after.

Next, pick the material Hydroflask → Black Mug, and now you are ready to engrave your thing! When you are finished, RESET THE SPACE! Put the Rotary Tool away and replace it with the HoneyComb Table.

Next, pick the material Hydroflask → Black Mug, and now you are ready to engrave your thing! When you are finished, RESET THE SPACE! Put the Rotary Tool away and replace it with the HoneyComb Table.

=== Examples ===

==Safety==

[[File:Hydrowiki.jpg|left|thumb|400x400px]]

 

 

 

 

====General maintenance====

 

 

|Sample

|Sample

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