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→General Procedure
====General Procedure====
====General Procedure====
[[File:trotec_laser_engraving.mp4|thumb|none|400px|This video shows the complete process of completing an engrave. See below for details on doing this. ]]
# Setting up a Job
## First off, to get your design, just copy an image and paste it into Inkscape or find a pdf version of the file and open it. If you are cutting a part from a Solidworks file it must be saved as a dxf before importing to Inkscape.
## To open a dxf file go to [File] > [Import]. If a dxf file is being used feel free to skip to step 7.
## Measure the size of your material, and set the page in Inkscape to those dimensions. You can alter the dimensions of the page you are putting the image on by selecting [File] > [Document Properties], and even the width (W) and height (H) image itself in the top. If you want to keep the image dimensions consistent, but just scale it down, click the lock button between 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:...gfuLogo.png|none|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 stroke will cut, and anything that is black will engrave. A stroke is merely an option that outlines the object you select.
##In order to do this, we need to split up the image into different pieces. This is called vectoring, where it will divide the image into different pieces based on shapes and color. Just select the logo, right click, and select Trace Bitmap. You will be given options shown in the picture below. For this application,we want to separate the colors from each other, so we select the Colors option. The number of scans you have selected will define how closely the vector output will replicate the actual photo (the bitmap) or how many colors you want the vector to tape. Since this is a simple logo and we have 3 colors/shades to take, 3 scans will be enough. If the detail is not good enough, try the other options and have some fun. Once this process is finished, the vector will appear directly on top of the original image, so make sure to drag it off and separate the two before beginning.[[File:...traceBitmap.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]
## Since there are a few separate parts to this vector, it is possible to break apart these and alter the image however you want. Select the image, right click and go to Ungroup. Now you can mess with each individual part! You can take either of these designs and delete them, essentially they will cut out and engrave the same design. Let's go with the one on the right. [[File:...separateParts.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]
## Now we can manipulate the colors. Select the object and go to [Object] > [Fill and Stroke] (usually it will already be open on the right sidebar). You will see Fill, Stroke Paint, and Stroke Style on the top right. Fill changes the color of a piece, Stroke Paint changes the color of a stroke, and Stroke Style changes the thickness and style of a stroke. 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 others 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. Be sure to make each a Flat Color so that the color is constant throughout the entire object.[[File:...Stroke.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]
## 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 selected in Inkscape. DO NOT have [Enhanced Geometries} selected because it causes the curved parts of your design to be unrecognized once it is uploaded to the Job Control.[[File:...printing.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]
## Then you can save these settings by selecting the button that shows the JC logo near the bottom of the Printing Preferences.
## Select Print to send the design to Job Control.
# Setting up the Laser Cutter
## Turn on the machine using the power switch located on the back of the machine in the left corner. The machine will go through a startup procedure where the cutting bed lowers and the laser travels to its home position. Note that the lid must be closed for the startup procedure to begin and there will be some beeping coming from the machine which is normal.
## Place your material onto the honeycomb table, preferably in the upper left corner.
## Now it’s time to focus the laser onto your material. Begin by moving the laser head over the middle of your material; then place the focusing tool on the laser head and slowly raise the table until the the focusing tool falls off. Raise the bed extra slow when reaching the focusing tool so the bed can be stopped the moment the tool falls off. Reference the images below for proper focusing tool placement and laser head controls.[[File:Laser Focus Tool.png|none|thumb|404x404px| Proper placement of the focusing tool. ]][[File:Laser Controls.png|none|thumb|296x296px| Laser control pad. (1) Raise and lower the bed. (2) Move the laser head (5) Air assist. Make sure it is always on to vent fumes properly. ]]
## Remove the focusing tool and return it to its home.
## Press the USB icon found in the bottom right corner of job control to connect to the laser cutter. The laser should beep a few times and then a the background of job control will change to a honeycomb pattern to represent the actual honeycomb table. Also, the USB icon will change to a play icon.
# Cutting with Job Control
## After you send your design to Job Control it will let you name your design and it will store it in a window on the right. If you do not see your design, be sure to select [See All] at the bottom of that window. This lets you see files ALL dpi types, rather than just a specific dpi type.
## Double click/drag your design into the middle area and lock the top left corner of the design into the bottom right of the cursor.
## Then select your material at the top left.You can check the print preview by double clicking the box showing your preview in the bottom right.[[File:Mitch5.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]
## If the cursor is not already visible, be sure that the laser cutter is connected to Job Control via the USB symbol in the bottom right. You can click the Update in the bottom left to see the duration of the job, and now you are ready to click the Play button in the bottom right. For bigger jobs, the Laser Cutter will take a little bit of time to read the design. If it does not start immediately, don’t be scared. Just be supportive and it will begin shortly. If it does not start at all, ask for help from a worker.
## Once the job starts, stay with it. Be sure it is actually engraving/cutting the material. If it is not doing what it should be, stop it by lifting the lid and consult the supervisor for assistance.[[File:Mitch6.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]
## After the job is completed reset the space by cleaning out any scrap materials from the bed and deleting the job from job control and Inkscape.
# Cutting with the Rotary Tool
## The Rotary Tool lets you cut and engrave cylindrical objects, the most popular of these being Hydroflasks. This part applies after you have already sent the file from CoreLDRAW to the Laser Cutter.
## Turn OFF the machine, remove the honeycomb table, and plug in the rotary tool. The rest of the laser cutter setup is the same as above.
## To start off, go to Settings → Options → Hardware → Accessories. This is where you can switch from the HoneyComb Table to the Rotary Tool and vice versa.
## Enter the diameter of your bottle (using the Calipers in the lab), as it tells the Rotary Tool how fast to turn as it engraves. Do not mess this up, or you will have a stretched/squeezed image. [[File:Rotary 1.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]
## Once you click OK/apply, the window background will look like the image below.
## Double click/drag the job onto the window. It should automatically flip the image so that it will engrave in the proper orientation even though the bottle is held horizontally. [[File:Rotary2.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]
## Next, pick the material Hydroflask → Black Mug for a Hydroflask, or one of the glass profiles if engraving glass, 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.
==Safety==
==Safety==