Laser Cutter/Instructions

The lasercutter software on the laser PC is able to import DXF (revision 14!) format files.

Text, needs to be transformed into 'outlines' in order to cut. In order for an area to be engraved ("coloured in") the shape needs to be a closed loop, and any areas inside (for example the letter '0') need to ... something. I don't think a compound-path is necessary. Can't remember.

In Adobe Illustrator, sometimes the different colours you set text come through as different layers, and sometimes not. I didn't find a pattern to it.

In the lasercutter software, each colour is its own layer, and has it's own power/speed cut/engrave settings and can be disabled.

hints and tips

Colouring different layers is useful for setting the cutting order of parts (usually you'd want to cut the holes before the outside of the shape, as once cut the "hole-of-the-donut" will fall down, and its position change.

The "power" of the laser will usually be above 10 (or 15) as anything below that will not show. Power ranges up to 100.

Speed is in mm/s but this speed is not instantly achieved (as the head physically has to accelerate and decellerate) and so whist accelerating, or cornering, the power to speed ratio is not ... what you set. The software compensates for this (really quite well) and has an additional setting called 'corner cut power'. We advise this to be set a little lower, but if all you are doing is cutting all the way through it, this is of no interest, as you want to go 'all the way _and more_'