Skip to main content

Lesson Category: Fusion Edge

Glass Coaster

Setting Up Your Page

We’ll start by creating a new file.

Click on the Get Started option on your Welcome screen, then click the New Document button.

You can also use the shortcut keys, Ctrl + N, to open a new document.

Now enter your page dimensions. Enter 3.5” for the page width and 3.5” for the page height, then click OK.

Adding Guides for Your Engraving Area

The glass coaster you received with your laser system includes four rubber feet on the bottom of the coaster ½” in from each side.

To avoid from engraving on the coaster feet, we’ll set up a few guidelines to represent the bounds of our engraving area within our page to represent the bounds of our engraving area.

Before we get started, we need to confirm that the top left corner of our page is set to the origin for both of our rulers. Look at your Horizontal and Vertical rulers to determine if the top left corner of your page is set to 0 for the Horizontal Ruler and 0 for the Vertical Ruler. If they are, you’re all set. If not, locate the Origin Point tool at the top left corner of your work area.

Then click and drag to the top left corner of your page to set the new Origin point.

To create our guidelines, we’ll start by creating two horizontal guides for the top and bottom boundaries.

Click on the ruler at the top of the page and drag one guide down to -1/2 inch and another to -3 inches.

You may find it easier to click and drag the guides to the approximate location, then type in the specific Y Object Position values for each of the guidelines in the Properties bar located at the top of the screen.

Next, we’ll create two vertical guides for our left and right boundaries.

Click on the ruler at the left side of the page and drag one guideline across to 1/2” and another to 3”.

Again, you may find it easier to drag the guidelines to the approximate locations, then key in the 1/2” value for the first guide and the 3” value for the second guide in the X Object Position box in the Properties bar.

Importing a Graphic

Now we’re going to import a graphic and center it to the page. Here we’ll use a fish graphic (fish.wmf ) for this example, but you can use any graphic you prefer.

Start by clicking File at the top of the screen, then select Import from the drop-down menu.

Navigate to the file you’d like to Import, then select the file and click the Import button.

Now, click anywhere on the page to place the graphic.


Centering

Next, we’ll center the image to the page.

Make sure the object is still selected, then click the Object drop-down menu at the top of the screen, then Align and Distribute, then Center to Page.

You can also use the shortcut option of pressing the letter P on your keyboard to center the image to the page.

Resizing

Now we need to resize the fish image to fit inside our boundary guidelines.

To resize the graphic, we’ll click and drag on the top right resizing handle to resize the image and make it smaller.

By clicking on the top-right sizing handle, then holding the Shift key and dragging toward the center of the image, we can keep the proportions of the image the same as we make it smaller.

Drag the sizing handle until the right or left side of the fish graphic aligns with a vertical guideline.

Mirroring for Backside Engraving

As a final step before printing our graphic to the laser, we want to mirror the graphic for engraving on the bottom side of the glass coaster.

If there is text in your graphics, you want the text to read forward instead of backward once viewed from the top or other side of the piece. Engraving the back of glass will give you the best result when viewed through the other side, and doing so will help protect your engraving from wear and tear.

To mirror the graphic, select the graphic with the Pick Tool, then click on the Mirror Horizontally button in the Properties bar at the top of the screen.

Printing to the Laser

Next, we’ll print the file to the laser.

At the laser, we’ll gently place the coaster face-down onto our work area.

For the best results, place the coasters under one of the overhead IRIS positioning cameras.

At the control panel, select, the Jog icon, then use the Joystick to position the laser head over the coaster.


From the open Jog menu, select “Auto Focus.” The machine will automatically adjust the height of the table by first using the plunger action of the lens assembly tube to detect the material, then moving the table to the correct focal distance.


Select the Reset icon to reset the laser head.

Back in CorelDRAW, select File, then Print from the dropdown menu.

Set Epilog Engraver as your printer, and make sure “Match orientation and size” is selected as the Page setting. Then click the Print button.

The Epilog Dashboard will open with our file and the IRIS camera feed.

Click and drag the colored lines to expand the engraving area to include the glass coaster.

Then click and drag the graphic onto the glass coaster.

You can use your mouse’s scroll wheel to zoom in on the image and refine the graphic’s placement.


Over in the ‘Engrave’ process in the right-hand sidebar, let’s set our engraving parameters. We’ll set our resolution 300 DPI. When engraving glass, we don’t need a high resolution to achieve a quality engraving. We’re using a 60-watt laser, so we’ll set our speed to 60% and our power to 100%. Let’s also set our Dithering type to Stucki and our Engraving Direction to Bottom-Up.

Refer to your system manual for the recommended settings for your laser’s wattage.

Now that our settings are good to go, we can click “Print” to send the job to the laser.

At the laser, select the Job menu icon to see the list of available jobs, then select the job you sent to the machine. Press the Go/Stop button to start the glass engraving job. The Fusion Edge will get to work and within a couple of minutes your coaster will be complete!

Wood Square

Setting Up Your Page

Let’s begin by creating a new file in CorelDRAW. Click File in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Then select New from the drop-down list.

Now enter your page size. Enter 4.5” for the page width and 4.5” for the page height. Then click OK.

Importing and Resizing a Graphic

Now we’re going to import a graphic onto the page. For this example we will use trees.wmf, but you can use any graphic you prefer.

Start by clicking File at the top of the screen, then select Import from the dropdown menu.

Navigate to the file you’d like to Import and select the file, then click the Import button.

Now, click anywhere on the page to place your graphic.

To center the image on the page, select Object from the menu bar.

Then select Align and Distribute, then Center to Page.

Now we’ll click and drag on the bottom right sizing handle to resize the image, and make it smaller. By holding down the shift key, then clicking on the handle and dragging, we can keep the proportions of the image the same.

Next we’ll reposition the image by moving it up about 1” on the page by clicking on the graphic and dragging it up.

Importing a Second Graphic

Now let’s import another image. Go to File > Import, and we’ll choose the deer file (deer.wmf). Then Press the Import button.

Click anywhere on the page to place the graphic.

This time we’ll use another way to resize the deer. Click the Lock Ratio button to keep the dimensions the same as we resize the graphic.

Enter 10% as the scale factor and press Enter to resize the image to 10% of its original size.

We’ll position the deer image to the bottom left side of the trees.

Adding Text to the Artwork

Now we’re ready to add text. Click on the text tool in the tool bar on the left.

Create a text box by clicking and dragging a rectangle next to the deer.

We’ll enter our text “The poetry of the earth is never dead.” Then press Enter and type “John Keats”.

Select the pick tool, select the text, and then change the font size to 8 pt.

Next select the right justify option to align the text to the right side of the text box. 8 pts. is a little small so we’ll go ahead and change that to 10 pts.

Before we move on let’s make the text box a little smaller. Select the Pick Tool, then click on the text box. Now click on the bottom middle sizing handle and drag it up to make the text box a little smaller.

Selecting, Grouping, and Resizing

Press Ctrl and A to select everything on the page.

Next we’ll group the items so they all stay together when we make changes. Click Object in the menu bar, then Group, then Group Objects.

Now we’ll center the images. Click Object, Align and Distribute, Center to Page.

Creating a Cut Line

Now let’s create a cut line. Click the rectangle tool, and then click and drag a rectangle around the image.

We’ll center the box we’ve drawn by using the shortcut of pressing the letter P on the keyboard. This will center the box to the page.

At the Laser

Next we’ll print the file to the laser.

At the laser, we’ll place the 4” wood square onto our work area.

For the best results, place the square under one of the overhead IRIS positioning cameras.

At the control panel, select the Jog icon, then use the Joystick to position the laser head over the wood square.

From the open Jog menu, select “Auto Focus.”

The machine will automatically adjust the height of the table by first using the plunger action of the lens assembly tube to detect the material, then moving the table to the correct focal distance.

Select the Reset icon to reset the laser head.

Printing to the Laser

Back in the CorelDRAW, select File, then Print from the dropdown menu.

Set Epilog Engraver as your printer, and make sure “Match orientation and size” is selected as the Page setting. Then click the Print button.

The Epilog Dashboard will open with our file and the IRIS camera feed.

Click and drag the colored lines to expand the engraving area to include the wood square.

Now click and drag to select the entire graphic, and click and drag to position the graphic onto the wood square.

Click the ‘Engrave’ process in the right-hand sidebar and let’s set our engraving parameters. We’re using a 60-watt laser, so we’ll set our resolution to 500 DPI, our speed to 100%, and our Power to 100%. Let’s also set our Dithering type to Stucki and our Engraving Direction to Bottom-Up.

Next open the ‘Vector’ process and set the Speed to 50%, the Power to 100%, and the Frequency to 10%.

Refer to your system manual for the recommended settings for your wattage of laser.

Now that our settings are good to go, we can click ‘Print’ to send the job to the laser.

Running the Job

Turn on your Air Assist pump for improved cutting performance and safety.

At the laser, select the Job menu icon, then select the name of the current job. Press the Go/Stop button to start the Job.

The Fusion Edge will run the engraving process first, then it will run the vector cutting process.

Once the laser is finished, use a damp sponge or towel to remove any leftover residue or debris, and then you’re done!

Laser Alignment

Turn On

Power on the laser.

For the following procedures, the table will be broken into four (4) positions. Each position is identified by its relative distance to the laser source and corresponds with the mirror to adjust for that position.

Three of the four adjustment mirrors used for alignment are on the left side of the engraver. The mirror numbers correspond directly with the positions on in the bed; for example, if the lens carriage is in Position #1 than you will only adjust Mirror #1.

The final adjustable mirror is located on the carriage. The alignment process for the carriage mirror will be addressed last.

The Fusion Edge & Fusion Pro have an Alignment mode that may be accessed from the settings menu.

To access the Menu, tap the gear icon in the upper right corner of the touch screen.

On the settings menu, long press the word “Settings” at the top of the screen.

Next press “Alignment” to access the alignment menu.

The Alignment Menu has 5 buttons that will move the carriage to their corresponding locations when pressed. It also has a button labeled “Activate” that will allow you to fire the laser for the purpose of alignment. We will use these commands to align the laser in each corner of the engraver to ensure that there is even power throughout the table. Note: In Alignment Mode, all interlocked access doors must be closed for the laser to fire.

Aligning the Laser and the Red Dot Pointer

Note: If you are performing the alignment because you have replaced Mirror 3 or the X-axis rail, please move to Part 2. For all other alignments, this procedure must be completed.

It is crucial that you align the red dot pointer and CO2 laser before adjusting the mirrors for each corner. If the Red dot pointer and the CO2 laser are not aligned to each other before starting Procedure 2, the alignment procedure will fail.

Move to the rear of the machine and look to the right-hand side as you are facing the machine from the rear and locate the Red Dot pointer assembly.

Locate the alignment target and place it into the left side of the lens carriage. It should fit into the lens carriage optic.

Place a square of masking tape over the alignment target. This will allow us to see the burn made by the CO2 laser.

With the target covered, press the “Bottom Right” button of the alignment menu to move the carriage to Position 4.

Press the “Activate” button to fire the laser. When Pressing the “Activate” button to fire the laser, use short brief taps of the button. The smaller and lighter you can make the burn mark on the tape, the easier it will be to get the pointer well centered in the burn mark. Please note, that the top door must be closed for the laser to fire when pressing the “Activate” button.

If you are unable to produce a burn mark on the tape, try setting the power to 15-20% and ensure that the lid is closed.

Now that there is a burn mark on the masking tape, press the Red Dot Pointer icon on the engraver’s display to activate the Red Dot Pointer.

At the rear of the machine, use the three adjustment screws on the Red Dot Pointer Mount, to move the Red Dot Pointer to the burn mark on the tape. The Red dot pointer will move across the alignment target according to the following diagram.

Take your time with this part of the process. Ensuring that the Laser and the Red Dot are well aligned will make the remainder of this procedure more effective.

Aligning the laser in each corner

Keeping your safety glasses on, turn on the Red Dot pointer at the touchscreen display if it is not already on.

At the touchscreen, navigate to the Alignment menu in Settings and tap “Top Left”, image 29, to move the carriage to position 1.

Locate Mirror #1 under the bottom mirror access panel.

Using a 3/32” hex key and the following guide image, adjust the screws on Mirror #1 so that the Red Dot Pointer is in the center of the alignment target while the carriage is in Position 1.

If you are having difficulty seeing the red dot pointer as it is very close to the upper right-hand corner, you can free the bellows from the X-axis assembly by gently pulling on the top of the bellows where it connects to the X-axis assembly.

Once red dot pointer has been centered in the first corner, tap “Bottom Left” on the touchscreen to move the carriage to Position 2.

Locate Mirror #2 behind the mirror access panel.

Using the 3/32” Allen wrench and the guide, adjust the screws on Mirror #2 so that the Red Dot Pointer is in the center of the alignment target in Position 2.

Once complete, return to Position 1 (upper-left) and re-adjust Mirror 1 until it is aligned again in Position 1. Once you are done, move back to Position 2 and adjust Mirror 2.

Note: You may have to go back and forth between positions 1 and 2 multiple times before the Red Dot is centered in both corners. Each time you re-adjust the mirrors, the Red Dot should move closer and closer to the center of the target and will drift apart less when moving back and forth between positions 1 and 2.

Once Positions 1 and 2 have both been centered and no longer drift apart, you can adjust mirror #3. Using the touch screen display, tap “Top Right” to move the carriage to Position 3.


Mirror #3 is located on the far left-hand side of the X axis rail.

Using the 3/32” Allen wrench and the guide in the image below, adjust the screws on Mirror #3 so that the Red Dot Pointer is in the center of the alignment target.

Once complete, return to Top Left & Mirror 1, and then Bottom Left & Mirror 2. Continue to align Mirrors #1, #2 and #3 until you can move between the 3 positions without the Red Dot leaving the Center of the Alignment Target.

Once you are confident that you are aligned between Positions #1, #2 and #3, press the button to job the lens carriage to Bottom Right/Position #4.

If all the mirrors are aligned correctly, the red dot pointer should appear within the center ring on the alignment target. If so, you may remove the alignment target, replace the panels that were removed earlier and run a test engraving file. If not, please return to the Upper Left/Position #1 and continue alignment.

Perpendicular Alignment

Press the Focus Menu button on the touch screen.

Place the Manual Focus Gauge on the laser assembly. Use the joystick to move the table until the Manual Focus Gauge touches the table. You will want to bring the table up until the Focus Gauge is just touching the top of the table surface.

Place the alignment target on the table so that the Red dot pointer is in the center of the bullseye.

Using the joystick on the engraver’s display, lower the bed until “Current Focus” reads roughly “3.000”

Check the location of the Red Dot Pointer and see if it has moved off center of the alignment target.

Using the 3/32 Hex Key and the guide image, adjustment screws on the Carriage Mirror to move the Red Dot Pointer back onto the center of the target.

Using the Joystick, bring the table back up until the focus gauge is touching the bed again.

If the red dot has moved, repeat this process until you can rise and lower the table without the Red Dot moving on the Alignment Target.

Alignment Verification

Once your laser is fully aligned, replace all the side panels and tighten the screws using a 5/32” hex key.

Obtain a piece of scrap material that is large enough to engrave 4 small boxes on. Preferably, this will be a piece of material you have used in the past and are familiar with the settings needed to produce quality engraving. This piece of material does not need to be the size of your table. We will move the piece from one corner to the next after each test engraving is complete.

Create a new page that matches your engravers bed size in your art program of choice.

In your graphics software, create 4 small black filled boxes and place them in each of the 4 corners of the page.

Place your test material in the upper left-hand corner of the engravers bed.

Manually focus your machine to eliminate focus as being a factor. Once the focus is set in the upper left-hand corner, do not change the table’s height.

Select the box in the upper left-hand corner and engrave it using the settings you have used previously.

Select the box in the lower left-hand corner, move your material and run a test engraving there.

Repeat this process until all 4 boxes are engraved into your piece of scrap material.

Visually inspect each of the boxes for the following:

  • Consistency of mark: There should be uniform discoloration of each of the boxes.
  • Uniformity of depth. If engraved into wood or plastic, metal does not work for this test, each corner should be uniform in depth in each of the boxes you engraved.

Other indicators of a good alignment:

  • Ability to use the same settings for your material in each corner of the table. There is no reason you should have to increase the power or decrease the speed to achieve similar results in each corner of your machine.

Replacing the Control Panel

Replacing the Control Panel

We’re going to walk you through replacing the control panel on the Epilog Fusion Edge laser system.

Turn off and unplug the machine.

Remove Panel

Using a 5/32″ Hex Key, remove the 8 screws that secure the right-hand side access panel and set them to the side.

Remove Old Keypad

Open the display panel package you received and put on the anti-static strap. Clip the strap on to any metal part of the machine. Always wear the anti-static strap when handling the control board to avoid damaging the unit through static discharge.

Remove the 4 screws that secure the control panel to the machine’s chassis. Note: The two Allen screws used in the rear of the control assembly are longer than the ones used in the front. These need to be re-installed in the same location.

Gently lift the front of the display and pull it towards you while rotating the front of the control panel up.

There are a total of 12 connections that need to be disconnected from the control panel assembly before it can be removed.

  • 4 in the front
  • 1 in the center
  • 7 at the rear

There are two that need you need to pay close attention to.

The display port connection is at the front of the control panel assembly. The display cable needs to be reconnected to the one it was removed from.

The USB connector is at the rear of the control panel assembly. There are two ports built into a single socket. Note which one the cable is connected to, it will need to be reinstalled in to the same one.

The remainder are unique and will only connect in to one location on the board.

Once the electrical connectors are de-mated, set the old control assembly to one side.

Turn the control panel on its back on a soft surface.

Locate the SD card slot on the board.

Remove the SD card and set it to the side.

Once you have your new control board, install the SD card printed side up into the SD card slot.

Turn the control panel on its back on a soft surface.

Locate the coin battery and remove it.

Install the new coin battery in its place.

Install New Keypad

Position the replacement control assembly over engravers chassis, with the rear much lower than the front.

Connect the 7 electrical connections along the rear of the control panel paying close attention to the slot the USB connection is installed in.

Connect the Flex cable to the center port on the control panel assembly.

Connect the 4 remaining connectors to the electrical connections at the front of the control panel assembly, paying close attention to the Display cable port. Ensure that it is reconnected to the correct display port connection on the board.

Lower the control assembly so that it rests on the machine chassis.

Align the control assembly mounting holes with the holes in the chassis.

Install the 2 longer screws in the rear mounting holes of the control assembly.

Install the 2 shorter screws in the front mounting holes of the control assembly.

Remove the anti-static strap and disconnect it from the machine.

Reinstall Panel

Install the right-hand side panel using the 8 screws that were removed earlier.

Plug in the machine and turn the power on.

Once the machine has fully booted up, set up the network, IP, Subnet and Gateway settings.

Reconnect the USB or Ethernet cable used previously to send jobs to your machine.

Cleaning Your Optics

Cleaning the Focusing Lens

The mirrors in the periscope housing are enclosed, and will likely require cleaning less often than the other components of the optics system.

Let’s start by jogging the laser assembly toward the front of the machine for access to the optics, then we’ll turn off the machine.

The focusing lens is mounted inside the lens tube, so we’ll need to remove the lens tube for access to clean the focusing lens.

To remove the lens tube, we’ll start by slightly loosening the captive screws holding the lens assembly face plate in place.

Then rotate the face place to the left until you can see the top section of the lens tube and optics mirror. Now tighten the upper left captive screw to hold the faceplate in a upward position. This will allow for better access to the lens tube and mirror during the cleaning process.

Using the tip of the focus gauge, place it into one of the holes in the ridged ring at the top of the lens tube and rotate it to the left to loosen the lens tube.

Unplug the air assist tube from the top of the lens assembly, then slide the lens tube forward toward the front of the machine and away from optics assembly.

With the lens tube removed, twist off the cone piece at the bottom of the tube to reveal the bottom side of the lens.

To clean the lens, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the accessory kit, then use the dry side of the cotton swab to remove any excess moisture.

NOTE: Never use Isopropyl Alcohol or Hardware grade Acetone, they contain impurities which can damage the optics in your machine. If you run out of the cleaner supplied by Epilog, Reagent or laboratory grade Alcohol can be substituted. Also, if “Golden Grain” or “Everclear” are available in your area these are also good substitutes for the optical cleaning solution.

Once the optics have been cleaned allow the optics time to dry, then twist the cone piece securely back on to the bottom of the lens tube.

Slide the lens tube back into the lens assembly making sure the air assist port is facing the right side. Then connect the top of the air assist tube back to the port on the lens assembly.

Tighten the ridged ring at the top of the lens tube by rotating it to the right using the manual focus gauge.

Cleaning the Mirror

Now we’ll move on to cleaning the optics assembly mirror. The mirror is located on the front side of the assembly and is also simple to clean.

Start by twisting the knob on the top right side of the assembly counterclockwise to loosen the mirror.

Now remove the mirror from the assembly by sliding it out towards the front of the machine.

To clean the mirror, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the accessory kit, and use the dry side of the cotton swab to remove any excess moisture.

After the mirror has been cleaned and is completely dry, place it back into the assembly with the mirror angled down towards the table. Tighten the knob that secures the mirror in place. Lastly, close the optics assembly face plate by sliding it back into position and tightening the captive screws.

As a final note, and again, never use Isopropyl Alcohol or Hardware grade Acetone, as they contain impurities which can damage the optics in your machine.

Unpacking the Laser

Open the Packaging

Begin by moving the pallet and machine into the center of a room or open space.

Start by using scissors or a utility knife to cut the box straps. Stand clear of the straps, as they are under high tension and may pop out at high speed when cut.

Remove any smaller boxes from the top of the large, primary box (which contains your Fusion Edge). These smaller boxes will contain any optional accessories you purchased with your machine. Set them aside for later use.

Now remove the strapping and the wooden box topper.

Cut the tape that is securing the box, then open the box.

Remove the foam topper and the foam corner inserts.

With the foam inserts removed, pull the box up and away from the pallet.

Cut the tape that’s holding the bag closed, then spread the bag over the sides of the machine.


Remove the Machine

If you purchased the Fusion Edge 12 stand with your machine and you’d like to use it as the base for your Fusion Edge machine, assemble the stand now, before continuing on with this lesson.

The Fusion Edge 12 weighs approximately 138 lbs (63 kg). With the help of an additional person, lift your Fusion Edge laser system from the pallet and place it on a sturdy, level surface.

Included Items and Materials

Once you’ve removed the machine from the pallet, remove the plastic bag

You’ll find the included items and materials stored underneath.

Your Fusion Edge laser system includes:

  • Power cord
  • Ethernet cord
  • USB cord
  • Software Installation USB
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Owner’s Manual
  • Training Suite Signup Card and Kit
  • Vendor Material Sample Kit
  • Lens Cleaner
  • Laser Beam Alignment Target
  • Bearing Lubrication Grease, and
  • Camera Calibration Sheet

Image Resolution and How it Affects Engraving

How do you know which DPI setting is right for your project?

Print quality is often determined by the resolution of an image, and is one of the main variables to consider when laser engraving. Resolution is expressed in DPI or dots per inch and is determined by the number of lines or dots that are engraved for every inch of movement. Each horizontal line of dots the laser produces is referred to as a raster line. A higher resolution selected in the print driver will make the dots engrave closer together, and will produce a higher quality result.

Although resolution does play a big part in engraving quality, keep in mind that engraving resolution is only one factor in determining image quality. The focus, brightness, and contrast elements of an image can have greater influence on the look of the final engraving than resolution alone. If low-quality artwork is used, even the highest resolution setting in the print driver will not improve the engraving. Also, keep in mind that image quality is subjective. Engraving a project at 300 DPI may be just fine for some images and customers, while 600 DPI is required as the absolute minimum for others.

These 3 examples exhibit qualities that will not produce the best engraving results.

The first example is a photograph taken at an event where the overall light is too bright and includes a very hazy look.

The second example is a low resolution logo provided as a 72 DPI image, rather than as vector artwork or in a vector format. 72 DPI is too low a resolution for a logo engraving project. It’s best to receive logo artwork as a vector image when possible.

And the third example is of a photograph that is very dark and includes very little contrast. These three photos illustrate some of the image issues that cannot be fixed with resolution settings alone at the laser.

Now we’ll discuss a bit more about how DPI works at the laser. This diagram shows the concept of raster lines and dots-per-inch (DPI), and the difference in dot density between 75, 300, and 600 DPI. Each dot represent a laser pulse, and the arrows represent the change in direction of the optics assembly for each raster line. Note how sparse the dots are at 75 DPI, and how the dots are very close and overlapping at 600 DPI.

How Resolution Affects a Job’s Completion Time

Generally, the time it takes to complete an engraving job is significantly affected by resolution. The higher the resolution, the more time it will take to complete an engraving job. While a higher resolution setting does increase the time it takes to complete an engraving, it allows you to achieve greater depth in materials like wood and rubber without having to reduce the speed of the laser. High resolution is also ideal for highly detailed wood engraving, such as the Epilog Aztec Calendar, and rubber stamps, which typically include small typefaces, intricate details, and more depth in the recessed areas.

There will be times when your customer requests a large number of pieces, and it will be important to minimize the time spent completing the job, without sacrificing quality. Optimizing a projects DPI by selecting a lower resolution will help reduce engraving time and increase profits.

These tiger photo engravings on anodized aluminum show the quality difference at 300, 400, and 600 DPI. Out of these examples, you can see the 600 DPI engraving produced a high-quality engraving and took 2 min and 44 secs to complete. But, the 400 DPI result is nearly just as good, and only took 1:49 seconds to complete.

As an example, if a customer ordered 100 of these tiger cards, then completing the 100 cards at 600 DPI would take around 4 hrs and 35 minutes to be completed, but engraving the project at 400 DPI would allow you to complete the project in just over 3 hours.

Combining DPI and Dithering Pattern for More Time Savings

There are other techniques to save you time without sacrificing engraving quality. Your Epilog Laser machine includes dithering pattern options, which eliminate the perceivable dot pattern you see when engraving at lower resolutions with the Standard dithering option.

In this example, note the dot pattern in the engraving on the left and the absence of the perceivable dot pattern in the example on the right. Each of these engravings were produced using 300 DPI, and the time to complete them was the same, but the one on the left was engraved using the Standard dithering pattern, while the engraving of the right was completed with the Stucki Dithering pattern.

Utilizing Epilog’s Stucki Dithering setting and engraving at 300 DPI produces a high-quality result similar to the 600 DPI, and also provides a large time saving advantage.

Applying this combination of settings to the previous project example of engraving 100 tiger cards, the engraving project would take only 2 hours and 17 minutes to complete, further increasing the time savings and profitability of this project.

As a final example and to further illustrate how DPI effects engraving, we’ve used a 50-watt Helix to engrave a grayscale clip art image, with settings of 45 percent speed and 100 percent power. The only thing that changed between each engraving is the resolution.

When it comes to settings and the final results of a project it can come down to a matter of personal preference as to which resolution looks better, but these photos show the dramatic difference resolution can make, especially when engraving grayscale images.

Matching Resolution Settings to Your Material

We recommend consulting your manual or the included material settings installed with your machine driver and the Epilog Job Manager.

75-200 DPI

Resolution settings in this range are typically used for non-production purposes where you want to experiment with image engraving location, or if you want to quickly produce a rough draft engraving. A low resolution can also be useful when engraving products that don’t require much material to be removed during engraving, such as fabric.

300 DPI

300 DPI is a versatile sweet spot for laser engraving. This setting is useful when engraving materials such as wood, glass, marble, plastic and other items that don’t benefit from the engraved dots being close together.

400 DPI

This resolution value is ideal for many applications. It combines very good image quality with fast engraving times. Many users like 400 DPI for all of their work.

600 DPI

600 DPI provides fine detail, depth, or is useful when high-end results are required.

1200 DPI

1200 DPI resolution is used for projects that require the best engraving quality possible, when engraving extremely small fonts, or when depth of engraving is the goal.

Things to Remember

  • When it comes to settings and the look of the final result, personal preference is something to consider, but also try to minimize the time it takes to complete a project when possible.
  • When experimenting with new products and materials, make sure to have extras on hand for dialing in the best settings and results.
  • Be sure to consult your manual as a starting point for materials settings, and also utilize the epiloglaser.com website as a resource for additional product ideas and materials settings. We provide Sample Club articles monthly, and you can sign up to receive them at www.epiloglaser.com/resources/enews-signup.htm.

Power Supply Replacement

Remove Old Power Supply

Now move to the rear of the machine.

Using the 5/32″ Allen Wrench, remove the 9 screws that secure the rear panel to the machine.

Locate the power supply housing. It is located to the left of the exhaust port as you face the machine from the rear.

There are three Electrical connections that need to be disconnected once the back panel is removed.

First locate and disconnect the laser power connector. It is identifiable as the red and black wires coming from the laser assembly that are connected via a white connector.

Press down on the latch and pull the connector apart. DO NOT pull on the wires, as you could pull them from the connector.

Next, disconnect the electrical connector in the lower left-hand corner of the machine. To remove this connector, press down on the lock and gently pulling the connector from the PCB. DO NOT PULL on the wires, as you could pull them from the connector.

Now, disconnect the Power line filter connection. The filter is the silver box in the upper left-hand corner of the machine.

Follow the wires leading from the right-hand side of the filter until you locate the connector. This connector does not have a locking feature to release. Gently pull the two halves of the connector apart. DO NOT pull on the wires, as you could pull them from the connector.

While supporting the power supply from below, remove the two 5/32″ Allen screws securing the power supply assembly to the machine.

Once the screws are removed, pull the supply toward you while making sure that the wires pass through the opening in the bottom of the machine.

Install New Power Supply

Now that the power supply is removed, you may install your replacement power supply.

On the rear of the power supply housing are three tabs, these tabs will need to fit into the cut out slots in the chassis as shown.

Position the power supply below and behind the machine and feed the wires from the supply up through the opening in the bottom of the machine.

With the power supply assembly centered and pushed up against the lower portion of the housing, slide the power supply into the chassis.

The three tabs identified earlier, must fit in to the three slots in the chassis.

Without letting go of the power supply, install the two 5/32″ Allen screws that secure the power supply to the chassis. Do not let go of the power supply until at least one screw has been installed.

Now that the power supply is secure, you may reconnect the laser power connector, the electrical connector, and the power line filter connector.

Replace the rear panel on the machine using the 5/32″ Allen wrench to tighten all of the screws that secure it to the machine.

You are now finished replacing the Power Supply on your machine.

Control Panel Tour

The control panel consists of a 7 inch LCD display, a joystick, and a Go/Stop button for starting and stopping your jobs at the machine.

Once you’ve powered on the machine, you will notice several icons on the display. At the top of the screen you will see button icons for the Job Menu Icon, Delete and Settings. At the bottom of the screen you will see button icons for Reset, Focus, Red Dot Pointer, Jog, and Trace.

Job Menu

We will go into more detail about each icon later in this video, but for now let’s start with the Job Menu, which is the first menu you will see every time you power on your machine.
The Job Menu is where you will find a list of jobs you have sent to the machine. The job name displayed is the same as the file name that you printed to the laser from the Software Suite. When the job you want to run has been selected, it will be highlighted in blue.

If you wish to delete a job from the list, select the job and press the “Delete” icon at the top of the screen.

The Job Menu also allows you to edit each job’s settings before running the job. Long press on a job you want to edit, and then tap on the process you want to edit. Input the settings you want to change and press ok. Remember to save the new settings by pressing the save icon.

The Job Menu also has a status indicator in the bottom left corner of the screen, which displays the current status of the machine.
The Status indicator displays the following:

  • A “Homing” status indicates the machine is still powering on, and none of the functions will be available until powering on is complete.
  • An “Idle” status indicates that the machine is currently inactive and ready to run a job.
  • A “Running” status indicates that a job is currently in progress.
  • A “Parking” status indicates that the laser assembly is returning to the Home position.
  • A “Jogging” status indicates that Jog mode is active and the joystick can be used to move the laser head to a specific location over the engraving area.

Go/Stop Button

Pressing the Go/Stop Button while a job is selected will begin running the job. Pressing the Go/Stop button during a running job will stop the lens carriage and the laser beam will shut off.

If the Go/Stop button is pressed during an engraving, the lens carriage will pause on either the far left or far right of the engraving line that is in process.

If the Go/Stop button is pressed during a cutting process, the lens carriage will stop at the end of a line segment or at the location of the next line node.

Once the lens carriage has stopped, you can open the top door to examine the job. By closing the door and pressing the Go/Stop button again, the job will commence where it left off.
The ring around the Go/Stop button will change certain colors depending on the machine’s status.

• White indicates the machine is booting up.

• Purple indicates the machine is waiting for the touch screen configuration to load.

• Multi-colored indicates the machine is Homing.

• Alternating Light Blue to Green indicates the machine is Idle and ready to run a job.

• Green indicates the machine is actively running or tracing a job.

• Red indicates a drive has failed. Contact technical support for assistance if you see this color.

Main Buttons

Now let’s look at the buttons at the bottom of the control panel display.
The first button is the “Reset” button. Pressing the Reset button will move the lens carriage back to its home position after it has been moved across the table.

The second button is the “Focus” button, which will take you to the Focus Menu. The Focus Menu allows you to manually set the table to the correct height for engraving while using the Manual Focus Gauge. With the Focus button highlighted, the height of the table is adjustable by either using the Joystick, the nudge arrows, or entering a precise height on the screen. As the table height is adjusted, the display will show a digital readout of the table height.

The third button is the “Red Dot Pointer” button which turns the Red Dot Pointer on and off at the lens carriage. The Red Dot Pointer is a visible laser beam that runs in the same line as the invisible CO2 or fiber laser beam. It is useful for showing the location of the laser head when using Jog or Focus mode.

The next button is the “Jog” button which takes you to the Jog Menu screen. The Jog Menu allows you to control the X and Y axis positions of the laser head. You may change the current position of the laser head by either using the joystick, nudge arrows, or entering precise coordinates on the screen.

Settings Menu

Now let’s take a look at the Settings Menu, which can be accessed by pressing the gear icon in the upper right corner of the screen. The settings menu consists of eight sub-menus.

• The Home button allows you to set an offset to the current Home Position of the laser head.

• The Tutorial button provides a step by step process when you set up your laser for the first time, including a demo job to test once the machine is set up.

• The Focus button takes you to a screen with options to calibrate the table, calibrate the CO2 or fiber laser focus, or the focus plunger.

• The Laser button allows you to fine-tune your laser’s settings.

• The Backup button allows you to backup and restore the machine’s factory settings.

• The Network button allows you to set up your machine’s network settings via Ethernet, Wireless connection or USB.

• The Alignment button takes you to a screen that is used for the laser alignment process for your machine.

• The Program button is used for updating the peripherals of the machine.

At the bottom of the Settings Menu you will also find some helpful information about your machine, including which Firmware version is currently installed, the wattage and laser type the machine has, the machine’s Serial Number, and the current network address.

Configuration Menu

The wrench and gear icon at the bottom of the Settings Menu will take you to the Configuration Menu, which has 3 sections.

The System section displays detailed information about the machine. These are factory settings that should not be changed unless instructed by Epilog Technical Support.

The Network section allows you to view the IP Address, the Network mask and other information about your machine’s connection.

The About section displays information about your laser’s firmware, laser power, and Serial Number.

At the bottom of the Configuration Menu you will also see 3 buttons. Park Axis is used to move the laser head back to its home position. The Home Axis & Home Table buttons will perform the same homing process as when the machine is powering on.

This was a walkthrough of the many functions available on the Fusion Series Control Panel.

  • 1
  • 2