Possible causes of fuzzy engraving

[Rich Harman]

I don't see how a spiral like that will diagnose slop, especially at a slow speed. For example, if there were lots of backlash it would not be evident since you are not joining up a line that is approached from separate directions. I would think a circle would be better for that, or a series of circles - each starting at a different quadrant.

[Kev Williams]

Here's an enlargement of some of the engraving, and I've adjusted the contrast--

IMO, again, this is not an alignment or mechanical problem. Alignment problems will have runout like this on each opposite pass, but the each half of the runout will be lined up. This runout is all over the place. This might indicate a mechanical problem, except that if it was mechanical, the runout would be pretty much the same on each horizontal line where the laser fires, and that would result in 'wobbly' looking engraving...

The runout is totally ragged, and the engraving isn't wobbly- the "i" is straight, the curves are consistent. The only wobble apparent at all is the top of the "d" appears a little bent.

Finally, the white that shows up by lightening up the contrast, means the white is there, but I'm not sure if that means anything more than more power could've been used.

It looks like not only is the laser firing late, it also seems to be turning off late too. Might be some tickle or other adjustments to be made, but I'm still leaning towards the tube is the main problem...

[Darren Wilson]

Ok got a chance to pay around first Mike's test:
Mike's test.jpg
Next Samuel's:
Samuels Test.jpg

[Darren Wilson]

Some others:
slower diff tickle.jpg
slower diff tickle settings
40s55p600.jpg
40s60p600dp1 TM1TI0
40s55p600pass2.jpg
a second pass
20S25P600 TM1TI0.jpg
20s25p600dpi TM1TI0
vector pass.jpg
vector pass

[Kev Williams]

Your "squaral" tests- the 10 power looks pretty consistent, but the 20 power is pretty heavy on the left side- material bowing up out of focus? Aside from that, they look perfect...

Your tickle tests look horrible, but then I'm not sure what they're supposed to look like, however, I would expect the edges to be a lot less raggely!

[Scott Marquez]

You have done some great tests, what does Epilog think it is?
Scott

[Darren Wilson]

Yeah the Sq vector test at 20P cut thru so material is slightly warped, that's why I ran again @ 10P. The tickle test are pretty average, can't really pick one better that the other, to my eyes TM1/TI0 looks best but not by much. I haven't had a chance to get a call into Epilog, due to time difference and current project at day job. Hope to get a chance early this coming week. I am really hoping that a new tube will fix this up.
Daz

[Scott Shepherd]

Have you reloaded the driver Darren? To me, your tests prove it's not mechanical. I also don't agree that it's a tickle setting. I've never seen tickle cause mismatch in left to right engraving. My guess is it's software related, but that's just a guess.

I'd personally try reloading all the software, deleting the existing and starting over and see if that fixes it. That might not be it, but it's where I'd start.

[Darren Wilson]

Hi Scott,
Reloading the driver is easy enough, I will give that a shot.
Has anyone played with the "Laser Match" settings? As I had to replace my MB whatever the factory settings were they have been lost.

"Calib X encoder" is what I'm afraid to run as this is how I blew my original MB... I damaged my linear reader while cleaning, so there was not a valid signal from the encoder strip... this somehow destroyed the MB. I have steered clear of this function since, as I don't have $2k lying around to replace the MB again. So since replacing the MB, Linear Strip and Reader, it has not been recalibrated. Has anyone successfully run "Calib X Encoder" and if so what precautions were taken?

Cheers Daz

[Darren Wilson]

Finally should have some time to reload drivers and re-network engraver. My replacement tube is currently being released from AU Customs, I am desperately trying to get it held for pick up this afternoon, if not it should be at my doorstep by Monday. Then the fun of alignment begins and hopefully crisp engraving, Fingers crossed...

[Phil Vernon]

Darren, I would look into your "tickle" settings for your tube. I have a ULS machine and it has a tickle test you can run to determine if the tickle settings are optimal. You will have to research this setting for Epilogs. On RF laser tubes, tickle is essentially a low-duty secondary modulation signal when the laser is not firing to keep the plasma slightly excited to improve response time for when you do need it to fire. If the tickle is too low, your response time is slow (laser fires late) so that when it actually does fire the motion system has already moved farther in X than where you wanted it to fire. I strongly suspect Epilog has some sort of built-in tickle test. If not you can draw 5-10 parallel vertical lines that are between say 0.010" to 0.020" thick and maybe 0.030" between lines. Engrave these and what you want to look for is a tickle setting which makes the engraved vertical lines have a minimum width (in x). Hope that helps.

Agree with this prognosis. Looks like Tickle to me as well.
You should have access to a tickle test.

[Darren Wilson]

Hello All,
I've installed my replacement tube from Evergreen Laser, was quite easy. After aligning I ran couple of test...
2015-11-05 16.49.24.jpg
as you can see the engraving has vastly improved, this was run at 100S/40P
2015-11-05 16.49.56.jpg
not perfect though, there is still ever so slight fuzzy on the small text .157" (4mm)
2015-11-05 16.48.31.jpg
however now there is definitely a mismatch in Vector to Raster. It always seemed that there was a slight mismatch, but this seem to be more exaggerated that before.

As I mentioned earlier, the encoder and reader were changed, but I have not run X-Calib due to it blowing my motherboard last time. Anyone with an Epilog 36EXT ever run this calibration with successful results?

Thanks,
Daz

[Darren Wilson]

Hey where have my post gone?

[Darren Wilson]

Vector/Raster mismatch fixed!

Wow what a difference a fully functioning tube makes!