epilog legend 24tt changes halfway through job

[Jim - Goodwin]

The image is probably the best way to explain it. The thing that is frustrating is that its fine most of the time, but sometimes it does this, just not consistently. I am burning on enamel coated steel/aluminum. Settings were Raster, 100 Speed - 25 Power, clipart, computer controlled speed/power, manual focus.

Usually I print the job again any it "fixes" itself. Any Ideas?

[Rob Bosworth]

Jim, have you tried moving the artwork to another area of the table? IF you did this piece at the 0,0 (back left corner of the machine), what happens if you move the artwork to 12" X 6" spot? IF you move the artwork and the engraving is good, you might have a mechanical problem with your X axis. I would guess a dirty belt, drive gear.

[Jim - Goodwin]

I haven't tried putting the work in different places, but I have had it happen on a piece that was 12"x16". The error does not always happen in the same place in the Y direction, but it makes the error along the entire x-axis.

It is almost as if it things a 1pt stroke has been placed on the artwork. also the material is much "shinier" where the error occurred.

[Peck Sidara]

Jim,

It looks like a shift in the engraving. A few things come to mind:

1)dirty encoder strip, dirty encoder reader, faulty encoder flex cable, encoder reader or strip.

2) Do you have artwork to the right or left of this image, perhaps something that is approximately 1/2 down on this image to the right? Try running this image just by itself and see what happens.

3) Call tech support to find out how to check your acceleration and deceleration values; they'll walk you thru cleaning your encoder strip; Further trouble-shoot and get you back up and running in no time.

[Kim Vellore]

WOW... it looks like the image has expanded or zoomed in half way through. or the laser dot size has suddenly become big. It could be your image, a focus change half way through, or laser firing before and after the actual firing time..
Kim

[Peck Sidara]

You're right Kim. Taking a closer look it doesn't look like a shift in the engraving mid-point so it's not likely the encoder strip/reader/flex cable.

I still think it may have something to do with artwork that's to the right, slightly off-set lower and/or acceleration/deceleration values on the display.

Or like you said, something going on in how the laser is firing. At this point, we're both taking a stab at a solution but ultimately tech support can walk Jim thru the above and any additional stuff we may have missed.

[Jim - Goodwin]

There is no other artwork on the sides of the object, It has also done this to something composed of only text. The difficult thing is that it doesn't do it every time. I have tried to duplicate the error but I can't get it to do it consistently.

It seems to happen only when I am putting in a new piece and not a scrap piece... I think it wants to waste my materials.

[Peck Sidara]

Jim-What does tech support think of the problem?

[Scott Erwin]

There is no other artwork on the sides of the object, It has also done this to something composed of only text. The difficult thing is that it doesn't do it every time. I have tried to duplicate the error but I can't get it to do it consistently.

It seems to happen only when I am putting in a new piece and not a scrap piece... I think it wants to waste my materials.

I think my machine has the same sensor...The more expensive, the newer the piece, the harder it is to find, the more apt it is to make a bad burn. If the cheap piece, or the 'gonna throw away' piece goes in and vola, perfect every time.

My machine also has the built in feature that was an unreported option that the more important the job and/or the need to finish as I am up against a deadline, the more apt it is to stop working too. This special feature seems to be bi-directional as it fluxuates between engraver and computer.

I have searched for the switch but I only can do this when I have down time and seem to stumble on it, then when job is needed 'now' it all seems to get reset back to mess up mode again...go figure.

If anyone finds this magic switch, please post answer, I am sure you will get a free contributorship to SMC from someone for sving them the $$.