Need Help With Trotec Laser

[Peter Meacham]

Any Trotec savy folks out there that can tell me why I am getting error message "Cannot position job on plate" when trying to send jobs from Corel Draw to engraver.

I have reloaded the printer driver several times, removed and reinstalled the printer several times.

The US service center appears to be closed today.

Dean Carpenter (UK) are you on line?

Thanks, Pete

[Dave Johnson29]

tell me why I am getting error message "Cannot position job on plate" when

Are you sure you have the 0,0 set for the correct corner in Corel? In the top left corner of the two rulers on screen, drag that square to the correct X=0, Y=0 for the Trotec.

Just a guess you have have the part drawing outside the scope of the machine table.

[Mike Null]

Pete

This is not likely a driver problem but one of your page size in Corel. When in the Trotec driver take a look at "size settings". Be sure that the size you have selected or set is large enough to accommodate the page size you have set for your drawing. Adjust one or both to handle what you want to do.

[Peter Meacham]

I have tried various page sizes in CD - some much smaller (letter) than the Plate size (28.8" x 16.98").

And I have positioned a simple rectangle in the middle of the CD page so it would not be outside the page boundries.

[Mike Null]

Pete

Try reducing your plate size to 17 x 28 or something smaller. Name the size and save it. Then set your CD page to something smaller than that.

I have had this issue and I can assure you that it is in your settings.

[Peter Meacham]

OK - will do shortly

[Jon Colley]

If you are still online, PM me with your phone number. I'll be in my office for another 40 minutes and I'd be glad to help you out.

[Peter Meacham]

Thanks for your PM Jon, I did answer you with a couple of emails - no joy yet.

I have tried another computer because I suspect the Operating System load on my computer is suspect.

But because my older Trotec has only a serial port, I am trying to use a USB-Serial converter (tried two of them actually). And I cannot get a computer to talk to the laser via a converter.

Try to buy a new computer with a serial port these days - can't be found. I don't know if anyone sells a PCI slot serial board. I have not yet investigated that route yet.

Mike: I have tried using smaller CD page sizes - smaller than the Trotec plate and that test did not make a difference.

[Mike Null]

Pete

Don't understand that as I've had the same thing occur and fixing the sizes of the drawing and the plate solves the problem. It may take a little playing around to get it to work---being sure that all new sizes are properly saved. Smaller page size may not work as it depends on the position of the drawing on the page and whether that'll fit the plate.

The other option you can use is "take from application".

If Jon comes back online I hope he'll post his solution rather than handling it privately.

[Peter Meacham]

Well, I am please to say the problem has been resolved and I am back in operation.

The final fix was to delete the Job Control software and the printer and reload from scratch.

All which I had done before, however, this time I used a different CD to load Job Control on the PC. Naturally, I have marked this good CD version of the software as the one to use for any future issues like this.

Thanks to all who responded and your suggestions. WHAT A GROUP!!!!!!!

[Mike Null]

Pete

Glad you found a solution. I hope you had back ups of your material and history files or they will be lost. I speak from experience.

[Roy Brewer]

"Cannot position job on plate" when trying to send jobs from Corel Draw to engraver.I'm hardly Trotec savy, but I can tell you on the Epilog and Xenetech that message would mean you've told it Center/Center, but left the origin at 0,0 thereby making it impossible to position.

[Peter Meacham]

Thanks Mike and Roy for your inputs.

Roy - I have an older Trotec and it does not have a Center/Center positioning feature in the software (and I can't use a newer version of the software) - but in any case, I resolved the problem by reloading the laser control software and driver from scratch.

I think that in fiddling around so much with the positional settings, etc as I was troubleshooting the problem that I just got too many parameters out of whack. Everything is working fine now.

Mike - I did not save my .dvs files (speed, power, PPI, etc) - but I am recreating them as I do new jobs.

I probably don't use the proper settings for optimal results anyway. I have always used 100% power and then varied the speed to suit the job - I only have a 25/30 Watt machine. Sort of the KISS principle in use here, I guess.

[Mike Null]

Pete

These are .dat files. Call tech support and they'll walk you through copying the file and saving it to your desk top or cd.