epilog vs universal

[Brian Knuckles]

question..

I have a 120 watt epilog laser that I am burning some cardboard display boards on & its takes me 12 minutes.

Now on my 60 watt universal it takes me 48 minutes.

Is this right? Should it really take this long?

here are the settings on the universal that i have 50Power / 80speed / 300ppi
and thats the same thing I use on the epilog, maybe I'll speed it up a little up to 100 speed...

My universal lens says 1.5 on it, I know in the past I was told about a 2.0, however I was told the 1.5 is what i need since I do photos.

Any info would be great!! Thanks a head of time.

[Dan Hintz]

You have several issues at work here:
1) On the Epilog, you're using a 1.5" lens versus a 2.0" on the ULS... the Epilog is able to pour more power into a single spot, which means you won't have to longer as long to get the same level of darkness (particularly since cardboard is a very low-resolution substrate).
2) The ULS is half the power of the Epilog, but that doesn't necessarily equate to twice the time. Even if both systems had a 2.0" lens, the machine with double the power may create the same burn mark in 1/3rd of the time.

A 1.5" lens is typically better than a 2.0" lens due to the reason I mentioned in 1) above, but only if you're not engraving too deeply.

Unless the image is small in dimension, I would suggest recalibrating the burn for 100S (probably around 60-65P).

[Brian Jacobs]

Ditto what Dan said. Increases in wattage isn't necessarily linear with time.

In reference to the 1.5 vs. 2.0 lens--- I have both. I use the 2.0 for vector cutting and the 1.5 for rastering (photos, etc.) I don't like cutting with the 1.5 largely due to the fact that the material is very close to the lens. (Not a good thing.) I haven't had to replace any of my lenses yet, but I was told that if vector cut a lot with the 1.5, there's a very good chance that I'd be considerably decreasing the lens life because of 'flame-ups'. It'll mess up the coatings and permanently fog your lens. My $.02 worth...

[Brian Knuckles]

Hi Dan,

You mis-read or i mis-spoke...

my uni is 1.5 lens same as my epilog.

i was told about a 2.0 lens, but i went with the 1.5 on both machines

[Scott Shepherd]

Brian, what's your Image Density set at on the ULS? Are you rastering or vectoring?

[Brian Knuckles]

Hey scott,

Its an image that is both raster & vector...

My density is at 85? Is that too high? I never touch that area...

Any info would be great...thx

[Scott Shepherd]

What model ULS and what model Epilog? Not familiar with "85" as a setting for Image Density, so I'm guessing it's an older model?

[Brian Knuckles]

the Unl is model EOS 6.60
the epilog is a legend ext

[Scott Shepherd]

EOS 6.60? Is that old? Never heard of it. You sure it's not new and it's a PLS, VLS, or ILS 6.60?

Is it old or new? When was it installed? Also, what driver version number are you using for it?

[Dan Hintz]

If it was a new model, it would end in .75, I imagine

[Brian Knuckles]

Sorry guys...its the blue universal model PLS...I bought this in July of 2008

Im using the ULS engraver control panel 2.18.31.9

[Scott Shepherd]

Your driver is WAYYYY out of date.

In your control panel, you should select "Manual Control" and in the bottom left, there is a graph that says 1,2,3,4,5,6 and it's labeled Image Density. What's what set on for your rastering color?

It should be on 3 or 4 if you're looking for 300 DPI range. Sounds like it might be on 5 or 6.

The current driver is 5.27.48.

[Brian Knuckles]

yes its on 5...ill change it to 3..thx & i'll update the driver

[Brian Knuckles]

its on 5...

I change it & give it a try...i'll also update the driver..thx