Problem with Job Control Trotec Speedy 100

[Kieran Mannings]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum but have been reading through for a while and have learnt a lot :) I'm also new to laser engraving but practising!

I've got a problem with my job control software (version 9.2.1) every time I open job control there is the error message "Can not position any more jobs on this plate) fine I think to my self and click OK but then the program just crashes and I have to ctr alt del to end it.

This has only just occurred and I have been using for a while only ever doing one type of job which I have never had problems with before.

Is there any thing I can do or is it just best to uninstall the software and start over?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Kieran

[Dan Ashlin]

I've never had that problem before, but im thinking your best be might be to uninstall and reinstall job control.

[Scott Shepherd]

I don't think it's an uninstall/install issue. I've only seen the driver for a few minutes, really, but it was a new install and they had the same issue. I seem to recall it had to do with the size of the work area in corel not matching the size defined in the driver. After they changed a few things, I didn't see it come up any more. However, that was just my very brief encounter with that same message.

If you can make sure those two match, it might help narrow it down.

[Kieran Mannings]

Hi,

Thank you for your replys, I searched the forum previously and there was mention of the coral draw layout being of the wrong size causing the issue. I have always used the same size layout and never had this problem before. The main issue is that job control just wont open as it just has that message and then crashes when you press OK so I can't send new jobs to it in a different layout or adjust the saved jobs.

Any help is much appreciated.

Kieran

[Mike Null]

Kieran

The problem is that your page size (table) in Corel is too small for your drawing.

Set the page size in Corel to 12" x 24" and save it as "table" or "laser".

In your Job Control under size settings make a matching size.

If you send a job to the engraver that doesn't fit on your table it will give you the error message you mentioned.

[Kieran Mannings]

Hi,

Thank you for your help!

Problem now solved, for reference the problem was that, that message displayed and when you press ok it goes in a loop and displays it again (I'm unsure why, maybe multiple jobs were misaligned) I kept pressing O.K about 10 times so it went through all jobs on record. I could then access job control without it crashing and delete offending jobs.

Thank for your help people :)

[Michael Kowalczyk]

First of all Welcome to the Creek!!!!!
Second-Please put your info in your signature to helps us know what ya got.
Third-update your job control to 9.4x and your firmware to make it current
Fourth-I rarely make my page to the table size. I make the page around an 1/8" +- larger than the project. This way you can place multiple parts on a sheet and your files are smaller in the que.

Let me know if this helps and ...

[Richard Rumancik]

. . . I rarely make my page to the table size. I make the page around an 1/8" +- larger than the project. This way you can place multiple parts on a sheet and your files are smaller in the que. ...

Michael, there are two schools of thought on this. Some people always make the page size in Corel equal to their max. bed size; then delineate in some way where the piece resides on the table. You change the page size for the job. Both methods work, Mike uses the first method, and I tend to do as well. I think I have changed my page size for a couple jobs but usually it ends up confusing me when I do . . . Is the file size such a factor? I haven't dealt with that as I only keep one job in memory at a time so haven't bumped into memory limits.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Richard not sure what laser you are using (please put in your signature) but if it is not a Trotec it may not work the same as in Job Control. By minimizing the space around an object you are able to nest more on a sheet if you choose to. This allows for variables in sheet size. I can take a 1.875x1.875 disc and make the page 2"x2" and nest it on a 12 x 12 sheet or a 12 x 24 sheet or a 16 by 28 sheet all from the same 2x2 object. Trotec will also optimize the vectors if you choose. By using colors to define the order of operation it will also improve the yield of completed products.

What I do is the following:

1st engrave all (Black)
2nd mark all vectors (Red)
3rd Cut all interior vectors (Blue)
4th Cut actual product/exterior vectors (Desert Blue)

This way if your material moves after the final exterior cut, the registration is always correct on the part.

On a Trotec, we have a material settings menu that we can define categories. When I make a material settings such as "3mm ply no engrave"
I will skip the black so it does not scan the file to look for black and waste time. Then make settings for Red to mark the item by lowering power to around 50% and then speed to about 5%.
Blue gets the first interior cuts and that may be 100% power and 1.40% speed.
Then the final cut is Desert Blue and I usually drop speed just a bit to make sure it goes all the way through so that may be 100% power and 1.35% speed.

PS:The way it keeps file size down, IMHO, is instead of having 78 of the same parts in a file, you can have 1 file and nest as many as you need and delete the other 77, from the sheet, when you are done with that particular file and it always maintains your settings if you happen to tweek them.

Thanks and ...