Help with InDesign CS5 printing to Epilog Laser Engraver

[Greg Tomlin]

We have 5 Mac computers that can create files for the Epilog. Three of the computers can draw vector shapes directly within InDesign, print to the Epilog and produce a perfect cut. When we try to do the exact same thing on the other two computers, the file is sent to the Epilog and when you press "Go", the engraver says "Done" without moving. It does not recognize the vector line drawn within InDesign.

Please make suggestions as to why this might be happening. What setting or preference might be different between the functioning and non-functioning computers?

Thank you!
Greg

[David Haynes]

Do you have the artboard setup to the same size as the engraving table’s surface? As an example, our machine has a 24” x 18” engraving area and thus we set up our artwork on a 24” x 18” artboard. If the artboard isn’t the same size as your engraving area the item you are engraving may be falling outside of said engraving area. If this is the case, the machine beeps “DONE” because technically it is done…engraving a blank sheet. Try resetting your page size and positioning the graphics within that space.

[Michael Hunter]

Also, check the default line width on the naughty computers.

[Greg Tomlin]

We make the size of the document the same size as the material being cut and we've entered that same size in the print window - all three sizes match.

Line width is .002 of an inch on all machines.

I can create something on one computer, have it cut perfectly, go over to another computer, duplicate the job exactly, send it to print and get "DONE" with no action. I feel it has something to do with the rip - the area between "Print" on the mac and "Go" on the Epilog.

Any other suggestions?

[John Noell]

No real suggestions but I have stumbled on the print settings of ID many times. Some settings over-ride others, depending on where you set them. I'd probably try comparing every single Print-related setting between the Macs that work and those that do not.

[Cherie Irwin]

Greg, is this for vector cutting or for rastering? I have had a problem with Adobe products, but only with vector cutting. Make sure that your settings in InDesign are all RGB and that all of your artwork is set to RGB. If you have any of your color settings in CMYK, it won't vector cut.

If you are having problems with rastering, I can't help you. Never encountered that problem.

[Scott Shepherd]

InDesign is one of the only programs I've ever seen that allows RGB and CMYK on the same document. That could certainly be at the heart of the issue.

[Greg Tomlin]

Cherie and Scott - on all five machines we're using the "black" that is pre-set in InDesign. It works on 3 of the machines, so whatever that black is made of, it does work. Also, in preferences, we have the black set to "accurate".

Cherie - yes, this is for vector cutting. Raster images for engraving work on all five machines - no problem with engraving - only vector cutting is giving the problem.

[William Adams]

Is the same printer driver being used on all 5 Macs? Is the under-lying OS version the same? (Apple menu | About this Mac)

If those things are the same, can one ``print'' using other applications? (try Illustrator if you have it, if not, make a .pdf from InDesign on one of the Macs which works, test print from Adobe Acrobat on it, then transfer the .pdf to one of the non-functioning Macs and try it in Acrobat on that machine).

If that works, then try printing to a file:

- click the ``Printer'' button in the InDesign print dialog box
- click on the ``PDF (down-arrow)'' button and choose the appropriate menu option
- compare files generated on a machine which works w/ one which doesn't

William

[Greg Tomlin]

Yes, the same print driver is being used. We actually send everything to a PC and print from that single PC - Epilog doesn't make a print driver for Mac.

Thank you, William - I'll give it a try!

[Cherie Irwin]

Did you figure out your problem, yet? I still think it has something to do with a CMYK setting. I say that because I use both Illustrator and InDesign, instead of Corel, and I've encountered the exact same problem. If anything is set to CMYK, the files will raster engrave, but they will not vector cut. It may be something in your artwork, it may be the black swatch you are using, or it may be the document color space setting. I would double check all of those, and recolor all raster artwork that is in your file, as well as make sure your vector cut lines to set to 0.001 stroke width and are RGB 0,0,0. If you are engraving and cutting together, try rastering first, then hide or remove all of your raster artwork from the file. Then try vector cutting. I really, really think it has something to do with the color space settings in Adobe for those computers that arent working.

[David Fairfield]

In Adobe, a .002 line with a 600 dpi setting will presume an engrave line, not a vector line. And if you are clicking vector only in the driver, its gonna just say "done" when you send the job. So you can drop the line width down to .001 (or finer) or drop the driver setting down to 400dpi.

Other than that, make sure you are using the latest driver, double check all the settings for document size, orientation, color, and make sure they match between document and driver settings.

Dave