Really bizarre Corel issue

[Mark Ross]

We have a single file giving us this problem. An older file we have not run in a while. Nothing but vector cuts. What it does is where there is a straight line that goes into curve, the laser stops moving but continues to fire for several seconds so we get a flare up. We have tried deleting the line, problem goes away. Draw a new line, problem comes back. Weird. Deleted the curve. Problem goes away. The curve is complex and we can't easily re-draw it. Hmm...So we try saving the file as a graphic. Import the graphic into a brand new file, trace the curves, add the straight line, delete the graphic and...problem is still there.

So we extended the line past the curve so we can get the cut material out of the acrylic and the problem goes away.

This happens in Corel X3 and X6, using XP and Windows 7. Epilog 32 bit driver and Epilog 64 bit driver. Epilog EXT 45W and Epilog EXT 75W.

I walked out into the plant this morning, admiring how much faster the 75W is versus the 45 watt, look back and forth between machines and catch the 75W machine hanging up! ARGH! Can you say fire hazard? So I sit there and watch it some more and it is the mirrored images that are doing it. If I take the master file of the single vector cut, it runs just fine. Now the bug is happening on mirrored copies. Has anyone else run into this bug where the machine hangs continues to fire the laser?

I have tried making the entire pattern one big b-spline but when it cuts it goes all jittery, cutting, pausing while firing (but nowhere near as long as the above issue) so this won't work either. We have hundreds of files and it is just this one that does it. Driving me crazy because if I end up posing an Epilog 75W fire thread here I am not going to be a happy camper.

[Duane Parcells]

Hi Mark
I have had this issue come up with files that start as dxf format (autocad). Everything from what you explain and even worse behavior. Have you tried using the Smartfill tool? fill your object with the smartfill tool then..... fill=none and line=hairline, delete original and try running it again.

[Michael Hunter]

I have seen this problem, but had not twigged that it happens with a complex shape that has been mirrored.
Mark's observation might help sort out this problem once and for all - Thanks Mark!

Next time I run my problem file I will -
Add nodes each side of the pause point.
Delete the node that the laser pauses on.
And see if that fixes it.

[Ed Maloney]

I've had this problem. Use the shape tool and check the line/curve area for extra nodes.

[Mark Ross]

I thought about the extra node problem but I took the original saved it as a graphic so I could trace it and the new file does the same thing. The only thing that I can think of is some sort of invisible hidden nodes? By the way, I do believe the original file was an autocad file. I will try the fill thing tomorrow at work and see what happens and report back.

[Gerd Spatz]

Had (have sometimes) problems like this. First i was thinking its an Universal driver problem and nobody can't help me... :-(

Now i see you have the same problem with Epilog machines. I change my mind and think its not a driver/machine problem, its just CD... Should i be happy now?

[John Barton]

I have had a similar issue before. Converting outline to object and copying that object into a new file and saving did the trick. Drove me absolutely crazy trying to figure it out. Also you might check for invisible objects. I have found in some older files that I have invisible layers that the laser sees but we don't.

GL with it - such inexplicable behavior is frustrating.

[Graham Parsons]

Hi!
New to the forum here but thought I'd chime in - have you tried reversing the direction of the nodes? This has often corrected some odd quirks for me.

[Scott Challoner]

I haven't had to import any dxf files for awhile, but they used to come in with 20 extra lines on top of each other. I've found two solutions. When creating the dxf from AutoCAD, cange the line width to "0" before saving. You can also publish to pdf and import the pdf. That will make the extra lines go away too.

[Mark Ross]

Well, just for the heck of it, I thought I would contact Epilog to see if they have ever hear of this. Yep, it is a corel issue. What is happening is that corel is issuing a command in the curve where they don't hardly move the x or y axis so it looks like the laser is sitting still. We have this same pattern in a multi cut pattern file where there are some different sizes and shapes and the part is rotated differently in that file and we are not seeing it. However, we cut a lot of this one pattern so we have it drawn vertically and repeated over the 36X24 inch surface. It is when it is vertical we get the problem.

The way Epilog explained it to me was that corel sends out a bunch of extremely small changes in the x or y or x/y dimension and the laser basically tries to move in the really small increments. It isn't a matter of way too many node or anything being invisible. It has to do with the shape of the curve. We verified that this is an issue by taking the part that is rotated differently and copying it and starting a new file and putting it vertical. No problem in the original file, big problem in the vertical file. We have everything vertical do maximize the material usage.

I am going to try and rotate it maybe one degree and copying it out over the work surface area. If it works or doesn't I'll post an update.