vector sorting question??

[Chad Fitzgerald]

im running a couple files from laserbuzz(skeleton and musical model), when its cutting its jumping all over the sheet. I checked vector sorting so it does the inside vectors first(which it is), but my question is is there a reason its not working from top left down or over. seems like it would be faster if it did. right now it will do one in the middle of hte sheet and then go to upper left, then bottom right then, here, then there, etc.
I have noticed this on other things i have designed but they have been small and not a big deal, but using a 12 x 24 sheet the laser is traveling a long way it seems when its not necessary.
Any thoughts, i cant figure out the rhyme or reason behind this.
NOTE: I changed laserbuzz original color mapping to all red hairlines and am using the vector sort option on my driver. simply due to never using color mapping before, how to do that right will be a question i will ask in the near future.
thanks
cahd

[Ronald Erickson]

I'm nitpicky about the order the vectors are cut in a file. When they are out of order, not only can it take longer to cut, but it can also introduce issues with precision (large rapid Y axis movements can shift a part) and creates the possibility of parts getting in the path of uncut parts (like cut paper being lifted by the exhaust system and landing on an uncut area). I like to manually sort the cut order within CorelDraw using color and position so I know exactly what cuts will be made in which order.

I can only speak from experience with CorelDraw and the Trotec driver and this example pertains specifically to my configuration. Hopefully someone else will chime in to make suggestions on your specific configuration.

With CorelDraw and the Trotec JobControl, the cut order is first based on color. The Trotec driver processes colors where Black is first, then Red, then Blue, then Desert Blue, then Cyan, etc. (assuming that those colors are set to "cut" within the JobControl software which is a whole different lesson.) Given vectors of the same color (red for example), order is next determined by position within the Object Manager in CorelDraw. With CorelDraw, the lowest item on the list of vector objects will get cut first (First in, first out so to speak), then the next lowest vector object, and will continue until it finishes at the top most object. Look at the following example:

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In this example, all the curves are the same color, so color will not play a part on which curve gets cut first. As they are ordered in the object manager, Curve 1 will get processed first (it is lowest on the list), then Curves 2, 3, 4, and so on up to Curve 10.

Now, color will be introduced. Look at the following example:


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Because color now plays a part, the Color of the curve will be considered first, then the position in the Object Manager. The order the Trotec JobControl will process the colors is shown by the palette on the right. Black is first, then red, then blue, and so on with yellow being last. As no black curves exist, the first color to get processed is Red. It will cut Curves 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10 in that order. Once done with Red, it will next cut Curve 3 (blue is next on the driver color priority list), then Curve 9 (green), and finally Curve 6 (magenta). Even though Curve 6 is higher priority in CorelDraw (being lower on the list), it gets processed after Curve 9 because color is processed before position.

I'm not familiar with your configuration so I cannot offer specifics on manipulating cut order. If it were in CorelDraw, you could just change the position of the curves within the Object Manager. If the curves were combined / welded into a single Curve (so you could not change positions as there is only 1 curve), then you could create a new layer, set it as your active layer, then use the Smart Fill Tool to create new vector objects in the order you want them cut.

[Scott Shepherd]

Ron, you do know that the Trotec has vector sorting built in, right?

[Ronald Erickson]

While I know that it can sort, I've never used it. Rather than let the software do it for me, I've trained myself to do it. It's kind of like never using the auto-focus; I always manually focus.

Edit: I just quickly looked at the vector sorting. Mutation and passes?... I'm not as concerned with cutting efficiency as I am with being able to tell the machine specifically what to do and in which order I want it done. It gives me a good feeling when the machine does what I tell it to. It's probably the same feeling my wife gets when she "sends jobs" to me. :)

[Dan Hintz]

Unless I need a specific sequence in one particular part, I'm content with letting the machine figure out the best sequence. The amount of time wasted reordering every minute line in a project far overshadows any time saved in cutting / engraving.

[Glen Monaghan]

For one-off and small projects, I definitely agree with Dan that it generally takes far longer to manually order everything than you're going to save at the engraver. However, I have a couple of projects that I rerun a lot, one was only taking a few minutes but part of that time I was just standing around, waiting and bored. Reordering that project manually knocked enough time off at the engraver that I could just finish the paperwork, packaging setup, and stage the next part in the time it took to engrave and cut, totally eliminating the time I previously just stood there and waited. The other "biggie" was about 2.5 hours total, with 12 reloads and again, a fair bit of time just waiting and watching the machine. I spent a couple of hours re-orienting parts (to take better advantage of X axis speed vs Y axis speed of the carriage), re-grouping parts across loads, re-arranging parts on each load, and re-sequencing the design elements. Reduced total time by about 45 minutes. Not worth it for one time, but well worth it as often as I run that job.

But normally, I just let auto vector sort do its thing (my experience is that I do a better job, but it just takes me too long to be worthwhile for small and infrequent jobs).

[Michael Kowalczyk]

I use the simple philosophy of 4 colors. Black is engrave, Red is Mark, Blue is all interior cuts and desert blue for the final perimeter cut. Then I use the vector organize at the job control to make the new file. It has saved us a lot of time especially when you are running hundreds of parts. Every 10 seconds saved adds up quick.
Can't wait to get Job Control 10. Aimee walked me through it at the NBM show in Arlington yesterday and the new 2 pass for engraving is a biggie for me and the new algorithm to clean vectors (forgot what it is actually called) has some Smooooooth arcs. Several other features that will make lasering easier also. Easier to make new material settings, groups and sub categories. Easier to sort and quick 1st letter search capabilities in the job Que. Will post more when I get it.