Double lines when laser engraving copy

[Steven Nordquist]

Hello Everyone!! I have learned so much from this forum over the years and have come to realize that there is a much better chance getting some help here with my issue versus calling Epilog. I have 2 Epilog Legend EXT 36 machines, a 120W and a 75W. Recently my 75W machine has started "double" rastering copy. I have always run my engraving on Rowmark material at 100 speed on both machines with no issues but as you can see in the attached pics, I am getting a ghost engraving right next to the actual engraved copy. Thanks ahead of time for any assistance, I have called Epilog a few times with this issue and get the same answer each time which is clean the encoder strip, belts, check tightness, check / clean gears which we have done twice in a row now with no resolution. We did a complete teardown, cleaning, and alignment and from what I can see everything is tight and clean. Thanks again!!
321714321713

[Clark Pace]

You did not mention align beam. You beam could be getting split. Doy you have the cone on

[Scott Shepherd]

That's usually a beam splitting, or in some cases, a software glitch. I'd check your mirrors all the way back to the tube, as well as the lens because it looks like the typical beam splitting to me, however, I have seen software do it, and it required reinstalling the driver to make it go away.

If your optics are clean and it's happening, I'd reinstall the driver and see if that fixes it. There are other causes, but that's the two easiest to address and what I'd start.

[Jeanette Brewer]

This is an excellent resource for troubleshooting, as you mentioned, but when/if all else fails ;), it's always a good idea to call tech support when they open at 6am (MDT) on Monday.

(303)215-9171
tech@epiloglaser.com

[Kev Williams]

I'm not convinced that's a split beam, looks like simple L-R/R-L misalignment to me (reason: the misalignment is perfectly aligned to the X axis, Y axis is perfect- I would think a split-beam issue would cause a misalignment in both planes? There IS a tiny Y difference, but that's the distance the Y axis moved down to make the return sweep)

I have no idea how the software works for your Epliog, but since it's a western metal-laser machine, it SHOULD have some sort of alignment aid. My ULS software and my Gravograph software both have ways to adjust alignment...

My gravo software alignment process goes like this:
In the main engrave menu, click "about of", next menu click the picture,
and finally, 'send test file'. The software isn't at all clear what any of this
is, but the test file goes to the laser, and engraves a dozen rows of
1/4" or so tall vertical lines. Row one starts out with the lines doubled
quite badly, then each row the lines get closer together until somewhere
in the middle, then the offsets start up again, in reverse. I analyze each
row, and pick the one that's closest to perfect, then enter that number..
321719321720321721


The ULS method isn't quite as efficient, but it works fine-
from the main engrave menu click 'advanced', and at the bottom
of the next screen is a "tuning" bar- you don't get a test pattern,
you just have to engrave your own test using different slider
positions, and pick the best one...
321722321723


Where you'd find this in your driver software, maybe someone knows?

This is one of the biggest advantages of RC lasers over glass lasers, once the primary adjustments are made it's easy-peasy after that. My glass Triumph has to have alignment settings manually entered, and different entries are required for different speed settings! I have mine dialed in near perfect, but it took several weeks, using actual 'work' as the tests.

[Scott Shepherd]

Kev, I don't think it's alignment because it's not consistent. That's been my experience with a split beam. As it hits a certain spot in the motion, on that spot on the mirrors, it hits that bad spot, splits the beam, and it's very isolated to an area. You can engrave 10" to the left or right and it looks good. That's where I was coming from.

I've seen it on our ULS a couple of times over the years, but it was always the driver. You could remove and install the driver again and the problem would go away.

I think if it was alignment related, it would be a much more widespread problem, but it wouldn't have gone from working one day to not working the next, or so to speak.

That's my guess. We'll have to wait and see what it ends up being. We might both be wrong :)

[Dan Hintz]

I'm going to guess a loose lens/mirror or carriage... raster in one direction, the carriage/lens/mirror shifts one way, raster turns around and goes in the opposite direction, carriage/lens/mirror shifts the other way.