Very Disappointed with new Fusion 32... Vector Cutting Issues

[Wayne Grecco]

Hello All,

Maybe someone out there can help out. I have only had my Fusion 32 60W for a couple weeks now and I have to say I am very disappointed with the way it is vector cutting. Let me explain....

I recently posted on here that when I try to vector cut, the laser "pulsates" and does not seem to cut properly. People suggested checking to make sure that there were not a lot of nodes and one person suggested a node setting in Corel. Well I changed that setting in Corel and checked for nodes. There was not a lot of nodes but the machine continues to pulsate when it is cutting around curves or anything that is not a straight line.

Ive tried the following but it doesn't help:

1) I have tried setting freq from 1 all the way to 100
2) I checked and unchecked POWER COMP
3) I even tried different files



THE OTHER issue I am having is that this new machine (60W) wont even cut through 1/8" Baltic birch on the first pass!!! I set speed at 23 and power at 100 and it still wont cut all the way through! My 4 year old Mini 24 60W would cut through it on the first pass at 24 speed , 100 power so why wont this machine with a BRAND NEW tube cut through????

I have attached a few photos. I will try and figure out how to attach a short video of it pulsating while cutting once I get the video on this computer.

Wayne341059341060

[Bill George]

What does your factory rep say?

[Wayne Grecco]

Hi Bill,

I was hoping to see if anyone had any suggestions or ideas that might hopefully point to me doing something wrong instead of the machine being defective. I was figuring that if I found out that there might be an issue with the machine, then I would contact him and see what could be done. I just want to make sure its not an error on my part before I cross that bridge I guess but that's a great suggestion

[Tony Lenkic]

Wayne,

Is your rep Jeff in Buffalo? He seams to be help full guy. Call him to get it sorted out.
As for setting for wood cutting frequency of 100 seams to low. I would try starting around 500 and up.
See attached link........

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Use-a-Laser-Cutter/step6/Frequency-Settings/

[vic casware]

Hi Wayne, Are you using the JOB MANAGER? also before i send the file from the standard print window i check Speed Comp and
Uncheck Power Comp. I have a 75W but i can cut 10mm acrylic in 1 shot with no problems
My agent gave me the attached picture, hope you can read it. ''RE: Vibration issue during vectoring a curve.

Epilog has advised to change a setting on your Corel software.
Please see the attached file regarding Bezier curve info.
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Note: This change is for Corel software only.

[Kev Williams]

That vector 'jumping', one day my old ULS started doing that and it's never quit. (It's doing 99% raster duty right now so no biggie)

My GCC does it occasionally, sometimes not, haven't figured out the secret yet...

My Gravo LS900 has never done that in it's 12 years. Curves cut very slow and deliberate sometimes, and sometimes quite a bit faster. Never figured out the reason, and it will sometimes do the same exact item faster or slower when repeating the job. But th faster is just as smooth as the slower...

Now, as for cutting at 24 speed...
One machine's 24 speed will be equal to another machine's 35, 40, or who knows.... Your new machine is probably cutting way faster than the old machine at the same 24 SETTING. Just slow it down and see what happens...

[Braden Todd]

I agree with tony, try upping the frequency to 500. Or try up to 5k, I think that's the max. You should see a solid cut line at those frequencies, the lower you go the more of a perforated effect will occur.

Good Luck!

[Ross Moshinsky]

From the manual:
"Frequency: The number of laser pulses that the laser fires per inch of travel. The frequency is set in the dashboard and can be adjusted from 1 to 100. A lower frequency number will have the effect of less heat because fewer pulses are being used to cut the material. Lower frequency rates are helpful for products like wood, where charring is evident at higher frequencies. High frequencies are useful on materials like acrylic where a large amount of heat is desirable to melt or flame polish the edges."

My guess is something isn't aligned or you got a faulty unit. Could be anything from the board to the tube. You should contact Epilog tomorrow and discuss this with them.

[Henri Sallinen]

Unfortunately this isn't the first time seeing a Fusion acting up. I'd call the rep straight away, since there have been issues with a "lot" of Fusions. Some seem to work like a charm, but others are sort of monday pieces with faults straight from the factory

[Mike Null]

The result would appear to be caused by too low a frequency setting. Move the setting at least to the half-way point.

[Kev Williams]

Low frequency settings only affect WHEN the laser fires, not the path it travels.

In a nutshell, the machine follows a typical 1016 dots per inch plot path that is fed to the machine. What should be "normal", is the vector path should be a smooth transition between the close-together point coordinates. Wayne's problem is that the machine is treating each coordinate point as a node, and the head is moving in a straight line to each point. These machines slow down whenever they get close to a node so the machine can change direction without a lot of shock to the mechanicals. It's an accel-full speed-decel thing from one point to the next. Now, think of what the machine would do if it accels and decels between each coordinate point! That's exactly what's going on.

I don't know the cause or cure, or what the phenomenon is called, but way back in 1982 when I got the digitizing tablet and mouse for my Concept 2000, the software manual explained this, and how the machine would follow a smooth path around circles or any other curves with a minimum of control points.

Should be a no-brainer for today's machines, but sometimes it's not obviously. The 'hammer cut' is essentially a high speed "draft mode" cut when speed is more important than precision, as smooth cutting is much slower. I DO believe there's likely a simple 'high definition' or 'precision cut' etc setting that will cure this, it's a simple matter of locating it in the machine's driver software or possibly in Corel.

[Wayne Grecco]

Hi Vic,

This is the setting I was referring to that I changed in Corel already and it didn't help. It was doing this before I changed it and now after I changed it.

But thanks for the suggestion! I will be calling Epilog today

Wayne

[Ivan Shuliak]

Hi Wayne, I've got a similar machine (M2 32 75W).
Those dots around the curves always appear if you don't select "Power compensation". Speed compensation doesn't make any difference apart from reducing the speed twice.
I know you've mentioned that you tried to check and uncheck it but maybe you can try again?
Just leave Speed compensation unticked and power compensation ticked. It is designed exactly for that, to adjust power where the speed is the slowest (around bends).
I've attached two pictures with my corel draw and fusion settings.
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[Eric Claiborne]

I have a 40 watt fusion and cut out 1/8th baltic birch all day..... speed 8, power 100, frequency 50.....speed 24 is too fast.

[Wayne Grecco]

Thanks Ivan and Eric,

Ivan... Thanks for the screen shots. Those are the settings I have used on mine

Eric... I guess my issue is that I was used to using 24 speed on my Mini 24 60W and thought they should be the same or that the Fusion SHOULD be faster since its a newer machine with a new Laser Tube. I didnt realize that the speeds between the Mini and the Fusion were not related

Wayne

[Ivan Shuliak]

Wayne,

Are you sending your job directly to the machine or job manager first? I've noticed that when you send the job to the machine straightaway it cuts as "non optimised" but if you do through a job manager it will do it in correct order.
No sure why. Maybe some settings are not passing to the driver? Power compensation for example

[Wayne Grecco]

Hi Ivan,

I think I have both options checked.. to send to job manager as well as the laser.