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View Full Version : Rotary attachment issue, graphic skewed



Marc Nicoloudis
10-03-2016, 2:22 PM
Hello all,
I am working with a Pinnacle Accuris 30w laser and am having trouble with the rotary attachment. All of the graphics sent to the machine are being skewed in the y axis. For example, when asked to engrave a half inch circle, I end up with a 1 3/8"x.5" oval.

I am sending files from coreldraw x4, with a page height set to the circumference of the object to engrave. No problems with the x axis, it engraves in the position it is asked. Was hoping someone could chime in that may have this model, or comparable GCC laser for input. Thanks,
Marc

Keith Downing
10-03-2016, 4:31 PM
Don't have that model, but most likely there is a setting you need to change in your software. Have you used this rotary attachment successfully before? Or is this your first attempt?

Marc Nicoloudis
10-03-2016, 7:46 PM
Keith,
Thought this would be an easy operation, as I followed the training manual to a t. Maybe because the rotary is an off brand, the stepper motor is stepping in incorrect steps?

Klaus Madsen
10-07-2016, 5:32 AM
Keith,
the stepper motor is stepping in incorrect steps?

Yes that sounds correct, what software are you using?
In RDWorks you can draw a circle or a rectangle with a size you know. Then you make a test engraving and measure the actual size you get. Tehn you can type in the result in the software and it will automatic calculate the correct steps.
Sorry English is not my first language, hope it makes sense anyway.

Kev Williams
10-07-2016, 10:58 AM
A 360° turn at 2" diameter covers 6.28" of Y axis travel, 5" diameter covers 15.7", etc...

The machine has to know the diameter to make the correct steps. Somewhere in your software there MUST be an entry for the diameter of the part you're engraving. The machine doesn't care about the size of your working area; when working around circumferences, working area is strictly for YOUR benefit.

As a workaround if needed-- measure the oval. Say at 1.23" tall it measures .785" wide... 1.23"/.785"= 1.56, or 156%. All you need to do is group everything you're engraving, and expand the Y size 156%. Should be perfect when you run it...

In your case, your 1/2" circle is expanding on the Y axis to 1-3/8"... so .5"/1.375" =.3636-- so to make your 1/2" circle a circle, you need to compress the Y axis to 36.36% of what it is now...

Kev Williams
10-07-2016, 11:48 AM
OK, just noticed you're running a GCC-- Hopefully my print menu is similar to yours--

This is the 'paper' tab, where the table size and such are---
note 'rotary fixure' is unchecked, and the 32x20 base table size is in play--
345327

Here I've checked it, and I've entered a size of 12" long and 3" diameter
(approximate size of a small Hydroflask)
345328

I'm assuming your rotary is like mine, rubber cone on the drive end with a moveable tailstock on the other?

Mine works wonderfully, yours should too... :)

Keith Downing
10-07-2016, 6:58 PM
This may sound like a stupid question, but if you do the track or test (whatever it is called on that machine) to spin the rotary without any material on it; is it still running the object size too small? Or does it look like the rotary is turning the correct amount there?

I just had this problem today, there was a rubber lip on the cup that was catching and making the rotary turn less than it was intending to. Probably not your issue if it's never run correctly before, but worth checking to make sure the weight/traction of the item isn't the issue instead of a setting.

Jeff Body
10-08-2016, 12:24 AM
A 360° turn at 2" diameter covers 6.28" of Y axis travel, 5" diameter covers 15.7", etc...

The machine has to know the diameter to make the correct steps. Somewhere in your software there MUST be an entry for the diameter of the part you're engraving. The machine doesn't care about the size of your working area; when working around circumferences, working area is strictly for YOUR benefit.

As a workaround if needed-- measure the oval. Say at 1.23" tall it measures .785" wide... 1.23"/.785"= 1.56, or 156%. All you need to do is group everything you're engraving, and expand the Y size 156%. Should be perfect when you run it...

In your case, your 1/2" circle is expanding on the Y axis to 1-3/8"... so .5"/1.375" =.3636-- so to make your 1/2" circle a circle, you need to compress the Y axis to 36.36% of what it is now...


I don't see where the OP stated what type of rotary he has.
If it's a chuck type rotary then yes the software needs to know the diameter of the item. BUT
If it's a roller type of rotary the diameter is static and is actually the diameter of the rollers themselves. I finally found some information recently that explains this very well.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-Cutter-RD-Works-Rotational-Axis-Proper-Use/?ALLSTEPS

Kev Williams
10-08-2016, 2:03 AM
Yes, a roller wheel moves the surface of a cylinder being engraved the same distance as itself, so no diameter compensation is needed...

As I said above, "I assume" he has a 'chuck' type since we both have GCC machines, and to the best of my (limited) knowledge, all GCC's use the same one I have, same as the one in this video--


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1bxTigZ3Ss