Software for use with laser?? Braille creation etc.

[Larry Bratton]

I notice that many posters are using Corel Draw. I have Version 12 and have an order in for the new X3 version. I do a reasonable job of designing with Corel, but have, in the past run the various machines we have using their respective software. We use Enroute 3 Plus for CNC router and the Vision Pro (Engrave lab, I believe)software for the rotary engraver.

I have a question about the procedure used to create braille. We currently use the Vision Pro software to translate and punch the holes for Raster ball Grade II braille. We are licensed for this system. What program or procedure would one use to accomplish this with laser?

What other software programs are being used to create artwork for laser engraving? I also own and have used Photoshop a lot in the past for work on photos and creation of artwork for printing on a wide format printer. I imagine it will be useful also.

Your great input will be appreciated.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Well, I'd use the laser to engrave away anything that isn't a raised dot. There are braille fonts available.

[Mike Null]

If you'll do a search for Braille you'll find some postings by Keith Outten who does a good bit of engraving for ADA signs. He buys the balls from one of the hardware supply houses.

CorelDraw is the standard for the laser engraving business. Other progams can be used depending on your machine but for the laser Corel is the answer.

[Larry Bratton]

Well, I'd use the laser to engrave away anything that isn't a raised dot. There are braille fonts available.

Mitchell, thanks for the input. The raster ball method with a rotary engraver drills a hole with a specially sized cutter to a specific diameter. The raster balls (which are a licensed product) are inserted in these holes. The software does the translation to establish the hole pattern so that when a blind person (that can read braille) moves his fingers over the raised dots he reads what it says.

Am I correct that, since basically the braille words would be "printed" so to speak, then one would have to establish the layout and design in the artwork initially? Then, how would you set the machine so that it would drill those specific areas for the correct diameter and depth?
http://www.accentsignage.com/HowItWorks/RasterBraille.php

[Keith Outten]

Larry,

It takes a bit of experimenting but you can raster engrave the Braile holes. Adjusting speed and power to get the right depth, half the diameter of the raster balls, then a bit of tweaking to get the Braile text size just right so the balls fit the holes tight. Once you get the settings down pat it's a piece of cake.

.

[Larry Bratton]

Keith..OK. When I get my machine, I'll work with it and see what I can do.

What source would one use to create the braille characters? I am used to inputting it as text and then the software does the translation and outputs to the engraver. In this process, would you type it in the design in a braille font, then output?

[Keith Outten]

Larry,

Use a Braille font, make sure it is filled and raster. Most Braille fonts are the correct size and will provide a 0.060" diameter hole, you need to adjust the hole a bit to fit the raster balls you get from your supplier. Some raster balls are 0.062" and some may be 0.060" in diameter. Although 60 thousandths is the correct size the 0.062" diameter balls are so close nobody would notice.

Corel Draw will allow you to just type in the text or numbers and it will provide the braille results as you already know. The procedure is very simple and easy to do, I engrave the braille text and numbers at the same time I engrave graphics and any other sign details. In my opinion inserting raster balls provides the best quality braille results, they are very smooth and easy to scan with the fingers.

.

[Scott Shepherd]

Keith, have you found a secret for easily gluing the balls in? What type of glue do you use, and what method for application seems to work the best? That's a tiny dot of glue needed, and I would think it needs to be applied fairly precisely (sp?).

[Kim Vellore]

What are Raster balls? can one get different sizes? where do I get them. Thanks Kim

[Joe Pelonio]

Keith, have you found a secret for easily gluing the balls in? What type of glue do you use, and what method for application seems to work the best? That's a tiny dot of glue needed, and I would think it needs to be applied fairly precisely (sp?).
When the holes are drilled the balls will poke in and stay without glue. With a laser, I find that the engraved holes need a small drop of acrylic adhesive. I use a plastic bottle with a hypodermic-like metal tube applicator available at the plastic suppliers along with the adhesive (Weld-On #3). Very tedious job, because any spillage mars the acrylic as it melts it.

[Scott Shepherd]

Hi Joe, that's exactly what I saw happening (the glue making a mess of the whole process).

On a different note, I've been researching the braille issue (only starting this journey), and when I downloaded the braille font and typed in something, it didn't match what was coming off of our rotary machine, which has a braille function included with it. I paniced and thought all we had ever done had been wrong, looked on the internet for the same style sign, and found they matched our old rotary signs, but didn't match what I got when I converted the text to braille.

I found a website that sells braille software that says that you CANNOT type in text and change the font to braille and have it be correct, since the language is more complex than that.

Any idea on how to work around this, or is it acceptable by the ADA to put it letter by letter (as done when changing text to braille exclusively by changing the font to braille)?

[Keith Outten]

Keith, have you found a secret for easily gluing the balls in? What type of glue do you use, and what method for application seems to work the best? That's a tiny dot of glue needed, and I would think it needs to be applied fairly precisely (sp?).

Scott,

Believe it or not I have found that regular white craft glue works well for raster balls to Corian. Craft glue cleans up with water so any squeeze out can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. Craft glue doesn't harm the Corian or the acrylic balls and dries clear. I tried many different types of glue, they all had serious drawbacks, craft glue is cheap, doesn't dry to fast and doesn't damage the material.

I recently found a torx driver that had a hole in the end that will pick up one ball at a time and makes it easy to insert them into the holes. Forget using tweezers to pick up and install raster balls, life is to short :)

.

[Larry Bratton]

Kim:
I don't know if Accent Sign System's patent has expired or what, but their was a time that they had an exclusive on the raster balls. At the time I started doing some ADA signs, I had to purchase a license from them and it was about $1200 at the time. Their must be other availabilty now, but check out this site http://www.accentsignage.com/

[Larry Bratton]

Keith:
Wow, that sounds terribly tedious. It's bad enough to do with the holes drilled by rotary where they friction fit, especially if you have a lot of them to do. I think I am going to plan on using my laser to do the cutting work and then do the braille on the rotary machine. To do a proper ADA sign it has to have the regular type raised 1/32" as a minimum above the surface in addition to having Grade II braille placed at a specified distance below it. So, the sign actually has an applique on it rather than being engraved. Rowmark sells the applique plastic with adhesive back for that purpose. (not all blind persons can read braille, but they can "read" the sign by touch on the raised letters. I have an Accent Signage license for their raster braille system and it works well with rotary. The Vision Pro software translates regular english input into braille output to the machine. It drills a hole pattern and the raster balls are inserted and friction fit. The system comes with a tool that uses suction via a little air compressor that you use to pick up the balls one at a time and insert them. They sell other more expensive methods to do it, like a tool that you load up with the little critters and then you can insert them, kinda like with a ball point pen. Hope this wasn't too long and helps someone.

[Roy Brewer]

I have a question about the procedure used to create braille. We currently use the Vision Pro software to translate and punch the holes for Raster ball Grade II braille. What program or procedure would one use to accomplish this with laser?Larry,

Trust me, you will continue to use your mechanical engraver for the braille portion of your ADA signs. One would use the laser *only* if they did not have a mechanical engraver with that capability.

On the other hand, you'll love what the laser allows you to do with the raised lettering; possibly I should say "You'll love eliminating all the clean up necessary with the mechanical engraver!"

To the best of my knowledge, Accent's Raster Braille is indeed patented and one cannot put "rasters" in a hole to form ADA signs "legally" without being licensed by Accent.

If you paid only $1200 for the license that means you got the "aquarium pump" inserter. If you have not purchased the new "inserter," stop what you are doing and order it now!!

[Larry Bratton]

Larry,

Trust me, you will continue to use your mechanical engraver for the braille portion of your ADA signs. One would use the laser *only* if they did not have a mechanical engraver with that capability.

On the other hand, you'll love what the laser allows you to do with the raised lettering; possibly I should say "You'll love eliminating all the clean up necessary with the mechanical engraver!"

To the best of my knowledge, Accent's Raster Braille is indeed patented and one cannot put "rasters" in a hole to form ADA signs "legally" without being licensed by Accent.

If you paid only $1200 for the license that means you got the "aquarium pump" inserter. If you have not purchased the new "inserter," stop what you are doing and order it now!!
Roy:
Yes! I suspected as much. Your right, cutting that applique is a pain in the b.tt. Messy too, so I'm looking forward to that part being done with the laser. I also lightly engrave or mark the sign plate for the layout, that gives me a way to put the applique down that is a no brainer. Yes, I do have that little pump and it works but is tedious. I don't do a huge amount of it, so I haven't gone down for that inserter. When I see how much more I hope I can produce, I may get that. Thanks for the reply.