Mercury 25W laser will not print

[Gerald Greer]

Hi all,
Just joined this forum in hopes someone could help with a problem I can't seem to solve. I am running Engravelab 6e. It has driven this machine before. I am not very smart when it comes to PC's as my shop runs mostly Macs. I have reinstalled the software on the computer to see if that was the problem but it didn't help. I installed it on another computer to no avail. The program lets me go through all the motions. Even to setting all the parameters after sending it to print. When I click on the final print it stops with a window up that says it is printing but it isn't. I have contacted Cadlink and they say it is a machine problem. I have never had any problem like this before. I contacted laserpro and they say they can work with Corel Draw but don't support Engravelab. Contacted Signwarehouse and they won't help even if I pay them because I didn't buy it from them. I have a large job due by Tuesday and I'm at a loss as to what to do. I guess all the problems are, like I've always heard, because of the nut behind the wheel. (Me) Please help if you can.
Thanks,
Gerald Greer

[Joe Pelonio]

I'm not familiar with Engravelab or the Mercury, but until someone else that is comes along. . .

How are you communicating, USB, parallel, or ethernet cable?

The settings on the laser and the PC have to match. If that laser was used on a different computer then perhaps the laser's setup has to be changed to recognize the connection. On my Epilog there's an LCD screen and keypad to set it up.

[Hilton Lister]

I would try to run a file from CorelDraw. Also it is possible to get the laser to fire from the keypad, tho I cannot remember the procedure at present. If it will fire, it is probably not the machine at fault.

[Gerald Greer]

Thanks for both replies. I am using a parallel connection. The same connection that I have used on this same computer. Tomorrow I am going to install it on a new computer. I got the laser to fire with no problem. I also tried to send the file from the built in notepad and also from Flexisign 8. Neither worked. I don't have Corel. Could someone else jump in and help. I am desparate because I have a job due Tuesday.
Thanks for any help.

[Robert Murray]

Can you print to anything else from that computer. Make sure the print queue is working correct. Can you print from Engravelab 6e to a standard printer.

Do you get any acknowledgment from the laser that you have sent a file.

I assume like the driver I use you could infarct print from any program as long we color settings are correct in the program.

Without many more details it is difficult to pin down a problem.

[Gerald Greer]

Yes, I can print to a regular printer from other programs and Engravelab 6e.
No, I get no indication from the laser that a file has been sent. I have tried all the other programs that I have to print to the laser and nothing happens.
Thanks for trying.

[Richard Rumancik]

Since you had it working before you know it is possible, so something seems to have gone wrong between the computer and laser. Did you try changing the cable? Are you direct-connected to the laser on the parallel port? You are not supposed to use switch boxes etc. Maybe you could try alternate path to laser (USB or serial port - not sure what your second option is.) That would eliminate the cable and parallel port interface on the laser. Of course you will have to configure the PC to be using the serial port instead of the parallel.

I see that Jorlink sells Pinnacle (GCC machines) and also Engravelab. If you are willing to pay for some support maybe they will help.

[Mike Hood]

You could download the trial version of Corel, and the latest driver. I don't know anything about EngraveLab, but know that most recommend Corel to drive their lasers. Just less problems.

I wouldn't blame the laser just yet if it's not receiving the file. It could be as simple as the printer que hung up with an uncompleted file or two.

If you uninstall the printer... can you reinstall it? That would reset the driver and print manager.

[Mark Fitzmorris]

Gerald,

I also run a Laserpro 25 and engravlab. You said that after you hit the final print it stops with a window up that says it is printing but it isn't. Did you wait until that widow closed before you tried "printing? That window only stays open while the computer is sending the file to the laser. Once that window closes the file is transfered to the laser and ready to "print". If the window does not close that indicates that there is a problem with the connection between the computer and the laser (usually the cable). If the file is large it may take a few minutes to transfer to the laser and for that window to close. Hope this helps.

Mark

[Darren Null]

Try:
1) Making the Mercury the default printer
2) In the 'printers' section of the control panel, turn off the print queue and try "Print directly to printer". Mine hung until I did that.

[Kevin Huffman]

Make sure your page size is setup to match your table in your laser engraver in your software

M Series = 25 in wide x 18 in tall

Make sure your 0,0 position is in the upper left hand corner of the page in your software.

EngraveLab Users:
When you go to File/Print, on there Preference tab, make sure only 3 things are selected.
Plate Area
Bitmaps
Print as shown on screen.

The other things that need to be checked:

What port is your computer calling the parallel port? Go into your Device Manager, under the port section. Once you know what name the computer is giving the port (LPT#).

You will go into your windows printer folder, make sure the Mercury driver is set to that port. (Right click on mercury, goto properties, on the ports tab).

On the advanced tab in the printer driver, there is an option for Print Directly to Printer. This must be selected, click apply then ok.

If all those items are set correctly it should send right on over.

[Gerald Greer]

Thanks again for everyone trying to help. I convinced my customer that was due tomorrow to accept rotary engraving. Not quite as clean on acrylic but it does work. All of the suggestions I have gotten have been done. Kevin, I downloaded the setup files from Signwarehouse and went by them. Then I took the CD that came with the machine and went by all the instructions on it and had no luck. I have done everything that you suggested but still am unable to print. I have changed the parallel cable twice, reloaded Engravelab 3 times, reloaded the driver probably 10 times. I am totally in the dark as to what to do. Tomorrow, I am going to load the software on a brand new computer that couldn't be corrupted because it is new. I appreciate all the help y'all have given me but I have tried all of this. Anyone elso with any suggestions. Maybe blow the machine up and start over?

[Darren Null]

There's version 3.34 of the driver here:
http://www.jorlink.com/page.aspx?page_id=49

Are you SURE you have the exact printing size set in your coreldraw document and "print directly to printer" set? Mine wouldn't talk to me at all until I did that.

[Rodne Gold]

On the motherboard of the engraver , check the RAM is seated properly. Reseat it.
If you have installed and removed Gcc print drivers , you might have a problem , some elements are NOT removed correctly and when reinstalling the reinstallation does not work properly.
www.jorlink.comn (http://www.jorlink.comn) has drivers , I also think there is a document there that tells you what files to look for and remove if the installation goes wrong.
Get into the diagnostic mnode of the machine (I forget the exact way of doing it on the mercury) and check the engraver itself is 100%

[rick woodward]

Gerald
It may not be an issue on your new computer. But Vista has been a MAJOR problem for most owners of software. Some have no problems but many have. There has been some success in forcing Vista to work with some software that I know of. No one has mentioned it so far, so I thought i would through that in the ring. Also, from info I found on this forum, I bought Corel x3 real cheap. No manuals, but there are tutorials online . I think the price has gone up a bit since i got it, but its still cheaper. Cant recall his name at the moment, but he was a big help to me and i would recommend him and his business.Buybusinesssoftware(dot)com. Phone number is 1-800-376-9270. Ask for the oem version.

[Alan Young]

Not sure if this helps but check the firmware version. It has to be compatible with the driver version. If you have upgraded the driver or maybe installed an older driver this could be a problem. I believe GCC has a table somewhere that list which firmware goes with which driver.

The other thing I would check is make sure you are not using the Ramp function of the driver. When ever I use it the power drops so bad it will not engrave. It will go through the motions but do nothing. I have never been able to get them to fix it.

Hope this helps

Alan