Driver Interface Questions

[Tom Winters]

1. Please, explain the following

Why would someone want to engrave one color, cut second color, and cut using a third color?
What is the point of sequencing colors for engraving? (Meaning run one color before another) 2. Sequencing cut by color or layer is the easiest thing to do in Corel. Is there a need to duplicate and create possibilities of bugs as well as bloat the software for additional situations?

3. Why would it be beneficial to be able to send a job with vector and raster images to the machine and not issuing the cut command after the engraving is done. Should we not bother with this functionality? Do you think it is error prone to allow cut and engrave in the same command. (EX: If a user applies same color for engrave as well as for cut, it could make a mess.)

Please answer the above with example of jobs that need those features functional. I appreciate everyones' time who answers.

[Joe Pelonio]

I recently did a job that required vector engraving and cutting. For that the color mapping function is great, I send the job to the laser, and it uses the different settings to engrave the text and graphics to the correct depth, then cuts out the pieces at other settings by color.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=79319

On my system the color mapping works only for vector. When rastor engraving
any color difference, or shade of gray, will affect the depth which allows for us to do photographs and 3D engraving.

As for sending the job combined, it is handy for many materials, to be able to send the job once and the whole thing runs. Just saves a little time.

On the other hand, if I need to protect the material from charring when cutting, I run the engraving first, then apply protective transfer tape before cutting, so I don't always use that feature.

[Mike Null]

Tom

To add to what Joe says, there are many who cut small objects from a larger piece then cut the larger piece. If you cut the larger piece first it may change the position of the smaller pieces. In that case color ordering is an easy way to attack the problem.

In terms of rastering color coding has a similar advantage in that you can alter power and speed settings and therefore vary the depth of the engraving.

[Doug Griffith]

Regarding #1: Color mapping for vector cutting makes finding the best settings easier. I have multiple saved color maps with different power/speed/frequencies each. Before doing a job on an unknown material, I run a special test file and load the corresponding color map. I run it and base production on the color that looks the best.

[Joe Pelonio]

Regarding #1: Color mapping for vector cutting makes finding the best settings easier. I have multiple saved color maps with different power/speed/frequencies each. Before doing a job on an unknown material, I run a special test file and load the corresponding color map. I run it and base production on the color that looks the best.
Now that's a very clever idea, Doug!

[Sandra Force]

Like Doug both of my machines are set to colors for speed and power. I have some drawings that the vector is in 3 colors, 1 to mark, 1 for scribing to split individual labels, and the third color is to cut out the sheet of labels. I have found that this is faster and easier to do that some of it raster and other vector of one color and then sorting.

[Rodne Gold]

My drivers allow optimization and I can set inside and outside cuts the same colour as the driver itself determines what are "holes" in a bigger cut piece.
What you need to do to "write" your new operating software is get a hold of a few machines and see how they work with their drivers and incorporate the best features. For example your driver should also have optimisation, inside to outside cutting, removal of overlapping lines , FULL colour mapping (not just cut or engrave by colour but the ability to map a particular colour in the software to your drivers colour)
Writing a driver with the sophisticated features like engrave from centre , optimisation, skipping white space , ramping etc is not an easy task.
You also have to make it simple for a novice and configurable enough to satisfy an expert.....and MOST importantly , it has to be bug free.

[Mike Mackenzie]

With the ULS drivers we can set the raster to a color then set a vector to just mark and the set another color to cut through.

An example of this is on a customized ruler The logo raster engraved, The measurement lines vector marked and then the ruler cut out of the material.

The nice thing about this is you just set the power and speed in the driver you do not have to map the colors

[Stephen Beckham]

I've used a combination on several different type jobs.

In this photo, I used three colors to cut 60 of these at a time. The first was raster of the text. As you already know - the single line of text (first color) can be etched very quick. Etching the line around the outside would have taken 30 minutes minimum rastering because it covered the whole bed. So for the second color, I use very high speed and low power vector to 'draw' a line around the outer edge - took minutes versus 30 minutes. For the third color - I went back over the whole deck again and cut them all out with slower speed and higher power. All sent as one print. Whole job took less than 12 minutes on my 45 watt laser.

Full size photo can be seen in http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=66499

http://www.becksminimall.com/images/153_MiniDulcimer3.JPG (http://javascript<b></b>://)

I have a second sample, but have to find the photo to support the explanation... - Couldn't find it - I used a similar technique to double etch over a image so one looked deeper than the other. It cost me more than I quoted because of the second burn time. Probably why I can't find the photo - I don't want anyone to see it and ask me to do it again...

Steve

Steve

[Doug Griffith]

Now that's a very clever idea, Doug!

Thanks Joe.

The following red to black RGB values are evenly distributed between the allowed 16 colormap values.

255/0/0
238/0/0
221/0/0
204/0/0
187/0/0
170/0/0
153/0/0
136/0/0
119/0/0
102/0/0
85/0/0
68/0/0
51/0/0
34/0/0
17/0/0
0/0/0

My test file has .25" diameter circles assigned to each as a hairline. My saved colormaps always use these values. The circles are kept within all working files outside of live area and I eye dropper them as needed. It works well and saves time.

Cheers