Just curious if anyone is using EZCAD3?
I am in process of ordering a new galvo system and weighing options to spend the money on SCAPS (nearly 50% additional base system cost) or EZCAD3 (about 10% additional).
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Just curious if anyone is using EZCAD3?
I am in process of ordering a new galvo system and weighing options to spend the money on SCAPS (nearly 50% additional base system cost) or EZCAD3 (about 10% additional).
didn't know there was 3 version... but I have to wonder, not one computer I have here can keep up with the data processing going on in just with the versions I have- I'm sure I'm not the only one who, when nudging some red-lighted graphics .050mm at a time into position gets tired of waiting several seconds for the display and red-light to catch up. And if the graphics are really busy, the laser will out-run the data stream.
That said, there's a big difference between the 2.5.2 version that came with my Triumph 4 years ago and the 2.14.10 all my machines are running now- cross-hatch added which doubled the hatch routines, putting the 'show contour' and 'continuous' options up front instead of 4 button-clicks back, multi-pass entry within the hatch menu, all great, and being able to nudge while red-lighting was a BIG plus... But otherwise, not much different. What I DO want to know is, WHY have the hatch routines been limited to 3 all this time? If the new version has bumped that to 10, or unlimited, I'll buy it in a heartbeat. I've come up with a metal-engraving routine that cuts way fast with very smooth edges, but to make it work I have to make TWO duplicates of what I'm engraving, it's the only way that works because I'm using NINE cross-hatch routines. Keeping track of 3 identical sets of text and/or graphics makes it very easy to screw up ;) -- and the 8 default colors should be bumped to 20. IF the new version only added more hatch routines and default colors, I'd get it :)
FWIW, other than a post 3 years ago I've never heard of SCAPS. Just found their webpage, and scrolled thru their 'interactive' photos showing the software's capabilities- to be honest, I saw nothing that EzCad can't do, and many of the menu items are the same as you see in EzCad, just drawn out differently. If SCAPS adds 50% to the SYSTEM price, I'd be worried about 'program updates'... one of my customers brought me a bunch of muzzle brakes they normally engraving themselves but their machine was down. The guy was taken aback when I told him I paid $3200 all in for the machine I was using: "Our machine has a control board problem, but they don't sell the same board anymore so we had to buy an upgrade board, and the old software won't drive the new board so it's costing us $12,000 to have a new board and software installed"... Good hell.. I didn't get the name of the laser setup... Guess they got it running, they haven't been back...
As with my Chinese Triumph glass laser and it's program, I do maybe 2% of graphics editing in EzCad, mostly 'offset', where you offset the inner/outer borders of text or graphics (the beam is so small text is routinely too thin) and basic resizing or moving. ALL else is done in Corel.
sorry for the novella :D
It only works with new version of the BJJCZ's DLC driver boards. 3D applications.
Saw it listed about a year ago on their website, but not a lot of info on it.
And is supposedly their focus going forward.
https://www.chineselaser.com/3d-lase...tware-product/
Hi Kev,
As far as EZCAD3 goes, being a 64bit software should help with processing, but as John mentioned above it requires their new cards (not too expensive I would imagine). From their product description:
Background filling, annular filling, random angle filling, and cross filling.
maximum 8 mixed fillings with individual parameters.
Not quite 10 but close...
SAMLight - Does have 10 fill routines available, and 7 different wobble patterns which I imagine would help with cutting. Rotary wise has an overlap/stich to help reduce or eliminate seams.
As far for what I would like to do...a software controlled XY sled as well as Z tower is something I would like retrofit. SW controllable Z should allow for processing sliced .STL files for 3d relief engraving, (not marking on to curved surface, that would require a dynamic focus in the galvo) and indexing XY would increase my marking area without having to go with larger lens(less power) or manual tiling the job (slow and prone to operator error). Both EC3 and SAMLight support this.
I run MaxMarking2 (awfull) so there will be learning curve regardless of which way I go. There is very little information on forum/group on either software, but have had feedback from SAMLight users and they love it compared to EC2
"Rotary wise has an overlap/stitch to help or eliminate seams." Umm... just based on my experience with rotaries for these machines, there's no viable way a simple stitch or overlap will help with the seams. The only time I've found an invisible seam is on the rare occasion when the next engraving after the move actually lines up to the previous engraving. There's so many variables at play that MUST be perfect and remain perfect during the 360 rotation; the focus distance can't change, the actual diameter can't change, and the part's alignment to the centerline of the rotary axis can't change. If any one of those DO change, the previous and next engravings will not line up. And if one changes, they all change, and the chances of them not changing are a zillion to one.
BUT--I suppose that using cameras and some form of active laser-ranging that could compensate for radius and focus distance changes on the fly would work well for aligning the sections...
There IS a way for a gantry fiber rotary to effectively create seamless engraving, and that's to step the rotary line by line the same way a gantry machine does. Many of us do this by setting very small gap spacing; it does work, sorta, but it's very slow, and it only works well if your gap spacing distance is divisible by your hatch spacing distance. And even then, results can be so-so, and it's SLOW.. But if one were to design a whole new rotary setup with step-down gearing and a lightweight chuck that could handle .1mm steps 100x per second, that should work pretty well... Trying to quickly rotate a 2 pound chuck directly connected to the stepper spindle won't cut it! ;)
--It just seems like an easy task for an engineer that knows such stuff...?
As to other improvements, keep us posted :)
Hi Darren,
I bought a 3D laser marking machine recently. I am pulling my hair out trying to get EzCad3 to project onto a curved surface. I can get it to do most other things but this is giving me more than just a hard time. Have you gone down the EzCad3 track?
Cheers.
Bill.
Hello Bill,
Sorry just seeing this post...
I did go with EZCad3 on my build but went with DLC2-M4-2D card and standard galvo. I assume you got a 3d galvo head? What brand did you go with?
D
Hi Darren,Quote:
Originally Posted by Darren Wilson
I got the machine through Wuhan Grentsun Industrial.
I have sort of figured it out but didn't quite get the level of machine I thought I was getting. This was partially my fault as I should have checked the specs a little closer before signing off on it. I ended up getting the same board as you, DLC2-M4-2D.
It is capable of 3d etching and it can have a rotary head fitted to the board though I will have to attach it myself as they didn't bother to put the terminal in for me. I am still happy with the way it perform a have found it is capable of engraving acrylic, ceramic most metals and glass if you use a metal backing plate.
How is your project going?
Cheers.
Bill.