First job

[Chase Mueller]

I was wondering if anybody has noticed this happening:
Bare with me here cause I'm having a hard time explaining this, but essentially sometimes when I run my first job of the day, the laser appears to be printing extra... stuff. For instance, the first "pass" should read "this line", and it starts to mark that, but it also marks more.. I'll attach a pic cause I'm sure my explanation wasn't very helpful.
This Line Issue.jpg
Could this be an issue just with AI? Asked Epilog and they pawned it off on it not being them, and I'm sure they're probably right, but I'm still curious as to why it happens.

[Gary Hair]

Maybe it's selective memory, but it seems to me that whenever someone has something this odd happening it's someone who is using AI. I don't think I have ever seen anywhere near the amount of "strangeness" coming from Corel files.

[Chase Mueller]

Maybe it's selective memory, but it seems to me that whenever someone has something this odd happening it's someone who is using AI. I don't think I have ever seen anywhere near the amount of "strangeness" coming from Corel files.

Kinda what I was thinking. I remember somewhere seeing most people use Corel because AI has random issues, but never found out what. Maybe this is what they were referring to? Shouldn't pose a problem until I have to run a custom logo, guess I'll just hope for the best.

[Chris DeGerolamo]

The only times we have gotten "extra engravings" are when a job is started on the laser before it is completely sent. Could this perhaps be the case? (Yes, are running an Epilog also.)

[Chase Mueller]

job is started on the laser before it is completely sent. Could this perhaps be the case?

Maybe? The nature of my work is running 11 pieces of pipe at once, this particular scenario is 4 jobs long. In this case, I sent all 4 jobs through, one at a time, and even let it sit for a sec cause I got distracted (thanks Creek lol), but it happened anyway. Are you also running AI Chris?
Thanks

[John C Cox]

Also - is there a way to do a full power down/unplug to force it to "dump" all the files and strings that are stored in memory rather than putting it into "standby mode" or a "hot" power down mode.... Or is that when this happens?

Two other things that comes to mind:

Is there some sort of a "quick start" mode which loads up quick on a saved image - and then reloads the new image you want it to do now... But there is a time in that transition where it's kinda wonky... Often this will end up giving you the same trash appended on your new message each time...

Did you create this file from scratch to include only the one line, or was it made by modifying and saving an older, different file? If it was an edited copy of an older file - often the revision history within the document includes all the old information for the old pattern as well as all the new information... And it could be somehow loading some of this detritus in that first copy, then purging it out and going on to the current revision on #2...

A test for this second thing would be to create a clean sheet file from scratch and see if it does the same weird behavior....

Otherwise.. If it only does the one first piece - I think just use a piece of scrap for the #1 piece and then let it work properly after....

[Chase Mueller]

Also - is there a way to do a full power down/unplug to force it to "dump" all the files and strings that are stored in memory rather than putting it into "standby mode" or a "hot" power down mode.... Or is that when this happens?

Two other things that comes to mind:

Is there some sort of a "quick start" mode which loads up quick on a saved image - and then reloads the new image you want it to do now... But there is a time in that transition where it's kinda wonky... Often this will end up giving you the same trash appended on your new message each time...

Did you create this file from scratch to include only the one line, or was it made by modifying and saving an older, different file? If it was an edited copy of an older file - often the revision history within the document includes all the old information for the old pattern as well as all the new information... And it could be somehow loading some of this detritus in that first copy, then purging it out and going on to the current revision on #2...

A test for this second thing would be to create a clean sheet file from scratch and see if it does the same weird behavior....

Otherwise.. If it only does the one first piece - I think just use a piece of scrap for the #1 piece and then let it work properly after....

\

Unfortunately, it is completely random (aside from it only happening in the morning when i run the first job), so it's hard to see when one thing works or not.

[Bill George]

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Unfortunately, it is completely random (aside from it only happening in the morning when i run the first job), so it's hard to see when one thing works or not.

Have you tried calling support from where you purchased the Epilog Fusion M2 40 Watt CO2/Fiber Laser?

[Chase Mueller]

Have you tried calling support from where you purchased the Epilog Fusion M2 40 Watt CO2/Fiber Laser?

Yes! That was my first idea, and they pawned it off on it not being an issue on their end, and I'm inclined to believe them. Mainly because they have been MORE than helpful every time I call them, which leads me to believe they wouldn't just shrug me off.

[Kev Williams]

In my experience I've found those highway centerlines are caused by 'faulty instructions'-- My old ULS use to do that occasionally. First time it did it I tracked the problem to the 4-port LPT switchbox I was using. Once I changed the box, the problem stopped- until THAT box did it

Some time later I'd replaced the box with cables-only, and again it did it... A quick look behind the machine, and one of the cable snap-clips was open...

My LS900 did it a couple of times, first time was the switchbox. Second time was after I'd replaced it with only cables and extenders. I played with the 2 extenders and the cables connected to them, no help. When I pulled the cable from the machine and shot the connectors with electronics cleaner and re-attached, problem gone. Hasn't done it since...

And I won't get into the many issues I've had with USB ports, hubs and cables, except to say that it wouldn't surprise me a bit if your problem is USB related- assuming you're connected via USB...

Speaking of electronics cleaner, that stuff is your friend, get some, and spray any and all computer plugs that you can safely unplug and re-plug yourself.
These are the ones I use religiously. The 'Lectra-Motion' is great because you can spray it onto or into power-engergized equipment, it's totally non-conductive. (I've sprayed it into running motors to remove brush soot) The QD (quick dry) is great for plug connections and IC chips...
elecspray.jpg

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

Take a good hard close look at the dots and dashes preceding the words 'This Line'

They ARE the bottom pass of those letters.
There is a dot for the T, two for the stems of the H, one for i, a longer one for the curve of the S, a gap, a really long one for the tail of the L, etc etc.

For some reason the last pass of the text is being displaced in the software...

Was there some invisible text in the original file, that had perhaps been masked, and slightly exposed, in that position?

[Kev Williams]

Good eyes Ian-- and I didn't think of this, my issues where always when rastering normally, so the errant lines would happened on an X sweep. And FWIW, when my machines would do this, it wasn't necessarily at the end of the engraving, and once the lines happened, it was always one sweep only, and the machine would stop..

However, this issue showed up in the Y/rotating axis, which means it wasn't a quick sweep and done, the errant lines engraved along with the long hash line as it was finishing up... Another 'feature', i notice is it appears that the errant lines are in addition to the "THIS LINE" text, rather than the text just finishing in the wrong place. The text looks "all there", the bottom of the S is round not flat, etc., and the errant lines are using the same baseline as the text, none of it extends below. So for some reason the extra lines were just added in...

That all said, I'm still leaning towards a connection aka data-flow issue...

[Joseph Shawa]

What if you were to draw a box around it would it still happen? If not then make a box that is so low power that it doesn't mark.

[Chase Mueller]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm gonna pick up some cleaner like Kev suggested. It hasn't done it since I posted the thread, so I guess I'll wait for it to happen again?

[Chris DeGerolamo]

No, I am using Corel Draw.