Full Version: Vector cut problems - ridges in all materials
From: UCONN Dave & Lynn too (DANDL48) [#11]
10 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#5] 10 Mar 2005
I would call Epilog back and insist in talking to Peck who is the head of Tech Support. I'm really surprised on their attitude, we've never had a problem.
Dave
From: old man (OLDMAN) [#12]
10 Mar 2005
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#10] 10 Mar 2005
I also have a 45 watt Epilog mini. Do alot of plastics such as 1/8" acrylics , Rowmark laserMax ect ect . You will never get a cut that is perfectly smooth . There will always be some ridges left behind but from what you say it sounds like a tech problem with your machine . Try and call the tech people at Epilog . Their # is in your users manual . Talk to Peck , the head tech guy.
I had a few problems with my mini and he was of great help . If you want you can send me a small sample of your plastics " ridges" on a piece of Rowmark and I can compair it to the output from my machine . Not to tell you that if there is a big problem that I can solve it but might be nice to see where you stand
Hope that is of some help
A J Palik
Photon Graphics
From: Upacreek [#13]
10 Mar 2005
To: ALL
Rodney, The circles I ran earlier were vector cuts. The higher the speed the worse the ridges appear. The slowest speed of 1/1 still produced a few ridges when the laser changed direction on the x-axis.
Harvey, I'm a little fuzzy at the moment. I'm not 100% certain if it's zig-zags or thickness. I think it may be a combination of both on the circles. On the raster squares I did it appears to be thickness as the lines taper at the ends - it's like looking at woven fabric.
Dave, Peck is the only tech support person I have dealt with. My Sales Rep, Phil Tucker has yet to respond. My corncens about his slow response time prior to the purchase have proven to be valid.
From: Upacreek [#14]
10 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#13] 10 Mar 2005
Thanks for the response AJ.
What settings are you using to raster engrave and vector cut your lasermax? Ours should be the same settings.
Michel
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#15]
10 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#13] 10 Mar 2005
Can you take a close up digital shot and crop it to a small area. Post the remaining area at at least 4" width and we should be able to see exactly what is up.
If you have Corel Paint you can Resample to 150 DPI and set the width to 4". Then when you save it as a JPG you increase the Compression to where it just starts to show degradation, then back off a bit. Set the Rounding to 0 for best clarity.
From: Upacreek [#16]
10 Mar 2005
To: ALL
Hi. Here's some pictures. The lighting/focus isn't the best, but you get the general idea.
The acrylic was raster engraved with a solid black background. Not sure if you can tell, but the lines are broken up and taper at the ends. I get the same effect with Rowmark laser plastic.
The ridges are on a piece of Rowmark Lasermax plastic. This was a rectangle about 6" long. The whole thing is like this.
Epilog has seen the posts and have contacted me and are requesting more samples on all forms of laser material.
Michel
From: sprinter [#17]
10 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#16] 10 Mar 2005
From: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#18]
10 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#16] 10 Mar 2005
What are the manufacturers asking for samples for? Tell them to fix your machine chop-chop and to stop dickering around!!!
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#19]
10 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#16] 10 Mar 2005
That appears to be uneven firing of the tube.
On laserable acrylic I get a white faintly grainy, (dot grainy), result from the fine grain in the acrylic. Those are really lines, laser problem, not material aberrations.
The edge also looks like firing at different powers in an uneven manor. My gut feeling is that the tube is not firing when it should.
From: old man (OLDMAN) [#20]
10 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#14] 10 Mar 2005
Here is a few settings that work on my 45 watt Mini
LaserMax Raster speed=100 Raster power=35
Vector speed=28 Vector power=75
Freq.=500
1/8" cell cast acrylic Raster speed=100 Raster power=45
Vector speed=10 Vector power=100
Freq=5000
Hope that puts you in the ball park. Took a look at the pics that you posted and you DO have a problem. My edges have slight ridges in them---YOURS HAS HILLS AND GULLIES.
As I posted eariler---Call tech support at Epilog
A J Palik
Photon Graphics
From: Upacreek [#21]
10 Mar 2005
To: ALL
Thanks everyone for the input. Since I haven't seen other's laser engraving it's hard for me to compare what is correct or not.
When I talked to Tech Support today, I was informed that they look at some of the forums too, but that I can't expect to see the same results as others who have different machines then I do and that I should not rely on any comments other then what Tech Support tells me. Even though you guys are doing it for a living, they know best.....
I sent full size pictures (no cropping or editing smaller) and Peck said he couldn't see the horizontal lines in the acrylic example I posted. Also that I can't expect acrylic to laser as well as other plastics.
I had Peck confirm that I was focusing correct, and that my settings were acceptable (similar to their manual recommendations) so I do not see how it can be user error. (Which I am fully willing to accept - as long as I'm told how to correct my errors!) I even offered to put the machine on the floor to rule out any type of microscopic table wobble!
I have already done an alignment test to all 4 corners (several times) and I have already leveled the table in Nov. (the right side was 2 clicks lower then the left). I clean the machine regularly.
I feel the request for more samples is another stall tactic. I was a computer monster in my former life doing the full gamut from teaching, troubleshooting, documentation, testing, tech support & building the junk (er, software & equipment) for about 20 years and I know what stalling is. (I'm not that old! I started full-time IT work while in Hi Sch.) Requiring more samples on all laser material is a waste of time & product, but they are unwilling to pursue anything until I send more samples.
I'm tired and grumpy so I better stop before effin this and effin that starts showing up.
Oh and sorry, "what creek am I up" ... those are the personalized plates on my CJ5 (Jeep). For those who don't get it. Jeep + Mud = you eventually .... get stuck .... which means "You are up a creek without a paddle"...
AJ - I'll try your settings and see if there is any difference. Thank you.
Michel
From: old man (OLDMAN) [#22]
11 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#21] 11 Mar 2005
send me your address and I will send you a sample off of my machine---that way you can compair the outputs----could epilog be stalling as they have never seen this problem before???
aajj at comcast dot net
EDITED: 11 Mar 2005 by OLDMAN
From: bobkat [#23]
11 Mar 2005
To: old man (OLDMAN) [#22] 11 Mar 2005
From: old man (OLDMAN) [#24]
11 Mar 2005
To: bobkat [#23] 12 Mar 2005
I get good results from my 45 watt Epilog Mini. The corners are as smooth as the rest of the cut. The Mini is a new machine and JUST maybe the demand outstripps their ability to test the machines before they ship them.
Hopefully they will get it right soon as word can spread real fast about problems with production. I paid about $15k for mine and that is alittle more than pocket change where I live.
A J Palik
Photon Graphics
From: bobkat [#25]
12 Mar 2005
To: old man (OLDMAN) [#24] 12 Mar 2005
From: UncleSteve [#26]
12 Mar 2005
To: bobkat [#25] 12 Mar 2005
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#27]
12 Mar 2005
To: bobkat [#25] 12 Mar 2005
Bob,
I doubt the "Screw the customer, let's make money" statement applies to Epilog. Though, as you say, it seems to be the mantra of some companies.
It's my hope, that by bringing these issues to light, companies will use the "constructive" criticism to better themselves.
If the comments are viewed merely as criticism, valuable (though sometimes harsh) customer feedback is being ignored.
As the start page says, "This is a forum for the discussion of the awards and engraving industry..."
As unpleasant as they can be, the "feedback" threads are an important part of improving the industry.
David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA
From: bobkat [#28]
12 Mar 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#27] 12 Mar 2005
From: Upacreek [#29]
19 Mar 2005
To: ALL
Thought I'd give everyone an update on what has happened. This way, future people will have answers when they are looking up this problem.
After talking with Epilog, I have adjusted all three belts on the Mini. One belt was looser then the others, and I tightened all 3 to the best of my ability.
Adjusting the belts has greatly improved both my vector cutting and raster engraving.
Thanks to AJ sending me some samples, I was able to compare his output samples with mine and adjust the belts some more to try to improve my output.
I now have raster quality as good as his and my vector cutting is actually smoother then his.
I still have minor problems when cutting perfect circles. The ridges are barely evident, but I do have a small "bump" at the 4 & 10 position. They become more evident when I cut smaller circles. It's like someone put a speed bump in those two spots.
This problem may become an issue with the model train stuff I cut. If the designer starts creating more curved items, the bumps could throw off his designs.
Thank you everyone once again for all your suggestions.
Michel
From: rich (SPYDER62) [#30]
19 Mar 2005
To: Upacreek [#29] 19 Mar 2005
I have found that the setting in the supplied manual are way off from what I have to run.