Laser cutter
Power on
On-off switch at the top right corner at the back of the machine
0=off, 1=on
Connecting PC
Next to the laser cutter is a PC
Connect the PC with the cutter via the grey USB-cable
next: open the program “JobControl”
a window appears -> on the bottom right corner of the window are three squares
To connect the PC with the laser cutter press the left button that says “ready”.
Connecting can take a few seconds.
If the PC is connected successfully, the square symbol changes into a “Play” button.
Hint: Connecting the PC only works when the laser cutter is already turned on.
Cutting table
Usually, the cutting table is installed in the laser cutter.
It’s used to cut/ engrave flat objects
To achieve optimal results you should place the object on the table as stable as possible. (you can use tape or left-over Plexiglas)
aside form the cutting table there is a tool for engraving round objects (installation guide: see „Rotary engraving tool")
Control panel
On top of the laser on the right-hand side is the control panel.
moving laser
via four arrow buttons on the bottom left
adjusting table height
• via the two arrow buttons on the bottom right
• arrow down -> decrease table height
• arrow up -> increase table height
other buttons
It’s recommended not to press any of the other buttons. (unless you are familiar with the laser cutter)
Adjusting laserfocus
You can adjust the laser’s focus in two ways.
automatic
place object in the middle of the table
adjust the height of the table roughly
move the laser until it centers the object
simultaneously press the two buttons that adjust the table height
The table automatically adjusts its height so that the laser is focused.
manually
You need the “focus-tool” which is placed on the inside of the laser cutter.
place your object on the table -> position laser in the center of the object
adjust the table so that there are a few centimeters space between the laser and the object (makes it easier to work)
focus-tool has a small black screw with a metal plate attached at the end
red laser construction has an edge right above the criss-cross pattern
line up the edge of the metal plate with the edge on the laser construction
In the end the focus tool school balance on the edge of the red laser construction.
Now move the table up slowly until the focus-tool touches the object or falls off the edge.
sending program to lasercutter
you need the already opened program “JobControl” (Connecting PC)
Firstly, import your file.
The file’s name appears on the right side of the screen
Now you move the file via drag-and-drop in the middle of the window.
The file name disappears from the right side and instead a square with the file name appears in the middle of the screen.
By clicking the eye underneath the menu bar, you can make the whole project visible.
Left click the project and enter an offset of 3 mm for the x- and y-coordinates.
On the left side above the central window with the honeycomb pattern there are two drop-down-menus. These allow you to select the material you are currently working with.
Before starting the project, the material has to be placed in the top left corner of the cutting table.
When you are done close the cover of the laser cutter and press the button “ready” in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Important: If something goes wrong press pause immediately or open the cover.
Hint: If you are working on a big project right click your project and select “vector ordering” -> the processing time decreases
Cutting parameters
- you can assign different cutting properties to different colours
in our case: black = engraving, red = cutting
If needed, multiple coloures can be assigned and configured the way you need them.
Rotary engraving tool
Installation
before changing the tables, the laser cutter MUST be turned OFF.
Firstly, remove the cutting table by simply lifting it out of the machine.
Check again if the cutter is really turned off.
Then place the rotary-engraving attachment inside the machine and connect it to the 8-pin-connector on the left side of the laser cutter.
Setup
Start the program “JobControl”.
Go to the menu bar and select “settings” -> “options”
a window opens
Go to “hardware” and select “accessories”.
Remove the tick where it says “use cutting table” and instead tick the box “round-cutting tool”.
Before closing the window you need to enter the exact diameter of your object.
