B. Process DXF File to Cut in Paper
The next step to creating a part on the Lasercamm is to
process your DXF file so that the Lasercamm can cut it. This processing requires the use of the Lasercamm program, which is only
available on the Lasercamm computer.
1.
Transfer file:
The next step is to transfer your DXF file over to the Lasercamm computer. Your first option is to put your file on a
floppy disk or CD and walk it over to the Lasercamm computer. Alternatively, you can save your file on the
PRL network: Create your own sub-folder
in the “Lasercamm_user” folder on the Users drive and place your file there.
Once
you can access it from the Lasercamm computer, copy your DXF file to the
Lasercamm computer’s desktop.
- Launch
Lasercamm Program: Launch the Lasercamm
software by clicking on the “Lasercamm” icon on the desktop. The program will look like this:
- Load DXF file: Load your DXF file
into the Lasercamm software by clicking on the “Load” button and
navigating to your file on the desktop.
The program will then display the layers of your drawing as
separate text lines in the central white box of its window, as shown in
the example below:
- Process layer for paper: The next
step in creating a Lasercamm part is to pick the layer of the loaded
drawing you want to work with and specify the operation, material, and
thickness for that process. You
should always cut your geometry in paper before you cut it in your final
material, as described below.
Begin
by double clicking on the layer you want to cut. If you did not name your layers, your geometry is probably on
Layer 0 or Layer Default, so double-click on one of those to start. This action will bring up the “Layer
Settings” window.
·
The “Operation”
options are Cut, Score-1, Score-2, Score-3, Score-4, Score-5, and Custom. A Cut will fully pierce the material, and
Scores only penetrate partway. Score-1
is the lightest score available, and Score-5 is the heaviest. Custom allows you to control the laser beam
directly, but we do not have enough experience to set it up correctly with this
method.
·
The
“Material” options probably include Plexiglass, Masonite, Plywood, and Delrin
and may include more if the software has been updated since this was published.
If a material is not on this materials list, you may not cut it on the Lasercamm. Please do not violate this rule - the Lasercamm is very expensive
and some materials can damage its optics.
·
The
“Thickness” options are dependent on the selected material and are displayed in
inches. If you have not yet selected a
material, no thickness options will be displayed.
·
The “Power”
options adjust the strength of the laser from 90% to 110% in increments of
5%. We have found that leaving this at
100% produces the most consistent results.
Set the layer up to Score-1 paper:
You
should always cut your part in paper before you cut in your intended material
in order to make sure everything is setup correctly. Cutting in paper will also show you exactly where you need to put
your stock. Thus, you should set this
layer up to “Score-1” on Paper (also known as Stratmore) or the thinnest
available material in the listing. At
the time of publishing, the thinnest setting was Plexiglass 0.031”, as shown
below.
When
you have set the layer up to score paper, press the “OK” button. The program will then process the layer,
create the DMC file that will run the Lasercamm, and save that file in the
directory where the DXF resides.
It will
also display a small window named “lasercamm” that will show you the estimated
cut time (in minutes) and estimated size (in inches) from the origin to the
farthest points in the geometry.
Take note of the estimated time and
make sure you have enough time left in the shop session to cut your part. You should finish before clean-up time
begins at twenty minutes to the hour.
Check DMC:
Now that you’ve created your DMC
file, you should verify that it contains the geometry you intend to cut. Press the “View” button and navigate to your
file. It will be named LAYERNAME.dmc
and will be located in the same directory as the DXF you originally
opened. Click on it, and hit “Open”.
The software will then display the
path that the Lasercamm will take to cut your geometry. Dashed lines are rapid moves and solid lines
are cuts. Make sure this is the file
and layer you want to cut, and then press “Esc” to exit. If nothing appears in the diagram, then
there is no geometry on the layer you selected. Go back to the beginning of this step and try another layer or
check your DXF.
Note that if you want to cut more
than one layer at once, perhaps a cut profile and a score detail, you can
process both layers separately and then combine them into one DMC by clicking
the “Combine” button.
C. Cut Your Part in Paper
Now that you have finished processing your file to cut in
paper, you are ready to setup the Lasercamm machine. Leave the program open on the computer and approach the
Lasercamm.
- Turn the machine on: If the Lasercamm
is off, obtain the Lasercamm key from the TA (if it’s not already in the
machine) and insert it into the keyhole switch on the Lasercamm’s front
control panel. Rotate the big red
emergency stop button clockwise to pull it out and turn the key to “ON”.
When
the Lasercamm first turns on, it goes through an initialization sequence and
warms up its various components. Wait until the initialization completes (check
status on the four-line LCD screen on the upper surface) before you start
working with the machine.
- Cover the bed with paper: The bed
of the Lasercamm needs to be covered with thick paper (except for a
2”-wide open slot at one end) before you run a part. Covering the bed helps the Lasercamm’s
fan achieve a strong suction where the laser cuts through. This suction
pulls all the smoke down and away from the optics, which keeps them clean
and functional. The small gap at
one end will help evacuate any free-floating smoke that may form.
Covering the bed with paper will
also show you exactly where you need to put your material when you do your
actual part. Having a couple of cuts in
the paper beforehand is ok, but it should not have any large holes. Ask the TA where the special Lasercamm paper
is kept if you cannot find it.
- Send
your DMC file: Next you need to send your
DMC file over to the Lasercamm machine. Back at the Lasercamm computer,
click on the “Send” button in the Lasercamm program. Navigate to your
file, which will be named LAYERNAME.dmc and will be located in the same
directory as the DXF you originally opened, click on it, and hit “Open”.
The
computer will then begin sending your file to the Lasercamm machine. You can watch the progress of the download
by looking at the four-line LCD screen on the machine.
Once your file arrives, the
Lasercamm screen will display information about it:
filename ->
LAYERNAME
thickness MATERIAL
%
full power speed (in/min) thickness
size cut
time (minutes)
Check to make sure all the settings
are correct before proceeding to the next step.
- Set
laser focus: The laser needs to be
manually focused for the thickness of material that you are cutting. This setting is independent of material
type. Locate the head of the
Lasercamm and find the measurement gauge above the laser tip. This gauge reads out part thickness in
inches, and you should set it to the thickness of your part. Loosen the setscrew on the right side
and rotate the top knob, driving the brass cylinder up or down. Move the brass cylinder so that its top
edge is aligned with the correct tick mark and re-tighten the setscrew to
hold it in place. For paper, set
the thickness to just above zero.
Improper focus can prevent the part
from being cut all the way through and can leave a crummy surface finish. Drastically improper focus (e.g. set to 0”
for 0.5” material) can also cause the laser to crash laterally into your
part. Remember to do this step, and do
it properly.
- Set origin: If you want the origin
of your part to be somewhere other than the default lower-left corner of
the Lasercamm bed, switch the machine into jog mode by pressing the Jog rocker switch on the front
control panel so its green light comes on. Then use the four arrow keys to position the head in the
location where you want your origin.
When you are satisfied, turn off the jog mode. This stopped position is the (0,0)
coordinate of your drawing. There
is no provision for more accurate positioning of the head, but often you
won’t even need to move it from its default position.
- Double-check settings: Check the
display on the top of the Lasercamm. Make sure the proper filename, layer,
material, and thickness are listed.
Then double-check the laser focus to make sure it is set correctly
and make sure the entire bed is covered with paper.
- Cut your part in paper: Before you
actually cut your file, it is important to know what you should do if
something was to go wrong while the Lasercamm was running. The biggest hazard when Lasercamming is
that the material inside the Lasercamm can catch fire if the settings are
incorrect. Such a fire can do
serious damage to the machine and could endanger shop users as well.
·
The first thing you can do to prevent such a scenario is to make sure you understand how the
Lasercamm works, check to make sure your settings are all correct, only cut
approved materials, and ask a TA if you have any questions or concerns
whatsoever.
·
The second thing you can do is to pay full attention to the machine while it is cutting. Once you do turn it on, you should always be
within arm’s reach of the machine, and you should be watching it continuously
to make sure nothing is going wrong.
·
The third thing you can do is to act quickly if you see a fire starting. Press the Square Red Stop Button as soon as possible. Pressing this button will stop the
Lasercamm and return it to its home position, away from the fire.
Pressing the emergency stop is not as good of an option because it kills
all power to the machine, leaving the laser right above the fire, which is very
bad for its optics and electronics.
After you press the Stop
button, yell for the TA, open up the cover, and remove the fire from the
Lasercamm. If you do everything
correctly, the material should never catch fire.
Now that you know what to do if
something goes wrong, you’re ready to cut your part in paper. Press the Green Square Start Button to run your file. The Lasercamm will sit still for a few
seconds and then go cut your part. It
will cut the geometry in a somewhat random order. Watch it throughout the cut time and make sure everything is
going correctly.
If you
want to pause the machine in the middle of the work, you can press the Pause button (top rocker switch) and
cutting will stop at the end of the current command. Lifting the Lasercamm cover will also stop the laser from
cutting. Be sure to wait at least 1
minute before pressing the Start
button again. Failure to do so can send
the cutting head crashing into the stops and ruin the alignment of the laser
beam. It has been found that stopping
in the middle of a program can cause the machine to restart improperly. If this happens, press in the big red
button, wait one minute and then rotate the big red button out. Wait for the machine to initialize. Your
file should still be there ready to cut.
If this does not remedy this situation, report the problem to a TA.
Once you have cut your part
successfully in paper, you are ready to cut it in your final material.
C. Reprocess Layer for Your
Material: The next step is to reprocess the same drawing layer to specify
the operation, material, and thickness for your final part.
Back at
the Lasercamm program, double click on the layer you want to cut. This action
will bring up the “Layer Settings” window.
·
The
“Operation” options are Cut, Score-1, Score-2, Score-3, Score-4, Score-5, and
Custom. A Cut will fully pierce the
material, and Scores only penetrate partway.
Score-1 is the lightest score available, and Score-5 is the
heaviest. Custom allows you to control
the laser beam directly, but we do not have enough experience to set it up
correctly with this method.
·
The
“Material” options probably include Plexiglass, Masonite, Plywood, and Delrin
and may include more if the software has been updated since this was published.
If a material is not on this materials list, you may not cut it on the Lasercamm. Please do not violate this rule - the Lasercamm is very expensive
and some materials can damage its optics.
·
The
“Thickness” options are dependent on the selected material and are displayed in
inches. If you have not yet selected a
material, no thickness options will be displayed.
·
The “Power”
options adjust the strength of the laser from 90% to 110% in increments of
5%. We have found that leaving this at
100% produces the most consistent results.
Configure the layer to make your part:
Choose
the appropriate operation, material, and thickness, and press the “OK”
button. The program will then process
the layer, create the DMC file that will run the Lasercamm, and save that file
in the directory where the DXF resides.
It will
also display a small window named “lasercamm” that will show you the estimated
cut time (in minutes) and estimated size (in inches) from the origin to the
farthest points in the geometry.
Take note of the estimated time (which
will be longer than it took to run in paper) and make sure you have enough time
left in the shop session to cut your part.
You should finish before clean-up time begins at twenty minutes to the
hour.
D. Cut Your Part
Now that you have finished processing your file to cut in
your material, you are ready to setup the Lasercamm machine to cut your part.
- Prepare your material: Remove any
paper or plastic covering that may be on your stock. Coverings can interfere with the
laser’s ability to penetrate the material and can compromise the quality
of the cut.
- Remove paper parts from the Lasercamm
bed: The cut paper acts as a good guide to show you where to put your
material, but it should not stay
underneath your part while it is cutting.
Leaving the paper there causes it to burn and smoke and can damage
the surface finish on your material.
Hold the outer edges of the paper
still and carefully remove the paper cutouts of your parts.
- Position your material: Place it
where the Lasercamm is going to cut your parts. Make sure every cut will be contained by your stock so that
the high-power laser beam will never hit the paper.
- Send your DMC file: Back at the
Lasercamm computer, click on the “Send” button in the Lasercamm program.
Navigate to your newly processed file, which will be named LAYERNAME.dmc
and will be located in the same directory as the DXF you originally
opened, click on it, and hit “Open”.
The
computer will then begin sending your file to the Lasercamm machine. You can watch the progress of the download
by looking at the four-line LCD screen on the machine.
Once your file arrives, the
Lasercamm screen will display information about it:
filename ->
LAYERNAME
thickness MATERIAL
%
full power speed (in/min) thickness
size cut
time (minutes)
Check to make sure all the settings
are right, especially material and thickness, before proceeding to the next
step.
- Set laser focus: The laser needs
to be manually re-focused for the thickness of material that you are
cutting. This setting is
independent of material type.
Locate the measurement gauge above the laser tip, and set it to the
thickness of your part in inches.
Loosen the setscrew on the right side and rotate the top knob,
driving the brass cylinder up or down.
Move the brass cylinder so that its top edge is aligned with the
correct tick mark and re-tighten the setscrew to hold it in place.
Improper focus can prevent the part
from being cut all the way through and can leave a crummy surface finish. Drastically improper focus (e.g. set to 0”
for 0.5” material) can also cause the laser to crash laterally into your
part. Remember to do this step, and do
it properly.
- Double-check settings: Check the
display on the top of the Lasercamm. Make sure the proper filename, layer,
material, and thickness are listed.
Then double-check the laser focus to make sure it is set
correctly. Make sure your material
is positioned in the right spot and the rest of the bed is covered with
paper. Also make sure there is
enough time left in the session to cut your part.
- Cut your part: Now you’re ready to
cut your part. Press the Green Square Start Button to run
your file. The Lasercamm will sit
still for a few seconds and then go cut your part. It will cut the geometry in a somewhat
random order. Watch it throughout
the cut time and make sure everything is going correctly.
Press
the Red Square Stop Button if
anything goes wrong.
If you want to pause the machine in
the middle of the work, you can press the Pause
button (top rocker switch) and cutting will stop at the end of the current
command. Lifting the Lasercamm cover
will also stop the laser from cutting.
Be sure to wait at least 1 minute before pressing the Start button again. Failure to do so
can send the cutting head crashing into the stops and ruin the alignment of the
laser beam. It has been found that
stopping in the middle of a program can cause the machine to restart
improperly. If this happens, press in
the big red button, wait one minute and then rotate the big red button
out. Wait for the machine to
initialize. Your file should still be there ready to cut. If this does not remedy this situation,
report the problem to a TA.
E. Clean Up
When your part is done, go through the following steps to
clean up the area and prepare the machine for the next user:
·
Remove your part from the bed of the Lasercamm.
·
If you have excess material that you don’t want, please
donate it to the shop’s Lasercamm scrap pile.
Someone else will be very happy to use it. If your scraps are very small, make sure you throw them out.
·
Replace the cut-up paper on the bed of the Lasercamm
with nice new paper.
·
Delete your DXF and DMC files from the desktop of the
Lasercamm computer.
·
Straighten up the surrounding area and sweep the floor.
·
Ask the TA on duty to give you a 5-minute shop job if
you’re done for the session.
revision history
rev
0-3 5/95 John Wadsworth original text, revisions
rev
4 5/97 Bryan Cooperrider revisions and updates
rev
5 11/01 Katherine Kuchenbecker major revisions for new machine, software
in the top toolbar. The drawing toolbar should appear
somewhere on your screen, probably on the left-hand side.
in the top toolbar.
in the main toolbar. Refer to Solid Edge Help or a TA if you get stuck.