Difference between revisions of "Rayjet500"

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Once the job is complete, please turn OFF the air assistance and remove all your pieces off of the bed. Any leftover pieces should be cut down to a proper size and stored in the material drawers. Always keep this small area clean and free for others to use.Once the job is complete, please turn OFF the air assistance and remove all your pieces off of the bed. Any leftover pieces should be cut down to a proper size and stored in the material drawers. Always keep this small area clean and free for others to use.
  
  
 
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Revision as of 16:22, 26 October 2020

Rayjet500 Laser Cutter


Technical specifications

  • Cutting area: 1300 x 900 millimeters
  • Machine size: W 1870 x D 1700 x H 1110 mm
  • Cutting power 60 - 120 watts
  • Laser type= CO2 laser



Health & Safety

Laser cutting area_Atelier Lab P59 map











1. PRECAUTIONS

Turn on the main fume extractor linked to the light switch located in the column between the lift and the laser cutting area
In order to use properly the air assistance during your laser cutting work please follow the next steps

































Step Description
1. If you are not going to use the computer in the Fab Lab, install the Rayjet Manager Engraver in your computer (you can reach the machine inside the Fab Lab network).
2. Turn on the main fume extractor in the big laser cutter switch panel.
3. Check that the general compressor of the building is ON.
4. Turn ON the laser cutter (right side of the machine).
5. Turn ON the red valve on the right in order to open the general air assistance. (Remember that to open the valve just positioned the RED key aligned along with the flow of the air).
6. Just turn ON the air assistance on the specific machine: Rayjet 500
7. Turn ON the pc desktop and the monitor of the Lab connected to the laser machine.
8. Make sure the material you want to use is in the 'Materials and configuration' list. If it is not there, ask the Fab Lab responsible.
9. Measure the size of your material board. If it doesn’t fit into the board of the laser machine ask the Fab Lab responsible for cutting the correct format.
10. Please remove all your leftovers pieces after using the machines and remember to close the valve at the end of your works. Keep this small area clean and free for others to use.
11. The building is already provided by different air outlets.

2. FILE SETTINGS

Step Description
1. Open dxf, 3dm, or compatible file with Rhino.
2. Select the curves and hatches and put them in separate layers.
3. Choose the correct colour for every operation (Cutting, Engraving, Raster E.) (The Rayjet 500 Laser cutting machine is NOT recommended for raster works due to the large file sizes which freeze the interface. The Epilog 50/75w Laser cutter machines are better suited and more optimized in terms of time to develop these types of works)
4. Select all objects and make sure that they are displayed by layer on properties.
5. From your vector editing software, once you are ready for printing and if you already installed the driver, press Ctrl+P or select ‘Print’.
6. Select ‘Rayjet Manager Engraver v10.7.3’ from the printer list and go to ‘Printer settings’ or ‘Properties’.
7. The laser cutter driver interface should appear. Here you can set-up the laser’s power and speed according to how the vector paths in your drawing are organized

(you can also print raster images).


3. PRINT SETTINGS:

Once the job is complete, please turn OFF the air assistance and remove all your pieces off of the bed. Any leftover pieces should be cut down to a proper size and stored in the material drawers. Always keep this small area clean and free for others to use.Once the job is complete, please turn OFF the air assistance and remove all your pieces off of the bed. Any leftover pieces should be cut down to a proper size and stored in the material drawers. Always keep this small area clean and free for others to use.

4. MACHINE:

Step Description
1. In Rhino Click File>Print (Ctrl+Print)
2. In the destination tab, set the printer to > Rayjet Manager Engraver v10.7.3
3. Confirm that your file units are in mm and 1:1 scale
3. Click properties to start up the Rayjet software
4. IMPORTANT: Remember to always select the cut CO2 DC option under the ‘Intensity’ tab and to always turn ON air assistance. Once set, continue onto the next pages of Rayjet Software by selecting ‘Next”. Do not adjust any other settings and continue selecting ‘Next’ until you reach the ‘Play’ button option. Press ‘Play’ to confirm the settings.
5. Make sure that your page dimensions are set correctly by checking in the Printer Details tab that the page type is configured to A4 (1291x900mm).
6. Now you set the print canvas to your CAD drawing. Under the ‘View and Output Scale’, select the ‘Window’ option and click SET.
7. Type Move and fit the upper left corner of your canvas frame to the (0,0,0) coordinates point.
8. Now you should see your drawing located properly according to the appropriate canvas dimensions and position from the Rayjet software.
9. Once all is confirmed, click on PRINT to open the file in the printer software (Rayjet Manager Engraver v10.7.3)
10. Now you will find your file placed in the right-hand side of the screen under the ‘Jobs’ tab
11. CONNECT the computer to the engraver by selecting the button under the ‘Jobs’ panel.
12. Drag your file onto the canvas by selecting the file name, and dragging it onto the canvas. Now you have two options to set up your work location on the canvas depending on your work objectives:

Option 1- Move job to zero position

Option 2- Move job to nozzle position

13. Under the Settings menu, find and select ‘Material’ to set up your cutting and engraving parameters for your file strategies. Please take care to set up the proper parameter settings according to the appropriate color layer:

1- Cut and Engrave lines are in CUT CO2 DC option

2- Raster work is in ENGRAVE CO2 DC option (The Rayjet 500 Laser cutting machine is NOT recommended for raster works due to the large file sizes which freeze the interface. The Epilog 50/75w Laser cutter machines are better suited and more optimized in terms of time to develop these types of works)

3- Skip only if you are not using the colour layer option.

14. To verify if your drawing lines are set up properly with the colours set up in material settings, click on the EYE icon. This will let you check your colour vectors.
15. Once all is finalized, click on the Play icon, on the bottom right side to launch the file on the Rayjet machine. The work should automatically.
16. Don't leave the machine unattended. It is always required to check the machine during the work is being developed.
17. Once all is finalized, click on the Play icon, on the bottom right side to launch the file on the Rayjet machine. The work should automatically.
18. Once the job is complete, please turn OFF the air assistance and remove all your pieces off of the bed. Any leftover pieces should be cut down to a proper size and stored in the material drawers. Always keep this small area clean and free for others to use.
Step Description
1. Open the hood and place the material on the metal bed without hitting the cutting head.
2. Focus the cutting nozzle according to the thickness of your material by using a specific tool provided by the lab. Depending on the objectives of your work, you can set varying focus levels. (0=Proper focus, cleanest edge; <0=Thicker materials, broader cutting channel; >0=Reduced power, broader cut line burn markings)
3. Set the machine head to the origin by pressing 'Ctrl+Shift.'
5. Tape the corners for the material and where it is needed, if necessary. Close the hood.
7. After you have sent the job to the machine you will directly see the machine starting the job.
10. Never leave the machine unattended.

CAM

  • 2D Printer driver from most CAD or ilustration software
  • From PDF

Caution

  • this remark should go on all pages for lasers:

The honeycomb structure of the bed of the machine is very expensive and it easily gets damaged. The quality of the cuts is only going to be good if the bed is perfectly flat and undamaged. Take good care of the honeycomb


Materials and configurations

Settings

Laser settings for common materials - Rayjet 500
Material Cut Engraving
Speed (%) Power (%) Speed (%) Power (%) Speed (%) Power (%)
Polypropylene - White - 0.5mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Polypropylene - Transparent - 0.8mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Polypropylene - Black 1.2mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - White - 2mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - White - 3mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - Transparent - 2mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - Transparent - 3mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - Transparent - 4mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - Transparent - 5mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - Transparent/Matt - 3mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - Transparent/Matt - 6mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Acrylic - Black/Semi-Transparent - 3mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
EVA Foam (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) - Black - 10mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
EVA Foam (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) - Yellow - 11mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Polyurethane Foam - 10mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Foam with textile - 3mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Felt - Black (5mm) / Fieltro xx xx xx xx xx xx
Lycra - White - 0.3mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Wood - Plywood (4mm) / Madera xx xx xx xx xx xx
Wood - Plywood (5mm) / Madera xx xx xx xx xx xx
Wood - MDF (3mm) xx xx xx xx xx xx
Wood - MDF (4mm) xx xx xx xx xx xx
Wood - MDF (5mm) xx xx xx xx xx xx
Wood - Veneer (0.7mm) xx xx xx xx xx xx
Paper - black - 0.4mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Paper - White - 0.6mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Paper - Black finish - 1.3mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Paper - Grey - 1.5mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Paper - White - 1.5mm xx xx xx xx xx xx
Cardboard - Corrugated (4mm/1 layers) xx xx xx xx xx xx
Cardboard - Corrugated (5mm/2 layers) xx xx xx xx xx xx
Cardboard - Corrugated high res. - white (6mm/1 layer) xx xx xx xx xx xx
Silicone - (less than 0.5 mm) xx xx xx xx xx xx

Note: Settings above are a good starting point. Laser cutting quality is affected by several factors including lens cleanliness, maintenance and/or aging laser tube. If you are not achieving a cut, try to increase the power, decrease the speed or a do combination of both. Change settings with 5-10% step at a time.

Suppliers

For a supplier list take a look at this table maintained by de Fab Lab BARCELONA


Machine work flow

  • If you are not going to use the computer in the Fab Lab, install the Epilog drivers in your computer (you can reach the machine inside the Fab Lab network).
  • Turn on the main fume extractor in the big laser cutter switch panel.
  • Turn on the small air compressor on the left hand side of the machine.
  • Turn on the laser cutter (left side of the machine).
  • Make sure the material you want to use is in the 'Materials and configuration' list. If it is not there, ask the Fab Lab responsible.
  • Measure the size of your material board.
  • From your vector editing software, once you are ready for printing and if you already installed the driver, press Ctrl+P or select 'Print'.
  • Select 'Epilog Engraver' from the printer list and go to 'Printer settings' or 'Properties'.
  • The laser cutter driver interface should appear. Here you can set-up the laser's power and speed according to how the vector paths in your drawing are organized (you can also print raster images).
  • For a vector job:
    • In the 'General' tab, under 'Job type' select 'Vector'.
    • Set the size of the material sheet under 'Piece Size'.
    • Set to 'Vector sorting' and 'Optimize'.
    • In the 'Color mapping' tab select the check box 'Color mapping'. You should have organized your drawing in different colors if you need to do different types of jobs (for example engraving and cutting).
    • Once this is activated, you can set the power, the speed, and other parameters for every single color in your drawing. Take a look at the 'Materials and configuration' list above for the proper power/speed values according to the material you are using.
    • The list order determines the execution sequence of every type of job. You should allays engrave first and cut later. You can change the order by selecting a color and pressing the up and down arrows.
    • Once you are done with this configuration, press 'OK'.
  • For a raster job:
    • You should see the parts that you want to cut/engrave fitting the material in the preview. If not, you should scale, move, rotate or change the units of the drawing to get it as you want.
    • Finalize the process with 'Print' and the file will be sent to the laser cutter.
  • At the machine:
    • Open the hood and place the material on the metal bed without hitting the cutting head.
    • If the material you use is to thick (engraving bigger objects), you should lower the bed.
      • To lower the bed:
        • Press 'X/Y off' and bring the bed to the desired z position by pressing the 'up' and 'down' arrows.
    • Turn on the laser pointer 'Puntero'.
    • Set the machine head to the origin by pressing 'Restaur.' and focus the laser by pressing 'Enfocar' and 'GO/Entra'.
      • If you want to change the x/y origin follow this steps:
        • Press 'X/Y off' and bring the laser manually to the desire origin.
        • Then press 'Ajuste Inicio' and you should have now a new origin point.
  • If you already sent the job to the machine you will see 'Job:job name' in the display.
  • Pressing the up and down arrows will allow you to select the different jobs stored in the machine.
  • Press 'GO/Entra' to start cutting/engraving.
  • Press 'STOP/Salir' if something burns inside the machine or the material moves from its original position.
  • Don't leave the machine unattended.


External links

  • See web site machine [1]
  • About material parameters [2]

Maintenance

Downloads

  • See technical data sheet (PDF) [3]