Offset/doubled image for scanning in RDworks HALP

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cactusbath
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Joined: Thu May 10, 2018 5:30 am

Offset/doubled image for scanning in RDworks HALP

Post by cactusbath »

I have an 80 watt chinese laser, comparable to a thunder laser. The control software is RDWorks. I do my design almost entirely in Corel Draw. I have had this laser for a couple of months now- and I am having a problem with engraving images. Any bitmap I import, whether within the AI file (I export to this from Corel) or directly into RDworks produces an offset, doubled image. At first I though perhaps the beam was striking the air assist cone and splitting- but after taking the time to ensure it is supremely well aligned, I discovered that this is not the case. I do note that taking the speed of the scan down reduces the doubling effect- but that is a non starter for me, as I run a laser business and time is money, of course. What baffles me is that importing vectors with fills for scanning produces very crisp, not doubled images even up at 4 and 500 mm/s, informing me that it is not the hardware. It shows the doubling effect in the preview in RDworks. Perhaps it is in how I am converting things bitmap or Jpeg in Corel? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
andreagarcia
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue May 22, 2018 2:18 am

Re: Offset/doubled image for scanning in RDworks HALP

Post by andreagarcia »

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CuttingBoard
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 5:47 pm

Re: Offset/doubled image for scanning in RDworks HALP

Post by CuttingBoard »

I had the same issuewhen first getting going with our Thunderlaser machine. We had a 3000 piece job that needed to be done ASAP, so I cranked the speed up to 700-800 mm/sec. Was getting the doubling. After playing with the various setting I found that upping the power and lowering the speed to about 400-500 mm/sec. worked out pretty good.

Keep in mind that at high speeds, the backlash will create more time per job, since it needs more time to slow down/speed up. That's more distance the head is traveling compared to a slower speed. So the tough part is to find the "sweet spot" that is the best of both worlds. Depending on the actual art, you can also break apart the design into different layers to make it go quicker, so your head isn't moving around all over the place over empty space to engrave things on the sides only.

Let me know if you need any other help with this, as it drove me nuts at first too. GL!
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