NOTICE GRAVEUSE Fusionseries Manual Web
NOTICE GRAVEUSE Fusionseries Manual Web
NOTICE GRAVEUSE Fusionseries Manual Web
Pro, Edge & Maker Laser System Manual | Models 16000 & 17000
Original Instructions
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dividing Your Job Into Processes . . .............................................................................................................................76
Editing Artwork with Live View.................................................................................................................................... 85
Saving Your Settings. . ....................................................................................................................................................... 88
File Settings............................................................................................................................................................................ 89
Settings in Detail................................................................................................................................................................. 90
Guidelines. . ...............................................................................................................................................................................92
Processes Tab. . ......................................................................................................................................................................95
Advanced Tab...................................................................................................................................................................... 96
Notes Tab................................................................................................................................................................................ 96
Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features.........................................................................................97
File Setup FAQs. . ................................................................................................................................................................... 98
Troubleshooting the Laser Dashboard. . ................................................................................................................ 98
SECTION 6: CONTROL PANEL 103
SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE 115
Artwork Setup.. ...................................................................................................................................................................... 115
Setting a Vector Cutting Line...................................................................................................................................... 117
Resolution. . .............................................................................................................................................................................. 117
Landscape or Portrait. . .................................................................................................................................................... 119
SECTION 8: SYSTEM FEATURES 121
IRIS Camera Positioning System............................................................................................................................ 121
TM
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 11: UPGRADING FIRMWARE 213
How to Upgrade Your Firmware............................................................................................................................... 213
SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS 219
CO2 Laser Materials/Techniques ............................................................................................................................ 219
Fiber Laser Materials/Techniques.. ......................................................................................................................... 233
SECTION 13: SPECIFICATIONS 237
Fusion Pro 24 Laser Technical Specifications...................................................................................................237
Fusion Pro 36/48 Laser Technical Specifications........................................................................................... 238
Fusion Edge 12/24 Laser Technical Specifications. . ....................................................................................... 239
Fusion Edge 36 Laser Technical Specifications.............................................................................................. 240
Fusion Maker 12 Laser Technical Specifications............................................................................................. 241
Compatibility. . ..................................................................................................................................................................... 242
Recommended PC. . .......................................................................................................................................................... 242
About The CO2 Laser Source..................................................................................................................................... 243
About the Fiber Laser Source.................................................................................................................................... 244
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Notice................................................................................... 244
SECTION 14: TECHNICAL SUPPORT 245
Contacting Technical Support................................................................................................................................. 245
Frequently Asked Questions ..................................................................................................................................... 246
Join Epilog Laser’s Online Community................................................................................................................. 248
SECTION 15: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS 249
Industry Material Supplier List.................................................................................................................................. 249
APPENDIX A: WARRANTY STATEMENT 253
Warranty Statement for the Fusion Pro, Fusion Edge & Fusion Maker Laser................................ 253
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS 255
Fusion Pro Suggested Material Settings (CO2). . .............................................................................................. 255
Fusion Pro Suggested Material Settings (Fiber).............................................................................................. 258
Fusion Edge Suggested Material Settings (CO2). . ........................................................................................... 261
Fusion Edge Suggested Material Settings (Fiber).......................................................................................... 264
Fusion Maker Suggested Material Settings (CO2)......................................................................................... 268
APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION 271
Camera Calibration......................................................................................................................................................... 271
Calibrating the Auto Focus. . ........................................................................................................................................273
INDEX283
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FIRE WARNING
Fire Warning
Your laser system uses a high intensity beam of light that can generate extremely high
temperatures when it comes into contact with the material being engraved, marked or
cut. Some materials are extremely flammable and can easily ignite and burst into open
flame setting the machine afire. This open flame is very dangerous and has the potential to
destroy not only the machine, but the building in which it is housed.
Experience shows that vector cutting with the laser has the most potential to create an open flame.
Many materials are susceptible to igniting, but acrylic, in all its different forms, has been shown to be
especially flammable when vector cutting with the laser.
Please read the following warnings and recommendations and follow them closely at all times!
• Stay with the laser. Never operate the laser system while unattended.
• Keep the area clear. Clean around the machine and keep the area free of clutter, combustible
materials, explosives, or volatile solvents such as acetone, alcohol, or gasoline.
• Be prepared with a fire extinguisher. Always keep a properly maintained and inspected fire
extinguisher on hand. Epilog recommends a Halotron fire extinguisher or a multi-purpose dry
chemical fire extinguisher. The Halotron extinguishers are more expensive than a dry chemical, but
offer certain advantages should you ever need to use an extinguisher. The Halotron extinguisher
discharges a clean, easily removable substance that is not harmful to the mechanics or wiring of
the laser system. The dry chemical extinguisher discharges a sticky, corrosive powder that is very
difficult to clean up.
• Use Air Assist. Always use the system’s Air Assist feature when vector cutting.
• Use caution when vector cutting. Many materials have the potential to suddenly burst into flames
when cut with a laser – even materials that may be very familiar to the user. Always monitor the
machine when it is operating.
• Clean the laser. A buildup of cutting and engraving residue and debris is dangerous and can
create a fire hazard in its own right. Keep your laser system clean and free of debris. Regularly clean
underneath the Vector Cutting Table to clean any small pieces that have fallen through the grid.
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INTRODUCTION
How to Use This Owner’s Manual
Thank you for purchasing an Epilog Fusion Pro / Fusion Edge / Fusion Maker Laser system. Your Epilog
system has been designed to be easy to operate, but you will utilize it to its fullest potential by taking
some time to read this owner’s manual prior to use. You will be ready to use the Epilog Laser system as
soon as you read the first few sections. Then you can refer to topics in the remaining sections, as you
work.
This icon signifies advice you can try that will save you significant time.
This icon indicates the potential for fire damage when operating the laser.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
Laser Safety
The Epilog Model 16000 & 17000 Laser Systems are a Class 2 laser product, as defined in International
Standard IEC 60825-1.
The Epilog Model 16000 & 17000 complies with 21 CFR 1040.10 and 1040.11, the Federal Performance
Standards for Light-Emitting Products, except for deviations pursuant to Laser Notice No. 50, dated July
16, 2001. The Center for Devices and Radiological Health, of the US FDA, issued Laser Notice No. 50 to
permit manufacturers to classify and manufacture their products in accordance with the International
Standard.
The output of the embedded laser is fully contained. The laser cabinet has safety interlocks that turn
the laser off if any access door is opened during operation, and no special precautions are necessary
to operate the laser safely. Access doors are interlocked and can be opened without the use of a tool.
Any interlocked door that is opened while the machine is operating will immediately stop the laser from
firing.
Access panels are not interlocked and require a tool for opening or removal. Access panels should always
be installed when the laser is operating. Never operate the laser system with an access panel removed.
The visible output beam of the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) is accessible to the operator. While
this device employs the same technology as the familiar laser pen-pointers, like them it is potentially
hazardous if its beam is directed into the eye.
We have made every effort to make the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) as safe as possible. Its
beam path is located well inside the cabinet, and under normal conditions, no hazardous levels of laser
radiation can escape.
The operator of the Epilog Model 16000 & 17000 should observe the following general precautions:
DO NOT disassemble the machine or remove any of its protective covers while the unit is plugged in.
DO NOT attempt to defeat the door interlocks.
DO NOT view directly into the beam of the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer).
DO NOT operate the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) without the machine’s focus lens in place. If the
unfocused beam strikes a reflective surface, it could be directed out of the cabinet.
Caution – Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein
may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
The standard reference for laser safety is the American Standard for the Safe Use of Lasers, Z136.1-2000,
developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This reference is the basis for many of
the federal regulations for laser and laser system manufacturers, and for the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) laser safety guidelines. It contains detailed information concerning proper
installation and use of laser systems.
While the ANSI standard itself does not have the force of law, its recommendations, including warning
signage, training, and the designation of a laser safety officer, may be compulsory under local workplace
regulations when operating laser systems above Class I. It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure that
the installation and operation of the Epilog Model 16000 & 17000 Laser System is performed in accordance
with all applicable laws.
Copies of ANSI Standard Z136.1-2000 are available from Epilog Corporation or from:
Laser Institute of America
12424 Research Parkway, Suite 125
Orlando, FL 32826
(407) 380-1553
Electrical Safety
The AC input power to the Epilog Model 16000 & 17000 Laser System is potentially lethal and is fully
contained within the cabinet.
• DO NOT open any of the machine’s access panels while the unit is plugged in.
Opening a panel may expose the operator to the unit’s AC input power.
• DO NOT make or break any electrical connections to the system while the unit is
turned on.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
Fusion Maker Electrical Specifications
• A safety enclosure (cabinet), which fully encloses the engraving laser and its beam path.
• Dual redundant interlock systems that turn off the engraving laser when the window is opened.
• A visible emission indication when the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) is operating. There is an
LED indicator on the machine’s front panel.
21 CFR 1040 and IEC 60825-1 require that certification, identification, and warning labels be placed on laser
products. Reproductions of labels on the Epilog Model 16000 Laser System follow, with their locations
specified:
1. Certification/Identification Plate: This engraved plate is located on the right side of the machine’s
cabinet.
2. Warning Logotype: Indicates that invisible and visible laser danger is present if
the cover is opened or removed.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
3
3. Descriptive Label: This label identifies the classification of the
Model 16000 & 17000 in accordance with 21 CFR 1040.10 and IEC 60825-1.
9
8
10
11
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
The following diagrams show the location of each specific label.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
Fusion Edge/Maker:
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
Fusion Pro FCC:
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
Fusion Edge/Maker FCC:
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equpment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
Do and Don’t
Don’t
Do Not Run the Laser Unvented: Never operate the machine without a properly operating vent to the
outside or to a filtration unit! Most material will only produce an irritating smoke when engraved.
Some materials, including but not limited to paint, varnish, composition board and plastics, produce
compounds that can be harmful if concentrated. A properly installed vent is the only way to ensure that
problems do not occur.
Do Not Engrave or Cut PVC: Never engrave or cut any material containing PVC or vinyl. When engraved,
a corrosive agent is produced that will destroy your machine. Your warranty will be void if your machine
is damaged by corrosion from engraving or cutting PVC or Vinyl.
Do Not Operate Machine While Unattended: Never operate your machine without someone watching
the system. There is a significant risk of fire if the machine is set improperly, or if the machine should
experience a mechanical or electrical failure while operating.
Do Not Vector Cut While Machine is Unattended: Never laser cut any material with the laser without
someone watching the system. Because vector cutting moves relatively slowly compared to raster
engraving, a tremendous amount of heat is applied to the material being cut. This buildup of heat can
cause significant fire risk and the machine should always be monitored. Additionally, the Air Assist should
always be turned on when vector cutting to reduce the risk of fire.
Do Not Operate The System While Doors are Open: Never operate with any of the covers or enclosures
removed, and never modify the enclosure. The laser beam is invisible and is very dangerous!
Do
Clean the System: Please allow a few minutes a week for cleaning your machine. Just a small amount of
effort at the end of the week will pay off with years of trouble-free operation of your machine.
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SECTION 1: SAFETY
Fusion Edge Care Instructions
• Operating altitude – 3,500 meters max
• Relative Humidity – 100% max, non-condensing
• Disposal – The Edge 12/24/36 is recyclable. Do not dispose of the machine in the trash. Electronic
components should be disposed of in accordance with regional directives.
• Protective Grounding – Notice: Only connect the Edge to a power source having a three-wire
grounded outlet.
Note: The Edge 12/24/36 is not suitable for wet locations or pollution degree greater than 2.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
Setting up your Epilog Laser System is easy to do! If you’ve ever installed a paper printer, this is only slightly
more difficult. The following information will help you understand the entire system and how it works.
The Fusion Pro, Edge, & Maker laser systems consist of the following components:
1. A computer or laptop.
2. An exhaust fan: The exhaust fan is mandatory and is used to remove smoke and debris from the
work area. The exhaust air can be ported to the outside or into a filter box.
Follow these steps to set up your Epilog Laser system after unpacking it:
5. Power on the laser and select your settings in the unboxing wizard.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
1. Unpacking the Fusion 2. Remove the top lid and set it to the side.
Keep it accessible for a future step.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
4. Slide the front panel out of the box. 7. Using the top panel you removed at the
beginning, align its corners with the ledge on
the bottom of the box, making a ramp.
Secure the ramp with a screw.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
2. Choose Where to Locate the System
Warning: The cooling fans and vents are located on both sides of the Fusion Pro and should
never be covered or blocked in any way. Lasers that overheat will not operate properly and
may begin to produce erratic laser output or possibly complete failure.
Ambient air temperature where the laser system is operating should not exceed 90 degrees F (32 C).
Operating in an environment where the ambient air temperature is above 90 degrees F (32 C) will void the
Epilog warranty. For more information, see the “Warranty Statement for the Fusion Pro & Fusion Edge
Laser” on page 251.
Note: In some cases, you may need to remove the pedestal from the bottom of the Fusion Pro
to fit through narrow spaces in order to place the machine where you want it. Steps for this
process can be found here: “Removing the Pedestal from the Fusion Pro 48” on page 204.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
3. Connecting the Exhaust
In this manual, the term “exhaust” refers to either an exhaust fan or a filter unit and the term “exhaust”
is used for simplicity. The important point is that it is mandatory that an exhaust unit or filter system is
incorporated as part of your laser system. Never operate your laser system without a properly functioning
exhaust. The exhaust removes the dust, debris and smell from the engraving cavity and exhausts it to
the outside of the building or to the filter unit. Prior to the installation of the laser system, you may need
a contractor to install the exhaust system. The blower should be mounted outside your building for noise
considerations. Ideally, the blower should not be more than twenty feet (6 meters) from the laser. You
should provide a metal duct (flexible aluminum or galvanized sheet metal) from the blower to the laser.
• All Epilog Fusion Pro 48 systems require an exhaust fan that is rated at a minimum of 735 CFM for
external exhaust.
• All Epilog Fusion Maker 12, Edge 12/24 as well as Fusion Pro 24/36 laser systems require an exhaust fan
that is rated at a minimum of 350-400 CFM for external exhaust.
Epilog provides recommended exhaust flow rates (CFM) only for direct ventilation exhaust systems that
are ported to the outside. Please note that this is also a recommendation and not a requirement, because
factors such as length and type of tubing from the Epilog laser to the exhaust fan and from the exhaust
fan to the outside of the building can produce significant losses on the true amount of air that is drawn
from the Epilog laser.
Exhaust flow rates (CFM) for filter systems are not specified in this document. However, exhaust flow rates
for filtration units will be lower than a direct ventilation exhaust system because filters are designed to
be placed directly adjacent to the laser system and do not exhibit the air-flow losses that are typically
found with direct exhaust fans. Epilog has worked with most major filter manufacturers to recommend a
specific filter system for each model of Epilog laser. Please contact your Epilog distributor to match a
filter to the Epilog laser system you are using.
Note: Remember to put the blower switch for the laser system in an obvious and accessible
place so it can be routinely switched on prior to using the engraver. Please connect the
exhaust blower to the laser as shown on the following pages.
Remember, you may need a contractor to install the exhaust. This must be done PRIOR to installation of
the laser system.
Warning: It’s important that either rigid or flexible metal ducting be used for all connections
leading to and from the laser system and the exhaust fan. Vinyl, plastic, or any type of “soft”
ducting is potentially flammable and should not be used unless provided by the filtration
system manufacturer and made from fire-proof materials.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
Fusion Pro 48 Exhaust Setup:
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
Epilog Exhaust/Filter Connections
There is one 4” (102 mm) port attached to the back of the Fusion Pro 24/36, Fusion Edge 12/24/36, and Fusion
Maker 12 laser systems. There are three 4” (102 mm) ports attached to the back of the Fusion Pro 48 laser
system. The exhaust port on the Fusion Pro 36 is approximately 14 1/2 inches (368.3 mm) from the top of the
machine, and the downdraft port is approximately 32 1/2 inches (825.5 mm) from the top of the machine.
On the Fusion Pro 48 the exhaust ports are approximately 13 3/4 inches (349.25 mm) from the top of the
machine, and the downdraft port is approximately 34 1/2 inches (876.3 mm) from the top of the machine.
Attach your ducting to the machine as shown in the diagram.
Check your exhaust system for leaks. Most small leaks can be remedied with duct tape.
DO NOT OPERATE your laser with inadequate or leaking exhaust.
The drawings above show the typical exhaust setup. The left drawing shows the exhaust near the machine
and the right drawing shows the exhaust fan on the roof. Where the exhaust fan is placed is a choice of
personal preference. Some users like the exhaust fan outside because of noise considerations.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
4. Connecting Electrical Power
Epilog supplies the appropriate power cord
for the system you ordered. The power cord
is found in the accessory package with your
machine. The power cord for the laser plugs
into the power receptacle located on the right
side of the machine in the rear corner. It is
recommended that a dedicated 15-amp circuit
be used if available, but it is not required.
The Fusion Pro laser systems require 100-240 volt electrical power. The Fusion Pro 48 power cord comes
with a male plug type NEMA L6-15R (which is a Hubble HBL4570C equivalent). For the Fusion Pro 48 we
recommend using 208/220/240-volt electrical power on all systems to achieve maximum performance.
For the Fusion Maker 12, Fusion Edge 12/24/36 and Fusion Pro 36 we recommend using 100-240 volt electrical
power to achieve maximum performance. For more information, “Fusion Pro Electrical Specifications”
on page 4 and see “Fusion Edge Electrical Specifications” on page 5 .
1. USB only connection: You can use the USB port for connecting to the Software Suite, however,
multiple laser systems cannot be operated from a single computer through a USB connection.
2. Ethernet only connection: With an Ethernet connection you can print from the Software Suite to
multiple machines at once.
3. Wireless connection: To connect to the laser via wireless connection, boot up the laser and follow
the instructions “6. Power on the Laser” on page 25.
USB Connection
A USB cable is included in the accessory kit. The USB port is
located on the right-hand side of the machine. USB cables Connect to the laser
have different connectors on each end. The USB connection will
behave similarly to an Ethernet cable when communicating with
the laser. Both the computer and machine should recognize the
USB without any need to reboot.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
Ethernet Connection
The Ethernet Port is a standard 1000Base-T connection, and is backwards compatible with 100 and
10Base-T. Your Epilog Laser has all of the versatility of a network capable peripheral. As such, there are
many different ways that the laser can be connected to a computer or a network. Connect the Ethernet
cable (included in the accessories kit) to the Ethernet port, located on the right-hand side of the machine.
Plug the cable into the Ethernet port on the laser, then plug the other end into the Ethernet port on your
computer.
2. Confirm that your laser’s exhaust system has been set up by pressing the green next arrow.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
3. Follow the steps on the screen to run your first engraving using the anodized aluminum piece
included in your Training Suite Kit. Press the green next arrow.
4. At the Job Menu, select the job “Epilog Demo” and then press the Go/Stop button at the machine
to begin running your first job. The machine will automatically focus to the piece of anodized
aluminum and then engrave it.
5. Once the engraving is complete, it’s time to connect your Fusion Pro to your computer. You can
connect via Ethernet, USB, or Wireless connection in the steps on the following pages.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
7. Set the IP Address
Ethernet Setup
1. A screen will appear asking how you would like to connect your laser. Select “Ethernet”.
2. Select the text in the IP Address box and type in whichever IP Address you prefer to use. Most Epilog
users will use the IP Address of 192.168.3.10 which is what we use in this manual. Press the Green
arrow to complete the setup.
3. This will be the IP Address you use in the Job Manager when you set up your machine. For more
information, see “Using the Epilog Job Manager” on page 45.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
USB Cable Setup
1. A screen will appear asking how you would like to connect your laser. Select “USB”.
2. Under “IP Address” the IP Address will be 169.254.7.2. Press the Green arrow to complete the setup.
3. This will be the IP Address you use in the Job Manager when you set up your machine. For more
information, see “Using the Epilog Job Manager” on page 45.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
Wireless Setup
1. A screen will appear asking how you would like to connect your laser. Select “Wireless”.
2. On the next screen, select your wireless network from the list and press the green next arrow. Select
“WPA2 Personal” if you are connecting to a secured network. Select Open if you are connecting to
an open network. Tap the box under “Security Key” and type in your password. Then press the green
next arrow to connect.
Note: You must select the same network that your computer is connected to.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
3. Select “Obtain an IP Address Automatically” and click the green arrow to finish setup. Once
connected, your screen will show a green check mark. Press the green next arrow.
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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED
9. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your
System
Go to www.epiloglaser.com/register and register your system. You can also sign up for our weekly
e-newsletter, quarterly customer printed newsletter, and sign up for driver update notifications.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Epilog Job Manager Instructions
The Epilog Job Manager is a powerful new tool that will quickly become one of your favorite features
on your laser system. From one piece of software, you can access any job you have sent to the laser,
view the settings you used on any past job, re-run projects, access your material database, and much
more. It’s a great addition to the Epilog Laser product features, and we look forward to seeing how our
customers use this software!
1. Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features and click on Epilog Job Manager
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
3. Select “Remove all components” and then click “Next”.
4. Click “Uninstall”.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
How to Install the Epilog Software Suite
1. Go to epiloglaser.com/drivers and select either the Epilog Fusion Pro or Fusion Edge. Then click on
the Epilog Software Suite to download the installation file.
2. The installation file will download as a .zip folder that will need to be extracted. Right click the
folder and click “Extract All”. Once finished, double click on the EpilogSuite file.
Note: Make sure that the “Ghostscript” folder included in the download is always in the same
location as your Epilog Suite installation file, or the installation will not be able to complete.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
3. A welcome screen appears, click Next.
4. Select a directory location for the installation file and click Next.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
5. Read and accept the license agreements and click Next.
6. Click Next to use the default start menu, or choose a start menu name of your choice.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
7. Click Install to begin the installation.
8. The Epilog Software Suite will begin installing, during the installation a dialog box will pop up to
also install the AGPL Ghostscript Package, click Next.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
9. Read and accept the AGPL Ghostscript License Agreement, then click Next.
10. Click Finish to complete the AGPL Ghostscript installation and resume the Epilog Software Suite
installation.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
11. Select whether or not you want to run the program now. Click Finish to complete the installation.
12. An icon for the Job Manager will be automatically added to your Desktop. You are now ready to
use the Job Manager.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Windows 8/10: Ethernet Installation
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP). Make sure you do not select Version 6. Then click
Properties.
4. Select Use the following IP Address. Type in the following IP Address: 192.168.3.3.
This number is not an error; the last digit of the IP address in this window must be different
than the IP address you set in the laser.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Windows 8/10: USB Installation
To prepare your computer for USB installation, the IP Address under your Internet Protocol properties
should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically.”
The IP Address on your machine should also match the IP Address on the Job Manager. For more
information, see “USB Connection” on page 24.
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SECTION 3: SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Disable all Virus and Spyware Protection Features. After the Job Manager has been installed go back
into your Anti-Virus software and re-enable the setting that was disabled.
• We suggest a minimum of 1 GB of free RAM space when managing very large engraving and vector
jobs.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Using the Epilog Job Manager
1. The first time you open the Job Manager you’ll see a tab for each of the machine models. Begin by
selecting the correct model, naming your machine, setting the IP Address, and selecting the correct
CO2 and fiber laser wattage (if you have a dual-source machine) then click Save.
2. Your new laser has been activated in the Job Manager and now appears in the left panel. It is now
ready to accept jobs from the print driver. Use the Add or Delete buttons to add or remove
additional machines. Below you can see we have installed an additional Fusion Pro 32 laser system.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Printing to the Epilog Job Manager
Create a file in your graphic software and select Print. When the print dialog opens up, make sure you
select Epilog Engraver as your printer and set the Page to Match Orientation and Size. Once your desired
settings are selected, click Print again.
The file will open in the Epilog Dashboard first. To send it to the Job Manager, click the “Send to JM”
button. The Job Manager window will open and the Dashboard window will close.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Organizing Your Print Jobs
Once the Job Manager is open, click the Jobs tab. All print jobs sent to the Job Manager from the
Dashboard will be displayed in the Uncategorized Jobs folder by default. Printed jobs that are not sent
to the Job Manager can be found in the Temporary Jobs folder. Click on your job to highlight it. You can
now Print, Edit, Preview, Move or Delete this job using the available icons.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Type in the folder name and click the check mark to create your new folder.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Create Subfolders
First, select the folder in the left panel where you want to add a subfolder. Below we have selected the
Betty’s Electronics folder. Click the Add Subfolder icon. Type the subfolder name in the Add Subfolder
field, then click the check mark to create the subfolder.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Switch Machine Selection
By clicking on the machine photo in the upper left corner, you can quickly change which machine model
you want to have active.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Searching for a Job
The Job Manager has a powerful search function. Type in part of a file name and press enter to find all
files related to that name. You can organize files by Standard, Created, Last Printed, or Alphabetically to
find a specific file.
Notice that the jobs are displayed differently if you change the search category to Alphabetical. Your
jobs are now displayed in alphabetical order. Once the search is finished, most users revert back to the
default selection of Standard.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Under the Jobs tab you can modify, print or save jobs from this window using the listed settings or with
new settings. The new settings will be saved as the next print job complete with time stamp and date.
You’ll see which machine it was printed to, when it was first printed (Initial Print), all subsequent prints,
and all laser parameters used. To access this, double-click on the job, then select History. To view the
laser parameters of this job, click on the print version. In this example we have clicked on the Initial Print.
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Vector Sorting
You can determine the cutting order of vector lines directly from the Epilog Job Manager.
1. None: Vector line cutting order is determined by the order they were created.
2. Inside/Out: All internal vector paths in the file will be process prior to the external vector paths. For
example, if cutting the letter O, the inner oval will be cut before the outer oval.
3. Optimized: The laser will process the vector lines looking for the next closest node for quicker
vectoring.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Material Settings Tab
The Material Settings Tab allows you to save and import settings for individual processes. If you frequently
use the same settings for engraving or cutting, this feature allows you to import those settings into a
single process quickly. You may follow these steps to create folders in the Job Settings tab as well.
1. To save a process setting, first you need to create a folder in the Job Manager under the Material
Settings Tab by clicking the “Add Subfolder” button.
2. Name the folder and click the check mark to save it.
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3. Now go to the Epilog Dashboard and set up the file to your preferred settings. Click on the process
that has settings you want to save. In this example we have clicked on Blue. The Process box should
open, then click the “Export Settings to Material” button.
4. A box will appear asking you to name the Material Setting and select a folder to save it in. Fill out
this information and then click “Save”.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Importing Material Settings
1. To import previously saved settings to a new job, click on the process you want to apply the
settings to. Then click the “Import Material Settings” button.
2. A box will appear asking you to select the settings you want to load into this process. Select your
settings and click “Import”.
3. The material settings should load on to that process and be ready to print to the laser.
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Job Settings Tab
The Job Settings Tab allows you to store all the information that is in a job, except for the artwork, as a file
you may import into future jobs. If you have a project you run frequently that requires the same settings
every time, this feature allows you to import those settings quickly.
1. To save a job’s settings, first open the job in the Epilog Dashboard and set up the file as you
normally would to print. Once your settings are ready to save, click the Export Job Settings button
at the bottom of the screen.
2. A box will appear asking you to name the Job Settings file and select a folder to save it in. Fill out
this information and then click “Save”.
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Importing Job Settings
1. To import previously saved settings to a new job, click the Import Job Settings button at the bottom
of the screen.
2. A box will appear asking you to select the settings you want to load into this job. Select your
settings and click “Import”.
3. The job settings should load into the file, ready for printing to the laser.
Note: You may also create Job and Material settings from scratch in their respective Job
Manager tabs.
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SECTION 4: THE JOB MANAGER
Default Job Settings
If you are consistently using the same job settings every time you send a new job to the laser, setting
your own default job settings is a useful way to save time and run new jobs quickly. This is useful when
you’re working with the same materials frequently that require the same Speed, Power, and Frequency/
Resolution settings.
In the Job Settings tab of the Job Manager, select a job setting you have already saved. Once selected,
click the check mark button in the menu above your list of job settings to set it as the default.
This job setting is marked with a check mark to signify that it will now be the default. Now every time
artwork is printed to the Epilog Dashboard, those settings will be automatically applied, and the job will
be ready to be sent straight to the laser.
To turn off the default, select the job setting that is set to the default and click the check mark button
again. This will return the default job settings to the standard default.
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To use the Material Settings that are automatically loaded in your Job Manager, go to the Jobs tab and
double-click on the job you want to process.
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Navigate to the material setting you need. We have highlighted Clipart/Text Engraving 500 DPI on Wood.
Click Import.
Your new settings have been automatically applied to your job file. You can now save the job file, save
the job settings as a different name, or print the job.
Display Tab:
Dashboard Tab:
• New Job Settings: Uses the Epilog Default, Previous Settings, Split by Color, Split by Hairlines, or Split
by Color and Hairlines. For more information see “Dividing Your Job Into Processes” on page 76.
• Open Job Manager Automatically: When “Send to JM” is clicked, and this option is On, the Job
Manager will automatically be opened.
• Discard After Printing: When “Print” is clicked, and this option is On, the job will be discarded.
Alerts Tab:
Choose when the program asks for confirmation when you delete machines, folders, subfolders, or jobs
and materials.
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Database Tab:
• Clear Entire Database: Delete all settings, machines and jobs from the database.
We will be adding new features to the software often, so sign up for the Driver Update
Notification list at www.epiloglaser.com/tech-support/epilog-drivers.htm.
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2. Once the Device Manager opens, click on “Display Adapters” to reveal your graphics card. Right
click on the graphics card and select “Update driver”.
3. Choose which way you want to search for an update for your driver and then update the driver.
4. Restart your computer and open the Job Manager. If the problem persists, contact Technical
Support.
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SECTION 5: THE LASER DASHBOARD
The Epilog Dashboard is your portal between your graphic file and the laser. Install your Dashboard at
epiloglaser.com/drivers. There are four main areas we’ll cover to get you started:
3. Placing Artwork
If you have worked with Epilog’s previous print driver, you’ll see some new ways that the
Dashboard lets you interact with your file. It may seem different at first, but you’ll quickly find
that you can still use your traditional methods of printing to the laser, or use several new ones
that make file setup quicker and easier!
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SECTION 5: THE LASER DASHBOARD
Setting Up CorelDRAW for the Laser
If you are using CorelDRAW, first make this quick, one time change to the settings.
1. Go to Tools > Options > Global > Printing > Driver Compatibility.
3. Select “Printer can match document page sizes”, and click OK. You’re ready to go!
Note: If you cannot check this box, see “Troubleshooting the Laser Dashboard” on page 98.
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Sending Your First Project
1. When you have your file designed, print it to the laser. Choose the Epilog Engraver as your printer
and set the Page to Match Orientation and Size.
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3. Click on the PostScript tab and uncheck “Convert True Type to Type 1”.
4. You will need to save these setting under the CorelDRAW Print style defaults by returning to the
General tab, and clicking “Save As”.
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7. Your file will open in the Laser Dashboard. Select “To Fit” to zoom in on your object.
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8. On the right side of the screen you can see two processes in the process list: Engrave and Vector.
These layers automatically separated because we set the line width of cut lines to .003” (0.077 mm)
or thinner).
You can set the Dashboard to automatically separate vector lines by line thickness, color, or
no action. For more information, see “Presetting Your Cut Lines” on page 75.
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Setting Up Adobe Illustrator for the Laser
If you are using Adobe Illustrator, you will need to use the following settings when printing to the Software
Suite.
1. In Illustrator click File > Print when you’re ready to send your artwork to the Software Suite.
2. In the print settings, under Printer select “Epilog Engraver”, then set the Media Size to “Custom” .
Doing this will automatically feed the correct page size to the Epilog Engraver driver. Then click
“Print” to send your job to the Epilog Software Suite.
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SECTION 5: THE LASER DASHBOARD
Sending Vector Cut Paths from Illustrator
To automatically designate a path as a vector cut, set the line thickness to a 0.1pt thickness or less. To set
the stroke thickness, select the outlined graphics item and view the properties tab on the right-hand side
of the screen.
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SECTION 5: THE LASER DASHBOARD
Dashboard Settings
Auto Focus
Select Auto Focus when you want to use the machine’s Auto Focus capabilities. You can choose between
Thickness, Plunger or Off.
Thickness
For the Thickness option, measure the thickness of the material you are using to engrave or cut, and input
the number into the Thickness box under each individual process. The table will automatically move up
or down so that the top of your material is the correct distance from the bottom of the focus lens, right
before running the job.
Plunger
When a job is set to the Plunger option, the plunger will measure the focus distance at the first place
on the job that the laser will fire. The table will automatically move up or down so that the top of your
material is the correct distance from the bottom of the focus lens.
Off
This is the default option for Auto Focus. If “Off” is selected, the table will not move up or down when the
job starts. When set to “Off”, you must use another method of focusing, since the table must be in focus
before running a job.
You may also focus the table using the Manual Focus Gauge or the Auto Focus button on the machine’s
touchscreen. For more information about the Manual Focus gauge, see “Manual Focus” on page 123.
For more information about the touchscreen Auto Focus option, see “Auto Focus” on page 110.
For information on focusing a Dual Source job, see “Focusing a Dual Source Job” on page 181.
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3. With the Engrave process selected, we can now adjust the settings for this process.
• Process Name: Click on the process name (“Engrave” in this example) Engraving Process
to rename the process.
• Run Time: Each process will show an estimated run time, which
depends on the size of the artwork, Speed and Resolution settings.
• Split By: Select either “Color” to move every color in the graphic
to separate processes (useful for color mapping), or “Hairlines” to
manually move .003” (0.077 mm) or thinner vector lines to a separate
process.
• Merge With: Merge the current process with another process layer.
For more details, see “Merging Processes” on page 83.
• Process Type: Choose if you want the process to be “Off” (ignored by
the laser), “Engrave”, or “Vector”.
Setting the process to Engrave will engrave all graphics and lines,
regardless of line width. Setting the process to Vector will ignore any
raster graphics and only cut all vector lines in the process.
• Resolution can be set anywhere between 75-1200 DPI. For more
information about resolution, see “Resolution” on page 117.
• Set your Speed and Power. Frequency will only be active when the
process type is set to Vector. For more information, see “Frequency”
on page 90.
• Beziers: This setting fine-tunes how the path of the laser follows
each point in a curve when vector cutting. This setting will only
appear if you are running a vector process. Vector Process
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4. Repeat this set up with the Vector process layer.
4. Split by Color and Hairlines: Automatically split files by both color and line thickness.
By using the same process to identify your cut lines every time you are setting up a file, you
will find the process to be quick and easy to have your processes set up whenever you print
a new job to the Dashboard!
• Edit: You can click on the file and move it wherever you would like on the
table.
• Pan: Change to Pan mode to move around the table without moving the
graphic’s position on the table. You may also center-click and drag, or hold
down the space bar to activate Pan mode.
• Selection Mode: The default mode for selecting your artwork and setting up
your job. This is selected when the cursor arrow icon is highlighted.
• Guideline Mode: When this is selected you can create non-printable
guidelines that help fine-tune artwork placement. For more information, see
“Guidelines” on page 92.
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• Reset: Reset the entire file back to its original status when printed to the Dashboard. This will also
reset all laser parameters such as speed and power settings.
• Undo / Redo: Undo one change, or redo one change.
• Group / Ungroup: The file will initially appear grouped. If you want to move individual sections of
the file, with the graphic selected click the ungroup icon several times until all items are ungrouped.
• Boundary: This is the working boundary the laser will recognize. It will ignore any graphics outside
this boundary area.
1. In your Dashboard settings, select “Split by Color” to automatically process. For more information
“Presetting Your Cut Lines” on page 75.
2. When the file appears, select “Split by Color” in the single process on the right side of the screen.
(See below).
Now all of your colors have been separated into different processes and you can assign
settings to each process separately. Processes are labeled by the name of each color.
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SECTION 5: THE LASER DASHBOARD
Settings for Each Color Process
1. Select a color in the Processes Tab. We selected the color Red. Once selected your laser settings
will be revealed.
3. Once the laser values have been adjusted, you may select any other color processes that need to
be changed.
4. When any process tabs are collapsed, you can still see their speed and power settings displayed
under each process name.
Vector: Setting a specific color process to Vector means the laser will apply the same vector settings to
all objects set to that color.
Speed: Applies a speed setting for all objects of the same color.
Power: Applies a power setting for all objects of the same color.
Frequency: Applies a frequency setting for all objects of the same color (Vector only).
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Offset: Offset allows you to focus at any point above or below the surface of your material. When
engraving acrylic many users like to focus above the surface to produce a “softer” finish to the engraving.
Conversely, when cutting acrylic, many users like to focus about halfway into the acrylic. Offset allows
you to do this automatically. A positive value will move the table away from the focus lens. A negative
value, such as -.095, will move the table closer the focus lens.
Usually, when using Color Mapping in Vector mode, users want to produce a different look on two separate
areas of a single piece of material in a single job setup. To achieve a different look for each mark the
marking processes require different speeds and powers, so this is a perfect job for Color Mapping.
Note: While you could set the vector line you want to just mark to an engraving width, it takes
much longer to engrave a box than to use vector settings to quickly follow the line and mark
it.
The graphic shows a simple architectural drawing. The drawing is set up so that when we use Color
Mapping, we can assign one speed and power setting to first lightly engrave the window frames and a
different speed and power setting to then cut out the individual windowpanes.
Once you have split the graphic by color, the outside frame of the house will become one process, and
the window frame and windowpanes will be individual processes as well.
You can use any colors you like for color mapping and are not restricted to using RGB or
CMYK colors.
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1. Make sure to select Split By Color so we can set up our color mapping settings.
2. In our example we want to mark the blue portion of the graphic first, so blue must be the first color
at the top of the list. In order to move it we just click and hold the process while dragging it up to
move it up to the top position. We now have blue at the top and red is the second color down. This
is the order that the colors will be processed.
3. With the blue color selected, we set a higher speed and lower power (50% speed, 10% power) to just
mark the top of the piece.
4. Repeat by selecting the Red color in the summary area, then adjusting the speed to 20% and power
to 100%.
If we adjust the colors in each bar, we can setup the color mapping to engrave first the red
bar, then the green bars in the center, and finally engrave the blue bar on the right side of the
page. The engraving time drops from 39:09 to just 22:14 by using Color Mapping in the file
setup.
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Additional Color Mapping Notes
When color mapping is used, the laser always starts from the top color in the Processes Tab and then
descends through the remaining colors. You can rearrange the order of the process by clicking and
dragging them up and down in the Processes Tab.
After all of the raster objects have been engraved, the vector objects will be vectored in the order they
appear in the Processes Tab.
Split by Hairline
When you print your file to the laser, you can manually select to split your processes by hairline.
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Split by Selection
After you have ungrouped your artwork, select a portion of your artwork you want to separate into its
own process and select “+ Selection”. In this example we have moved the text into a separate process
from the other graphics, letting us adjust the speed and power settings for just that portion of the
engraving.
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Ordering Processes
In the Processes section of the Dashboard, you may rearrange the order in which each process runs on
the laser. The order of the processes in the list is the order that they will be completed by the laser. You
can change the order of the processes by clicking and dragging them up and down in the list. In this
example we are engraving and cutting a control panel board. The three topmost processes will engrave
first, and the job will finish with the vector processes.
The process order will always begin with any engraving processes, then follow with your vector processes.
If you attempt to move a vector process above an engraving process, it will automatically go back to its
previous position below all the engraving processes. This is to ensure that the engraving processes are
completed while the piece is as flat as possible. Once cut through, pieces may shift as they are cut out
of the item, providing a misaligned engraving.
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Merging Processes
If you want certain processes to be engraved at the same time with the same settings, you may merge
them into one process. Click on the process you want to merge with other processes, then click on the
icon next to “Merge with”.
A list of processes will drop down, select a process to merge with by clicking on it.
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If you want to merge multiple processes all at once, hold down “Ctrl” on your keyboard before clicking
on multiple processes in the list.
Once you let go of the “Ctrl” button, all of the processes should be merged together as one process.
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Editing Artwork with Live View
Occasionally you may want to edit your engraving artwork to fit a uniquely shaped object. With the IRIS™
Camera on the Fusion Pro & Fusion Edge, you can copy the live preview image of your engraving piece
and open it up in your preferred graphic software. From there you may adjust your graphic accordingly
to the shape of your engraving piece. In this example we will create a custom curve for text to follow, for
engraving a quote onto a clothes hanger.
1. First, place the object you want to engrave on the engraving table, then close the top door of the
machine.
3. Once the live preview of the table appears in the Dashboard, click on the “Copy Background
Image” button.
4. Open up your preferred graphic software and paste the image into a new document, with the
table size as the dimensions of your document. In this example we used Corel Draw with the Fusion
Pro 48, so our document size is 48” x 36”.
Note: In CorelDraw you can lock the background image into place by right clicking on the
image and selecting “Lock Object”.
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5. To make our quote follow the shape of the hanger, we will need to trace the area we want to place
the text with the Freehand tool.
6. Once the tracing is finished, select the Text tool and move the mouse over the traced line until you
see a curved line icon appear. Click on the traced line when this icon appears.
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7. The text box will appear and anything typed out will automatically follow the path of the line.
Adjust your font face and size as needed.
8. Once your text is ready, select the line you used to curve the text with the Shape tool
9. Then click on the Pick tool and hit “Delete” on your keyboard to remove the line.
10. Select the text, go to File > Print and change the Print Range to “Selection”, then print to the Epilog
Engraver.
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11. The text should now fit the shape of your engraving piece and be ready to print with your preferred
settings.
• Click the folder with the down arrow to import saved job settings.
• Click the folder with the up arrow to export your current job settings.
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• When is this helpful? When you have a series of processes you use frequently. For example, you
often use a specific two-ply plastic for creating signs. You can save both your engraving and
vector processes.
• For step by step instructions, see “Job Settings Tab” on page 57.
File Settings
At the top of the Dashboard, you will see several file-related settings:
• Machine: Choose which laser you are sending the file to. This will show any lasers you have installed
in the Job Manager.
• Name: Set your file name.
• Folder / Subfolder: Which folder and subfolder you want to save the file to in the Job Manager.
• View: This will change what portions of the graphic are shown in the preview. Choose to show all
processes (Combined), or just your Engrave or Vector processes. This is a good way to preview your
job and make sure you have set all of the lines you want to cut rather than engrave.
At the bottom of the page you’ll see several additional file settings:
• Time: Displays the estimated time the project will take to run at the laser.
• Created / Printed: Displays the date and time the file was created and last printed.
• Print: Press the print button to send the job to the laser.
• Send to JM: Press this button to send the job to the Job Manager.
• Discard: Delete the file from the Dashboard.
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Settings in Detail
Resolution
Set your print resolution anywhere from 75 to 1200 DPI. For the best engraving results, use a resolution
equal to the resolution in the raster images within your project setup. We recommend using a resolution
of 400-500 for most standard engraving jobs. Use 600 DPI for jobs requiring finer detail. The resolution
setting in the print driver will affect the engraving time (there are twice as many engraved lines at 600 DPI
as at 300 DPI) and the quality. For a detailed discussion on Resolution, visit “Resolution” on page 117.
Engrave Direction
This feature applies to engraving only and allows you to engrave your project either from the top-down
or the bottom-up direction. In standard top-down engraving there can be a large amount of engraving
debris generated, especially on materials such as plastic, wood and rubber. As the debris moves toward
the exhaust plenum, some of it collects in the area that has just been engraved. Bottom-up engraving
prevents the debris from collecting in the freshly engraved spaces.
Process Type
Choose between the three modes of operation.
• Off: This setting will tell the laser to ignore any items within this process.
• Engrave Mode: Used for engraving or marking materials. Typical uses include engraving clipart,
scanned images, photos, text and graphic images.
• Vector Mode: Selected when you are running only cut lines or for use with the Red Dot Pointer for
previewing the job processing area.
Speed
Determines the travel speed of the carriage and is adjustable in 1% increments from 1 to 100%. The slower
the speed, the deeper the engraving or cutting. Speed settings are heavily dependent on the hardness
and the thickness of the material being engraved or cut, with harder materials requiring slower speeds
for deeper engraving/cutting. Please refer to “APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS” on page 253 in this
manual.
Power
Determines the amount of laser energy that is delivered to the piece being cut and is adjustable in
increments from 1 to 100%. The higher the power, the deeper the engraving/cutting. Please refer to
“APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS” on page 253 in the manual.
Frequency
The frequency setting is only active on vector processes, and controls the number of laser pulses that
the laser fires per inch of travel. The frequency is set in the dashboard and can be adjusted from 1 to
100%. A lower frequency number will have the effect of less heat because fewer pulses are being used to
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cut the material. Lower frequency rates are helpful for products like wood, where charring is evident at
higher frequencies. High frequencies are useful on materials like acrylic where a large amount of heat is
desirable to melt or flame polish the edges.
Dithering
Dithering is used only for Raster engraving and has no effect on vector cut lines. This setting defines how
the dot patterns will be engraved in raster images that contain grayscale images, blends, or color. The
Dashboard offers six different dithering patterns to enhance your engraving projects. The default mode
is Standard. This mode can be used for all images including photographs, but some images improve
when engraved with other dithering patterns. For more information, go to “Image Dithering” on page
124.
Offset
Offset allows you to focus at any point above or below the surface of your material. When engraving
acrylic, many users like to focus above the surface to produce a “softer” finish to the engraving.
Conversely, when cutting acrylic, many users like to focus about halfway into the acrylic. Offset allows
you to do this automatically. A positive value will move the table away from the focus lens. A negative
value, such as -.095, will move the table closer the focus lens.
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Guidelines
Guidelines are a new feature to help fine-tune your artwork placement while using the live camera view
on the Dashboard. The guideline tool can be found on the left toolbar beneath the “Edit” and “Pan”
buttons. Once the guideline tool has been selected, click and drag across the screen with the mouse to
create guidelines. When a guideline is currently selected it will be red, if deselected it will be green.
Hold down the “Ctrl” key to draw horizontal or vertical guidelines.
Snapping Guidelines
The end-points of guidelines will by default “snap” to other end points, the midpoint of a guideline, or
anywhere that two guidelines intersect.
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The Alt Key
The first end point of a new guideline will not snap to an existing guideline, because clicking near an
existing line will move or manipulate the existing guideline. To get around this, hold down the “Alt” key
while creating the new guideline. Holding down the “Alt” key will disable moving an existing guideline and
will allow the first end point of a new guideline to snap to an existing line.
By holding down the “Alt” key while highlighting a previously drawn line, you will see a green square
appear where you want to start your new line. The green square indicates you are connecting lines
together.
Snapping can be turned off by unchecking the “Snapping” checkbox just above the job preview area.
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Artwork will also snap to guidelines while rotating.
Guideline Tips
Moving and aligning objects to the center
point of your material:
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Processes Tab
The Processes tab is an alternative view of the various processes within your file. You can see each
process with the settings located next to the process without the video view of the table.
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Advanced Tab
On the Advanced tab, you can change settings that will affect the entire job.
• Copies: Set the number of times you would like to rerun the job. If you have 2 processes, the laser
will complete each of the two processes, then run the two processes a second time. If you have a
process with more than one cycle (process 1: cycles 1, process 2: cycles: 2) and set the copies to 2, it
will run process 1 once, process 2 twice, then process 1 once again, and process 2 twice more.
• Centering Point: This feature allows you to define the center of your artwork as the primary
reference point (Home Position) of your engraving or cutting. For more information on Center
Engraving, see “Center Engraving” on page 130.
Notes Tab
Use the Notes tab to keep notes on running your file. This can include suggestions for artwork placement,
speed and power notes, or anything else a laser operator may find helpful when running that project.
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Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features
Each program you use will provide different ways to manage these functions. CorelDRAW offers a very
straight forward way to access each of these features.
Multiple Passes
You can automatically engrave or cut a job multiple times by setting the Number of Copies to the number
of passes that you want to make. When each pass is finished the laser will automatically start another
pass until all passes are complete.
Print Range
If you only want to print one aspect of your project (for example,
just the text in the document), you can select that part of the
file, then when you select your print settings click Selection and
the laser will only engrave or cut that piece of your file.
Multiple Pages
When you want to engrave multiple pieces within one document, such as five different engraved glass
coasters, each with a different name, you can use the Multiple Pages feature of CorelDRAW. Set up each
of the coaster files on a separate page in your single CorelDRAW file, then when you print to the laser
you can choose either Current document to print all of the pages or you can specify which pages you
want to print by adjusting the settings in the Print range box. You can view the different pages in the Print
Preview screen.
When a multiple page job is printed to the laser, each of the pages will transfer to the Control Panel with
the first file coming across as Job:1. File Name, then Job:2. Page 2, Job: 3. Page 3. Remember, the last page
of the job will be the current file when you go to the Fusion’s control panel, so scroll back to Job 1: File
Name to run that one first.
If you start engraving the jobs and become uncertain about which pages are which, you can refer back
to your print preview screen and the Page number in the laser will correspond to the page number in the
print preview.
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File Setup FAQs
I have a file with only cut lines, but they came in as an “Engrave” process.
How do I change it to a cut process?
Select the process and change the Process Type to “Vector”.
I forgot to remove part of the artwork I don’t want to engrave. How do I get
rid of that part of the file?
There are two ways to do this. Either ungroup your image, select the item and delete it, or separate it by
selection and turn that process to Off.
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1. First press and hold the Windows logo key + “R” + Enter to open the Run dialog box. Alternatively
you may search “Run” in the Windows search bar and open it that way.
3. At the prompt, type: “ping” followed by the IP Address assigned to your laser.
4. When the command prompt is finished, the connection to the laser should be fixed. Open the
Options window of CorelDraw again to check the box “Printer can match document page sizes”.
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Printing Error Message
When printing colorful artwork to the Epilog Engraver, you may see an error message appear in the
Dashboard instead of your artwork.
The error message may look something like the example below in the Dashboard:
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To resolve this error, go back to CorelDraw and click “Print” again. Under the “Color” tab, select Color
conversions performed by: “Epilog Engraver”. Then select “Convert spot colors to: RGB.” This allows the
Epilog Engraver Driver to set the colors when printing.
Click “Print” and the file should load into the Epilog Dashboard properly now.
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SECTION 6: CONTROL PANEL
Display
The display shows valuable information associated with the highlighted Functional Menu items. We will
explain the different information that will be displayed as we go through the description of each menu
item.
Reset Power
Status Indicator
In the bottom left corner of the screen you will see text displaying the current status of the machine.
• Homing: This indicates the machine is still powering on. None of the functions are available until
powering on is completed.
Symbols
Go/Stop Button
Press the Go/Stop button to start and pause a job.
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• Pressing the Go/Stop button during a running job will stop the lens carriage and the laser beam will
be shut off. If the Go/Stop button is pressed during raster engraving mode, the lens carriage will
pause on either the far left or far right of the engraving line that is in process. If the Go/Stop button
is pressed while in vector cutting mode, the lens carriage will stop at the end of a line segment or at
the next line node location.
• Once the lens carriage has stopped, you can open the door to examine the job. By closing the
door and pressing the Go/Stop button, the job will commence where it left off. If the item being
engraved/cut has not been moved, the engraving/cutting registration will not be affected.
• Note: Opening the door on the laser during engraving or cutting will stop the laser from
firing; however, the lens carriage will continue to move. It is important to stop the job
before you open the door to ensure the engraving/cutting is completed.
• If you press the Go/Stop button while in vector mode it may take some time for the system to
actually stop. The system needs to get to the next node in a vector before it can stop.
LED Status
The ring around the Go/Stop button will change certain colors depending on the machine’s status.
• Purple: The machine is waiting for the touch screen configuration to load.
• Alternating Light Blue to Green: Machine is Idle and ready to run a job.
• Red: A drive has failed. The number of flashes determines the drive number that failed. If more than
one drive has failed, it flashes for the first sequential drive.
• 1 - X Axis
• 2 - Y Left Axis
• 3 - Y Right Axis
Reset Key
• Pressing the Reset key will move the carriage back to its Home Position. Press the Reset
key after you have moved the carriage when in Jog mode.
• You may also press this key if you want to start a job over after pausing it with the Go/
Stop button. Reset does not erase the job from the laser systems memory; rather it will
stop the engraving job in process and send the carriage back to the Home Position.
Focus
The Focus function allows you to manually set the table to the correct height for engraving
while using the Focus Gauge. With Focus highlighted, use the Joystick to move the table up
or down. The display will show a digital readout of the table position. Press once to enable
the Focus feature and the icon will turn green. Press again to exit this feature.
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Pointer
The Pointer key is a toggle switch that turns the laser system’s Red Dot Pointer on and off. For
more information visit “Red Dot Pointer” on page 127.
Jog
The Jog function allows you to move the laser head around the table with the use of the
Joystick. To make it easier to use, turn on the Red Dot Pointer for a visual indicator of where
the carriage is moving. The carriage can be moved in X, Y or diagonally. The display will
show a digital readout of the carriage position. This function is useful for bringing the focus
gauge to any object on the table to ensure it’s focused properly. For more information see
“Auto Focus vs Manual Focus” on page 122.
Trace
The Trace function allows you to preview the placement of your artwork on your work piece
before you run the job. To use, turn on the Red Dot Pointer, select your job from the Job
Menu, and press the Trace key. The laser head will begin tracing the entire outline of your job
repeatedly. To stop tracing, press the Trace key again.
Job Menu
• The Job Menu allows you to scroll through the jobs in your laser system. You will be able to see a list
of jobs that have been sent to the laser. The job name displayed is the same as the file name that
you printed to the laser.
• When the job you want has been selected, it will be highlighted in blue. Press the Go/Stop button to
start the job.
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• After the job starts, the job’s settings and a timer will be activated and will be shown at the bottom
of the display.
• Saved jobs will always be visible at the bottom of the list with a save icon next to the job name.
• Pressing and holding down your finger on a job will pull up the job’s settings, allowing
you to view the Speed, Power, and Resolution or Frequency. A save button will also be
visible in the upper right corner that allows you to save the job permanently to the
laser.
2. Long press on the job and the Speed and Power values will come up.
3. Press the job again and the Speed and Power boxes will come up at
the bottom of the screen
4. Highlight the one you want to change and another dialog box will
come up at the bottom of the screen.
5. Delete the number in the box and then insert the new value(s).
6. Press the Save icon to save the change. If you exit this screen
without pressing the Save icon, your changes will not be saved.
Speed
This icon indicates the speed settings on the selected job. It ranges from 1-100%.
Power
This icon indicates the power settings on the selected job. It ranges from 1-100%.
DPI
This icon indicates the resolution settings on the selected job. It ranges from 75-1200.
Frequency
This icon indicates the frequency settings on the selected job. It ranges from 1-100%.
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Delete Button
The Delete Button will permanently erase jobs from the Job Menu. To
delete a job, select the job in the Job Menu, and then select the Delete
Button. A dialog will pop up to confirm that you want to delete the file.
Select “Yes” and the file will be removed from the Job Menu.
Settings Menu
The Settings menu has 8 sub-menus.
Home
This menu allows you to set an offset to the Home position.
Tutorial
This menu allows you to set up your machine. It is the same process as
when you set up your laser for the first time, including a demo job to test
the machine.
Focus
This menu includes options to calibrate the table, CO2 or fiber focus, or
the plunger.
Laser
This menu allows you to fine-tune your laser’s settings.
Backup
This option allows you to backup and restore the machine’s factory
settings.
Network
This menu allows you to set up your machine’s network settings via Ethernet, Wifi or USB.
Alignment
This menu is used for aligning the laser of the machine.
Program
This menu is used for updating the peripherals of the machine.
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Configuration Menu
The Config menu has three sub-menus, System, Network, and About Machine.
System
Once selected, the System Settings display detailed information about
the machine. These are factory settings that should not be changed
unless instructed by Epilog Technical Support.
Network
Once selected, the Network Settings allow you to change the IP Address
and the Netmask. The IP Address on this screen should match the IP
Address you have assigned your machine in the Job Manager. If you
have multiple machines, each one will need its own IP Address. For more
information, see “7. Set the IP Address” on page 27 .
About Machine
Once selected, this section displays info about your laser’s firmware
version, laser power, and Serial Number.
Park Axis
Pressing Park Axis returns the Laser to the Home Position.
Home Axis
Pressing Home Axis repeats the Homing process that happens when the
machine powers on.
Home Table
Home Table resets the table height to its Home Position.
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Advanced Settings
Access the Advanced Settings Menu by first going to the Settings Menu, then long pressing the text
“Settings” at the top of the screen.
In this menu you have options for calibrating various parts of the machine, including the Joystick,
Cameras and Auto Focus. Each option provides step by step instructions for each process.
For more information about Camera Calibration, see “Camera Calibration” on page 267.
For more information about Auto Focus Calibration, see “Calibrating the Auto Focus” on page 269.
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Jog Menu
Access the Jog Menu by pressing the Jog key, which will turn green
when active. The Jog Menu allows you to adjust the current X and Y axis
positions of the laser head. You may change the current position of the
laser head either using the Joystick, or by entering precise coordinates
under “Move To”.
Locking Coordinates
The X and Y coordinates may be locked and unlocked to help you fine-
tune the laser head’s position. Tap the lock icons to lock or unlock the
X and Y coordinates. When only the X coordinate is locked, the joystick
will only move the laser head in the Y direction (toward the front or back
of the machine). When only the Y coordinate is locked, the joystick will
only move the laser head in the X direction (left or right). If both the X
and Y coordinates are locked, the laser head will not move until they
are unlocked.
Move To
Enter X and Y coordinates to move the laser to a specific location on
the table.
Centering Point
Pressing this button tells the laser where you want the center of your artwork to be. While
jogging the laser head across the table, use the red dot pointer to help identify the center
point of your engraving. The Centering Point feature is used with Center-Engraving enabled
jobs. To return to the Centering Point you have previously set, long-press the Centering
Point button and the laser head will return to that point. For more information on the Center
Engraving feature, see “Center Engraving” on page 130.
Park Axis
Park Axis returns the laser head to the default home position in the upper left corner of the table. To
change the default park position, see “Setting Park Position / Resetting Park Position” on page 112.
Home Axis
The Home Axis button homes the laser head and then returns it back to the home position, the default
every time you turn on the machine.
Nudge
The Nudge arrows allow you to fine-tune the position of the laser down to a thousandth of an inch. To
change the increments you want to nudge the laser’s position, click the text box under “Nudge” and enter
an amount.
Auto Focus
The Auto Focus button is in the center of the Nudge arrows. When you have jogged the lens carriage
above your material, press the Auto Focus button to use the plunger Auto Focus. The table will rise until
the material touches the plunger, then set the table to the correct height. Your job should now be in focus.
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Note: For more information about Auto Focus, see “Auto Focus” on page 123. For more
information on focusing Fiber or Dual Source jobs, see “Setting Up a Dual Source Job” on page
180.
Focus Menu
To access the Focus Menu press the Focus key, which turns green when
active. The Focus Menu is used for raising or lowering the table level to
focus the laser precisely to your engraving or cutting material using the
Focus Gauge. The height of the table is adjustable by either using the
joystick, or using the Nudge arrows. Once you are finished using the
Focus Menu, press the Focus key again to return to the main Job menu.
Move To
Enter an amount to focus the table to the laser at a specific height.
Nudge
The nudge arrows allow you to fine-tune the position of the laser down
to a thousandth of an inch. To change the increments you want to
nudge the laser’s position, click the text box under “Nudge” and enter an
amount.
Auto Focus
When you have jogged the lens carriage above your material, press the Auto Focus button to use the
plunger Auto Focus. The table will rise until the material touches the plunger, then set the table to the
correct height. Your job should now be in focus.
Settings
Pressing the gear icon on the Focus menu allows you to save “Thickness Presets” which can be useful for
items you work with regularly that have a consistent thickness. Simply type in the table height you wish
to use and save the presets by pressing the save icon. Now when you press the numbers 1, 2, or 3 on the
focus menu, and then press “Move To”, your machine will adjust the table to that height.
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Setting Park Position / Resetting 3. Press “System” to expand the menu.
Park Position
5.
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6. Tap the current number value below Park Enabling/Disabling Wireless
Position to change it to the X & Y coordinates
of your choice. Press “Ok” to save the new
coordinates. 1. To enable or disable the Wireless connection
option on your machine, first go to the
Settings Menu.
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4. Note: If you are already set up with an
ethernet connection and the Network Menu Joystick
does not display, press the “ethernet” icon to
The Joystick feature is used in Jog mode and
Focus mode. The Joystick is progressive and touch
return to the Network Menu first. sensitive and provides a continuously variable
range of adjustments. It is sensitive to the degree
of tilt that is being applied. The more you tilt the
Joystick, the bigger your impact on the function
you are using.
Job Storage
The Fusion Pro & Fusion Edge have 1 GB of
permanent storage. While powered on, the
machine will store any and all jobs sent until there
is no free memory left. This feature allows you to
save your most run jobs right at the laser without
needing to first print them from the computer.
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SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE
Artwork Setup
Create your job in the graphics software of your choice, such as CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. There are
three different modes of operation for the laser and the way you setup your artwork will determine if you
raster engrave, vector cut, or use combined mode.
Raster Engraving
Raster engraving can best be described as
very high-resolution dot matrix “printing”
with a laser. Raster engraving is used to
create highly detailed graphic images. The
laser head scans back and forth, left to
right, engraving a series of dots one line at
a time. As the laser head moves down line
by line, the dot pattern forms the image
that was printed from your computer. You
can raster engrave scanned images, text,
clipart, photographs, or line drawings.
This artwork is a good representation of a raster file. The photograph of the leopard will raster engrave,
as will the text that has been placed on the page. For more information on engraving photographs, see
“PhotoLaser Plus Photograph Transformation” on page 182.
Vector Cutting
When you are vector cutting, the laser is
following a continuous path that follows
the outline or profile of an image. Vector
cutting is normally used to cut completely
through materials such as wood, acrylic,
paper, etc. It can also be used for quick
marking of characters and geometric
patterns. You can vector cut with the laser
by setting objects and text to be unfilled
and drawn with any sized outline.
When vector cutting, we always suggest that you use the additional Sweep Air Assist, and
either the Vector Cutting Table or the Slat Table to protect the back of your material as well as
your table from laser marking. For more info, see “Air Assist” on page 122 or “Vector Cutting
Table” on page 141.
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Note: If your raster artwork contains thin lines between .001” (.025 mm) and .003” (.177 mm)
depending on resolution, and if you are using Vector or Combined mode, those thin lines will
all default to a vector process in the Epilog Dashboard. The most common setup where this
occurs is when you have a clipart image with hidden lines that you send to the laser using
Combined mode. The artwork shown below is a good example of a piece of clipart as it appears on the
screen (top) and the hidden lines (bottom) that will vector cut if you are in Combined or Vector mode. If
you only want to raster engrave, make sure you select Raster mode in the Epilog Dashboard.
In CorelDraw you can view just the lines (bottom view) by clicking on the View key in the menu bar and
selecting Simple Wire Frame. The upper image is a complex piece of clipart. The lower image shows all of
the hidden lines that are in this piece of clipart. If this clipart image were run in Combined mode, it would
first raster engrave most of the elephant then vector cut any of the thin lines below .003” (0.077 mm) in
CorelDraw, or .001” (0.025 mm) in Adobe Illustrator. You can also use the Preview function of the Epilog Job
Manager to view only vector lines. See “Previewing Your Job” on page 50.
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Setting a Vector Cutting Line
With the new Job Manager you no longer have to set a line width to “Hairline” to ensure that it will print
to the Dashboard as a Vector process. This allows you to have many options for setting your Vector
Cutting lines. The easiest way to do it is by line width, but you may also set it to Vector by a specific color
or by selecting the individual processes in the Dashboard that you want to cut instead of engrave. The
key is to be consistent in which method you pick to avoid confusion. For more information, see “Presetting
Your Cut Lines” on page 75.
Resolution
Print quality is commonly referred to as Resolution and is one of the variables that determine image
quality. Resolution is expressed in dots per inch (DPI) and is determined by the number of lines or dots
that are engraved for every inch of movement. Each horizontal line is referred to as a raster line. The
higher the resolution setting, the finer the detail that can be achieved. Keep in mind that engraving
resolution is only one factor in determining image quality. The quality of the artwork being sent to the
laser can have a bigger influence on the look of the final product than the resolution. If low quality
artwork is being used, even the highest resolution will not improve it. Also keep in mind that image quality
is subjective. 300 DPI may be just fine for some images and some customers, while 600 DPI is the absolute
minimum for others.
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Resolution Settings:
75 – 200 DPI
These resolution values are typically used for non-production purposes where you want to experiment
with image location, or if you want to quickly produce a rough draft. Low resolution settings are also
useful when engraving products that you don’t want to remove too much material from while engraving,
such as fabric.
300 DPI
300 DPI is useful when engraving materials such as glass, marble, plastic and other items that don’t
benefit from the engraved dots being close together.
400 DPI
This resolution value is ideal for many applications. It combines very good image quality with fast
engraving times. Many users like 400 DPI for all of their work.
600 DPI
When really fine detail or overall excellent results are required, most users choose 600 DPI.
1200 DPI
This resolution is used for projects that require the best engraving quality possible, or if engraving
extremely small fonts. Although it’s seldom used because, under normal circumstances, most people
cannot visually discern the difference between 1200 and 600 DPI. There are some users that appreciate
this high level of quality and are willing to take twice as long to produce an image at 1200 DPI as it would
take them at 600 DPI.
Helpful Hints
• There are four times as many dots engraved at 600 DPI as there are at 300 DPI. Twice as many
horizontally and twice as many vertically.
• The gap between the dots is very small at 600 DPI. At 300 DPI the lesser overlap is responsible for the
jagged edges that are visible when engraving at lower resolutions.
• It’s important to remember that while resolution plays a part in producing good image quality, the
artwork that is sent to be engraved is just as important. If the artwork that is sent to the laser is
poor quality, trying to engrave it at 600 DPI will not improve the quality. It’s always best to start with
high resolution images. Poor artwork will probably always look poor at any resolution, while good
artwork will look good at any resolution.
• Twice as many dots and twice as many lines at 600 DPI produces a much deeper burn into
materials like wood than you would see engraving the same image at 300 DPI. This is important to
understand because depth of burn is closely associated with engraving resolution – the higher the
resolution, the greater the depth of burn for a given speed. The relationship between resolution,
depth of engraving and Speed and Power setting is something that most people figure out with
just a little experience. “APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS” on page 253 helps to make this easy to
understand by providing different Speed and Power settings and suggested engraving resolutions
for each different material listed.
The next photo shows a clipart image engraved at 300 DPI (top) and at 600 DPI (bottom). This clipart image
is full of different shades of gray and you can see that the dot spacing is spread out more on the 300
DPI than it is on the 600 DPI. Just changing the resolution to 600 DPI produces so much dot overlap that
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the fill patterns tend to blend together. It’s a matter of personal preference as to which resolution looks
better, but these photos show the dramatic difference resolution can make, especially when engraving
with grayscale images.
Landscape or Portrait
You can engrave using either landscape or portrait modes. Depending on the artwork, you
can increase your efficiency and decrease the time it takes to engrave an image by changing
the orientation of your file. Many users set up their artwork in portrait mode and then rotate
the artwork 90 degrees if they are going to print from landscape mode.
300 DPI
600 DPI
This project setup shows the same job in portrait mode (left) and landscape mode (right). The landscape
mode will engrave quicker because there is less turnaround time as the laser makes longer passes across
the engraving table. For example, at 100% speed and 100% power in portrait mode this graphic will take
56 minutes, 56 seconds, while in landscape mode it takes 38 minutes, 54 seconds, a 34% time savings.
Engraving Time: 56:56 Engraving Time: 38:54
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The drawings below show a job that works in the opposite way - the horizontal mode will take longer
than the portrait mode. You’ll notice in the portrait mode there are a number of white space lines that the
laser can skip through, saving engraving time. In the landscape mode there is not white space for the
laser to recognize as it moves down the page, taking the engraving time from 10:12 to 17:14. Experiment
with the artwork that you use. It will quickly become second nature which mode works best for different
types of artwork.
Engraving Time: 10:12 Engraving Time: 17:14
A third consideration for landscape or portrait art setup is material specific. Some materials, such as
wood or plastics that have a grain or brushed look, will look better when engraved if the grain of the
material runs parallel with the X-stroke of the carriage. While the orientation of material without a grain
pattern is usually not important, it is important to keep this in mind with woods that have a stronger grain
pattern.
Preferred Less Desirable
Travel direction of carriage
Wood Grain
Wood Grain
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SECTION 8: SYSTEM FEATURES
IRISTM Camera Positioning System
The Fusion Pro, Fusion Edge, & Fusion Maker include the IRISTM
Camera Positioning System which allows you to precisely place
your artwork on screen in seconds. The overhead camera(s) provide
a live picture of the working area for accurate artwork placement,
and a camera at the lens allows the system to find preprinted
registration marks. Your machine will either have 1 or 2 overhead
cameras, depending on your machine’s model.
1. The piece being cut or engraved is placed directly underneath the camera(s), and
2. The table level is focused to the piece. If the piece is not in focus on the table, the artwork may not
be aligned properly in the live preview on the Dashboard.
The camera(s) may also be calibrated for improved accuracy. For more information, see “Camera
Calibration” on page 267.
Note: The top door of the machine must be completely shut to use the live preview in the
Epilog Dashboard.
Touch Screen
The Fusion Pro, Edge & Maker are controlled by a 7” capacitive
resolution touch screen. This feature allows you to select between
jobs, change settings, and more. For more information on how to
use the touch screen, see “SECTION 6: CONTROL PANEL” on page
103.
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Air Assist
The Air Assist feature on the Fusion Pro, Fusion Edge, and
Fusion Maker Laser is used to keep combustible gases
away from the cutting surface and to reduce flare-ups
of more flammable materials as you cut through it, such
as wood and acrylic.
Both types of Air Assist should always be activated during vector cutting operations to reduce
the risk of fire! For more information, see “FIRE WARNING” on page 1 of the manual.
The Fusion Maker, Fusion Edge & Fusion Pro 24/36 systems have been pre-plumbed for Air Assist so that
all you need to do is to attach a small compressor pump to the back of the machine. The pump can either
be purchased through your Epilog representative or you can connect your existing compressed air supply
to the 5/16 inch (8 mm) receptacle at the back of the machine (30 PSI max). See “Air Assist Pump” on page
23 for more information.
The Fusion Pro 48 system has a built in compressor inside the machine.
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Auto Focus vs Manual Focus
In order to engrave or cut a crisp, clean image, your material must be the correct distance
from the bottom of the focus lens. Setting the distance from the bottom of the focus lens
to the top of your material is the process of focusing, and is accomplished by placing your
material on the table and moving the table up or down.
Auto Focus
Activating the Auto Focus can be done on your computer in the Auto Focus box in the Dashboard. The
default setting is “Off”, however you may also choose between Thickness mode or Plunger mode.
Note: If you have a Dual Source machine and are running a Dual Source job, you will need to enable the
Auto Focus setting on the Dashboard. The table will lower automatically to adjust the focus for the CO2
portion of your job. For more information, see “Focusing a Dual Source Job” on page 181.
Thickness Mode: If you select this mode, you must enter the thickness of your object in the Processes
Section under each individual process. If all processes in your job need to be focused at the same level,
it may save you time to enter the thickness before splitting the job into multiple processes. For more
information on splitting processes see “Dividing Your Job Into Processes” on page 76. For more
information about Thickness Mode, see “Thickness” on page 73.
Please note: The material thickness is still required when using the Vector Cutting Table. If a
thickness is not specified the system will Auto Focus to the top of the grid, not to the top of your
material. To enter the material thickness of the object you will be engraving/marking/cutting
use a pair of calipers for an accurate measurement and enter this value in the “Thickness”
box in the driver.
Plunger: When you enter Jog mode and have jogged the lens carriage above your material, press the
Auto Focus button to use the plunger Auto Focus. The table will then rise until the material touches the
plunger (pictured below), then set the table to the correct height. Your job should now be in focus. You
may also set up Plunger Mode in the Dashboard. For more information, see “Plunger” on page 73.
WARNING: Do not use the Auto Focus plunger to focus directly on the Vector Cutting Table or
Slat Table.
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Manual Focus
These photos show the Manual Focus Gauge that is used to determine the correct distance from the
focus lens to the top of your material. This gauge is included with your system.
The Manual Focus Gauge on the Fusion Pro 48 is retractable. The Manual Focus Gauge on all other models
is removable.
Place the object to be cut or engraved anywhere on the table of the machine. Select the Jog
button on the touch screen and use the Joystick to bring the focus gauge to the object. Deselect
the Jog button, then select the Focus button on the touch screen and move the Joystick up or
down to move the table appropriately until your material just touches the bottom of the gauge.
The speed at which the table rises or lowers can be controlled by applying varying pressure upwards or
downwards on the Joystick.
You may also fine-tune the table height in the Focus Menu. Once the focus position has been established,
flip the gauge back up into its locked position. Press the Focus button to leave the menu and then press
the Reset key to bring the laser head back to its Home Position.
WARNING: Do not leave the Manual Focus Gauge down when running jobs or when using
Auto Focus!
If your material has a taper or curve, pick an intermediate point between the highest and lowest points
being engraved and focus on that point. In general, the area of the material being engraved needs to be
relatively flat. If the area being engraved differs in height by more than about an .125” (3 mm), the image
will begin to look “fuzzy” or out of focus.
WARNING: If you are using Auto Focus or the Manual Focus Gauge and you know there is not
enough clearance between the lens carriage and your material, you will need to lower the
table before you insert your material and start the job. To lower the table, use the Joystick
while in the Focus menu to lower the table enough to accommodate your part.
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Key Switch
The Key Switch feature is used to power the Fusion Pro 48 on and off, and
also allows you to lock out any unauthorized users by powering down
the machine and removing the key.
Image Dithering
Dithering defines how the dot patterns will be engraved in raster images that contain grayscale graphics,
blends, or color images. The Dashboard offers six different dithering patterns to enhance your engraving
projects. The default mode is Standard. This mode can be used for all images including photographs.
Dithering is used only for raster engraving and has no effect on vector cut lines.
Laser engraved photographs on wood usually require a third-party software package to produce a
good image that is suitable for the laser. Epilog recommends PhotoLaser Plus for this application. Users
find it an invaluable piece of software that is easy to use and will produce much better looking images
when working with wood. Please contact your Epilog representative to learn more about this software
package. For more information on using PhotoLaser Plus, see “PhotoLaser Plus Photograph Transformation”
on page 182.
What is Dithering?
The best way to show dithering is to look at the exact same photo engraved in Standard mode and Stucki
mode. Both photos were engraved at 300 DPI. With the two different dithering patterns you achieve a
very different result, with a more structured pattern for the Standard mode, while the Stucki mode results
in a more random pattern that looks more natural and pleasing to the eye.
Dithering is a great way to enhance your engraved products, but it is very material dependent. A dithering
pattern that looks good on marble, might look very different when engraved on plastic. Give yourself
some time to experiment with the different dithering patterns. It’s easy to do and once you have a feel
for it, you will be able to use it with confidence.
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The drop-down list of dithering patterns is easier to think about if you separate the five options into two
categories that we will refer to as Clipart and Photograph:
Clipart Modes
Photograph Modes:
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Experiment with the different dithering patterns to determine which effect is most pleasing. It is not
mandatory that you use the clipart modes with only clipart images or photograph modes with all
photographs. Many users prefer one of the photograph modes for many clipart images, and one of the
clipart modes for photographs. The choice is entirely up to you and will take some experimentation.
To reset the system on the Fusion Pro 48, you must turn off the
system using the Key Switch, then twist the Emergency Stop Button
clockwise to release the system, then turn on the laser.
If your laser ever stops running and you can’t turn it on, check to see if the Emergency Stop
Button has been pressed by accident.
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Task Plate/Vacuum Hold-Down Table
Task Plate
On the Fusion Pro 48, the Task Plate is used as the
standard engraving table for jobs that do not
include vector cutting. The Task Plate is stainless
steel and allows you to use magnets to hold oddly
shaped items in place. On the Fusion Pro 48 there
are two task plates, allowing you the option to split
your table to both engrave and cut materials in the
same process with a Vector Grid or Slat Table.
If you have a piece of sheet stock that does not flatten out because it is not covering enough
of the vacuum holes, you can use any material (including paper) to cover some of the exposed
holes. Simply blocking most of the vacuum holes will be enough to flatten most sheet stock
as long as it is not too severely warped, bent or too rigid. Magnets can be used to hold oddly
shaped items in place if needed.
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Exhaust Plenum
The Fusion Pro, Fusion Edge, & Fusion Maker incorporate an Exhaust Plenum and the Pro 48 also includes
an integrated Vacuum Hold-Down Table. Both the Exhaust Plenum and the hold-down table use the
airflow from the exhaust fan for two distinct functions.
1. Exhaust Plenum: The exhaust fan moves air from the front towards the rear of your machine and
out the exhaust plenum. This air removes combustible gases and smoke through the exhaust
plenum. The Fusion Pro has risers underneath the Task Plate(s) with vent holes that are larger
toward the front of the machine and smaller toward the back of the machine to provide uniform air
flow through the entire table area.
2. Vacuum Hold-Down Table: The lower exhaust port on the back of the Fusion Pro 48 pulls air down
through the table.
Status Light
The Fusion Pro 24 & 36 have a status light that lights up while the machine is
running a job. This is useful to help indicate when a job has been completed,
as the light will turn off as soon as it’s finished.
Flip-up Rulers
All Fusion Pro, Edge, and Maker machines have rulers on both the top and left side of the table, making
it easy to lift them up out of the way when switching back and forth between the Task Plate and Vector
Cutting Table.
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Center Engraving
The Center Engraving feature allows you to define the center of your artwork as the primary reference
point (Home Position) of your engraving or cutting. The Center Engraving feature has been designed to
be used in conjunction with the red dot pointer, using the Jog feature on the Fusion Pro Control Panel.
Center engraving differs from standard printing, where the upper left corner of the page and the upper
left corner of the laser table define your primary reference point.
• You can identify a Center Engraving job at the laser when you see a target icon at the end
of the job name.
If you get a Position Error reading on the display screen, your artwork is going to go outside
of your available work space.
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Center-Center
When using Center-Center, the overall size of your work piece and the upper-left corner reference point
are not used. With Center-Center engraving, the important starting points are the size of your artwork
and the available space for it on your work piece. With Center-Center you’re interested in positioning the
center of your artwork to a specific point on your work piece, no matter where your work piece is on the
laser table.
With the Center-Center option you can place your artwork on almost any size of page and almost
anywhere on that page. At the laser using the touch screen, you are able to jog the laser head to your
work piece on the table with the red dot pointer turned on, and set the center point wherever you want.
The detailed examples on the next few pages show how easy it is to think differently about Center-Center
jobs.
Example: A customer brings you a small electronic item to engrave, such as an iPhone. To quickly engrave
the item without extensive measuring, follow these quick steps:
1. Measure the area you have available for engraving. For the iPhone we have about 2” x 1.5” (51 x 38
mm) of engraving area.
2. In your graphic software, create a new page. Page size is not important, so set the page size to
larger than the area you want to engrave. We have created a page 4” x 4” (101 x 101 mm). Place your
artwork anywhere on the page and size it to fit in the 2” x 1.5” (51 x 38 mm) engraving area.
4. Disable the live camera, you do not need to use it for Center Engraving.
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6. In the drop-down box next to Centering Point, select Center-Center.
9. Jog the laser head to your work piece on the table with the red dot pointer turned on, and press
the button under “Centering Point” to set your center point.
10. Back at the Job Menu, select the job and press the Trace button with the Red Dot Pointer on to
check the outline of your artwork. The laser head will continue outlining the artwork until you press
the Trace button again.
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11. Once you are happy with the position of your artwork, select the job and press the Go/Stop button
to start the job.
12. After the job is complete, you can re-use the same center point for additional center-
engraving enabled jobs by long-pressing the Centering Point button, which returns the laser
head to the last center point that was set. You may also set a new center point for any future
jobs by jogging the laser and pressing the “Centering Point” button again.
While Center-Center is the most common use for the Center Engraving features, you can also use Center-
Left, Center-Top, Center-Bottom, Center-Right or Custom. Depending on the object you are engraving,
these options may be easier to find than the center point of the engraving area.
Registration Camera
The Registration Camera is a standard feature on the Fusion Pro. By printing registration marks on your
project, the camera system will align your artwork with the cut lines in your project file.
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Setting Up the File for Vector Cutting
Once we have our print file we need to add outlines to the registration marks and add vector cutting
lines over the print file.
3. When you have your vector file prepared, choose File > Print.
Print to the Epilog Engraver to open the Laser Dashboard.
4. For these steps we turned off the live view to see our graphic better, because the camera is not
needed for this part of the process. You may turn off live view by selecting the checkbox next to
“Video” on the left side tool bar.
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5. For Registration Camera jobs you must use Color Mapping. In the Processes Tab, select the process
and then click “Split By Color”. For instructions on Color Mapping, see ”Split by Color (Color
Mapping)” on page 76 in your manual.
6. Enter your laser settings for each process that isn’t the registration mark process.
7. Select the color process you have assigned to the registration marks. In this example we are
selecting the Blue process.
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8. Select the Registration icon at the bottom of the process, since this process will be used only to
identify which circles are registration marks. It will not be processed as a vector.
9. The Dashboard will then prompt you to send the job to the Job Manager to continue. Click “Send to
JM” at the bottom of the screen and the Job Manager should open.
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3. In the Epilog Job Manager, open the Jobs Tab and double click on the job you just printed to open
the Job Information window.
Note: If you want to toggle between expanding the print preview panel and the live feed panel you may
click the “restore preview size” button.
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4. The Job Manager will prompt you to select the registration marks on the video feed as they are
highlighted on the print preview panel.
5. The Dashboard will then ask you to confirm that the vector overlay closely matches the intended
vector cut. Select “Confirm”.
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6. Hunting Routine: The laser carriage will start moving to find the first registration mark and precisely
locate its exact location on the laser bed. The same process is followed to precisely locate the
second mark.
7. After locating the second mark, the carriage will stop moving while it is directly over the second
mark. At this point, the job is sent to the Fusion Pro and the Fusion Pro is ready to start cutting.
8. Select the job and press the Go/Stop Button to start the job.
1. After you have run your first laser cutting, open the door to the laser and place your next item to cut
in the same direction and vicinity as the last so the registration marks are within 1.5” (38 mm) of the
last position.
2. With the door to the laser closed, click on the Quick Print icon in the Job Manager. The camera
system will move out to do a quick hunt for the registration marks then start the cutting process.
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Vector Cutting Table/Slat Table
On the Fusion Pro 48, a divided table allows you to use a vector
grid on half of the bed and engraving table on the other half
for increased versatility.
Slat Table
For the Fusion Pro 48, the optional Slat Table is a second
option for vector cutting jobs. The Slat Table has bars that are
adjustable and removable to help avoid any kind of grid marks
appearing on the back of the piece you’re engraving.
On the Fusion Pro 48, a divided table allows you to use a slat
table on half of the bed and engraving table on the other half
for increased versatility.
Whenever you are vector cutting there is the potential for small pieces to fall through the grid
and collect in the bottom of the Vector Cutting Table. These small pieces present a very
dangerous fire hazard. Remove and dispose of the debris in the Vector Cutting Table on a
regular basis.
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Fusion Pro Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment
The optional Fusion Pro Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment allows you to mark and engrave on cylindrical
objects.
Note: Using the IRIS™ Camera to place artwork on the rotary is not suggested. The rotary will
be far away from the camera, so the image will become distorted.
1. Lower the engraving table far enough so the Rotary Attachment will not interfere with the lens
carriage.
An important note: Turn off the power to the engraver. It’s important that the laser system is
turned off before installing (or removing) the Rotary Attachment. The Fusion Pro laser system
will not recognize the Rotary Attachment until the system is rebooted, and you could damage
the electronics if the rotary is installed while the laser system is powered on.
4. Once the Rotary Attachment cable is connected, you can power on the laser system. The Fusion
Pro senses that the Rotary has been installed. During machine initialization the lens carriage will
find its new Home Position over the center of the Rotary Attachment, as shown below.
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Rim-Drive Rotary Setup
The wheels on the left are the drive wheels which spin the cylinder. The wheels on the right are for support.
The right-side wheels are mounted on a scissor jack so they can be raised or lowered to level the top
surface of your cylinder with the X-beam. The scissor jack can be moved left and right to accommodate
cylinders of different lengths.
In most cases you will want to load your cylinder with the larger diameter on the left (drive wheel side).
The scissor jack is used to elevate the right side of your cylinder so that the top surface is horizontal. Load
your cylinder onto the Rotary Attachment so that it is just touching the black bumper. Using the clamp to
hold the glass in place is optional. Some odd shaped glasses rotate better if they are clamped to the
drive wheels, but most glasses and other cylindrical objects do not require clamping.
Use the scissor jack to raise the right side of the cylinder so that the engraving/cutting surface is
horizontal. The photos below show the same flashlight at a severe angle to horizontal. If your cylinder is
Many glasses, like this one, do not require
the use of the clamp. The clamp is used
mostly for hard to rotate cylinders or very
lightweight objects that need more than just
gravity to hold them in place.
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not horizontal to the X-beam the laser will lose focus as the carriage head moves across the flashlight.
This causes the engraving quality on the right-hand side to suffer dramatically.
Incorrect Setup: The flashlight is not Correct Setup: The flashlight is horizontal to the
horizontal. Raise the right side of the flashlight X-beam
by turning the jack screw.
To check that the focus is even across the entire surface, use the
focus gauge while jogging the carriage back and forth across
your cylinder.
When you are finished focusing, press the Reset key on the Touch
Screen. Pressing Reset will send the lens carriage back to its
standard Home Position at the front of the black bumper. You are
now ready to start the job.
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Removing the Drive Wheel
The drive wheels are each two-piece assemblies when fully assembled. Removing the front part of the
drive wheel enables the user to accommodate a wide variety of mugs with handles. Not all mugs with
handles require the front drive wheels to be removed, but for certain types of mugs removing the front
wheels adds flexibility to the Rotary Attachment.
There are two small thumbscrews that attach This photo shows a mug with a handle
each front drive wheel to the back drive positioned on the Rotary Attachment
wheel. Loosen the two small thumbscrews on with the removable portion of the drive
each wheel to remove the front wheel. wheel shown in the foreground.
Artwork Layout
Because the Rotary Attachment automatically compensates for the diameter of the glass, artwork setup
is relatively easy. The most important thing to remember when working with the rotary is that your artwork
needs to be rotated 90 degrees to the way it would normally be setup for flat work. There are several
visual tools later in this procedure that will help make artwork setup easy.
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3. Place your artwork close to the top edge of the page. When the job starts, the first part of the
process is for the cylinder to rotate through any white space that is between the top of your page
and the top of your artwork. Once it has rotated through the white space it will begin to laser your
artwork.
The edge of the black bumper on your Rotary Attachment corresponds to the left edge of your
page in CorelDraw. Set your cylinder on the Rotary Attachment so that it just touches the black
bumper. The “top” of a cylinder can be at either end of the Rotary Attachment. It is useful to
visualize the orientation of the cylinder when it is being engraved.
This glass has a circumference of 4” (100 mm) at the ends and a circumference
of 3.2” (81 mm) in the middle where we want to engrave. Most artwork will
look acceptable on this glass without stretching or shrinking, but because
the middle of the glass is a smaller diameter than the ends, some artwork will
look compressed (more as an oval than a circle), so we’ll want to adjust the
artwork before engraving. To determine how much to adjust your artwork,
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we’ll need to do a simple calculation that tells us the percentage of stretch or shrinkage we need to
perform. You can use either the diameter or the circumference to make the calculation; just don’t mix the
two.
Determining whether you use diameter or circumference is a matter of which one is easier to measure.
If you want to measure circumference, use a flexible ruler and wrap it around the glass. To calculate
circumference, measure the diameter and multiply by Pi (3.1416):
Because our calculation percentage is greater than 100, we need to expand the
artwork to 129.6% of its original size. Adjust the size of your artwork in one axis only.
Other considerations:
In these two examples you’ll notice that the “middle” varies depending on where
you measure. Because of this, you’ll never be able to get every piece of artwork
perfectly sized. Depending on how much room the artwork takes up, you may want
to experiment with the expansion or shrinkage of your artwork to fit your particular
glass shape.
Rotary Removal
3. Turn on the machine and the Home Position will return to the 0,0 point.
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Fusion Pro 3-Jaw Chuck Rotary Attachment
The 3-Jaw Chuck style Rotary Attachment is an extremely versatile tool for marking and engraving
cylindrical objects. It comes with a variety of interchangeable components that make it easy to hold
different sized and shaped cylinders. There are two basic setups:
1. 3-Jaw Chuck
This photo shows the basic setup with the 3-Jaw Chuck on
the left and the centering fixture on the right.
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Firmware and Software Suite Preparation
Before use, both your machine’s Firmware and the Epilog Software Suite must be updated to use the
3-Jaw rotary attachment.
Your Fusion Pro firmware version must be 1.0.2.5 or higher to operate the Rotary Attachment. The firmware
version is one of the menu items under Settings (gear icon) > Version on the Fusion Pro Control Panel. To
upgrade your firmware, see “How to Upgrade Your Firmware” on page 211.
Note: If your current firmware is 1.0.0.9 or lower, you will need to perform an intermediate
firmware installation step to load version 1.0.1.0, prior to installing version 1.0.2.5. Contact
Epilog Technical support for assistance: 303-215-9171.
Once your firmware has been updated to version 1.0.2.5, verify that the Rotary Encoder value is 153630. To
check this value, go to the display panel and select Settings > Rotary > Rotary Encoder.
Your Software Suite (Epilog Dashboard) version must be at least 2.1.12. Uninstall the old version of the
software suite and then load the new version onto your computer.
An Important Note: Turn off the power to the engraver. It’s important that the laser system is
turned off before installing (or removing) the rotary connector at the table. The Fusion Pro
laser system will not recognize the Rotary Attachment until the system is rebooted, and you
could damage the electronics if the rotary is installed while the laser system is powered on.
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3. With the Fusion Pro powered off, place the Rotary Attachment in the upper left corner of the table
so that the baseplate is positioned against the sides of the left and top rulers. The rotary rests on
the table against the rulers and does not need to be locked in place.
4. Insert the connector into the receptacle on the right side of the machine.
5. Once the Rotary Attachment is plugged in you can power on the Fusion Pro .
6. When the Fusion Pro powers on with the Rotary Attachment installed, the carriage moves to the
rotary Home position, which is directly above the 3-Jaw Chuck.
1. Measure your Cylinder: The cylinder diameter will be used in the print
driver.
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3. Select Appropriate Jaw for Size of Component:
Inside Diameter (ID) Inside Diameter (ID) Outside Diameter (OD) Outside Diameter (OD)
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
Small 0.48” 1.72” 0.04” 1.28”
Jaw
Medium 1.50” 2.74” 1.06” 2.30”
Jaw
Large 2.52” 3.76” 2.06” 3.30”
Jaw
4. Clamp your Cylinder: Insert your cylinder into the 3-Jaw Chuck and tighten the chuck so the
cylinder is held firmly in place.
Cylinders can be held from the inside diameter (left picture) or the outside diameter (right picture).
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You will need to use the two tightening pins that are provided with the chuck in
order to clamp the cylinder tightly into place.
Note: The 3-Jaw Chuck Rotary is designed to use manual focusing only. Auto focus cannot
be used with the 3-Jaw Chuck Rotary.
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Setting Engraving/Mark Location
At the control panel, press the Pointer icon to illuminate the Red
Dot Pointer. Press the Jog Menu icon. Using the joystick, move the
lens assembly while watching the Red Diode Pointer. Once you
have selected the correct position for the engraving/mark
location, press the Centering Point Icon. Once you have set the
new Centering Point, press the Done button on the Display Panel
to return to the Job Menu.
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3. Select the 3-Jaw Chuck for your Rotary Type from the dropdown menu.
3. Setting the Centering Point option in the Advanced tab of the Dashboard. This will tell the machine
that you are going to manually center the artwork over the cylinder you are engraving.
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1. Set up a custom page size in your graphic software that will accommodate the length and
circumference of your cylinder. To set up your page, measure the length of the cylinder you are
engraving. Use this as the minimum size of the horizontal dimension of your page. Measure the
diameter of your cylinder and multiply this number by Pi (3.1416) to determine the circumference of
the cylinder. Use the circumference as the minimum size of the vertical dimension of your page. The
actual size of the page is not overly important. If you have a cylinder that’s 5.23” long with a
circumference of 2.3”, use a page that’s slightly larger, say, 6” x 3”.
This image shows a page size of 6” x 3”. The gray inner rectangle represents the cylinder that is 5.23” x 2.3”.
Ensure your work fits within the cylinder size.
2. Place your artwork anywhere within the grey area of the page and Print to the Epilog Dashboard.
It is not overly important where you place the artwork in the grey area of the page. Your artwork
will be positioned by using the Centering Point function in the Dashboard’s Advanced tab and
centering the carriage over your cylinder.
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4. In the Advanced tab, set the Centering Point to the desired Centering function and print your job to
the laser.
Rotary Removal
3. Depress the release tab on the connector and unplug the connector.
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Attaching the Fixture Plate to the Chuck
1. Secure the fixture plate to the spindle using one of the plate thumb
screws.
2. The fixture plate will look like the photo when the spindle is
assembled.
3. Slide the spindle into the chuck. Make sure the spindle is fully inserted
into the chuck, then secure it using the chuck tightening pins.
4. Be sure to check that your home position is where you need it once
the fixture plate has been installed.
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The splines on the fixture plates can be reversed to
accommodate parts using the inside diameter (ID) or
outside diameter (OD). To reverse the spline orientation, pull
the spring-loaded splines away from the plate and rotate
them 180 degrees.
This photo shows a typical example of a larger part that requires a fixture plate on both the left and the
right sides. Notice that the left side fixture plate is held in place with the 3-Jaw Chuck.
This photo shows the small 3-Jaw Chuck on the left side and the idle-side centering fixture on the right.
The idle-side centering fixture can accommodate sizes up to 1” in diameter. The centering fixture is used
to support small diameter parts that sag when held in place using only the 3-Jaw Chuck.
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Some parts do not need the idle-side centering fixture for support and can be held using only the 3-Jaw
Chuck.
This picture shows an odd-shaped item fixtured in place on the inner diameter using the large jaw set.
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3-Jaw Chuck Quick Start Guide
3. Select the appropriate jaw sizes, fixture plates and / or centering devices and fixture your part in
place in the rotary.
4. Plug in the Rotary Attachment and position it in the upper left corner of the table.
6. Focus – Fusion Pro requires manual focus when using the 3-Jaw style rotary.
• Press the Jog Menu button on the Control Panel.
• Use the Joystick to move the carriage until the Manual Focus Gauge is above the point of focus.
• Drop the Manual Focus Gauge into the down position.
• Press the Focus Menu button on the Control Panel.
• Use the Joystick to move the table up and down to focus on your cylinder.
• Place the Manual Focus Gauge back into the up position when finished focusing.
9. Use the Epilog Dashboard (Preview tab and Advanced tab) to set your laser parameters.
• Select Center-Center engraving mode in the Advanced tab.
• Select the 3-Jaw Chuck option in the Advanced tab.
• Input your cylinder diameter in the Advanced tab.
• Set your Speed, Power, and other laser parameters in the Preview tab.
• Print the job to the laser.
11. From the Display panel, select your job and press the Go button to start your job.
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Fusion Edge & Maker Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment
The optional Fusion Edge Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment allows you to mark and engrave on cylindrical
objects.
Note: Using the IRIS™ Camera to place artwork on the rotary is not suggested. The rotary will
be far away from the camera, so the image will become distorted.
12. Lower the engraving table far enough so the Rotary Attachment will not interfere with the lens
carriage.
An important note: Turn off the power to the engraver. It’s important that the laser system is
turned off before installing (or removing) the Rotary Attachment. The Fusion Edge laser system
will not recognize the Rotary Attachment until the system is rebooted, and you could damage
the electronics if the rotary is installed while the laser system is powered on.
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Rim-Drive Rotary Setup
The wheels on the left are the drive wheels which spin the cylinder. The wheels on the right are for support.
The right-side wheels are mounted on a scissor jack so they can be raised or lowered to level the top
surface of your cylinder with the X-beam. The scissor jack can be moved left and right to accommodate
cylinders of different lengths.
In most cases you will want to load your cylinder with the larger diameter on the left (drive wheel side).
The scissor jack is used to elevate the right side of your cylinder so that the top surface is horizontal. Load
your cylinder onto the Rotary Attachment so that it is just touching the black bumper. Using the clamp to
hold the glass in place is optional. Some odd shaped glasses rotate better if they are clamped to the
drive wheels, but most glasses and other cylindrical objects do not require clamping.
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Use the scissor jack to raise the right side of the cylinder so that the engraving/cutting surface is
horizontal. The photos below show the same flashlight at a severe angle to horizontal. If your cylinder is
not horizontal to the X-beam the laser will lose focus as the carriage head moves across the flashlight.
This causes the engraving quality on the right-hand side to suffer dramatically.
Incorrect Setup: The flashlight is not Correct Setup: The flashlight is horizontal to the
horizontal. Raise the right side of the flashlight X-beam
by turning the jack screw.
Pressing the Center Rotary button will park the Y rail over the center of
the rotary, and change the button text to Park Rotary. When you press
the Park Rotary button, it will move the Y rail back behind the rotary.
The park position can be changed in the Settings Menu, under the
Rotary option.
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Setting Focus with the Rotary Attachment
With your cylinder in place on the Rotary Attachment, select the
Jog Menu and move the lens carriage above the cylinder.
When you are finished focusing, remove the Manual Focus Gauge
and press the Reset key on the Touch Screen. Pressing Reset will
send the lens carriage back to its standard Home Position at the
front of the black bumper. You are now ready to start the job.
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Removing the Drive Wheel
The drive wheels are each two-piece assemblies when fully assembled. Removing the front part of the
drive wheel enables the user to accommodate a wide variety of mugs with handles. Not all mugs with
handles require the front drive wheels to be removed, but for certain types of mugs removing the front
wheels adds flexibility to the Rotary Attachment.
There are two small thumbscrews that attach This photo shows a mug with a handle
each front drive wheel to the back drive positioned on the Rotary Attachment
wheel. Loosen the two small thumbscrews on with the removable portion of the drive
each wheel to remove the front wheel. wheel shown in the foreground.
Artwork Layout
Because the Rotary Attachment automatically compensates for the diameter of the glass, artwork setup
is relatively easy. The most important thing to remember when working with the rotary is that your artwork
needs to be rotated 90 degrees to the way it would normally be setup for flat work. There are several
visual tools later in this procedure that will help make artwork setup easy.
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3. Place your artwork close to the top edge of the page. When the job starts, the first part of the
process is for the cylinder to rotate through any white space that is between the top of your page
and the top of your artwork. Once it has rotated through the white space it will begin to laser your
artwork.
The edge of the black bumper on your Rotary Attachment corresponds to the left edge of your
page in CorelDraw. Set your cylinder on the Rotary Attachment so that it just touches the black
bumper. The “top” of a cylinder can be at either end of the Rotary Attachment. It is useful to
visualize the orientation of the cylinder when it is being engraved.
This glass has a circumference of 4” (100 mm) at the ends and a circumference
of 3.2” (81 mm) in the middle where we want to engrave. Most artwork will
look acceptable on this glass without stretching or shrinking, but because
the middle of the glass is a smaller diameter than the ends, some artwork
will look compressed (more as an oval than a circle), so we’ll want to adjust
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the artwork before engraving. To determine how much to adjust your artwork, we’ll need to do a simple
calculation that tells us the percentage of stretch or shrinkage we need to perform. You can use either
the diameter or the circumference to make the calculation; just don’t mix the two.
Determining whether you use diameter or circumference is a matter of which one is easier to measure.
If you want to measure circumference, use a flexible ruler and wrap it around the glass. To calculate
circumference, measure the diameter and multiply by Pi (3.1416):
Because our calculation percentage is greater than 100, we need to expand the artwork to 129.6% of its
original size. Adjust the size of your artwork in one axis only.
Other considerations:
In these two examples you’ll notice that the “middle” varies depending on where you measure. Because
of this, you’ll never be able to get every piece of artwork perfectly sized. Depending on how much room
the artwork takes up, you may want to experiment with the expansion or shrinkage of your artwork to fit
your particular glass shape.
Rotary Removal
3. Turn on the machine and the Home Position will return to the 0,0 point.
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Fusion Edge & Maker 3-Jaw Chuck Rotary
Attachment
The 3-Jaw Chuck style Rotary Attachment is an extremely versatile tool for marking and engraving
cylindrical objects. It comes with a variety of interchangeable components that make it easy to hold
different sized and shaped cylinders. There are two basic setups:
1. 3-Jaw Chuck
This photo shows the basic setup with the 3-Jaw Chuck on
the left and the centering fixture on the right.
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6. Chuck Jaws (3 each of 3 sizes for different diameter parts/components)
An Important Note: Turn off the power to the engraver. It’s important that the laser system is
turned off before installing (or removing) the rotary connector at the table. The Fusion Edge
laser system will not recognize the Rotary Attachment until the system is rebooted, and you
could damage the electronics if the rotary is installed while the laser system is powered on.
3. With the Fusion Edge powered off, place the Rotary Attachment in the upper left corner of the table
so that the baseplate is positioned against the sides of the left and top rulers. The rotary rests on
the table against the rulers and does not need to be locked in place.
4. Insert the connector into the receptacle on the right side of the machine.
5. Once the Rotary Attachment is plugged in you can power on the Fusion Edge .
6. When the Fusion Edge powers on with the Rotary Attachment installed, the carriage moves to the
rotary Home position, which is directly above the 3-Jaw Chuck.
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1. Measure your Cylinder: The cylinder diameter will be used in the print
driver.
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3-Jaw Chuck Size Ranges (inches)
Inside Diameter (ID) Inside Diameter (ID) Outside Diameter (OD) Outside Diameter (OD)
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
Small 0.48” 1.72” 0.04” 1.28”
Jaw
Medium 1.50” 2.74” 1.06” 2.30”
Jaw
Large 2.52” 3.76” 2.06” 3.30”
Jaw
4. Clamp your Cylinder: Insert your cylinder into the 3-Jaw Chuck and tighten the chuck so the
cylinder is held firmly in place.
Cylinders can be held from the inside diameter (left picture) or the outside diameter (right picture).
You will need to use the two tightening pins that are provided
with the chuck in order to clamp the cylinder tightly into place.
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3-Jaw Chuck Focus
With your cylinder in place on the Rotary Attachment, place the Manual Focus Gauge on the laser
assembly. Select the Jog Menu at the control panel and use the joystick to move the carriage to your
point of engraving. Then select the Focus Menu and use the joystick to raise/lower the table until the
Manual Focus Gauge touches the cylinder. Remove the Manual Focus Gauge once your piece is in focus.
Note: The 3-Jaw Chuck Rotary is designed to use manual focusing only. Auto focus cannot be
used with the 3-Jaw Chuck Rotary.
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Set the Cylinder Diameter in the Dashboard
With the rotary installed, the diameter measured, and the cylinder held tightly in place, you are ready to
print.
3. Select the 3-Jaw Chuck for your Rotary Type from the dropdown menu.
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4. Input the diameter of your cylinder.
3. Setting the Centering Point option in the Advanced tab of the Dashboard. This will tell the machine
that you are going to manually center the artwork over the cylinder you are engraving.
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1. Set up a custom page size in your graphic software that will accommodate the length and
circumference of your cylinder. To set up your page, measure the length of the cylinder you are
engraving. Use this as the minimum size of the horizontal dimension of your page. Measure the
diameter of your cylinder and multiply this number by Pi (3.1416) to determine the circumference of
the cylinder. Use the circumference as the minimum size of the vertical dimension of your page. The
actual size of the page is not overly important. If you have a cylinder that’s 5.23” long with a
circumference of 2.3”, use a page that’s slightly larger, say, 6” x 3”.
This image shows a page size of 6” x 3”. The gray inner rectangle represents the cylinder that is 5.23” x 2.3”.
Ensure your work fits within the cylinder size.
2. Place your artwork anywhere within the grey area of the page and Print to the Epilog Dashboard.
It is not overly important where you place the artwork in the grey area of the page. Your artwork
will be positioned by using the Centering Point function in the Dashboard’s Advanced tab and
centering the carriage over your cylinder.
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4. In the Advanced tab, set the Centering Point to the desired Centering function and print your job to
the laser.
Rotary Removal
3. Depress the release tab on the connector and unplug the connector.
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Attaching the Fixture Plate to the Chuck
1. Secure the fixture plate to the spindle using one of the plate thumb screws.
2. The fixture plate will look like the photo when the spindle is assembled.
3. Slide the spindle into the chuck. Make sure the spindle is fully inserted into the chuck, then secure it
using the chuck tightening pins.
4. Be sure to check that your home position is where you need it once the fixture plate has been
installed.
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The splines on the fixture plates can be reversed to
accommodate parts using the inside diameter (ID) or
outside diameter (OD). To reverse the spline orientation, pull
the spring-loaded splines away from the plate and rotate
them 180 degrees.
This photo shows a typical example of a larger part that requires a fixture plate on both the left and the
right sides. Notice that the left side fixture plate is held in place with the 3-Jaw Chuck.
This photo shows the small 3-Jaw Chuck on the left side and the idle-side centering fixture on the right.
The idle-side centering fixture can accommodate sizes up to 1” in diameter. The centering fixture is used
to support small diameter parts that sag when held in place using only the 3-Jaw Chuck.
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Some parts do not need the idle-side centering fixture for support and can be held using only the 3-Jaw
Chuck.
This picture shows an odd-shaped item fixtured in place on the inner diameter using the large jaw set.
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3-Jaw Chuck Quick Start Guide
3. Select the appropriate jaw sizes, fixture plates and / or centering devices and fixture your part in
place in the rotary.
4. Plug in the Rotary Attachment and position it in the upper left corner of the table.
6. Focus – Fusion Edge requires manual focus when using the 3-Jaw style rotary.
• Press the Jog Menu button on the Control Panel.
• Use the Joystick to move the carriage until the Manual Focus Gauge is above the point of focus.
• Place the Manual Focus Gauge onto the laser assembly.
• Press the Focus Menu button on the Control Panel.
• Use the Joystick to move the table up and down to focus on your cylinder.
• Remove the Manual Focus Gauge when finished focusing.
9. Use the Epilog Dashboard (Preview tab and Advanced tab) to set your laser parameters.
• Select Center-Center engraving mode in the Advanced tab.
• Select the 3-Jaw Chuck option in the Advanced tab.
• Input your cylinder diameter in the Advanced tab.
• Set your Speed, Power, and other laser parameters in the Preview tab.
• Print the job to the laser.
11. From the Display panel, select your job and press the Go button to start your job.
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Dual Source Option Setting Up a Dual Source Job
If you have chosen the dual source option on the If you are doing a project that requires both CO2
Fusion Pro, you get the benefit of a CO2 and fiber and fiber laser sources in the same job, you must
laser source both in one system. The operation of use the Split by Color (Color Mapping) feature to
this system is fundamentally the same as running determine which parts of the job should use CO2
either the CO2 or fiber laser separately. In a typical and which should use the fiber laser source.
job when you are using only the CO2 or only the
fiber laser, you will set your laser source in the In this example we are engraving a bottle opener
Process Settings of the Epilog Dashboard. with a wooden handle and metal opener. We’ve
set up the file to use the color black for the CO2
Important Note about Focus: wood engraving, and red for the fiber metal
There are two separate laser types etching.
– CO2 and fiber – in the Dual Source
Fusion Pro system. Each laser type has
a different focus distance from the
focus lens to the work surface. This means that
the fiber laser focus point is closer to the focus
lens than the CO2 focus point by approximately
.250” (6mm).
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SECTION 9: OPTIONAL FEATURES
Color Mapping Order of PhotoLaser Plus
Operation
The PhotoLaser Plus software package (PLP) is
an optional addition to your Epilog Laser System
When printing a dual source job with Color
created by CadLink that provides an easy method
Mapping, it’s important to understand the order
of transforming photographs for your laser
that the laser will follow for engraving and cutting.
engraver, as well as incorporating variable badge
making features. This software is not intended to
In the Processes list, you can move any CO2 or
replace your other graphic layout software, such
fiber engraving processes into any order you
as CorelDRAW or Illustrator; however it is a great
prefer. Any Vector cutting processes will run last
complement to your other software.
and cannot run before engraving processes. For
more information, see “Ordering Processes” on
Epilog only supports PhotoLaser Plus and
page 82.
badge layout functions in the software. The full
EngraveLab software is a powerful standalone
Focusing a Dual Source Job graphics package. Support for the full EngraveLab
is available through CadLink.
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SECTION 9: OPTIONAL FEATURES
5. After the install is complete, you will need to 7. Select your laser in the driver list. Make sure
activate PLP. Open the software and click the this has the name Epilog in the driver, or
OK key on the pop-up screen. move back to step one. Next close the print
window by clicking the red X.
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Import your photo to be transformed. Select File 9. Crop the Photo: If you do not want to
then Import. engrave the entire photo, double click on the
photo to open the bitmap tools at the top of
the page. Select the Rectangle or Ellipse tool
to frame the area you want to crop. With the
proper area framed, press the Crop key to
finalize the crop.
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12. Transform the Photo: With the photo resized 15. If you want to replace the photograph with
and the resolution set, we are ready to the new 1-bit photograph, uncheck Keep
transform the photograph. From the menu Original, otherwise it will place the
select Transform then Photo Laser. Choose transformed image next to your original on
Interactive to select the material you want to the page. Press the OK key to finish.
use. Choosing Automatic will apply the
material settings you used on your last
project.
1. Start by setting
up your file in
CorelDRAW. We’ve
designed an 8” x
10” plaque, added
the text and
placed a box as a
placeholder for the
photograph.
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SECTION 9: OPTIONAL FEATURES
2. Crop the Photograph: Select the photograph, 5. Set the resolution to match your engraving
then select from the menu bar Effects, resolution. This is usually 300 or 600 DPi. Set
PowerClip, and Place Inside Container. Click the color mode to either RGB, CMYK, or
the outline of the photo placeholder to place Grayscale (it doesn’t matter which one).
the photo inside the box.
3. To resize or move the photograph in the 7. Open PLP and paste the image anywhere on
powerclip box, right click the photo and the page by selecting Edit, then Paste.
select Edit Powerclip. When you are finished 8. Transform the photo by following steps 6
adjusting the image, right click and select through 9 in the previous section.
Finish Editing this Level.
9. After the transformed image is prepared,
4. Convert to Bitmap: With the photo selected
select File then Export Image. Export the file
click Bitmaps, then Convert to Bitmap.
as a .bmp. Make note of where you saved the
transformed file.
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Creating Badges with Variable 4. Click and drag a box within the badge. Size it
to approximately accommodate your
Names longest text string.
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7. Select the Badges icon in the tool bar.
1
3
2
6
4
5
8. Set the Badge Setup parameters as shown 7
below:
1 Number of Copies: the number of
badges you want to create.
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Troubleshooting Badge Layout
Problem: The logo doesn’t appear on the badges.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Reduce Fire Risk with a Clean Laser
Cleaning your machine is an excellent way to prevent fire with the laser. A buildup of cutting
and engraving residue and debris is dangerous and can create a fire hazard in its own right.
Keep your laser system clean and free of debris. Regularly remove clean any small pieces that
have fallen through the cutting grid. For more information on fire safety, see “FIRE WARNING”
on page 1.
As with all equipment, preventive maintenance is an important part of owning your Epilog Laser system.
A laser system by its very nature creates debris and residue on every job. Over time, these by products
can build up and start to clog the components of your system. Like anything, the build up can be almost
imperceptible and easy to ignore. Since it ‘s guaranteed that these by products will build up over time,
it’s worth spending just a few minutes each week keeping your system clean. To extend the life of your
investment, follow these simple guidelines outlined below.
Auto Focus Plunger Removing residue helps Cotton swab or Use a soft cotton cloth and mild
ensure precise focusing. soft cloth, mild household cleaner or isopropyl
household cleaner alcohol to gently wipe the Auto
or isopropyl Focus plunger until it is clean.
alcohol.
Under the Cutting Table This will reduce any fire Small brush or Remove the Cutting Table and
hazards by removing debris vacuum cleaner. clean out the table tray using a
that has fallen through the small brush or vacuum cleaner.
table.
Bearing Rails Proper cleaning ensures Cotton swab or Using the cloth or swab with
bearings perform at their soft cloth, mild liquid, clean all of the bearing
best. household cleaner tracks.
or isopropyl
alcohol.
Interior Work Space This keeps corrosive dust Soft cloth and mild Use the soft cloth to wipe all sur-
and debris from building up household cleaner faces that are exposed to dust
on interior surfaces. or isopropyl and debris.
alcohol.
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3 MONTHS Why Do I need to Clean This? Materials Needed Instructions
Under the Cutting Table This will reduce any fire Small brush or Remove the Cutting Table and
hazards by removing debris vacuum cleaner. clean out the table tray using a
that has fallen through the small brush or vacuum cleaner.
table.
Bearing Rails Proper lubrication ensures Lubricant and After cleaning the rail (see weekly
optimum performance and syringe from your instructions above), place about
a long life for your bearing Epilog Accessory an inch-long bead of Epilog-
system. Kit. supplied grease into the top and
bottom grooves of the x-axis rail.
After applying the grease to both
grooves, run the X-carriage over
the grease to work it into the
bearing block and rail. Turn the
machine off to easily move the
x-carriage back and forth over
the grease.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Cleaning the Optics on the Fusion Pro 48
Periodically, or if you notice dust building up, you will need to clean the optics of your laser. If smoke, resin,
or other contaminants are allowed to accumulate they will reduce the available laser power and may
cause damage to the lens.
Note: When cleaning the optics, jogging the laser closer to the front of the machine will allow
for easier access.
Remove the lens tube from the machine for cleaning by unscrewing the captive screw on the front lens
clamp using a #1 Philips screwdriver. Hold the lens tube from the bottom while unscrewing the captive
screw, as the tube may come out easily.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Once the captive screw comes out you may remove the lens tube. Twist off the cone piece at the bottom
of the tube to reveal the lens.
To clean the lens, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the
accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully.
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Allow the optics to dry, then twist the cone piece securely back on to the bottom of the lens tube.
When placing the lens tube back into the assembly, make sure that the hole near the bottom of the tube
lines up with the air assist hole on the assembly. Make sure the notch at the top of the lens tube lines up
with the insert on the assembly as well. When the tube is in place it should only shift slightly when twisted
side to side. Wrap the clamp back around the tube and tighten the captive screw.
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Cleaning the Mirror on the Fusion Pro 48
The mirror is located on the back side of the assembly and also has a simple cleaning process. Start by
opening the door latched onto the back of the assembly. The door will rotate counterclockwise to open.
Next, twist the knob on the right side of the assembly counterclockwise to loosen the mirror, preparing it
for removal.
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Now remove the mirror from the assembly by sliding it out towards the back of the machine.
To clean the mirror, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the
accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully.
After the mirror has been cleaned and is completely dry, place it back into the assembly with the mirror
angled down towards the table. Tighten the knob that secures it, and close the small door on the back
of the assembly.
If you run out of the cleaner supplied by Epilog, Reagent or laboratory grade Alcohol can be substituted.
Also, if “Golden Grain” or “Everclear” are available in your area these are also good substitutes for the
optical cleaning solution.
Note: Never use Isopropyl Alcohol or Hardware grade Acetone, they contain impurities which
can damage the optics in your machine.
Wet the swab thoroughly with the solvent, and then blot it against a piece of cotton so that it is no longer
soaking-wet. Then daub the lens gently, rotating the swab after each daub to expose clean cotton to
the surface until the optic is free of visible contamination. At that point, prepare a fresh swab and clean
the surface with a gentle zigzag motion across it. Avoid any hard “scrubbing” of the surface, especially
while there are visible particles on it, and try not to use repetitive circular motions. When you are done,
be careful to remove any cotton threads that may have snagged on the mountings.
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Replacing the Lens on the Fusion Pro 48
Whether you are replacing an old lens with a new one, or switching from a 2-inch lens to a 4-inch lens,
the process is quick and easy. The lens always comes contained within the lens tube, so replacing it is as
simple as removing one tube, then placing the new one in and securing it properly.
Remove the lens tube from the machine by unscrewing the captive screw on the front lens clamp using
a #1 Philips screwdriver. Hold the lens tube from the bottom while unscrewing the captive screw, as the
tube may come out easily.
Place the new tube into the assembly, making sure that the hole near the bottom of the tube lines up with
the air assist hole on the assembly. Make sure the notch at the top of the lens tube lines up with the insert
on the assembly as well. When the tube is in place it should only shift slightly when twisted side to side.
Wrap the clamp back around the tube and tighten the captive screw.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Cleaning the Optics on the Fusion Maker, Fusion
Edge, & Fusion Pro 24/36
Cleaning the Lens on the Fusion Maker, Fusion Edge, & Fusion Pro 24/36
The focus lens is contained within the lens tube. The lens tube is a single assembly and is fairly easy to
clean.
1. Remove the lens tube from the machine for cleaning by rotating the front plate upward to reveal
the inside of the lens assembly. You may need to loosen the bottom captive screw slightly first.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
2. After swinging the lens plate cover out of the way, use the tip of the focus gauge in one of the holes
in the ridged ring at the top of the lens tube to loosen it slightly.
3. Unplug the air assist tube from the top of the lens assembly.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
4. The lens tube then slides out of the front of the lens assembly.
5. Twist off the cone piece at the bottom of the tube to reveal the bottom side of the lens.
6. To clean the lens, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the
accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully.
7. Allow the optics to dry, then twist the cone piece securely back on to the bottom of the lens tube.
8. Slide the lens tube back into the lens assembly making sure the air assist port is facing the right
side. Then connect the top of the air assist tube back to the port on the lens assembly.
9. Tighten the ridged ring at the top of the lens tube using the focus gauge.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Cleaning the Mirror on the Fusion Maker, Fusion Edge, & Fusion Pro
24/36
1. The mirror is located on the front side of the assembly and also has a simple cleaning process.
Start by opening the door latched onto the front of the assembly.
2. Next, twist the knob on the top right side of the assembly counterclockwise to loosen the mirror,
preparing it for removal.
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3. Now remove the mirror from the assembly by sliding it out towards the front of the machine.
4. To clean the mirror, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in
the accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully.
5. After the mirror has been cleaned and is completely dry, place it back into the assembly with the
mirror angled down towards the table. Tighten the knob that secures it, and close the small door on
the back of the assembly.
If you run out of the cleaner supplied by Epilog, Reagent or laboratory grade Alcohol can be substituted.
Also, if “Golden Grain” or “Everclear” are available in your area these are also good substitutes for the
optical cleaning solution.
Note: Never use Isopropyl Alcohol or Hardware grade Acetone, they contain impurities which
can damage the optics in your machine.
Wet the swab thoroughly with the solvent, and then blot it against a piece of cotton so that it is no longer
soaking-wet. Then daub the lens gently, rotating the swab after each daub to expose clean cotton to
the surface until the optic is free of visible contamination. At that point, prepare a fresh swab and clean
the surface with a gentle zigzag motion across it. Avoid any hard “scrubbing” of the surface, especially
while there are visible particles on it, and try not to use repetitive circular motions. When you are done,
be careful to remove any cotton threads that may have snagged on the mountings.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Replacing the Lens on the Fusion Maker, Fusion
Edge, & Fusion Pro 24/36
Whether you are replacing an old lens with a new one, or switching from a 2-inch lens to a 4-inch lens,
the process is quick and easy. The lens always comes contained within the lens tube, so replacing it is as
simple as removing one tube, then placing the new one in and securing it properly.
Remove the lens tube from the machine by loosening the captive screws on the front of the lens assembly
and opening the door latch. Tighten the top captive screw to help keep it open.
Use the manual focus gauge to loosen the ridged ring at the top of the lens tube, turning it clockwise.
Disconnect the Air Assist tube from the lens assembly and remove the lens tube.
When replacing the tube, slide it into the assembly with the Air Assist valve on the right side of the
assembly. Connect the Air assist tube to the valve on the new lens tube. Tighten the ridged ring at the top
of the lens tube using the manual focus gauge, turning it counter-clockwise. Close the door latch at the
top of the assembly by loosening the top captive screw, allowing it to swing shut. Tighten the captive
screws to secure the door shut.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum
Make sure the exhaust blower you are using receives proper maintenance. Periodically clean the exhaust
blower and duct system to remove built-up debris. If you detect odor while engraving, or if the smoke
in the cabinet is visible in the area of the lens carriage, inspect the exhaust system. Check for loose or
broken pipe/hose connections, or obstructions. The following photos show where to clean the duct work
of your machine. You should also occasionally check your exhaust blower and the connected duct work.
Laser Tube
The laser tube used in your system does have a maximum service life, and there is very little maintenance
that is required. At some point in the life of the laser you will need to replace it for gas recharge, electrical
repair or mechanical repair. Replacing laser tubes is common practice and Epilog has made the process
of changing tubes extremely easy for users to perform with a minimum amount of effort. The laser tubes
can be refurbished and are available on an exchange basis by contacting Epilog technical support.
Ensure that all of the laser cooling fans are properly working at all times. The fans keep the laser tube
cool and prevent it from overheating. An overheated laser tube will produce erratic output and may fail
completely.
If the laser system is in a dirty or dusty environment, make sure that the cooling fins on the laser tube are
kept free of dust buildup. Use compressed air to blow the dust and debris off of the laser tube fins. Be
sure that the system is unplugged before performing any maintenance on the machine!
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Removing the Pedestal from the Fusion Pro 48
The Fusion Pro 48 is capable of fitting through a standard 36” door once its pedestal is removed. In some
cases, you may need to remove the pedestal from the Fusion Pro in order to place it in a desired location.
Note: Please read all of the steps below in full before beginning this task. You will need around
4-5 people to complete certain steps. Make sure all exhaust vents are removed from the back
of the machine and the machine is unplugged before you begin.
6. Position the machine in an open space on the floor. Place the foam pads from the shipping crate
on the floor behind the machine.
7. With the caster feet in the up position, roll the machine backwards so the caster wheels face the
front of the machine and the rubber feet are positioned toward the rear of the machine.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
8. Lower the rear wheel casters until the rubber pad contacts the floor and raises the wheel off of the
floor. This will be the pivot point when the machine is tilted onto its back..
9. Open the main door on the machine and remove any table platforms from the machine, such as
the Engraving Table, Vector Cutting Grid or Slat Table.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
10. Push the X-Axis Rail to the rear of the machine.
12. Remove both the left and right side panels using a 5/32” Allen wrench.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
13. Use a ratcheting strap and more of the internal foam from the crate to provide protection against
the door opening.
14. Position the hooks as close to the front corners of the opening for the side covers as possible. Use
washcloths or small towels to cushion that area if needed. Tighten the ratcheting strap as much as
possible.
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15. With at least 4 people, tilt the machine backwards using the caster rubber feet as a pivot point. Tilt
the machine all the way up until it is on its back.
16. Using an Allen key, remove the long screws around the perimeter of the underside of the pedestal.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
17. With two people, lift the pedestal up, then out of the keyhole hanger slots.
19. Once the Fusion Pro is in its desired location, reinstall the pedestal making sure not to over-tighten
the attachment screws. They should be tightened just enough to compress the lock washer.
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SECTION 10: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
20. Use strips of tape to position the caster wheels so that the wheels are pointing upward, and the
rubber feet are positioned down toward the back of the machine.
21. With at least 4 people, tilt the machine forward using the caster rubber feet as a pivot point, until
the machine is in its original upright orientation.
22. Once the machine is fully upright again, adjust the rear casters so that both rear wheels are back
on the ground. Remove the tape from the wheels.
23. Remove the ratcheting strap, any protective materials around the machine, as well as all tape
used to secure the door.
24. Place any table platforms back inside the machine and finish setting up your machine as
instructed in “SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED” on page 17.
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SECTION 11: UPGRADING FIRMWARE
How to Upgrade Your When you download the firmware it comes
as a compressed file in the following format:
X.X.X.X.zip. The X’s designate the actual version of
Firmware the firmware. Once downloaded, unzip the file by
right-clicking on the file and selecting “Unzip To”
Your laser system is capable of having its or “Extract To”.
operational firmware upgraded. The firmware
is the command software in your laser system You will need to pay attention to the folder it is
that controls how your laser system operates. extracted to:
A firmware upgrade reprograms your laser
system to take advantage of new capabilities Important! Keep track of the folder
or enhancements to the system. The steps for where you saved the extracted .swu
upgrading the Fusion Edge firmware are explained update file. You will need to access this
below. file again in the next step.
1. Download the new firmware to your When transferring the updated firmware file to
computer and unzip it. your laser you have two options:
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3. Plug the USB drive into the Fusion Edge and it 4. The machine will need to reboot to run in
will detect the drive as it powers on. The Update Mode. Turn the machine off and then
machine will ask if you would like to update. back on again.
Press “Yes”.
eth0:
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SECTION 11: UPGRADING FIRMWARE
Note: Canceling will prompt you to 8. Once the update has completed you will see
power cycle the machine to reboot “Success” on the screen. Click “Ok”.
into the current firmware version you
have loaded on the machine. Fusion Update v1.2
m4stopper.ko
Fusion Update v1.2 Update has succeeded!
OK
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SECTION 11: UPGRADING FIRMWARE
Ethernet Transfer 5. Put the .swu file in the upload box and this
will initiate the update. The update should
begin and may take up to 10 minutes,
1. With an Ethernet cable you may transfer the depending on the size of the update file.
firmware update file (.swu) directly from your Keep track of the time the update begins. A
computer to the machine. Please make sure dialog may pop up to notify you of the
the Ethernet cable is plugged in completely screen turning off for 5-10 minutes, if so, press
on both ends. “OK”.
Update in Progress
Fusion Update v1.2 Number of Steps
Current Step
m4stopper.ko
USB Update
Cancel
Update Network
eth0:
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SECTION 11: UPGRADING FIRMWARE
6. Once the update has completed you will see
“Success” on the screen. Press “Ok”.
Success
Number of Steps
Current Step
m4stopper.ko
OK
Power Cycle
Now
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
CO2 Laser Materials/Techniques
Your Epilog Laser system is very versatile. It can mark and cut many different materials. Following is
information regarding some of the materials the laser will mark and cut. Check the Epilog website (www.
epiloglaser.com) periodically for new laser applications, tips and techniques to use with your laser.
For specific information regarding materials not mentioned below, please contact your local
Epilog representative. See “Contacting Technical Support” on page 243.
3D Engraving
Earlier in the manual we discussed dot patterns and how those patterns are used to create raster images.
3D mode looks at the dots and the dot patterns in a very different way than basic raster engraving mode,
especially when using grayscale images.
In 3D mode, instead of looking at the dots and determining where to fire the laser based on the dot
spacing, we look at the dots and determine how much laser power (wattage) to apply to each dot. In
basic raster engraving mode, every dot is fired at the same laser output. In 3D mode we have the ability
to adjust the laser output for every dot.
An additional aspect of 3D mode is that, unlike basic mode, the laser fires continuously between most
dots – even if it is engraving from a 10% fill pattern to a 30% fill pattern. This is by design so there is a
gradual change in the depth of engraving when the artwork transitions from one shade of gray to
another. The only time that this is not true is when the artwork changes from 100% black to 100% white (or
visa versa). Because we adjust the way the laser fires in 3D mode we also have to adjust the artwork that
is used to create good 3D images, and this is where 3D engraving can get difficult.
Since we’re going to vary the laser power output for every dot, we want artwork that
will produce more than one level of gray. We want artwork that gradually blends
from one shade of gray to another. You need an object that looks something like
this circle to create a 3D image.
Engraving this circle in 3D mode will create a dome with center being the high point
(because it’s a light shade of gray) and the outside edge being deep (because it’s
a darker shade of gray).
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
This explanation describes the most basic functions of 3D engraving and some of the theory behind it.
What it doesn’t describe is the difficulty that most users will have in creating acceptable 3D artwork.
Creating a 3D image that will look good after engraving can be very difficult to achieve because most
software packages do not provide the necessary tools to take complex objects and blend them in more
than one direction from dark to light (or, visa versa).
In this sample, the black background would be This image would engrave deepest around the
engraved away. Using this technique, the leaf edges of the leaf and less deep in the body.
stands up away from the background, with the
edges of the leaf being the highest points and
the stems being engraved the deepest.
There are some 3D graphics software packages available that will create 3D images, but they generally
cost between $3,500 and $10,000 USD. Ask your Epilog representative if you would like more information
on these software packages.
Acrylic
Fire Warning: Your laser system uses a high-intensity beam of light that can generate
extremely high temperatures when it comes into contact with the material being engraved,
marked or cut. Some materials are extremely flammable and can easily ignite and burst
into open flame setting the machine afire. This open flame is very dangerous and has the
potential to destroy not only the machine, but the building in which it is housed.
Experience shows that vector cutting with the laser has the most potential to create an open flame.
Many materials are susceptible to igniting, but acrylic -in all its different forms - has been shown to be
especially flammable when cut with the laser.
For more information on fire hazards associated with lasers, please read the full “FIRE WARNING” on
page 1 of the manual.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
The second type of acrylic that you will use with your laser is formed into sheets by a machine and is
called extruded acrylic. It is formed through a higher-volume manufacturing technique, so it is typically
less expensive than cast, and it reacts very differently with the laser. Extruded acrylic will cut cleanly
and smoothly and will have a flame-polished edge when laser cut. But when it is engraved, instead of a
frosted look you will have a clear engraving.
• Most acrylic is engraved on the backside to produce a look-through effect from the front surface.
• Remove the protective adhesive paper from the back of the acrylic before engraving. Leave the
front protective cover layer on to prevent scratching while handling the acrylic. Since you are
engraving the backside of the acrylic, you will need to reverse or mirror your artwork before sending
the job to the laser.
• Engrave the acrylic at a high speed and low power. A small amount of power is all it takes to mark
acrylic and high-power levels tend to distort the acrylic when engraving.
• There are a large number of acrylic products that are painted on one side to add color. You can
engrave directly through the paint into the acrylic for a very nice presentation effect. Leave
the speed the same as if you are engraving clear acrylic, and increase the power about 10% to
get completely through the paint. Applying too much power to the paint will melt it and cause
distortion.
Acrylic is one of the most popular cutting materials available. It comes in a variety of colors and thickness.
Laser cutting produces very nice edge quality without the need for polishing or secondary clean up.
• Use the Vector Cutting Table to elevate the acrylic before cutting. Air Assist will greatly reduce
flaming when cutting acrylic and should always be used for this material. Information on accessing
the Vector Cutting Table is included in “Vector Cutting Table” on page 141.
• To find the perfect settings for cutting acrylic, you will need to experiment. Test different speed and
power settings by cutting a small shape from a scrap piece of acrylic you will not be using.
• Cutting acrylic is usually best achieved with relatively slow speed and high power. This combination
allows the laser beam to melt the edges of the acrylic and produce an almost flame-polished edge.
• Acrylics generally require only a single pass to cut, but thicker acrylics may need two passes. Some
users find that spritzing the protective adhesive paper with water produces a better edge when
laser cut.
• Setting the focus distance at the center of your acrylic sheet will produce better edge quality than
focusing on top of the acrylic sheet.
• Warning! Never leave your laser unattended when vector cutting any material! Acrylic is
very flammable. Read the full “FIRE WARNING” on page 1 of the manual.
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Anodized Aluminum
Anodized aluminum is a coated aluminum that comes in a variety of colors and can usually be easily
engraved with a CO2 laser.
• Black anodized aluminum is great to work with because it turns white when engraved and provides
the best contrast of all of the colors of anodized aluminum.
• Some colors of anodized – red for instance – will not turn completely white when laser engraved.
Red anodized will produce a light pink color. Performing a second pass can result in some
improvement, but usually a slight shadow of color will remain.
• Engrave anodized aluminum at high speeds and low powers for crisp, clean results. Too much
power applied to the anodized coating will distort the engraving and tends to over-burn the image.
• Warning! Metals are reflective. Using full power with them can potentially cause damage
to the machine.
Brass - Painted
Since the frequency of the CO2 laser is not compatible with bare metals, uncoated brass cannot be laser
engraved. For bare-metal marking you will want to use an Epilog FiberMark system. In order to engrave
brass with a CO2 laser you need to use brass that has some sort of coating – typically paint. The laser
removes the paint and exposes the brass substrate.
There are two basic types of engravable brass available, but they are not all compatible with the laser.
• By far, the most popular laser brass is actually brass-coated steel. First, a steel substrate is coated
with a thin layer of brass. Next, the brass is polished to a reflective finish and a coat of lacquer is
applied to the brass – Victory’s LaserBrite™ product has a lacquer finish. Finally, a paint coating is
applied on top of the lacquer for the finished product. When laser engraving brass-coated steel,
you are removing only the paint and exposing the polished brass coating that is protected by the
lacquer. The lacquer prevents the brass from oxidizing and the bright reflective surface will stay
bright for years.
• Some manufacturers also sell painted brass that is solid brass, not brass-coated steel. If the brass
is polished before the paint is applied you will have a bright, reflective engraved surface. If the
brass is not polished, the result will be a dull, tarnished brass that will require a secondary polishing
process after laser engraving. This is time consuming and most engravers do not want to spend the
time and effort necessary to turn this into an acceptable product.
• Note: Always ask before lasering painted brass if you don’t know the substrate! If you are unsure
if your piece is brass-coated steel or genuine brass, you can test the material with a magnet. A
magnet will stick readily to brass-coated steel, but since solid brass is not magnetic, a magnet will
not adhere to solid brass.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
Painted Brass Engraving Techniques
• Engrave painted brass with a high speed and low power setting. It takes very little power to remove
the paint coating and too much power will melt the paint and distort the image. If your mark on
brass is turning out “fat” or has a balloon appearance to it, you are probably using too much power.
Reducing the power will bring back the nice sharp images that are normally produced with painted
brass.
• Note: Use caution when trying to engrave brass coated pens. Many pens have a very hard epoxy
paint that is completely unacceptable for CO2 laser engraving. You should only use pens that you
have experimented with or that are specifically designed for CO2 laser engraving. Be aware that
there are many pens that can be laser engraved with a fiber laser but these pens are usually not
compatible with the CO2 laser that you are using.
• Some paints are “almost” CO2 laser engraveable. If you engrave through the paint and there is a
slight shadow remaining, try to clean the engraved area with alcohol or lacquer thinner. Depending
on the paint, there is a good chance that the shadow will disappear and an excellent engraving
result achieved.
• Use caution when trying to engrave blue painted brass. Blue paints contain very aggressive
pigments that penetrate the metal surface and it can be extremely difficult to remove all of the
blue color, but again, try alcohol or lacquer thinner to remove the shadow.
Glass
When a laser strikes glass it fractures the surface, but it will not engrave deeply or remove material.
The fracturing of the glass surface will produce a frosted appearance but can cause roughness and
chipping depending on the type of glass being engraved. While the frosted appearance is desired, the
roughness and chipping are not. Below we explain how to eliminate the roughness and produce a very
smooth frosted finish.
The composition and quality of glass varies widely and you cannot always predict the effect that you
will achieve. It is always best to experiment with an unfamiliar glass source. Generally speaking, flat
glass tends to have a very consistent hardness throughout, and the engraved areas do not tend to have
lighter and darker areas. Bottles on the other hand, tend to have soft and hard spots that will cause the
engraved area to appear lightly frosted in one area and heavily frosted in another. Engraving at medium
speed and high power will somewhat compensate for this, as will two or more engraving passes.
While the laser beam itself is very hot, the heat does not build up easily and it should not prevent you
from engraving onto full bottles of wine, champagne or other filled glass bottles. Laser engraving filled
bottles is a very popular method of creating custom presentations for special occasions. The laser will
not damage the liquid inside the bottle, and as long as you are not completely engraving away a large
section of bottle you have very little chance of breaking the bottle.
• 300 DPI: Using a lower resolution, around 300 DPI, produces a better result on glass as you separate
the dots you are engraving.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
• 80% Grayscale: Change the black in your graphic to 80% black to improve the engraving quality.
• Jarvis Dithering: Running with a Jarvis dithering pattern in the driver (you’ll find this under the raster
speed and power settings) will also help provide a smoother finish.
• Masking: Some people find that applying a thin, wet sheet of newspaper or paper towel a little
larger than the engraving area also helps with heat dissipation and improves the engraving. Just
be sure that there are no wrinkles in the paper after it is applied.
• Dish Soap: Using your finger or a paper towel, apply a thin coat of liquid dish soap – any kind will do
– over the area to be engraved. This will dissipate the heat when engraving.
• Polish: If there are small shards of glass, you can polish the area with a ScotchBrite pad or
something similar.
Note: You need to be especially careful when laser engraving leaded crystal. The lead in the crystal
expands at a different rate than the crystal does and this can cause cracking and breakage of the
crystal. Using a lower power setting can help this problem, but we always recommend having a spare in
case of breakage.
Combining the best of both processes, you can use your laser to engrave the artwork then use
sandblasting to provide a deep etch into glass. Using the laser to create the artwork mask is an ideal
process for one-of-a-kind custom pieces as well as large production runs. This eliminates the photo
process usually associated with sandblast mask.
1. Apply an adhesive-backed mask material to the glass that you are going to engrave.
3. Remove the glass from the engraver and sandblast to the desired depth.
4. You now have a sandblasted glass presentation with the detail of laser engraving!
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
The male image should be produced without the use of outlines around the text or graphics. Add a .007
to .010 inch (0.178 mm to 0.254 mm) outline to the text and graphics of the female die. This outline creates
a large enough void between the male and female dies to emboss paper without tearing.
Apply a .001 outline around the seal to define the outside edge of the seal. Use the Combined Mode to
first raster engrave the seal and then vector cut out the seal.
Plastic Engraving/Cutting
There are two types of available engraving plastics: rotary plastics and laserable plastics. Rotary
plastics are designed for rotary engraving systems that use a mechanical spinning bit to remove
material. Therefore, the depth of the top layer or “cap sheet” was designed to make it easy to rotary
engrave. Cap sheet thickness was approximately .010 inches (0.254 mm) thick and laser engraving was
nearly impossible because by the time you applied enough power to get through the cap sheet the laser
melted and deformed the plastic.
Laserable plastics have been developed with a thinner cap sheet that is .002” to .003” (0.051 mm to 0.076
mm) thick, providing much better engraving and cutting characteristics. These plastics are commonly
referred to as micro laminates; micro-surfaced, or simply laser engraveable plastics. These plastics are
generally very easy to engrave with a laser since they all have similar characteristics.
Because there is such a broad range of plastics it is necessary to experiment to determine if a particular
type of plastic is laser compatible. Different color plastics, even if they are from the same manufacturer,
will have unique speed and power settings. Use the guidelines in this manual as a starting point when
determining the correct speed and power settings. If you do not get acceptable initial results with the
recommended speed and power settings, start experimenting by first changing only the power setting.
If adjusting the power setting does not work, start over and adjust only the speed setting. Once you have
acceptable results, record those settings for that particular plastic so that you do not have to repeat the
experimentation process.
• Once you have the correct speed and power settings you can improve your engraving results even
more by taking the focus lens out of focus (lower the table) by about 1/16 (1.5 mm) of an inch. This
technique enlarges the focus beam a little bit and provides more beam overlap on each pass of
the laser. The greater overlap produces a smoother engraved surface on the plastic and eliminates
the grooves that you sometimes see when engraving plastic.
• With some plastics it is best to engrave using two passes. The first pass cuts through the cap layer
and the second pass cleans away the residue that some plastics leave behind.
• Another technique that can be useful is to mask the plastic before engraving with transfer or
masking tape. This will prevent a buildup of residue on the plastic surface. Misting the transfer tape
with water will reduce heat buildup and melting on sensitive plastics.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
Plastic Vector Cutting Techniques
• Use a Vector Cutting Table to elevate the plastic before cutting. Air Assist will greatly reduce flaming
when cutting plastic.
• Vectoring plastics is similar to vectoring other materials. First, experiment to determine if the plastic
can be cut with the laser. Plastics that are up to 1/16 inch thick can usually be cut in a single pass.
Thicker plastics may need two passes.
• As with engraving, it is sometimes necessary to mask and dampen the plastic before cutting. Even
masking and wetting both front and backsides of the plastic is desirable on sensitive plastics that
have very low melting points.
• WARNING! Never leave your laser unattended when vector cutting plastics! Plastic can
be very flammable. Read the full “FIRE WARNING” on page 1 of the manual.
• WARNING! Do not engrave PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). PVC will destroy the optics and
mechanics of your Epilog system. Cutting or engraving PVC will void your warranty.
The only way to find out if there is PVC in your plastic is to the check the
manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
Rubber Stamps
The Dashboard includes settings for producing rubber stamps. Unique stamp attributes – shoulders,
widening and more – are controlled in the Advanced tab of the Dashboard after setting the engrave
type to “Stamp”.
Set up your artwork in Corel so that your computer image looks like the image that you want to stamp.
Areas to be stamped (the raised areas on the stamp) should be black, with the area to be removed white.
You will need to mirror your graphic in your graphic software.
The artwork for a stamp file needs to be set up so that the background of the image will be engraved
away and the words and letters remain standing. The two ways of setting up a stamp file are determined
by the method you use to define the area that is to be engraved away.
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Outside Vector Method: This techniques is by far the most
preferred method of defining the area to be engraved away.
This technique uses a closed outline to define the area to be
engraved away. This image shows the stair-step outline of a
Fence enclosing the logo to be stamped. The laser will
engrave away only the background area outlined by the
Fence, leaving the logo standing.
Cutting Out the Stamp: If you are using the Outside Vector
Method, any shape inside of the outer-most path will be cut
as long as it has a line weight of 0.003” (0.075 mm) or less. Also,
any shape that isn’t closed, and therefore cannot be part of the fence, will also be cut if it is a vector
process. If you are using the Bounding Box Method, all paths in the vector process will be cut.
Creating a Perforated Cut: To create a perforated cut around the stamp that will allow the stamp to be
pulled away from the rubber, in the print driver set the vector frequency to 1 or 2. This keeps the stamp
attached to the rubber sheet and makes cleaning easy while allowing the user to easily remove the
stamp from the sheet.
This can also be done by creating dashed and dotted lines in CorelDRAW or most other
artwork applications.
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Examples of stamp layouts using Fence Method:
Example 1: Single stamp (will not be cut out): Example 2: Single circular stamp to be cut out:
Fence Line
0.001” (.025mm)
Fence Line
0.001” (.025mm)
Cut Line
0.001” (.025mm)
One fence to
surround all
stamps.
Example 4: The file contains multiple fence lines that will be cut out.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
Sending a Stamp File to the Laser
Once you have successfully setup your stamp artwork, you are ready to print your design. In the Dashboard
go to the Advanced tab. Under “Engrave Type” select “Stamp”.
Shoulder Settings
Widening Settings
Fence
The Fence setting lets you choose between “Outside Vector” and “Bounding Area”. Outside vector is used
when the artwork already has a vector line surrounding it. Bounding Area creates a fence that is a box
around the artwork, and will be in the shape of the artwork.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
Fence Margins
The Fence Margins setting allows you to decide how wide of a margin you want between the fence and
the artwork.
Wood
Solid Wood
Wood is by far the most laser friendly material available because it can be engraved or cut very easily.
When engraved, lighter colored woods like Cherry or Maple produce very nice contrast where the laser
burns away the wood. This high visual contrast is what makes lighter woods so popular when combined
with a laser. There are many types of other wood products that are designed for use with the laser and
many more that are waiting to be discovered by you.
Every type of wood has its own characteristics. Some wood is denser than other wood, with the denser,
harder woods requiring more laser power to cut or engrave. Epilog recommends that when working
with wood other than the ones listed in this section that you investigate the engraving and cutting
characteristics before committing to use. There are woodworking shops in nearly every large city that
will have a wealth of information on nearly all woods. If you have access to the Internet, search on wood
to see what you find.
• The most common woods used with the laser are Cherry, Walnut, Maple, Alder, & Oak. These woods
are considered hard woods, and have grains that work well with lasers.
• Grain can vary greatly in density. Cherry, Alder, Walnut & Maple all have fairly little veins of grain
in them, while Oak has medium to large veins in it. For example: If a large box was engraved
into a piece of Cherry and a piece of Oak, the box engraved into the Cherry would have a very
uniform appearance, the area engraved or the background would be smooth with little variation
in height. The Oak on the other hand would vary greatly in height and have a very non-uniformed
appearance.
• Cherry and alder are the most popular woods for engraving. The light, red color of these two woods
provides an excellent contrast when engraved.
• Engraving bare wood: When engraving bare wood, the smoke and debris produced while engraving
can become embedded into the grain of the wood. To reduce this effect, always engrave with the
Bottom-Top setting in the driver.
• Engraving stained wood: A stained wood is preferable for engraving because excess smoke and
debris can be wiped off the surface of the wood after engraving with water.
When choosing a manufactured wood product for engraving and cutting, we have found MDF to be
vastly superior to plywood when working with a CO2 laser. Since plywood is constructed of layers of
wood glued together and the grain of the wood chips in the plywood run in different directions, it is
difficult to obtain a consistent depth when engraving. Air bubbles within the plywood cause problems
because they severely disrupt the laser beam when cutting. Because of the glue, air bubbles and other
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factors it is virtually impossible to cut cleanly through plywood.
MDF is an engineered wood product with glued together wood fibers. Since there are not layers of wood
glued together, like in the plywood, the engraving and cutting is much better. You will produce some
charring on the edge of MDF when cut, so you may need to sand the edges after cutting.
• To create a quality image on wood, contrast and depth are usually desired. The higher the power
levels, the higher the contrast and depth will be.
• Speed and Power Settings: Wood is a great material to laser engrave because it discolors when
engraved and the depth of engraving is greater than most materials. The downside is that it takes a
lot of power to deeply engrave wood at high speeds. Most wood can be engraved using full power
no matter whether you are using a 30-watt laser or a 120-watt laser. Depending on the wattage of
your laser, the best approach is to set the laser power at 100% and adjust the speed to obtain the
desired depth.
• Resolution Settings: Wood is a very easy material to work with and you can produce very nice
detail with as little as 300 DPI engraving. 600 DPI engraving into wood produces fabulous results,
especially on photos.
• Gray Scales: Gray scales look wonderful when engraved into wood. The reason for this is that
the wood will react much differently to each level of gray scale, providing amazing contrast.
Experiment! Take a piece of clipart and ungroup it and change the colors so that they range from a
dark color like red, to a light color like yellow, then engrave it. This will create a shading effect that is
almost 3-D in its appearance.
Epilog Laser Systems are ideal for cutting through solid wood material. The thickness of the wood that
you can cut varies with the wattage of the laser and the hardness of the wood, but in general you can
cut approximately ¼ inch (6.35 mm) wood with a 30-watt laser and up to ½ inch (12.7 mm) wood with a 120
watt laser.
• When cutting wood of any thickness, Epilog recommends the use of the Vector Cutting Table and Air
Assist options. The Vector Cutting Table raises the wood off of the solid metal engraving table and
supports the wood on an aluminum grid. The grid greatly reduces backside burning of the wood
and also provides ventilation that allows the fumes and smoke to be exhausted to the rear of the
engraving cabinet. Information regarding accessing the Vector Cutting Table is located in “Vector
Cutting Table” on page 141.
• Air assist greatly reduces flaming that may occur if too much laser power is applied to the wood
piece being cut.
• Depending on the type of wood being vector cut, it is sometimes advantageous to apply a cover
of masking or transfer tape to the surface before cutting. The masking tape will reduce residue
buildup on the top surface of the wood surrounding the cut line.
• Reduce the frequency settings in the driver to around 20 for a better laser cut edge. The laser will
pulse less frequency, reducing the charring and burning on the side of the wood.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
• If you are cutting through thicker materials, focus the table up so that the new 2” focal distance will
be to the center of the wood.
Warning: Wood is a combustible material. Never leave your laser unattended while vector cutting any
material. Air assist greatly reduces flaming that may occur if too much laser power is applied to the
wood piece being cut. Read the full “FIRE WARNING” on page 1 of the manual.
When laser engraving or cutting wood, resin in the wood comes to the surface, mixes with the smoke and
is deposited as a residue. If the wood has a coating of polyurethane or lacquer the coating protects the
surface of the wood from the resin/smoke damage. You can remove the resin from coated materials with
a wet chamois or a sponge with a web cover. Some people like to use 409, Windex or other mild cleaning
product, but water works well and is usually the most readily available wetting agent. The chamois that
Epilog recommends has a sponge in the middle of it, and is available in the automotive car wash section
of many Target stores or many automotive supply shops.
• If the wood is not coated with polyurethane, the resin and smoke will stain the surface and you will
need to sand the surface to remove the resin.
• Never use a paper towel to clean the wood surface. The paper towel will shred and it is impossible
to get the shredded fibers out of the engraved recesses of the wood. Most wood products that are
designed for laser engraving will have a polyurethane coating so that they are very easy to clean.
Color filling engraved areas of wood adds either greater contrast or a splash of color to your wood
presentation. Normally, color filling is not required for lighter colored wood materials such as maple
or cherry, but walnut can often benefit from adding a black color fill to provide more contrast. You will
need to take some precautions when color filling wood, because if you are not careful, the liquid color
fill material will absorb into the grain of the wood on the surface of the plaque where it is not wanted.
1. Apply a thin coat of Johnson’s Paste Wax to the surface of the wood before you engrave it.
2. Engrave through the paste wax into the wood. Do not wipe off excess paste or residue after
engraving.
3. Fill the engraved voids with Turtlewax “Color Core” black liquid car polish. The car polish will absorb
into the engraved wood grain, but will not absorb into the wood grain that is covered with paste
wax.
4. Wrap a paper towel around a block of material that has a flat surface. Rub the flat surfaced
paper towel over the surface of the wood to clean off the excess car polish and paste wax. The flat
surface prevents the paper towel from getting into the engraved recesses.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
Fiber Laser Materials/Techniques
The fiber laser can etch and mark a wide variety of metals and plastics. Below are a few techniques for
creating different marks including annealing, polishing and etching into metals, as well as information
on plastic marking with the fiber laser.
Metal Annealing
Annealing can be done on most metals that contain high levels of carbon and metal oxides. These are
generally, but not limited to, steel alloys, iron, titanium, cobalt, molybdenum, and chrome-plated iron/
steel. To anneal, you must use a slow rate of speed to heat and change the surface color of the material,
but a higher wattage fiber laser will help reduce the cycle times.
To change the surface color without penetrating the metal, the laser beam’s focal point is crucial in
achieving a dark mark. An annealed mark is accomplished with the focal point up (closer to) .070” to
.110” (1.778 to 2.794 mm) or down (further away) -.060” to -.090” (-1.524 to -2.286 mm) from zero. Adjusting the
speed, focus and frequency setting will vary the contrast of mark generally resulting in shades of blue,
purple and black.
The frequency is the amount of laser power per pulse. The lower the frequency, the more burst of power
is being applied. Because we’re intentionally applying a broader beam of laser light to achieve an
annealed mark, frequency is almost always set in the lower 1-5% range.
For best results, print at 600 DPI. 1200 DPI should be considered for metals that are more difficult to
anneal, if there is inconsistent color change at the recommended settings, or when cycle times aren’t a
concern. The extra overlapping of pixels offered at 1200 DPI will assure a deeper, darker mark.
Metal Etching
Deep metal engraving is a common application for the fiber laser. Using a slow speed setting doesn’t
necessarily equate to depth. Longer laser dwell time typically results in more eruption of metal, leaving
a raised mark instead of deep penetration.
We find for the best deep metal etching, moderate speed settings (20-30%) and more passes slowly
chip away at the metal for a better mark. Deep metal engraving requires maximum wattage. For these
applications, a 30 or 50-watt fiber laser is recommended.
Frequency is generally set between the 1-5% range. A lower frequency range provides more bursts of
laser power per pulse and is crucial to ablating the metal. We’ve found that focusing “into” the metal by
.010” to .030” (.254 to .762 mm) helps in the removal of metal. No technical data is available on whether
refocusing after each pass is helpful or not. To better assist in removing metal cleanly, higher resolution
(1200 DPI) with more overlap of laser pulses tends to provide a cleaner, more defined etch.
Deep engraving will require multiple passes, which can be easily accomplished by changing the number
of copies in the print dialogue box for CorelDRAW. As with all materials including metals, the hardness
or grade will ultimately determine what settings and how many passes are needed to achieve a certain
depth. Use the guidelines above as starting points and experiment for best results.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
Metal Polishing
Polishing of metals is accomplished by quickly heating up the metal’s surface, changing its color, resulting
in a mirror-like finish. Polishing can be done on just about any metal including, but not limited to, raw
alloys, heat-treated metals, plated metals and precious metals.
For a high-contrast mark, polishing is best done on darker, matte finish metals. Cleaning the surface
prior to processing is recommended as oils, grease and other chemicals can affect the consistency and
finish of the final marks. Dialing in the settings for a polished mark is the most difficult of the three most
popular metal marking techniques. Speed, power and frequency play the biggest role.
• Frequency is also set on the higher side, typically around the 50-100% range. A higher frequency
setting equates to less power per laser pulse. Too strong of a laser pulse and the laser beam starts
penetrating the metal instead of polishing, resulting in a dull or browning effect.
Focus should be set at zero. Printing resolution is in the range of 300 to 600 DPI but is mostly done at 400
or 600.
Start by determining your base speed, frequency and resolution setting. From there, select a power
setting and start fine tuning by adjusting the power in 1% increments or decrements.
Plastic Marking
The term “plastics” is commonly used to describe various grades and types of polymers. To keep things
simple, we’ll refer to all polymers as plastic. There are many plastics that are compatible with the fiber
laser’s 1062 nm wavelength of light. We refer to these as “engineered plastics” because many were
designed to be laser-etched at some point during the manufacturing life cycle. These plastics are doped
with an additive that results in a contrasting mark when the 1062nm wavelength of light is applied.
There are many other plastics that work just as well as the engineered ones. It’s amazing how many
different plastics we receive for applications testing, most of the time their trade name and chemical
composition aren’t disclosed or are unknown. The guidelines below will help in your quest to provide the
best possible mark.
Most plastics that tend to work on the FiberMark are those that are mold-injected and are physically
hard. Industries where injection molded parts are common include automotive, aerospace, medical
device and general manufacturing, to name a few.
Some of the more common compatible plastics include PET, ABS, polycarbonate and colored delrin.
Some that are more difficult to mark using this wavelength of light include polyethylene, polypropylene
and nylon.
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SECTION 12: ENGRAVING MATERIALS
• Medium to high frequency (50-100%) is helpful for processing plastics as it provides a steadier
stream of laser power per pulse. Using a low frequency would result in inconsistent contrast and
possibly cause foaming of the surface.
• Focus is generally left at zero. Adjusting the focus up or down in .010” (0.254 mm) increments can
provide slightly better contrast but instead, consider adjusting the speed / power / frequency for
the same effect.
Most plastics are processed at 600 DPI for high contrast and detail. Cycle times are generally fast, so
dropping the resolution would only affect print quality. Increasing resolution may prove helpful only on
those plastics that are difficult to mark. The majority of compatible plastics will provide a high-contrasting
mark using the above settings. Darker plastics will turn white or varying shades of gray. Lighter plastics
will turn dark gray to black. Fine tune the mark by increasing/decreasing power or frequency. Speed and
focus can be left alone.
Incompatible plastics will either be transparent to the 1062 nm wavelength of light or will require the use
of metal marking settings (low to medium speed, high power, and low frequency). The final mark for these
plastics isn’t as appealing, consistent or contrasting as their compatible counterparts.
Pigmentation of plastic can also dictate what settings are needed to produce a nice mark. The core
polymer may be compatible, but due to chemicals used to add color, some colors may mark better than
others. Having to adjust the printing parameters for different colors of the same compatible plastic is
not uncommon.
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SECTION 13: SPECIFICATIONS
Fusion Pro 24 Laser Technical Specifications
Fusion Pro 24 (CO2) Fusion Pro 24 (Fiber)
Maximum 24” x 24” (610 x 610 mm)
Engraving Area
Max Material 9” (228 mm) (2” lens) 11.25” (286 mm) (3” lens)
Thickness Dual Source 9” (228 mm) (3” lens)
Max Table Weight Static table weight: 40 lbs (18.1 kg)
Lifting table weight: 25 lbs (11.4 kg)
Laser Source 60, or 80 watt, CO2, air-cooled, 10.6 mi- 30 or 50 watt, Fiber
Wattages crometers Laser. Air cooled, includes
collimator. 1064 nm. Beam
Dual Source - CO2 60 watt with Fiber 30 quality: M2 < 1.1.
watt
Standard Radiance High Definition Optics (CO2), Air Assist, Red Dot Pointer, relocatable Home Position,
Features LED lighting, integrated floor stand, brushless servo motors, Super-Silent Cooling Fans, Joy-
stick controls, removable exhaust plenum.
Intelligent Multiple files up to 1 GB. Rolling buffer allows files of any size.
Memory Buffer
Operating Modes Optimized Raster, Vector and Combined modes.
Motion Control High-speed, continuous-loop, brushless DC servo motors using rotary encoding technology
System for precise positioning.
X-axis Bearings Ground and polished, stainless steel, Teflon coated, self-lubricating bearings. Dual blocks on
X-axis for greater rigidity
Belts Advanced B-style Kevlar belts (X-axis) and steel cord (y-axis).
Resolution Fully-flexible and user-controlled from 75 to 1200 DPI.
Speed and Computer-controlled in .001 increments up to 100%. Color mapping feature links Speed,
Power Control Power, Frequency, Raster/Vector mode, Air Assist, On/Off settings to any RGB color.
(engraving depth)
Print Interface 10Base-T Ethernet, or USB. Compatible with Windows 7/8/10.
Standard Radiance High Definition Optics (CO2), Air Assist, Red Dot Pointer, relocatable Home Position,
Features LED lighting, integrated floor stand, brushless servo motors, Super-Silent Cooling Fans, Joystick
controls, removable exhaust plenum.
Standard Radiance High Definition Optics (CO2), Air Assist, Red Dot Pointer, relocatable Home Position,
Features LED lighting, integrated floor stand, brushless servo motors, Super-Silent Cooling Fans, Joystick
controls, removable exhaust plenum.
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SECTION 13: SPECIFICATIONS
Fusion Maker 12 Laser Technical Specifications
Fusion Maker 12 (CO2)
Maximum 24” x 12” (610 x 305 mm)
Engraving Area
Max Material 7” (178 mm)
Thickness
Max Table Static table weight: 40 lbs (18.1 kg)
Weight Lifting table weight: 25 lbs (11.4 kg)
Laser Source 30 or 40 watt, CO2, air-cooled, metal/ceramic tube, 10.6 micrometers.
Wattages
Standard Radiance High Definition Optics (CO2), Air Assist, Red Dot Pointer, relocatable Home Position, LED
Features lighting, integrated floor stand, High-Speed Stepper Motors, Super-Silent Cooling Fans, Joystick
controls, removable exhaust plenum.
Intelligent Multiple files up to 1GB. Engrave any file size.
Memory Buffer
Operating Optimized Raster, Vector & Combined modes.
Modes
Motion Control High-speed, continuous-loop, stepper motors using rotary encoding technology for precise
System positioning.
X-axis Bearings Ground & polished stainless steel, Teflon-coated, self-lubricating bearings.
Belts Advanced B-style double-wide Kevlar precision drive belts.
Resolution Fully-flexible and user-controlled from 75 to 1200 DPI.
Speed and 60 ips (1.5m/sec) with 3.5G acceleration. Computer-controlled in .001 increments up to 100%. Color
Power Control mapping feature links Speed, Power, Frequency, and Raster/Vector mode.
(engraving
depth)
Print Interface USB, Wireless, & 1000Base-T Ethernet connections. Windows 7/8/10 compatible.
Recommended PC
For Optimum Computer Performance
Investing in a new computer is a great way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your new laser
equipment. Why? Because today’s software (CorelDraw for instance) requires a lot of computer processing
speed and memory to function properly. A good computer won’t make a big difference in how your
laser runs, but when compared to a slow computer it will save untold amounts of time and frustration
setting up the artwork that you “print” to the laser. Many users do not purchase new computers for use
with their new laser because their current computers are perfectly adequate. There’s no magical cut-off
that makes a computer too slow. If you’re comfortable with the performance and speed of your current
computer, there’s probably no reason to purchase another one. The following recommendations are just
advice to consider if a new computer is necessary.
A new computer doesn’t have to be expensive to work great. The minimum requirements are included in
just about any new laptop or desktop that can be purchased.
Operating System
Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 will work with the Fusion Pro and the Epilog Software Suite.
Operating system should have all system updates before installation of the Epilog Software Suite.
Processor Speed
A faster processor will allow you to do more tasks in less time. While it’s not necessary to purchase the
fastest processor available, you’ll want adequate speed to operate your graphics program. Processor
speeds are always improving, but processor speeds of about 3.0 GHz or faster are a good place to start.
Graphics Card
Your computer’s graphics card will need to support OpenGL 3.0 (or higher) or OpenGL 2.0ES (or higher) to
operate the Epilog Software Suite. For example, an Intel HD 2000 or greater, nVidia GeForce 8000 series or
greater, or an AMD/ATI Radeon HD2000 series or greater will be sufficient.
Hard Drive
This is the permanent memory in your computer. Many users feel that you can never have a large enough
hard drive. Luckily, most computer manufacturers put high capacity drives in new computers these days.
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SECTION 13: SPECIFICATIONS
When in doubt, buy bigger than you think you might need. It’s so in-expensive that it’s worth the peace
of mind to have it available.
Software
Many users use Corel as their graphics software. Many other Windows software applications can also
be used, although all software is different and may not be predictable, user friendly or functional.
Additionally, the technical support staff at Epilog may be less familiar with software other than Corel
and less able to help with questions. Consult with your Epilog distributor on software compatibility issues.
Epilog does not guarantee compatibility with any software.
PhotoLaser Plus is a third-party software for converting photos to laser compatible format. This is an
indispensable option for engraving photos. For more information see “PhotoLaser Plus Photograph
Transformation” on page 182.
The CO2 laser beam itself is invisible and operates at a wavelength of 10.6 microns. The beam is about
half the diameter of a #2 pencil. Unfocused, it will just make an ugly burn, leaving lots of charred material
behind. The focus lens gives the beam an hourglass shape. At the center point the energy density is
concentrated, allowing the very precise and clean material removal that is characteristic of laser
engraving. The center of the hourglass is the focal point.
The laser beam path is completely enclosed within the cabinet. Please do not disassemble or modify any
of the covers or windows on the machine. If at any time you notice that the laser operates with a door or
window open, please contact Epilog technical support immediately.
The laser has two basic operating methods. For cutting (vector), the laser is driven along a path and the
laser is left on all the time. The path could be the outline of a letter or a geometric shape like a circle.
The laser will cut entirely through the material, separating the part from the background. For marking
(engraving), the laser is swept across the work from left to right, and the laser is turned on and off at
the correct points to produce the first line of the image. Then the carriage advances one line and the
process is repeated, eventually assembling a full image.
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SECTION 13: SPECIFICATIONS
About the Fiber Laser Source
The fiber laser source generates a laser beam by pumping intense diode light into the end of fiber optic
cables that have been doped with ytterbium. The energy from the diode light is absorbed by the ytterbium
in the fiber optic cables. The ytterbium then releases the energy in the form of photons that travel down
the optic cables. The photons that leave the optic cables create the laser beam. The wavelength of light
generated from a fiber laser is 1062 nm.
The fiber laser source generates laser light by pumping intense diode light into fiber optics cables that
are doped with the rare-earth element, ytterbium (Yb3+), which is referred to as the medium or gain
medium. As this diode light energy travels into the fiber optic cable, it energizes the electrons in the
ytterbium and the ytterbium electrons go from a ground or stable state, to an excited state.
Essentially, all that is happening in this first step is that the electrons in the medium are absorbing and
storing the energy that’s coming from the external energy source (diodes). For reference, the CO2 medium
is the CO2 gas in the tube, and the external energy source is RF electrical current. In the fiber laser (and
also most YAG lasers these days and YVO lasers) the external energy source is a laser diode.
The electrons in the medium don’t really want to store the external energy they’ve absorbed, so they emit
the extra energy by releasing a photon (a quantum packet of light). Once a photon has been emitted by
one electron in the medium it stimulates other excited electrons to also emit photons, creating a chain
reaction where the absorption and emission of energy is at a constant rate. The photons travel through
the optic fibers and some are released through the end of the fibers as the laser beam.
By continually pumping energy into a medium, that medium tries to shed the excess energy by emitting
photons. The type of medium is important because different mediums absorb different types of energy
(for instance, a CO2 gas medium is not going to absorb the energy from a diode in a way that will make
the CO2 gas lase). Different mediums also emit different wavelengths of photons, and hence, the different
properties of different wavelength lasers.
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SECTION 14: TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Contacting Technical Support
The technical support department at Epilog is available to assist with solving problems you may
encounter using your Epilog. Please review first the common problems and solutions as noted below,
then if you are still in need of assistance you may contact Epilog’s technical support department at the
number or website listed below. Technical support is available in Golden, Colorado USA during the hours
of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mountain Time.
3. Clean your machine (especially the optics), this will solve many issues.
The machine serial number can be found on the Certification/Identification Label. This engraved plate is
located on the back of the machine’s cabinet. The ID label shown is for the Model 16000 product.
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SECTION 14: TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Frequently Asked Questions
2. Verify that the lines that you want to vector are set to .003” (0.077 mm) or less in CorelDraw, or .001”
(0.025 mm) or less in Adobe Illustrator. You may also separate the desired Vector line and set it to a
Vector process in the Dashboard.
3. Make sure the images are vector lines. Scanned and raster images will not vector.
1. All mirrors and lenses need to be cleaned and inspected for damage.
3. Verify correct Speed, Power and Frequency settings for the type of material that you are engraving.
1. Move the blower closer to the machine. The closer the two are, the better exhaust you will receive.
2. Clean your exhaust system on a regular basis, including the engraver and blower. Use a bottle-
brush and a vacuum on the areas where the exhaust buildup accumulates.
1. If you feel you are not getting quality you once were, this is probably a maintenance issue.
3. If you are experiencing a double image problem or other quality issue, it is best to run a sample
and send a photo to: tech@epiloglaser.com.
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SECTION 14: TECHNICAL SUPPORT
The Laser Won’t Turn On
Make sure the Emergency Stop Button on the top of the machine is not pressed in.
• Clean your system: Debris in the laser and on the mechanics of the system can reduce the life of
parts in your system. Wipe down your system on a regular schedule to keep the mechanics clean
and long lasting.
• Clean the lenses: Lens life is greatly increased by keeping them clean and free of debris. Get in the
habit of wiping them off on a regular schedule to keep them clean and well maintained.
• Reduce speed when running very small items: When you run at 100% speed on a graphic with a very
short stroke, the lens assembly comes up to speed and slows down extremely quickly, which can
place wear on the mechanics of the laser. Slow down to 80 - 90% speed and increase the lifetime of
your laser system.
• Lower the Resolution: How important is the highest resolution image? Processing jobs at 400 DPI vs.
600 DPI can reduce cycle times by up to 30%, and processing at 300 DPI could mean half the cycle
time.
• Reduce White Space: Orientate the parts to minimize engraving dead space (area where head
travels, but has nothing to engrave).
• Horizontal Layout: If an option, horizontal text will engrave faster than vertical or curved (fit text to
curve) text. For more information, see “Landscape or Portrait” on page 119.
• Split by Color: Use the Split by Color feature to save time by adjusti` 1111111111111ng the order
in which the objects engrave/mark. For more information, see “Split by Color (Color Mapping)” on
page 76.
• Run Multiples: If you need to engrave multiples of the same image. You’ll find you have a time
savings per piece.
If these do not correct your issue or your issue is not listed, please contact the Technical Support Team
at +1 303‑215-9171 or tech@epiloglaser.com.
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SECTION 14: TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Join Epilog Laser’s Online Community
Find out the latest Epilog news, keep in touch with our customers, and stay connected through our social
media channels!
Twitter: www.twitter.com/EpilogLaser
Instagram: www.instagram.com/epiloglaser/
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/epiloglaser/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/epilog
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SECTION 15: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS
Industry Material Supplier List
The following list contains supplier information for materials typically used with your Epilog Laser.
Additional suppliers and links can be found on our website at https://www.epiloglaser.com/resources/
industry-links.htm
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SECTION 15: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS
LASER ENGRAVEABLE MEDALS (ENGRAVEABLE) METAL MARKING
PRODUCTS COMPOUNDS
Catania
Branded Logistics Avon Lake, OH CerMark Sales
Fort Collins, CO 800-633-2586 Multiple Shipping Locations
970-510-6000 www.cataniainc.com 866-241-9881
www.branded-logistics.com cermarksales.com
JDS
GS2 Awards Sioux Falls, SD EnduraMark
Boulder, CO 800-843-8853 Austin, TX
303-747-3869 www.jdsindustries.com 512-236-6424
www.gs2awards.com enduramark.com
METAL (ENGRAVEABLE)
Johnson Plastics Plus Ferro ($500 minimum order)
Minneapolis, MN AlumaMark Mayfield Heights, OH
800-869-7800 Cleveland, OH 800-245-4951
www.johnsonplastics.com 800-482-7758 www.ferro.com
www.alumamark.com
LaserGifts JDS
Prescott, AZ Identification Plates, Inc. Sioux Falls, SD
888-674-6612 Mesquite, TX 800-843-8853
www.lasergifts.com 800-395-2570 www.jdsindustries.com
www.idplates.com
LEATHER (AND LASERABLE Johnson Plastics Plus
FAUX) Inland Products Minneapolis, MN
Riverside, CA 800-869-7800
JDS 800-481-5500 www.johnsonplastics.com
Sioux Falls, SD www.inlandproducts.com
800-843-8853 LaserBond
www.jdsindustries.com JDS Los Angeles, CA
Sioux Falls, SD 844-577-7772
Tandy Leather Factory 800-843-8853 www.laserbondingtech.com
Forth Worth, TX www.jdsindustries.com
877-532-8437 MOTHER OF PEARL
www.tandyleather.com NapTags
Grand Rapids, MI Duke of Pearl
MARBLE 800-451-3330 Lusby, MD
www.NapTags.com 410-231-2641
Jon-Ko www.dukeofpearl.com
San Diego, CA R.S. Owens & Company
800-537-9092 Chicago, IL Aqua Blue Maui, LLC
www.jon-ko.com 800-282-6200 Kula, HI
www.rsowens.com 808-876-0217
LaserSketch www.aquabluemaui.com
Romeoville, IL Victory
630-243-6360 Chicago, IL PEN AND PENCIL SETS
www.lasersketch.com 800-327-5578
www.buyvictory.com IMARK Pen Co.
Marble Max Arlington, TX
www.max.com 817-385-0306
www.IMARK-Pen.com
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SECTION 15: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS
JDS SLATE GS2 Awards
Sioux Falls, SD Boulder, CO
800-843-8853 Laser Slate 303-747-3869
www.jdsindustries.com 866-491-9044 www.gs2awards.com
www.laserslate.com
PLASTICS (ENGRAVEABLE) Infinity Woods
SPORTS MATERIALS Clarion, PA
Colorado Plastic Products 814-226-4361
Lakewood, CO JDS www.infinitywoods.com
303-443-9271 Sioux Falls, SD
www.coloradoplastics.com 800-843-8853 JDS
www.jdsindustries.com Sioux Falls, SD
Innovative Plastics 800-843-8853
Algonquin, IL MiniSticks www.jdsindustries.com
815-477-0778 Buffalo, NY
www.inoplas.com 866-646-4784 Lasers & Woodworking
www.ministicks.com Cumberland, MD
JDS 301-777-0250
Sioux Falls, SD TAPES AND FOILS www.lasersandwoodworking.
800-843-8853 com
www.jdsindustries.com Innotech of Wisconsin
Racine, WI Lee’s Wood Products
Johnson Plastics Plus 800-776-7194 Rocky Mount, VA
Minneapolis, MN www.innotape.com 800-552-5337
800-869-7800 www.leeswoodproducts.com
www.johnsonplastics.com JDS
Sioux Falls, SD Totally Bamboo
Rowmark 800-843-8853 San Marcos, CA
Findlay, OH www.jdsindustries.com 760-471-6600
800-243-3339 www.totallybamboo.com
www.rowmark.com Polyonics
Westmoreland, NH WDI Custom Wood Products
Southeast Plastics 603-352-1415 Forest Lake, MN
866-491-9044 www.polyonics.com 800-899-4265
www.southeastplastics.com www.wdicustomwood.com
TASKBOARD
PLAQUES & TROPHIES
Taskboard
GS2 Awards Miami, FL
Boulder, CO 561-983-6289
303-747-3869 www.taskboard.com
www.gs2awards.com
WOOD: PLAQUES AND
JDS SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
Sioux Falls, SD
800-843-8853 Colorado Heirloom
www.jdsindustries.com Loveland, CO
970-667-4222
www.coloradoheirloom.com
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APPENDIX A: WARRANTY STATEMENT
Warranty Statement for the Fusion Pro, Fusion
Edge & Fusion Maker Laser
Epilog Corporation warrants to the original purchaser of Epilog Fusion Model 16000 and 17000 that the
product will be free from defects in material or workmanship when purchased, and under proper, normal
use within two (2) years from the original date of purchase.
Epilog will replace or, at its option, repair the defective part(s). Normally, Epilog will supply a replacement
part for the customer to replace. Once the replacement has been performed, the replaced part must
be returned to Epilog. In the case where repair is required, Epilog requires that the defective part, or
machine, be returned to the Epilog factory or other Epilog designated facility. Epilog will be responsible
solely for the cost of repairs, including parts and labor, which are made at an authorized Epilog facility.
All other costs for replacement or repair, including, but not limited to, packaging and shipping both
to and from Epilog, shall be paid by the owner. A “Core” charge may be required by Epilog to insure
the return of replacement and repair parts. This warranty excludes any damage from abuse (including,
without limitation, incorrect voltages, power surges, fires, improper or insufficient ventilation “acts of
God” or other situations out of the control of Epilog), failure to operate in accordance with instructions
provided in the Owner’s Manuals for the Epilog model 16000 and 17000, including specific safety and
operational warnings contained therein, cosmetic damage sustained in use, and damage caused by
unauthorized modifications of any equipment. All warranties to original purchasers are non-transferable.
The registered owner must initiate warranty claims within the warranty period.
THE ABOVE AND FOREGOING IS THE ONLY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED; INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
THAT ARE MADE BY EPILOG ON MODEL 16000 AND 17000. ANY WARRANTIES IMPLIED BY LAW ARE HEREBY
EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED.
No oral or written information or advice given by Epilog, its dealers, its distributors, agents, officers, or
employees shall create a warranty or in any way increase the scope of this warranty. Neither Epilog nor
anyone else who has been involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the Epilog Fusion Models
16000 and 17000 shall be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages, including
but not limited to damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information,
adverse health impacts, fire, and the like, arising out of the use or inability to use these products.
Epilog Corporation provides no warranties whatsoever on any software used in connection with Epilog
Fusion Model 16000 and 17000.
- 253 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Pro Suggested Material Settings (CO2)
Material DPI/Freq. 50 watt 60 watt 80 watt 120 watt
Acrylic
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 50p 100s 45p 100s 40p 100s 30p
Text/Clipart Engraving 300 DPI 100s 70p 100s 65p 100s 60p 100s 55p
Text/Clipart Engraving 500 DPI 100s 65p 100s 60p 100s 55p 100s 50p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 100 f 6s 100p 8s 100p 12s 100p 20s 100p
Cutting 1/4" (6 mm) 100 f 3s 100p 4s 100p 6s 100p 10s 100p
Cutting 3/8" (9.5 mm) 100 f 2s* 100p 2s* 100p 3s 100p 5s 100p
Cutting 1/2" (13 mm) 100 f 2s 100p
Cutting Note: Adjusting the standard focus distance so it is closer to the lens by about .080” (2 mm) will
produce better edge quality when cutting 1/4” (6mm) acrylic and thicker. Two passes can be used for cutting
thicker materials. There are two types of acrylic: cast is better for engraving (it creates a frosted look when
engraved) and extruded acrylic produces a much better flame polished edge.
Alumamark
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 35p 100s 25p 100s 20p 100s 15p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 25p 100s 15p 100s 10p 100s 5p
Anodized Aluminum
Photos/Clipart 400 DPI 100s 45p 100s 40p 100s 35p 100s 30p
Photos/Clipart 500 DPI 100s 40p 100s 35p 100s 30p 100s 25p
Text 500 DPI 100s 50p 100s 45p 100s 40p 100s 35p
We find when engraving anodized aluminum, text appears best at 500 DPI, but photos and clipart can be
engraved with great detail down to 400 DPI.
Cork
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 40p 100s 35p 100s 30p 100s 25p
Fleece
Engraving 200 DPI 100s 25p 100s 20p 100s 15p 100s 10p
When engraving fabric, try changing the graphic to 80% gray and use the Jarvis dithering pattern for the best
results. Every fabric you are cutting will need to have adjusted setting - find a small swatch of the fabric you
can test first.
Glass
Engraving 300 DPI 25s 100p 30s 100p 35s 100p 40s 100p
When etching glass, try changing the graphic to 80% gray before engraving and using the Jarvis dithering
pattern. You can also diffuse heat by covering the glass with a thin sheet of dish soap.
Leather
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 20p 100s 15p
Text/Clipart Engraving 500 DPI 100s 35p 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 20p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 50 f 40s 100p 50s 100p 60s 100p 75s 100p
Mat Board
Cutting 50 f 25s 40p 25s 30p 30s 40p 30s 30p
- 255 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Pro Suggested Material Settings (CO2)
Material DPI/Freq. 50 watt 60 watt 80 watt 120 watt
Marble
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 45p 100s 40p 100s 35p 100s 25p
Text Engraving 500 DPI 100s 55p 100s 50p 100s 45p 100s 35p
Every marble is very different for settings. Start low and increase the power with a second run if you haven’t
used that marble before.
Painted Brass
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 35p 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 15p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 15p 100s 10p
Plastics
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 20p 100s 15p
These settings work well with many plastics, including plastic phones and covers. Even one color plastics can
achieve a great look when engraved.
Plastic (2 Layer Laser Engraveable)
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 70p 100s 65p 100s 40p 100s 35p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 50p 100s 35p 100s 25p 100s 20p
Cutting 1/16” (1.5 mm) 100 f 10s 65p 10s 55p 10s 40p 20s 40p
Stainless Steel w/ Metal marking solution
Engraving 500 DPI 30s 100p 35s 100p 45s 100p 55s 100p
Twill
Cutting 25 f 70s 100p 90s 100p 90s 80p 90s 60p
Wood
Photo Engraving 500 DPI 50s 100p 60s 100p 70s 100p 100s 100p
Clipart/Text Engraving 300 DPI 40s 100p 50s 100p 60s 100p 90s 100p
Clipart/Text Engraving 500 DPI 45s 100p 55s 100p 65s 100p 85s 100p
Deep Engraving 500 DPI 20s 100p 25s 100p 30s 100p 60s 100p
Thin Veneer (Cutting) 10 f 40s 100p 40s 90p 50s 80p 50s 60p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 10 f 6s 100p 8s 100p 20s 100p 25s 100p
Cutting 1/4" (6 mm) 10 f 3s 100p 4s 100p 10s 100p 13s 100p
Cutting 3/8" (9.5 mm) 10 f 2s* 100p 2s* 100p 5s 100p 7s 100p
Cutting 1/2" (12 mm) 10 f 2s 100p 4s 100p
When cutting wood, multiple passes may allow cutting of thicker materials. Using Color Mapping you can
adjust the focus point between passes down to the center point of the cut for the best results. Always use the
additional Sweep Air Assist when cutting.
- 256 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
• These are only suggestions: Every type of material will react differently with the laser, even from one
plastic to the next. Use these settings as your starting point then adjust one variable at a time until
you achieve the result you desire. Settings for any material are a matter of personal preference. Not
every material that can be run at high speed should be run at high speed. A better mark can often
be achieved by slowing your laser and giving the laser longer to react to your material.
• Test your material: If you have a small area of the material you won’t be using, or an extra item,
take advantage of this area to test out your settings by engraving a small square or cutting a small
circle. You can fine tune your settings in these areas.
• Similar materials use similar settings: When you are working with a material you aren’t familiar with,
think about a similar material and what settings you would use with that product. Most anodized
aluminums will react well with similar settings, as will most plastics.
• When in doubt, start low: Remember, you can always re-run your job as long as you don’t move it
in the machine. Let’s say you’re running a photograph in a one-of-a-kind wood plaque. Start with
a lower power setting, look at the engraving, then run the project a second time at high speed and
lower power a second time to add a little more depth if needed.
• Run only one part of the file: If running a job on a new material, you can always just select one
piece of the engraving, like a piece of text, and run that part first to make sure your settings are
perfect before running the whole file.
- 257 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Pro Suggested Material Settings (Fiber)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 50 watt
Aluminum (Anodized)
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 30% Speed: 50%
Power: 75% Power: 100%
Frequency: 1% Frequency: 1%
Focus: 0 Focus: 0
Polishing 600 DPI Speed: 30% Speed: 30%
Power: 80-100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 25% Frequency: 1%
Focus: +.05” Focus: .05”
The contrast / brightness of marks achievable on the fiber laser are excellent and can often be much
brighter than marks from a C02 laser. Taking the fiber laser out of focus by +.03” - .09” broadens the beam and
produces a very bright mark on anodized coating. Lower frequency and higher power settings help offset the
change in focal point. Different grades of anodized & core aluminum alloy will affect how the final marks look.
Aluminum (Bare)
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 10 - 15% Speed: 20 - 25%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 50 - 60% Frequency: 50 - 60%
Focus: -.01 to +.01” Focus: -.01 to +.01”
Engraving aluminum will result in various shades of gray, not black. Fine tuning the settings can provide
a bit more contrast but the range of applicable marks is very narrow. If the application calls for a black
etch, consider using an oxidizer after engraving. Oxidizers are used most commonly if the aluminum has a
protective coating (urethane, clear coat, clear anodized) covering the area that is not engraved. Deep metal
engraving on aluminum can be done using multiple passes. Consider deep engraving and using a black
epoxy/color fill. Although the marks on aluminum are not black like they are on steel, we have no difficulty
getting 2D, UID barcodes to scan and verify.
Brass
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 15 - 20% Speed: 20 - 25%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 5 - 20% Frequency: 5 - 20%
Focus: 0 Focus: 0
Laserable Plastic
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 50 - 60% Speed: 60 - 70%
Power: 60-70% Power: 60-70%
Frequency: 50% Frequency: 50%
Focus: 0 Focus: 0
Stainless Steel
Annealing 600 DPI Speed: 2.5% Speed: 4%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 1% Frequency: 1%
Focus: +.09” Focus: +.09 to +.12”
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 10% Speed: 10 - 15%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 1% Frequency: 1%
Focus: 0 Focus: 0
Polishing 600 DPI Speed: 30% Speed: 30%
Power: 75% Power: 50%
Frequency: 50% Frequency: 50%
Focus: +.03” Focus: +.03”
- 258 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Pro Suggested Material Settings (Fiber)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 50 watt
Etching: Like our C02 counterparts, the slower the speed setting, the deeper the etching. However, many metal
applications can be processed at higher speed settings. Again, consider the marking requirements.
Annealing: To achieve an annealed mark, the focal point should be significantly away from zero. The
unfocused, broader beam provides the heat to change the surface color without actually penetrating the
metal. The focal point can be either closer to or away from zero. Focusing away from the material should be in
the range of .060” to .090”. Focusing closer to the material is generally in the range of -.070” to -.110”.
Both focusing methods will result in annealing of the metal. Focusing up typically results in a slight
indentation of the metal.
Multiple passes can darken the mark even more (no data to confirm whether multiple passes offer more
permanency).
Polishing: Some steel alloys are easier to polish than others. For best results, clean off the surface with alcohol
prior to processing. Any leftover grease, oils or residue can affect how well the polished mark turns out.
Polishing the metal where the final marks result in a bright white engraving requires finer tuning of settings,
more so than the etched or annealed marks. Determine a base speed and frequency setting and adjust the
power in small increments/decrements. If you are unable to get a white bright mark, increase the frequency
setting and try again by adjusting only the power.
Titanium
Annealing 600 DPI Speed: 3.5 - 6% Speed: 5.5 - 7.5%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 1% Frequency: 1%
Focus: +.08 to +.110” Focus: +.08 to +.110”
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 15 - 20% Speed: 20 - 25%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 1-5% Frequency: 1-5%
Focus: -.01 to +.01” Focus: -.01 to +.01”
Titanium and Ti alloys are highly amenable to marking at this wavelength. Similar to aluminum, a black mark
from the etching process is difficult to achieve. Various shades of gray can be made, from very dark gray to
light gray. Annealed marks can also be made on titanium materials using the same processing parameter
described for stainless steel. Depending on the Ti alloy, marks of various colors can be achieved by changing
the frequency values for 1% up to 100%. It is common to see red, blue, green, orange, yellows and purple marks,
depending on the frequency selected.
Plated Metals
Etching/Marking 600 - 1200 DPI Speed: 10 - 15% Speed: 15 - 20%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 1 - 5% Frequency: 1 - 5%
Focus: -.09 to -.100” Focus: -.09 to -.100”
+.09 to .100” +.09 to .100”
Metals are often plated to assist with conductivity, to provide a protective coating against rust and elements
and for aesthetic purposes. Plating thickness will depend on application and purpose. Most of the plated
metals processed through the applications lab are electronic components (to enhance conductivity) and
various fittings (protection against environment & rust). The typical plating thickness varies from .001” up to
.005”. Our recommended settings for general metal engraving works well for ablating through the plating;
exposing the base metal. Ablating the plating will also provide high contrast. Using an oxidizer will enhance
the look.
Our recommended settings for polishing of metals are a good starting point where ablating through the
plating isn’t an option. This is likely the most common plated metal application as exposing the raw metal
underneath will break continuity and / or expose the bare metal to rust and other elements. Note that the
contrast of polishing of plated metals won’t be as consistent or contrasting as a direct ablation. Multiple
passes will help and end results will vary based on the metal used for plating, thickness of plating & size of
mark. Our recommended settings for annealing will often work for plated metals where the plating has a
thicker wall and material used has high levels of carbon or metal oxides.
- 259 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Pro Suggested Material Settings (Fiber)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 50 watt
Powder Coating
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 20 - 25% Speed: 25 - 30%
Power: 100% Power: 100%
Frequency: 100% Frequency: 100%
Focus: +.05 to .07” Focus: +.05 to .07”
Two to three passes are suggested (one pass to ablate the powder coating, 2nd or 3rd pass to polish up the
metal underneath). A little less power, higher frequency and less focus adjustment will be required for the
2nd or 3rd pass, depending on the base metal. The idea is to ablate then polish. An alternative to running two
or more passes is to run one pass and then use a common cleaner such as Simple Green or a citric-based
cleaner with short, stiff bristle brush to scrub out the residual material remaining in the mark area. If using this
technique, it may be necessary to raise or lower the marking table from around 0.07” to 0.10”.
• These are only guidelines: Brightness or darkness of a mark is a matter of personal preference and
can be very dependent of the type of material being marked. As such, there is no “correct” setting.
Working with the four different fiber settings becomes fairly intuitive in a very short period of time
for most users. If you have a material that is not listed, try to compare it to similar materials listed
and use those settings as your starting point.
• Speed Settings: The speed setting scale of 1% to 100% is not linear – i.e. 100% speed will not be twice
as fast as 50% speed. This non-linear scale is very useful in compensating for the different factors
that affect engraving time.
• Power Settings: The power settings are linear – i.e. 50% power is half as much as 100% power.
• General Metal Engraving / Base Settings: In the world of metals the grade, type, hardness and
chemical composition are endless. Metal alloys are engineered for specific applications and have
their own strengths and weaknesses. Metals can be engraved at just about any settings. Of course,
there are many variables to consider for metal engraving. The lasers wattage, hardness of metal,
desired mark (etch, polish, anneal) and the required time/contrast/depth will have to be considered
when deciding on the final settings.
• General Annealing Settings: Producing an annealed mark is very dependent on the material being
out of focus. Run the laser at slow speed and full power then adjust the focus while the machine is
running until you achieve the annealed mark you need.
• Test your material: If you do not achieve the results you are looking for with the recommended
settings, try resending the job and start by changing only one variable at a time. Changing only one
variable at a time will help to determine the correct setting for your material.
• Laser settings can sometimes be confusing because many materials can be marked over such a
broad range of settings. If you have difficulty in finding the correct setting you can send a sample
to the Epilog Laser Applications lab. We will determine if the material can be marked and provide
appropriate setting for your laser.
- 260 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Edge Suggested Material Settings (CO2)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 40 watt 50 watt 60 watt 80 watt
Acrylic
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 75p 100s 70p 100s 65p 100s 60p 100s 50p
Text/Clipart Engraving 300 DPI 100s 75p 100s 70p 100s 65p 100s 60p 100s 50p
Text/Clipart Engraving 500 DPI 100s 70p 100s 65p 100s 55p 100s 50p 100s 40p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 100 f 6s 100p 8s 100p 12s 100p 20s 100p 30s 100p
Cutting 1/4" (6 mm) 100 f 3s 100p 4s 100p 6s 100p 8s 100p 10s 100p
Cutting 3/8" (9.5 mm) 100 f 2s* 100p 3s 100p 4s 100p 5s 100p
Cutting 1/2" (13 mm) 100 f 1s 100p 2s 100p
Cutting Note: Adjusting the standard focus distance so it is closer to the lens by about .080” (2 mm) will
produce better edge quality when cutting 1/4” (6mm) acrylic and thicker. Two passes can be used for cutting
thicker materials. There are two types of acrylic: cast is better for engraving (it creates a frosted look when
engraved) and extruded acrylic produces a much better flame polished edge.
Alumamark
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 35p 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 15p 100s 10p
Anodized Aluminum
Photos/Clipart 400 DPI 100s 65p 100s 55p 100s 45p 100s 35p 100s 30p
Photos/Clipart 500 DPI 100s 60p 100s 50p 100s 40p 100s 30p 100s 30p
Text 500 DPI 100s 70p 100s 60p 100s 50p 100s 40p 100s 30p
We find when engraving anodized aluminum, text appears best at 500 DPI, but photos and
clipart can be engraved with great detail down to 400 DPI.
Cork
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 70p 100s 60p 100s 50p 100s 40p 100s 20p
Fleece
Engraving 200 DPI 100s 50p 100s 40p 100s 30p 100s 20p 100s 15p
When engraving fabric, try changing the graphic to 80% gray and use the Jarvis dithering pattern for the best
results. Every fabric you are cutting will need to have adjusted setting - find a small swatch of the fabric you
can test first.
Glass
Engraving 500 DPI 30s 100p 40s 100p 50s 100p 60s 100p 70s 100p
When etching glass, try changing the graphic to 80% gray before engraving and using the Jarvis dithering
pattern. You can also diffuse heat by covering the glass with a thin layer of dish soap.
Leather
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 80p 100s 70p 100s 60p 100s 50p 100s 40p
Text/Clipart Engraving 500 DPI 100s 70p 100s 60p 100s 50p 100s 40p 100s 30p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 50 f 10s 100p 15s 100p 20s 100p 25s 100p
Mat Board
Cutting 50 f 25s 40p 25s 30p 30s 40p 30s 30p 30s 25p
- 261 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Edge Suggested Material Settings (CO2)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 40 watt 50 watt 60 watt 80 watt
Marble
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 90p 100s 80p 100s 70p 100s 60p 100s 50p
Text Engraving 500 DPI 100s 80p 100s 70p 100s 60p 100s 50p 100s 40p
Every marble is very different for settings. Start low and increase the power with a second run if you haven’t
used that marble before.
Painted Brass
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 35p 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 15p 100s 10p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 30p 100s 25p 100s 20p 100s 15p 100s 10p
Plastics
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 45p 100s 40p 100s 35p 100s 30p 100s 25p
These settings work well with many plastics, including plastic phones and covers. Even one color plastics can
achieve a great look when engraved.
Plastic (2 Layer Laser Engraveable)
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 70p 100s 65p 100s 40p 100s 35p 100s 25p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 60p 100s 50p 100s 40p 100s 30p 100s 20p
Cutting 1/16" (1.5 mm) 100 f 10s 65p 10s 55p 10s 40p 20s 40p 20s 25p
Stainless Steel w/ Metal marking solution
Engraving 500 DPI 15s 100p 20s 100p 25s 100p 30s 100p 40s 100p
Twill
Cutting 25 f 70s 100p 90s 100p 90s 80p 90s 60p 90s 50p
Wood
Photo Engraving 500 DPI 50s 100p 60s 100p 70s 100p 80s 100p 90s 100p
Clipart/Text Engraving 300 DPI 40s 100p 50s 100p 60s 100p 90s 100p 100s 100p
Clipart/Text Engraving 500 DPI 30s 100p 40s 100p 50s 100p 60s 100p 80s 100p
Deep Engraving 500 DPI 20s 100p 30s 100p 40s 100p 50s 100p 60s 100p
Thin Veneer (Cutting) 10 f 40s 100p 40s 90p 50s 80p 50s 60p 50s 40p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 10 f 10s 100p 15s 100p 20s 100p 25s 100p 30s 100p
Cutting 1/4" (6 mm) 10 f 2s 100p 3s 100p 4s 100p 12s 100p
Cutting 3/8" (9.5 mm) 10 f 5s 100p 6s 100p 8s 100p
Cutting 1/2" (12 mm) 10 f 4s 100p
When cutting wood, multiple passes may allow cutting of thicker materials. Using Color Mapping you can
adjust the focus point between passes down to the center point of the cut for the best results.
- 262 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
• These are only suggestions: Every type of material will react differently with the laser, even from one
plastic to the next. Use these settings as your starting point then adjust one variable at a time until
you achieve the result you desire. Settings for any material are a matter of personal preference. Not
every material that can be run at high speed should be run at high speed. A better mark can often
be achieved by slowing your laser and giving the laser longer to react to your material.
• Test your material: If you have a small area of the material you won’t be using, or an extra item,
take advantage of this area to test out your settings by engraving a small square or cutting a small
circle. You can fine tune your settings in these areas.
• Similar materials use similar settings: When you are working with a material you aren’t familiar with,
think about a similar material and what settings you would use with that product. Most anodized
aluminums will react well with similar settings, as will most plastics.
• When in doubt, start low: Remember, you can always re-run your job as long as you don’t move it
in the machine. Let’s say you’re running a photograph in a one-of-a-kind wood plaque. Start with
a lower power setting, look at the engraving, then run the project a second time at high speed and
lower power a second time to add a little more depth if needed.
• Run only one part of the file: If running a job on a new material, you can always just select one
piece of the engraving, like a piece of text, and run that part first to make sure your settings are
perfect before running the whole file.
- 263 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Edge Suggested Material Settings (Fiber)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt
Aluminum (Anodized)
Etching/Marking 800 DPI Speed: 30%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: 0
Polishing 800 DPI Speed: 75%
Power: 60%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: +.003”
The contrast / brightness of marks achievable on the fiber laser are excellent and can often be much
brighter than marks from a C02 laser. Taking the fiber laser out of focus by +.03” - .09” broadens the beam and
produces a very bright mark on anodized coating. Lower frequency and higher power settings help offset the
change in focal point. Different grades of anodized & core aluminum alloy will affect how the final marks look.
Aluminum (Bare)
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 20 - 25%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: -.01 to +.01”
Engraving aluminum will result in various shades of gray, not black. Fine tuning the settings can provide
a bit more contrast but the range of applicable marks is very narrow. If the application calls for a black
etch, consider using an oxidizer after engraving. Oxidizers are used most commonly if the aluminum has a
protective coating (urethane, clear coat, clear anodized) covering the area that is not engraved. Deep metal
engraving on aluminum can be done using multiple passes. Consider deep engraving and using a black
epoxy/color fill. Although the marks on aluminum are not black like they are on steel, we have no difficulty
getting 2D, UID barcodes to scan and verify.
Brass
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 20 - 25%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: 0
Laserable Plastic
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 60%
Power: 60%
Frequency: 60%
Focus: 0
Stainless Steel
Annealing 600 DPI Speed: 5-7%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: +.06 to +.12”
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 15 - 20%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: 0
Polishing 800 DPI Speed: 75%
Power: 25%
Frequency: 75%
Focus: 0
- 264 -
APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Edge Suggested Material Settings (Fiber)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt
Etching: Like our C02 counterparts, the slower the speed setting, the deeper the etching. However, many metal
applications can be processed at higher speed settings. Again, consider the marking requirements.
Annealing: To achieve an annealed mark, the focal point should be significantly away from zero. The
unfocused, broader beam provides the heat to change the surface color without actually penetrating the
metal. The focal point can be either closer to or away from zero. Focusing away from the material should be in
the range of .060” to .090”. Focusing closer to the material is generally in the range of -.070” to -.110”.
Both focusing methods will result in annealing of the metal. Focusing up typically results in a slight
indentation of the metal.
Multiple passes can darken the mark even more (no data to confirm whether multiple passes offer more
permanency).
Polishing: Some steel alloys are easier to polish than others. For best results, clean off the surface with alcohol
prior to processing. Any leftover grease, oils or residue can affect how well the polished mark turns out.
Polishing the metal where the final marks result in a bright white engraving requires finer tuning of settings,
more so than the etched or annealed marks. Determine a base speed and frequency setting and adjust the
power in small increments/decrements. If you are unable to get a white bright mark, increase the frequency
setting and try again by adjusting only the power.
Titanium
Annealing 600-1200 DPI Speed: 5-7%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: +.08 to +.110”
Etching/Marking 600-800 DPI Speed: 20 - 25%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1-5%
Focus: -.01 to +.01”
Titanium and Ti alloys are highly amenable to marking at this wavelength. Similar to aluminum, a black mark
from the etching process is difficult to achieve. Various shades of gray can be made, from very dark gray to
light gray. Annealed marks can also be made on titanium materials using the same processing parameter
described for stainless steel. Depending on the Ti alloy, marks of various colors can be achieved by changing
the frequency values for 1% up to 100%. It is common to see red, blue, green, orange, yellows and purple marks,
depending on the frequency selected.
Plated Metals
Etching/Marking 600 - 1200 DPI Speed: 15 - 20%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1 - 5%
Focus: -.09 to -.100”
+.09 to .100”
Metals are often plated to assist with conductivity, to provide a protective coating against rust and elements
and for aesthetic purposes. Plating thickness will depend on application and purpose. Most of the plated
metals processed through the applications lab are electronic components (to enhance conductivity) and
various fittings (protection against environment & rust). The typical plating thickness varies from .001” up to
.005”. Our recommended settings for general metal engraving works well for ablating through the plating;
exposing the base metal. Ablating the plating will also provide high contrast. Using an oxidizer will enhance
the look.
Our recommended settings for polishing of metals are a good starting point where ablating through the
plating isn’t an option. This is likely the most common plated metal application as exposing the raw metal
underneath will break continuity and / or expose the bare metal to rust and other elements. Note that the
contrast of polishing of plated metals won’t be as consistent or contrasting as a direct ablation. Multiple
passes will help and end results will vary based on the metal used for plating, thickness of plating & size of
mark. Our recommended settings for annealing will often work for plated metals where the plating has a
thicker wall and material used has high levels of carbon or metal oxides.
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APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Edge Suggested Material Settings (Fiber)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt
Powder Coating
Etching/Marking 600 DPI Speed: 25 - 30%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 100%
Focus: +.05 to .07”
Two to three passes are suggested (one pass to ablate the powder coating, 2nd or 3rd pass to polish up the
metal underneath). A little less power, higher frequency and less focus adjustment will be required for the
2nd or 3rd pass, depending on the base metal. The idea is to ablate then polish. An alternative to running two
or more passes is to run one pass and then use a common cleaner such as Simple Green or a citric-based
cleaner with short, stiff bristle brush to scrub out the residual material remaining in the mark area. If using this
technique, it may be necessary to raise or lower the marking table from around 0.07” to 0.10”.
Deep Metal Engraving
1200 DPI Speed: 20%
Power: 100%
Frequency: 1%
Focus: 0
Multiple passes. Slower speeds tend to erupt material rather than ablate.
• These are only guidelines: Brightness or darkness of a mark is a matter of personal preference and
can be very dependent of the type of material being marked. As such, there is no “correct” setting.
Working with the four different fiber settings becomes fairly intuitive in a very short period of time
for most users. If you have a material that is not listed, try to compare it to similar materials listed
and use those settings as your starting point.
• Speed Settings: The speed setting scale of 1% to 100% is not linear – i.e. 100% speed will not be twice
as fast as 50% speed. This non-linear scale is very useful in compensating for the different factors
that affect engraving time.
• Power Settings: The power settings are linear – i.e. 50% power is half as much as 100% power.
• General Metal Engraving / Base Settings: In the world of metals the grade, type, hardness and
chemical composition are endless. Metal alloys are engineered for specific applications and have
their own strengths and weaknesses. Metals can be engraved at just about any settings. Of course,
there are many variables to consider for metal engraving. The lasers wattage, hardness of metal,
desired mark (etch, polish, anneal) and the required time/contrast/depth will have to be considered
when deciding on the final settings.
• General Annealing Settings: Producing an annealed mark is very dependent on the material being
out of focus. Run the laser at slow speed and full power then adjust the focus while the machine is
running until you achieve the annealed mark you need.
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APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
• Test your material: If you do not achieve the results you are looking for with the recommended
settings, try resending the job and start by changing only one variable at a time. Changing only one
variable at a time will help to determine the correct setting for your material.
• Laser settings can sometimes be confusing because many materials can be marked
over such a broad range of settings. If you have difficulty in finding the correct setting you
can send a sample to the Epilog Laser Applications lab. We will determine if the material can
be marked and provide appropriate setting for your laser.
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APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Maker Suggested Material Settings (CO2)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 40 watt
Acrylic
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 55p 100s 40p
Text/Clipart Engraving 300 DPI 100s 75p 100s 60p
Text/Clipart Engraving 500 DPI 100s 55p 100s 40p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 100 f 8s 100p 10s 100p
Cutting 1/4" (6 mm) 100 f 2s 100p 4s 100p
Cutting Note: Adjusting the standard focus distance so it is closer to the lens by about .080” (2 mm) will
produce better edge quality when cutting 1/4” (6mm) acrylic and thicker. Two passes can be used for cutting
thicker materials. There are two types of acrylic: cast is better for engraving (it creates a frosted look when
engraved) and extruded acrylic produces a much better flame polished edge.
Alumamark
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 55p 100s 40p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 40p 100s 30p
Anodized Aluminum
Photos/Clipart 400 DPI 100s 75p 100s 65p
Photos/Clipart 500 DPI 100s 65p 100s 55p
Text 500 DPI 100s 65p 100s 55p
We find when engraving anodized aluminum, text appears best at 500 DPI, but photos and clipart can be
engraved with great detail down to 400 DPI.
Cork
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 40p 100s 25p
Fleece
Engraving 200 DPI 100s 25p 100s 15p
When engraving fabric, try changing the graphic to 80% gray and use the Jarvis dithering pattern for the best
results. Every fabric you are cutting will need to have adjusted setting - find a small swatch of the fabric you
can test first.
Glass
Engraving 300 DPI 30s 100p 40s 100p
When etching glass, try changing the graphic to 80% gray before engraving and using the Jarvis dithering
pattern. You can also diffuse heat by covering the glass with a thin layer of dish soap.
Leather
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 35p 100s 25p
Text/Clipart Engraving 500 DPI 100s 40p 100s 30p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 10 f 20s 100p 30s 100p
Mat Board
Cutting 100 f 15s 100p 20s 100p
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APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
Fusion Maker Suggested Material Settings (CO2)
Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 40 watt
Marble
Photo Engraving 300 DPI 100s 50p 100s 40p
Text Engraving 500 DPI 100s 50p 100s 40p
Every marble is very different for settings. Start low and increase the power with a second run if you haven’t
used that marble before.
Painted Brass
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 50p 100s 40p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 40p 100s 30p
Plastics
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 35p 100s 25p
These settings work well with many plastics, including plastic phones and covers. Even one color plastics can
achieve a great look when engraved.
Plastic (2 Layer Laser Engraveable)
Engraving 300 DPI 100s 80p 100s 60p
Engraving 500 DPI 100s 70p 100s 50p
Cutting 1/16" (1.5 mm) 100 f 15s 100p 20s 80p
Stainless Steel w/ Metal marking solution
Engraving 500 DPI 15s 100p 20s 100p
Twill
Cutting 100 f 35s 40p 50s 40p
Wood
Photo Engraving 500 DPI 35s 100p 50s 100p
Clipart/Text Engraving 300 DPI 25s 100p 35s 100p
Clipart/Text Engraving 500 DPI 35s 100p 50s 100p
Deep Engraving 500 DPI 20s 100p 30s 100p
Thin Veneer (Cutting) 20 f 35s 100p 50s 100p
Cutting 1/8" (3 mm) 20 f 15s 100p 20s 100p
Cutting 1/4" (6 mm) 20 f 2s 100p 4s 100p
When cutting wood, multiple passes may allow cutting of thicker materials. Using Color Mapping you can
adjust the focus point between passes down to the center point of the cut for the best results.
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APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS
• These are only suggestions: Every type of material will react differently with the laser, even from one
plastic to the next. Use these settings as your starting point then adjust one variable at a time until
you achieve the result you desire. Settings for any material are a matter of personal preference. Not
every material that can be run at high speed should be run at high speed. A better mark can often
be achieved by slowing your laser and giving the laser longer to react to your material.
• Test your material: If you have a small area of the material you won’t be using, or an extra item,
take advantage of this area to test out your settings by engraving a small square or cutting a small
circle. You can fine tune your settings in these areas.
• Similar materials use similar settings: When you are working with a material you aren’t familiar with,
think about a similar material and what settings you would use with that product. Most anodized
aluminums will react well with similar settings, as will most plastics.
• When in doubt, start low: Remember, you can always re-run your job as long as you don’t move it
in the machine. Let’s say you’re running a photograph in a one-of-a-kind wood plaque. Start with
a lower power setting, look at the engraving, then run the project a second time at high speed and
lower power a second time to add a little more depth if needed.
• Run only one part of the file: If running a job on a new material, you can always just select one
piece of the engraving, like a piece of text, and run that part first to make sure your settings are
perfect before running the whole file.
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APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
Camera Calibration 3. Click on “Calibrate Cameras” to enter the
Camera Calibration menu.
Note: Camera calibration on the Fusion
Pro & Fusion Edge is only necessary if
recommended by Epilog’s Technical
Support.
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APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
5. Follow the prompt and close the top door of 6. Allow the job to run until completion.
the engraver.
7. Once the job has finished engraving (Fusion
• If you are calibrating on a Fusion Edge, once Edge only), the camera at the laser head will
“OK” is pressed the laser will start engraving take pictures of the engraving to calibrate
the calibration pattern. The engraver will itself. This process takes several minutes.
automatically focus to the 0.635mm thickness
of the anodized aluminum, then engrave a
calibration pattern.
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APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
8. Once the calibration has successfully
finished, a dialog will appear. The Calibrating the Auto
“Reprojection error” will be listed and is used
to determine the quality of the calibration. Focus
The lower the value, the better. If the
reprojection error is above 2.0, the user will
see an error “Calibration unsuccessful. Error Calibrating CO2 Focus
too high”. A value of 0.6 or lower is desired.
Note: These steps will walk you through
calibrating the auto focus of a Fusion
Pro or Fusion Edge with a CO2 laser
only. For information on calibrating a
Fiber or Dual Source Fusion Pro, see “Calibrating
Dual Source Focus” on page 275.
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APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
4. Once you’ve found the brightest spark, let go 7. Select “Focus Commands” from the menu.
of the joystick and press the Go/Stop button Then select “CO2 Focus”.
to stop the job. Then press the “Reset” button
to return the laser head back to its home
position.
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APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
9. Once the calibration is complete, press Calibrating Dual Source Focus
“Done.”
Note: These steps will walk you through
calibrating the auto focus of a Fusion
Pro with a fiber or Dual Source laser
only. If you only have a fiber laser,
follow steps 1-8, and then follow the steps to
“Calibrating the Auto Focus Plunger” on page
279.
- 275 -
APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
4. Once you’ve found the brightest spark, let go 7. Select “Focus Commands” from the menu.
of the joystick and press the reset button to
stop the job.
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APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
9. Back at the Focus Commands menu, select 11. Now run another test job on the anodized
“CO2 Focus”. This will reset the CO2 focus aluminum, using the same square artwork,
height, allowing proper CO2 focus but this time make the process a CO2 job
adjustment in the following steps. in the Dashboard. Use low power and high
speed settings.
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APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
15. Return to the Focus Commands menu, select 17. Both the Fiber and CO2 lasers should now be
“CO2 Focus”. calibrated. After completing these steps, you
will need to calibrate the Auto Focus Plunger.
See “Calibrating the Auto Focus Plunger” on
page 279.
- 278 -
APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
Calibrating the Auto Focus 4. Select “Focus Commands” from the menu.
Plunger
- 279 -
APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
6. Once the calibration is complete, press Machine Settings:
“Done”.
- 280 -
APPENDIX C: SYSTEM CALIBRATION
• Joystick Center X ● A scale factor to adjust the scale of the X
● The center X position of the joystick, in and Y axis
joystick units ● Format is as follows: X,Y
● Requires “Home Axis” to take effect
• Joystick Center Y ● Must recalibrate cameras if this changes
● The center Y position of the joystick, in
joystick units • Table Switch Locations [cnts]
● A list of the locations in which the table
• Joystick Deadzone [%/100] switches were located
● The percentage of dead zone around the
center of the joystick • Table Current [A]
● The current in Amps to run the table drive
• Joystick Limit X
● The MIN and MAX limits for the X axis of the • Table Resolution [cnts/in]
joystick, in joystick units ● The number of encoder counts per inch of
● Format is as follows: MIN,MAX travel for the table
● Must “Home Table” if this value is changed
• Joystick Limit Y
● The MIN and MAX limits for the Y axis of the • CO2 Tickle Duration [us]
joystick, in joystick units ● The duration of the laser tickle pulse in
● Format is as follows: MIN,MAX microseconds
• Scale [mm/in]
- 281 -
INDEX
Index Artwork Setup 115
Auto Focus 71, 73, 74, 110, 111, 122, 123, 124, 144, 181, 182
Plunger Mode 123
Thickness Mode 123
Symbols
B
3D Engraving 219
3-Jaw Chuck Rotary Attachment 148, 168 Bearings 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Configurations 158, 178 Belts 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Firmware and Software Suite Preparation 149, Beziers 74
169 Boundary 76
Fixture Plates and Additional Components 148, Brass 258, 264
168 Brass-Coated Steel 222
Installation 149, 169 Painted 222–232
Quick Start Guide 160, 180 Solid 222
Removal 156, 176
10/100 Network Interface Card 242 C
21 CFR 1040 5 Calibration 271
32-bit Operating System 242 Auto Focus Calibration 273
100-240 volt 24 Dual Source Focus 275
110 Volt 24 Camera System. See IRIS Camera Positioning
220 volt 24 System
240 Volt 24 Center Engraving 130, 130–133
Center-Center 130
A Center-Left 133
Acrylic 220–232 Center-Top 133
Cast Acrylic 220 Centering Point 110
Cutting 221 Certification/Identification Plate 5
Engraving 221 Cherry 230
Extruded Acrylic 221 Class A 244
Suppliers 249 Cleaning and Maintenance 191–212
Type of Acrylic 220 Optics 193, 199
Advanced Tab 96 Vents 205
AGPL Ghostscript. See Software Installation CO2 Laser Source 243
Air Assist 1, 15, 115, 122 Color Fill 232
Acrylic Cutting 221 Material Suppliers 249
Fire Warning 1 Color Mapping. See Split by Color
Plastic Cutting 226 Computer Recommendation 242
Wood Cutting 231 Control Panel 103
Air Assist Pump 23 Delete Button 106
Air-Cooled 20 Display 103
Air Filter. See Exhaust Fan Focus 104
Laser Tube 20 Focus Menu 111
Air Temperature 20 Go/Stop Button 103
Alder 230 Job Storage 114
Alerts Tab 61 Joystick 112, 113
Alumamark 255, 261, 268 Pointer 105
Aluminum (Bare) 258, 264 Reset Key 104
Anodized Aluminum 255, 258, 261, 264, 268 Status Indicator 103
Black 222 Cooling Requirements 20
Red 222 CorelDRAW Help 249
ANSI 4 CorelDraw Setup
Artwork Layout 145, 165 Vector Line Width 117
- 283 -
INDEX
CorelDRAW Setup 66, 71 E
Corian Supplier 249
Cork Electrical Requirements 24, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Settings 255, 261, 268 Electrical Power 17, 24
Suppliers 249 Emergency Stop 127
Cycles 74 Engraving Direction
Bottom-Top 90
D Engraving Techniques 219–235
Epilog Job Manager 45
Dashboard 65 Installation 33
Advanced Tab 96 Instructions 33
Auto Focus 71 Ethernet 17, 24, 237, 238
CorelDRAW Features 97 Ethernet Installation 41
Dividing Your Job Into Processes 76 Exhaust 21, 23, 129
Split by Color 76 CFM 21
Split by Hairline 80 Exhaust Port 23, 128, 129
Split by Selection 81 Exhaust Fan 21, 129
Editing Artwork with Live View 85 Blower Switch 21
Guidelines 91 Connection 21
Merging Processes 83 Exhaust Plenum 129
Notes Tab 96
Ordering Processes 82 F
Placing Your Artwork 75
Presetting Your Cut Lines 75 FCC 9, 244
Processes Tab 95 Federal Communications Commission 244
Process Settings 74 Fiber Laser Source 181, 244
Saving Your Settings 88 Fiducials 134
Sending Your First Project 67 Finding Job History 51
Setting Up CorelDRAW 66 Fire Extinguisher
Dashboard Tab 61 Halotron 1
Database Tab 62 Fire Warning 1, 6, 220, 221, 226
Delrin 224 Firmware 213
Dish Soap 224 Focus function 104
Display 103 Focusing a Dual Source Job 182
Display Tab 61 Focus Menu 111
Dithering 91, 125, 224 Frequency 90
Clipart Modes 126 Front Access Door 127
Standard 126
Photograph Modes 126
G
Bayer 126 Glass 223–232, 255, 261, 268
Floyd-Steinberg 126 Engraving 223
Jarvis 126 Suppliers 249
Stucki 126 Go/Stop Button 103. See also LED Status
Door Interlocks Graphics Card 242
Interlock Safety 5 Grayscale 224, 231
Driver Compatibility 66 Group / Ungroup 76
Driver Update 62 Guidelines 91
Driver Updates 31
Drive Wheel 145, 165 H
Dual Source 74, 123, 181, 182
Halotron Extinguisher. See Fire Extinguisher
Calibrating Focus 275
Home Axis 108, 110
Dual Source Option 139
Home Table 108
Homing 103
- 284 -
INDEX
I Manufactured Wood Products 230
Maple 230
Idle 103 Marble Suppliers 250
IEC 60825-1 5 Masking 224, 225, 231
Interlock Safety 5 Match Orientation and Size 46
IP Address 27, 28, 99, 108 Material Settings 255, 258, 261, 264, 268
IRIS Camera Positioning System 121 Material Supplier List 249
Using the IRIS Camera 121 Material Techniques 219
Maximum Engraving Area 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
J Max Material Thickness 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Jarvis 224 MDF 230, 231
Job Folders 47 Medals (Engraveable) Suppliers 249
Job Manager 45, 89, 108 Memory 114
Changing Program Settings 61 Memory Buffer 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Finding Job History 51 Merge Processes 74
How to Install the Epilog Job Manager 35 Metal Etching 233
Job Settings Tab 57 Metal Etching Techniques 233
Material Settings 59 Minimum Power Compensation 246
Material Settings Tab 54 Mirror 196
Previewing Your Job 50 Cleaning 202
Printing to the Epilog Job Manager 46 Mother of Pearl Suppliers 250
Searching for a Job 51 Motion Control System 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Troubleshooting the Job Manager 43 Multiple Pages 97
Using the Epilog Job Manager 45 Multiple Passes 97, 225
Vector Sorting 53
Job Menu 105 N
Job Storage 114 Network Settings 108
Jog function 105 Notary Seals 224
Jogging 103 Notes Tab 96
Jog Menu 110 Nudge 110
Joystick 114 Nudge arrows 110
L O
Landscape vs Portrait 119 Oak 230
Laserable Plastics Object Order 79
Engraving Techniques 225 Offset 74, 91
Suppliers 258, 264 Open Architecture 242
LaserBrite™ 222 Operating Modes 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Laser Dashboard Operating System 242
Settings and Use 65–102 Operating Temperature 20
Laser Engraveable Products 250 Optics
Laser Safety 3 Cleaning 193–194, 199–200
Laser System Classification 237, 238, 239, 240, 241 Options 141–189
Laser Tube 204, 205 OSHA 4
Leather 250, 255, 261, 268
LED Status 104 P
Lens 193, 198, 204, 247
Locking Coordinates 110 Painted Brass 223, 256, 262, 269
Paper/Pressboard Suppliers 250
M Park Axis 108, 110
Parking 103
Manual Focus 73, 123, 124, 144, 164, 182 Park Position 112
Manual Focus Gauge 124
- 285 -
INDEX
Pedestal 206, 238 Regulatory Compliance 5–16
Pen and Pencil Set Suppliers 250 Reset Key 104
Photo Engraving 115, 125, 256, 262, 269 Resolution 117, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Photograph Modes 126 Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment 142, 161
PhotoLaser Plus 182 Artwork Layout 145
Badge Creation 187 Control Panel 163
Material Selection 185 Installation 142
Photograph Transformation 183 Removal 147
Setting Resolution 184 Removing the Drive Wheel 145
Setting Up 182 Setting Focus 144
Using with CorelDRAW 185 Setup 143
Plastic 225–232, 256, 262, 269 Run Time 74
Cutting 226
Engraveable 256, 262, 269 S
Engraving 225 Safety Enclosure 5
Plastic Marking 234 Safety Features 5–16
Plated Metals 259, 265 Safety Labels. See Warning Labels
Plug Type 24 Sandblasting 224
Plunger 123 Saving Your Settings 85
Plywood 230 Selecting Registration Marks 134
Pointer Button 105 Serial Number 245
Polish 224 Setting a Vector Cutting Line 116
Polishing Stainless Steel 258, 264 Settings/Config menu 107, 108
Polyvinyl Chloride. See PVC Setup 17, 75, 78, 79, 98, 181
Portrait vs Landscape 119 Choose Where to Locate the System 20
Position Error 130 Connecting Electrical Power 24
Powder Coating 260, 266 Connecting the Exhaust 21
Power 231, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241 Connect the Laser to Your Computer 24
Connection 24 Driver Updates 31
Laser Dashboard 90 Register Your System 31
Power Connection 24 Set the Fusion Pro’s IP Address 27
Power Label 6 Unpacking the Laser System 18
Previewing Your Job 50 USB Connection 24
Print History 51 Simple Wire Frame 116
Print Interface 237, 238, 239, 240, 241 Slat Table 141
Print Page Orientation 46 Software 243
Print Range 97 Software Installation 33
Processes Tab 95 Software Suite. See also Job Manager
Process Name 74 Speed and Power Control 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Processor Speed 242 Split by Color 61, 75, 76, 181
Process Type 74 Adjust Object Order 79
Program Settings 61 Multiple Speed and Power Settings 78
PVC 15, 226 Split by Hairline 80
R Split by Selection 81
Sports Material Suppliers 251
RAM 242 Stainless Steel 256, 258, 262, 264, 269
Raster Engraving 115 Annealing 258, 264
Red Dot Pointer 5, 127 Etching/Marking 258, 264
Reducing Engraving Time 119 Polishing 258, 264
Registration 74 Standard Features 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Registration Camera 133 Status Indicator 103
Registration Marks 134 Storage 114
- 286 -
INDEX
Stretching Artwork 146, 166 Ethernet Installation 41
Supplier List 249 Wireless 29
Surge Protector 243 Disabling 113
System Settings 108 Enabling 113
Setup 29
T Wood 230–232, 256, 262, 269
Bare Wood 230
Table Weight 237
Cleaning 232
Task Plate 128
Cutting 231
Technical Specifications 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Engraving 231
Technical Support 245
Grain 230
Temperature 20
Solid 230, 231
Test your material 257, 260, 263, 266, 270
Specialty Product Suppliers 251
Thickness 74
Stained 230
Thin Veneer 256, 262, 269
Wood Grain 120
Titanium 259, 265
Touchscreen. See Control Panel
Trace function 105
U
Uncategorized folder 47
Unpacking the Laser 18
Upgrading Firmware 213
USB
Connecting the Laser 24
USB Installation 43
V
Vacuum Hold-Down Table 129, 141
Vector Cutting 115
Vector Cutting Table 141
Acrylic 221
Plastics 226
Wood 231
Vector Line Creation 116
Vector Line Width 117
Vector Sorting
Inside/Out 53
Optimized 53
Ventilation 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Vinyl 15
W
Walnut 230
Warning Labels 5
Warranty 253
Wattages 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Wavelength
CO2 Laser Source 243
Fiber Laser Source 244
Weight 237, 238, 239, 240, 241
Windows 7
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