Help Golden Laser

[Dean Fowell]

When we use software to engrave/etch fabric sometimes it works and other times it comes up with an overstep error and won't do anything? Any ideas? I have tried different file types but sometimes they work and other times they don't??? Do you have any insight into why this might be happening??

[Mark Sipes]

No software listed and not familiar with a Golden Laser Who makes it?? Wattage

[Dan Hintz]

Not familiar with the machine, but an overstep error sounds like an issue with the motors... if there is position feedback of any form, it may be seeing the motor move more than commanded. It could also mean the motor is moving beyond the bounds of the axes (think limit switches and the like).

[Kev Williams]

Chinese lasers, when rastering, over-reach the left and right edges of the engraving, to allow space for the decel-stop-turnaround-accel process. The faster the speed you're running, the farther the over-reach is. So, if you have engraving 1/2" from the left edge (for example) at 500mm/second speed, the over reach may be 3/4", which of course is beyond the machine's boundaries. The machine knows this, and will give you an error message and won't run. It may do this if something on the layout is too close to a boundary, even if it's not being sent to the machine.

Another issue, is if you happen to have any graphic items outside the boundary of the layout, even if they're not visible. I had some barely noticeable points on a Corel layout outside the left page margins that was exported to my laser program. Couldn't see them, but the machine knew they were there. I didn't get a 'boundary' error, but whenever the Y axis crossed the vertical position of one of these points, the machine started jumping around all over the place.

[Bert Kemp]

Don't know this machine but as Kev said you need room for over reach, you can run the raster at a slower speed and this will reduce the over reach and may help with your problem. If the material is narrow try positioning it in the middle of the laser bed. that might help also.