scan skewing in RD Works

[Diana Forman]

I am relatively new to the laser world. I have some knowledge or cnc machining as well as knowledge of graphics. I purchased a KQC 1390 laser from china. It operates with the rd works, and Rd vision program because i purchased the camera with the laser. after several months of troubleshooting, the manufacturer seems to be at a loss as well. My problems is that any scans or bitmap scans come out skewed. I draw a square inside a square the outside square is a cut line the inside square is a scan. The cut line is straight and the scan line graphic is skewed. I have spoken to certified machinist and an engineer, the seem to think that my problems lies within the rd works program. once the scan is done the return origin is shifted to the left as well as the scan lines. however the cut appears to be straight. It looks straight on the program but it doesnt come out that way. I have tried adjusting the backlash as well as the y acc. nothing changes. I am definately at a loss due to limited knowledge. any help would be deeply appreciated.

[Bill George]

Are you doing your drawing in Corel or another program and exporting to RD Works? So vector cutting or vector graphics are ok and its on raster or engraving screwing up? Did you try each one by itself?

[John Lifer]

You didn't say, and I'm asking about the same question as Bill is, so my first question is: If you don't use the scan, but draw a box, or circle in RDworks manually, does the machine cut and engrave a square box? or for that matter does your cutting and engraving match your drawing?

If so, there is something about the vision program that is in error.

[Jerome Stanek]

One other thing you could try is draw your box and run the file leave the material and rerun the file to see if it marks in the same place

[Kev Williams]

one thing that's always puzzled me about camera's in lasers is, how is the image gathered by the camera 'manipulated' so that it's NOT skewed? Camera optics by their nature, especially at close range, simply can't reliably reproduce a 'square' square. It will have any combination of convex, concave, slanted or trapezoid shaped sides. So somehow the software has to adjust for this. Galvo head lasers would engrave all kinds of goofy stuff if the output wasn't adjusted for lens effect...

So I'm just wondering if there's a correction option for the camera in your laser to adjust for the skew you're seeing?

[Diana Forman]

It happens no matter if it's imported or done in rd works. I use Corel, AI, and photoshop with the rd works. I used Corel, photoshop, and Ai in school, how ever I believe that I am not using the Rd Works program correctly which I believe maybe causing a lot of my problems. I think I need rd works training for dummies book. lol I understand most everything except the user parameters settings. The manual i received with the machine is hard to follow and I get lost easily. Is there a good resource for rd works training? Also the machine and user parameters on the interface on the machine I'm not sure of. I have the Rd vision program for the camera which still doesn't work. However since the camera doesn't work I just use the rd works. I draw the two boxes in rd works, the cut line is straight, the scan line starts like it should, but each engrave line is shifted to the left. Once it is completed the return origin is moved as well. So if the skew is 1/2 in. left, the the return origin is 1/2 in to the left where it originally was. Before i start I pulse it to see the amount of shift. Both the cut and the scan appear straight on the computer, but the finished product the scan is skewed, it also does this on type if it is a block font lettering.

[John Lifer]

OK, second time today!
Go to rdworkslab.com and download the English language manual. Will help a lot. Chinglish is a very inaccurate language:-)

But now you say skew is happening all the time without the use of the vision program. Something sure isn't right.
You are mixing descriptions also. Rdworks either vector cuts a line, which may not be a straight line can be a font, circle, etc. Or it scans, which is actually described as engraving. which is different. A bitmap will scan.

OK, draw a box, and select CUT and a power that will make a mark on your item. Send to your machine and cut. Does it make a square?
If not, you have an issue that is probably may b a setting with a stepper motor. (My guess)

[Diana Forman]

I would like to thank everyone for their help. I fixed the problem. I no longer have a skewing at all. There was a file associated with the vendor program file. When I clicked the read button then the open button it loaded some parameters. Then trying my test again everything was fine.