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Thread: Extra Lines Engraving On Material?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    New York
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    Extra Lines Engraving On Material?

    Suddenly, out workhorse has been engraving extra lines on out material. At first is started with small vertical dashes so we cleaned the laser. Now it is engraving long, horizontal lines.

    Can anyone tell me what problem I am looking at so that I can troubleshoot this issue?

    Thank you.
    Equipment: Epilog Helix(50W), NewHermes Incorporated Vanguard Laser 2001(25W), Gravograph LS800(30W), GravoGraph GT M40 DV, Ricoh Aflicio SG 7100DN, GeoKnight DK20S
    Software: GravoStyle 5, GravoStyle 8, Adobe Photoshop CS2, CorelDraw
    Business: Engraving, Sublimation, Trophies, Awards

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Christchurch, New Zealand (shakey town)
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    Hi Lynn, Is that on the Helix? sounds like dust on the encoder strip
    Epilog Helix 50W, Epilog Fusion 40 75W, Tekcel Router, Taylor Hobson Model D & K
    Dalgren 2516i, Epilog Fusion Pro 120W

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    New York
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    It is on the New Hermes which I found out is really from Universal.

    I did think it was a dust issue somewhere.
    Equipment: Epilog Helix(50W), NewHermes Incorporated Vanguard Laser 2001(25W), Gravograph LS800(30W), GravoGraph GT M40 DV, Ricoh Aflicio SG 7100DN, GeoKnight DK20S
    Software: GravoStyle 5, GravoStyle 8, Adobe Photoshop CS2, CorelDraw
    Business: Engraving, Sublimation, Trophies, Awards

  4. #4
    Does it look like this one?
    myuls.jpg

    My BIL still uses this one daily, it's a '97 model Vanguard Optima/ULS, and the thing won't die!

    your 'line' thing, this one would do that at times-- usually pulling the printer cable and hitting the cable connectors ends and the port plugs on the on the machine and computer with spray electronics cleaner would do the trick. Also, at times thru the years I used switch boxes to extend cables, and I've had many a switch box go south and cause similar problems, with other machines too...

    Anyway, pick up a can of one or both of these--
    elecspray.jpg
    Either works great- the one on the left is essentially dry-cleaning fluid, the smell can be a bit much -- but it's non flammable and non-conductive and can be sprayed on/in energized equipment. I've sprayed the electric motors on my Vanguard's while they're running with it, the motor acts like it's not there and gets the loose brush carbon out!

    Anyway, try it, or change out the printer cable you're using, I haven't had perfect luck with those either...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    New York
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    Slightly different. The front is not open like that one. I do have air here that I used while cleaning but I think I am going to have to take apart a few new places to get some of the dust out. The problem was the original owners did not really know how to maintain their machines so the new owners did not know some of the dos and don'ts. Since I have been maintaining the machines, I have learned that they were taught a lot of don'ts.
    Equipment: Epilog Helix(50W), NewHermes Incorporated Vanguard Laser 2001(25W), Gravograph LS800(30W), GravoGraph GT M40 DV, Ricoh Aflicio SG 7100DN, GeoKnight DK20S
    Software: GravoStyle 5, GravoStyle 8, Adobe Photoshop CS2, CorelDraw
    Business: Engraving, Sublimation, Trophies, Awards

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Shohola, PA Pocono Mountains
    Posts
    1,336
    Any loose rail bearings? Can you rock the lens assembly?
    1 Laser, 4 CarveWrights, Star 912 Rotary, CLTT, Sublimation, FC7000 Vinyl, 911 Signs, Street Signs, Tourist Products and more.
    Home of the Fire Department "Epoxy Dome Accountability Tag and Accountability Boards".

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    New York
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    I have tightened everything, dusted everywhere I can get at. I watched from start to finish. Instead of the beam engaging at the start of the engraving, the beam engages as soon as I press start and does not turn off.
    Equipment: Epilog Helix(50W), NewHermes Incorporated Vanguard Laser 2001(25W), Gravograph LS800(30W), GravoGraph GT M40 DV, Ricoh Aflicio SG 7100DN, GeoKnight DK20S
    Software: GravoStyle 5, GravoStyle 8, Adobe Photoshop CS2, CorelDraw
    Business: Engraving, Sublimation, Trophies, Awards

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    New York
    Posts
    25
    I tried recleaning & tightening everything. Below is a picture of what happens when I tried to engrave on flexibrass. The double lines on the right are from the the carriage moving into place. The clear burns are where the engraving should start and end for lettering.

    Lines.jpg
    Equipment: Epilog Helix(50W), NewHermes Incorporated Vanguard Laser 2001(25W), Gravograph LS800(30W), GravoGraph GT M40 DV, Ricoh Aflicio SG 7100DN, GeoKnight DK20S
    Software: GravoStyle 5, GravoStyle 8, Adobe Photoshop CS2, CorelDraw
    Business: Engraving, Sublimation, Trophies, Awards

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Shohola, PA Pocono Mountains
    Posts
    1,336
    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn Misanti View Post
    I have tightened everything, dusted everywhere I can get at. I watched from start to finish. Instead of the beam engaging at the start of the engraving, the beam engages as soon as I press start and does not turn off.


    THAT is a game changer... I am not an expert but the electronics that sets up the firing of the laser is the issue.... That can be a simple adjustment or a board gone bad to a loose cable or connector..... Now that we have this out... Others with more knowledge will jump in.

    AL
    1 Laser, 4 CarveWrights, Star 912 Rotary, CLTT, Sublimation, FC7000 Vinyl, 911 Signs, Street Signs, Tourist Products and more.
    Home of the Fire Department "Epoxy Dome Accountability Tag and Accountability Boards".

  10. #10
    Does your software have a tickle setting? Mine didn't but your machine is several years newer.

    Also-- does it engrave anything at all? Or just fire lines? The 2 thin lines are spaced aways apart, is that on purpose? (like 25 lines per inch setting rather than 500) or should those lines not be so close?

    I'm no electro-brain either, but just as a wild guess the laser seems running X-Y instructions okay (somewhat?) but no laser on-off switching whatsoever. Which would lead me to think: Controller or mainboard or something along those lines-
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


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