GCC C180II, C180II 12V, C180II 30C, C180II 30V, C180II 40C Laser Engraver User Manual

Dear Sir or Madam,
Thank you for choosing GCC and the LaserPro C180II. You can be assured that this machine meets all
of the highest safety standards while using technological innovations shared by no other laser engraver.
The LaserPro C180II is backed by GCC, a truly international company that is dedicated to helping your
business grow.
We at GCC are proud to introduce the LaserPro C180II, our most technologically advanced laser engraver
to date. This easy to operate machine has been designed with quality, productivity, and safety in mind.
With SmartFILE file management, and the new Linear Low Maintenance Motion System, the C180II clearly
on the cutting edge of all laser systems.
GCC understands that a creative technical background is the key to successful growth in the ever-changing
information economy. We have a strong team of R&D experts who propel our company to new heights.
From product development to manufacturing, our engineers are dedicated to innovation and quality.
Guiding our solid technical base is a world-class management team. At GCC, our leaders bring together
marketing, technical support, research development and distribution experts to create an
international network able to meet your demands. Over the years, this network has been able to span
the globe. Our technical support staff is committed to provide you with impeccable service, and when your
business is ready to grow, our team will also be there!
Sincerely,
Leonard Shih
President of G.C.C.
Table of Contents
1.1 Principles of a CO2 Laser ............................................................................................. 1
1.2 Safety Ratings ............................................................................................................... 1
1.3 The Safety Interlock System .......................................................................................... 1
1.4 Safety Labels ................................................................................................................. 1
1.5 Safety Measures ............................................................................................................ 6
1.6 Operating Environment .................................................................................................. 8
1.7 Noise Test ..................................................................................................................... 8
1.8 Machine Safety Information ........................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2
10
Unpacking & Contents
10
2.1 Unloading and Unpacking............................................................................................ 11
2.2 Install the air exhaust connecting box .......................................................................... 13
2.3 How to re-pack the machine .................................................................................... 13
2.4 Contents and Accessories Checklist ............................................................................ 16
Chapter 3
18
Mechanical Overview
18
19
3.1 Front View....................................................................................................................
3.2 Top View ...................................................................................................................... 19
3.3 Right (Profile) View .................................................................................................... 20
3.4 Left (Profile) View ....................................................................................................... 20
3.5 Rear View .................................................................................................................... 21
Chapter 4
22
Setup and Installation
22
4.1 Machine Setup ............................................................................................................. 23
4.1.1 Powering Up the Machine.................................................................................. 23
4.1.2 Connecting the Computer .................................................................................. 23
4.2 Graphics Software Setup ............................................................................................. 24
4.2.1 Recommended Computer Configuration ....................................................... 24
4.2.2 Installation of Common USB.............................................................................. 25
4.2.4 Installation of the LaserPro Print Driver ............................................................. 26
4.2.5 Parallels Desktops for MAC Users .................................................................... 27
4.2.6 Using AutoCAD Inventor with GCC Lasers........................................................ 32
4.2.7 Using eCut with GCC Lasers ............................................................................. 35
Chapter 5
36
Operating the LaserPro C180II
36
5.1 Using the Hardware ..................................................................................................... 37
5.1.1 Adjusting the LCD Display Screen’s Contrast Setting ........................................ 37
5.1.2 Graphic Control Panel Overview (Description) ............................................. 37
5.1.3 Graphic Control Panel Navigation Chart ............................................................ 40
5.1.4 Graphic Control Panel Function Pages ............................................................. 41
5.2 The LaserPro C180II Print Driver................................................................................. 66
5.2.1 Page Setup and Orientation .............................................................................. 66
5.2.2 Color Management ............................................................................................ 68
5.2.3 Using the LaserPro C180II Print Driver ............................................................. 68
5.2.3.1 LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Option Page ......................................... 70
5.2.3.2 C180II Print Driver >> Pen Page ............................................................. 75
5.2.3.3 C180II Print Driver >> Advance Page ...................................................... 78
5.2.3.4 C180II Print Driver >> Paper Page .......................................................... 82
5.2.3.6 C180II Print Driver >> Raster Page ......................................................... 86
5.2.3.7 C180II Print Driver >> Stamp Page ......................................................... 89
Chapter 6
91
Engraving and Cutting Techniques
91
6.1 Raster Engraving ......................................................................................................... 92
6.2 Vector Cutting .............................................................................................................. 92
6.3 Vector and Raster ........................................................................................................ 93
6.4 3D Tips ........................................................................................................................ 94
6.5 To modified image settings of a picture for better engraving quality .......................... 102
Chapter 7
105
Optional Items
105
7.1 Air Extraction System Option ..................................................................................... 106
7.1.1 INSTALLATION (Self-Assembled Unit) ......................................................... 106
7.1.2 Air Extraction exhaust adjustment bar............................................................ 107
7.2 Air Compressor Option .............................................................................................. 108
7.3 Honeycomb Table Option .......................................................................................... 109
7.4 Focal Lens Option...................................................................................................... 109
7.5 SmartAIR Nozzle (Fine/Ultra) .................................................................................. 110
7.6 SmartGUARD Fire Alarm Option ............................................................................... 111
7.7 Rotary Attachment Option ........................................................................................ 112
Chapter 8
93
93
Basic Maintenance
8.1 Suggested Cleaning and Maintenance Supplies ......................................................... 94
8.2 Maintaining the Worktable and Motion System ............................................................ 95
8.2.1 Cleaning the Worktable and Motion System ...................................................... 95
8.2.2 Lubrication of the X / Y Rails ............................................................................. 95
8.3 Cleaning the Optics System ........................................................................................ 95
8.3.1 Removing the Mirrors ........................................................................................ 95
8.3.2 Cleaning the Mirrors .......................................................................................... 99
8.3.3 Removing and Cleaning the Focal Lens .......................................................... 100
Chapter 9
101
Basic Troubleshooting
101
Chapter 10
103
103
Appendix
10.1 Glossary .................................................................................................................. 104
10.2 LaserPro C180II Series Specification Sheet ......................................................... 105
1
Chapter 1
Safety
Principles of CO2 Laser
Safety Ratings
The Safety Interlock System
Safety Labels
Safety Measures
Operating Environment
0
1.1 Principles of a CO2 Laser
LASER is the acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. A CO2 laser works by
electrically stimulating the molecules within a carbon dioxide gas mixture. When focused through a lens,
this highly-intense, invisible beam will vaporize many materials. Depending on the speed and intensity of the
projected beam, a CO2 laser may be used to engrave or cut through a wide variety of materials.
1.2 Safety Ratings
The LaserPro C180II is equipped with a sealed carbon-dioxide laser that emits intense and invisible
laser radiation with a wavelength of 10.6 microns in the infrared spectrum. Although the laser
tube itself is classified as a Class IV laser product. The laser system is designated as a Class I laser device,
meaning that the system is equipped with key safety features and an enclosed laser head to completely
contain the laser under normal use. One of the key safety features found on the LaserPro C180II is a
Class 2 red beam safety guidance pointer (similar to a laser-pointer presentation pen) allowing the operator
to see the exact location where the laser beam will fire. Even though the LaserPro C180II is equipped with
our most powerful laser to date, proper usage and hardware safeguards make it an extremely safe machine.
When the front door and back door are open, machine becomes Class 4 equipment and users must wear
goggles to operate the machine.
1.3 The Safety Interlock System
The laser system is equipped with a safety interlock system utilizing magnetic sensors on the top and
side access doors, laser-activation and door LED lights on the control panel. The magnetic sensors will
deactivate the laser when either door is opened. At this time, the "door" LED light found on the control panel
will illuminate, indicating an open or improperly closed door. When the laser is in operation, the "laser" LED
will illuminate to inform the operator that the laser is activated. If at any time, any of the access doors are
open and the "laser" LED is illuminated, IMMEDIATELY unplugs the laser system and contact GCC technical
support for service instructions.
WARNING
・ DO NOT operate the laser system if any component of the safety system is malfunctioning.
・ DO NOT attempt to remove or modify any component of the safety interlock system.
1.4 Safety Labels
According to CDRH standards, all fixed or removable covers that allow access to a laser beam must have
the appropriate laser warning labels attached to them. These warning labels must be clearly visible to the
operator prior to removing the cover. Additional labels must be applied inside of the machine and be visible in
the event the covers are removed. A label clearly displaying the manufacturer’s name, date of manufacture,
description of product, model number, serial number, and compliance statement must be attached to the
outside of the machine.
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In compliance with CDRH standards, the required warning labels are affixed at the time of manufacture to the
LaserPro C180II in the appropriate locations. These labels are not to be modified in any way or removed for
any reason. Please familiarize yourself with the specific labels and their locations on the machine. Below is a
list of all the safety labels and their locations on the machine.
Product Label
This label is located at the right-back side of machine. All the product information such as Serial Number,
Model Numbers, Laser Power and Electric power can be found here. Before requiring any tech support,
always provide service person the information on this label.
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Safety Label
CDRH and CE regulations require that all laser manufacturers add warning labels in specific locations throughout
the equipment. The following warning labels are placed on the laser system for your safety. Do not remove these
labels for any reason. If the labels become damaged or have been removed for any reason, do not operate the
laser system and immediately contact Great Computer Cooperation or e-mail us for a replacement.
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CDRH Label
This label indicates the class level of CDRH.
CE Label
This label identifies the classification of the Model in accordance with IEC 60825-1. It is located on the rear of the
machine’s cabinet.
Aperture warning stickers (mirror):
This label indicates the laser path. Normally you can find this label inside of machine or laser exit.
Please take extra caution of this area when you conduct maintenance or operate machine.
Door open warning labels:
4
Aperture warning stickers
DANGEROUS VOLTAGES ARE PRESENT WITHIN THE ELECTRONICS ENCLOSURES OF THIS
SYSTEM. Access to these areas is not necessary during normal operation. If it becomes necessary to open
one of these enclosures for service reasons, please remember to disconnect the power cord from your
electrical supply.
Warning Label
Warning Label is written with all the necessary information to be aware of during operation.
Invisible laser radiation when door open and interlock failed.
Avoid eye or skin exposure direct to laser radiation.
Do not leave the machine unattended during operation.
Please clean the bearings and motion system tracks every day.
Do not use reflective metals, heat sensitive surface or materials that may produce toxic substances or
corrosion problems, such as PVC and Teflon
Laser Path Warning Label
LaserPro machines are very safe under normal use. Furthermore, Laser Path Warning Labels are displayed
at the proximities of possible laser paths as a reminder. Operators should exercise caution when working
close to these laser paths to avoid possible injury while machine is turned on.
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Laser Path Danger label
This label indicates the laser path. Normally you can find this label inside of machine. Please be very careful
of this area when you do the maintenance.
Emergency Stop Label
This label indicates the emergency stop button. You can find this label on the right upper side of the machine.
Protection Window Label
This label indicates the protection wavelength. You can find this label in the lower right corner of window.
1.5 Safety Measures
•
LASER RADIATION WARNING: Exposure to laser radiation may result in physical burns and
severe eye damage. Proper use and regular maintenance of this machine is important to the
safety of all people in the immediate area.
•
Prior to operation, carefully read and familiarize yourself with the warning labels located on
both your laser system and in this manual.
•
Never leave the machine unattended during the laser cutting and engraving process. The laser
may ignite combustible materials. A well-maintained fire extinguisher and operational smoke or
fire detector should be kept in the vicinity of the machine.
•
Caution—Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those
specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
•
GCC cannot be held responsible for any direct or indirect damages, which result from using or
working with the products electric circuits or software described herein. The apparatus must be
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used only by trained and skilled personnel. Before using the machine, user should read and
follow the manuals carefully. Furthermore GCC reserves the right to change or alter any product
described herein without prior notice.
•
Resulting debris from laser cutting are very dangerous and may cause fire hazard.
DO NOT leave debris and scraps inside laser machine after job finished. Must keep machine
clean after job finished.
WARNING
・ Resulting debris from laser processing are very dangerous and may cause fire hazard
・ DO NOT leave debris and scraps inside laser machine after job finished. Must keep
machine clean after job finished.
・ Always remove the vector grid or honeycomb table to clean any small pieces that have
fallen through the grid.
NOTE
SmartGUARD™ is an optional fire detection alarm system developed by GCC. Contact
your local GCC authorized distributor for more details for having this safety option
installed onto your system.
•
Enable the SmartAIR™ nozzle when engraving or cutting materials that may easily ignite,
such as acrylic, wood, or paper.
• Always wear safety goggles when the laser system is in operation. Reflective materials such
as mirrors, enameled brass and anodized aluminum may partially-reflect some of the invisible
laser radiation. Severe eye damage may occur if appropriate safety goggles are not worn.
NOTE
Each LaserPro laser machine is shipped with a single pair of safety goggles. If additional
safety goggles are required, please contact GCC directly or an authorized GCC distributor.
If you wish to purchase one on your own, please make sure the safety goggles meet these
requirements:
190 - 398 nm OD5+
10,600 nm OD5+
Visible Light Transmission: 92.9%
• Connect the machine to a properly grounded power outlet. Ensure the voltage of the power
source is identical to the voltage of the machine.
• Do not open the laser access panel when the machine is plugged in.
• Do not attempt to modify or disassemble the laser module.
• Do not attempt to remove or modify any component of the machine’s laser interlock safety
system.
• Ensure the immediate work area of the machine is well-ventilated. Odors, vapors, and dust are by
products generated during the laser engraving and cutting process. An exhaust system, vacuum
cutting box, and honeycomb table are recommended. Please contact GCC or your local GCC
distributor for more information.
• Do not laser heat-sensitive surfaces or materials that may generate toxic fumes, such as PVC and
Teflon.
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Regularly clean and maintain your machine according to our cleaning and maintenance instructions.
Doing so will ensure a machine that will operate effectively and safely over a long period of time.
1.6 Operating Environment
Please follow the guidelines when considering a suitable location to set the LaserPro C180II. Improper
work environments may lead to operational malfunction and/or unsafe working conditions. The LaserPro
C180II should be placed and operated in a standard office-type environment.
•
Avoid environments where the machine is exposed to high levels of dust, temperature
(temperatures exceeding 30°C or 85°F) or humidity ( humidity exceeding 70% or where the
ambient temperature is near the dew point).
•
Avoid small, enclosed areas with poor ventilation.
•
Avoid areas with high levels of noise and electrical noise.
• Select a location that is large enough to accommodate the LaserPro C180II, an exhaust system,
a computer and a work or storage table.
•
Select a location in which the ambient temperature remains between 15°C and 30°C (60°F to
85°F).
•
Select a location in which the relative humidity remains between 30% - 40%.
•
Select a location in which there is a short, direct path to the fume exhaust system.
•
Set the LaserPro C180II on a floor surface that is completely even.
•
Make sure your smoke or fire detection system in the immediate area is functioning.
•
Setup the machine to be at least 60 cm (2 feet) away from the wall.
NOTE
SmartGUARD™ is an optional fire detection alarm system developed by GCC. Contact
your local GCC authorized distributor for more details for having this safety option
installed onto your system.
1.7 Noise Test
Test Conditions: measured at a distance of 1 meter from the surface of the machinery and a height of 1.6 meters
from the floor or access platform.
C180II 30W Sound Test Result: 56.9 dB
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1.8 Machine Safety Information
EC-Declaration of conformity
The manufacturer
GCC Great Computer
4F-1., No.236, Fude 2nd Rd., Xizhi Dist., New Taipei City 22151, Taiwan
hereby declares that the following product
GCC LaserPro C180II
Model Number 12/30V/30C/40C
has demonstrated conformity to the following guidelines:
2006/42/EC Machinery Directive
2006/95/EC Low Voltage Directive
2004/108/EC EMC Directive
Applied during design and construction of this product:
- EN ISO12100 Safety of Machinery
- EN 60204-1 Safety of Machinery – Electrical equipment of machines
- EN ISO 11553-1 for checking the Safety distances to prevent hazard zones being reached
by upper and lower limbs of the Laser Engraver
-EN 60825-1:2007 / Safety of laser products
-EN 60204-1:2006/AC: 2010 / Safety of machinery - Electrical equipment of machines -- Part 1:
General requirements
-EN 60825-1:2007 Safety of laser products
GCC Great Computer
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2
Chapter 2
Unpacking & Contents
Unloading and Unpacking
Contents and Accessories Checklist
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2.1 Unloading and Unpacking
The LaserPro C180II is shipped in one crate that contains the machine, the software, and all of the necessary
accessories. The following section contains detailed step-by-step instructions for unpacking and assembly of the
machine.
WARNING
More than one person may be needed when loading and unloading the shipping crate in order
to avoid body injury or damage to the machine .To prevent personal injury or damage to the
machine, please obtain assistance when loading and unloading the shipping crate.
NOTE
Please save the original shipping crate. If the machine must be returned for product
servicing, it will need to be packed in its original shipping crate.
Before unpacking the laser system, make sure the location in which you intend to install the laser system will have
at least 2 feet (0.6meter) of clearance on all sides of the machine.
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Unpack via the following steps:
1)
2)
Move the shipping crate near the designated work area.
Remove the packing tapes.
3)
Open the carton box.
4)
Carefully lift the machine out of the box with the help of another person.
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2.2 Install the air exhaust connecting box
1) Fit the air exhaust connecting box into the top opening on the machine as shown in the picture below.
2) Tighten the 2 thumb screws by hand and the air exhaust connecting box installation is complete.
2.3 How to re-pack the machine
1) Remove the exhaust connecting box from the machine and put the machine into the EPE foam first.
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2) Wrap the machine with the plastic bag carefully and place onto the bottom EPE foam
3) Place the top EPE on the machine and place the exhaust connecting box on to the EPE
Use tape to
secure the slider
on the exhaust
connection box.
14
4) Place the machine into the package box
5) Cover the lid and tighten by rope.
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2.4 Contents and Accessories Checklist
Please check to make sure that all of the following items are included within the shipping crate. If any of the
following items are missing, immediately contact your local GCC distributor
ITEM
Cleaning Kit
QUANTITY
Cotton Swab
1
Lens Cleaner Solution
1
Lens Tissue
1
PS2 Lubrication Grease
1
Main Power Cord
1
USB Cable
1
CO2 # 900 Goggles
1
Focusing Tool
1
Exhaust Connecting Box
1
2 inch Exhaust Tubing
1
Installation CD ( LaserPro C180II user manual, driver )
1
Pencil Sample
2
Quality Promise Card
1
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3
Chapter 3
Mechanical Overview
Front View
Top View
Right (Profile) View
Left (Profile) View
Rear View
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Please take some time to familiarize yourself with this section regarding the mechanical overview of the
LaserPro C180II. References will be made back to the different parts of the LaserPro C180II in later sections.
3.1 Front View
Lower Front Door
3.2 Top View
Emergency Stop
Control Panel
]
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3.3 Right (Profile) View
Power Cable Inlet
Printer Port
3.4 Left (Profile) View
Air exhaust
adjustment bar
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3.5 Rear View
Air Valve
USB Port
Laser Access Panel
Parallel Port
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4
Chapter 4
Setup and Installation
Machine Setup
-
Powering Up the Machine
-
Power Cable Connection
-
Connecting the Computer
Graphics Software Setup
-
Recommended Computer Configuration
-
Installation of the LaserPro USB Driver
-
Installation of the LaserPro Print Driver
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4.1 Machine Setup
4.1.1 Powering Up the Machine
CAUTION
Make sure both the LaserPro C180II and computer are turned off before connecting either
to a power source.
1) Connect the male end of the power cord to a quality surge protector and then connect the
surge protector into a properly grounded outlet.
2) Do the same for the computer system.
3) Connect the female end of the power cord to the machine’s power cable inlet located on the
right side of machine.
NOTE
The LaserPro C180II has been designed to automatically switch from 100~240 VAC.
TIP
Please adjust the LCD Display Screen’s Contrast before plugging in the electrical cord of
your laser. LCD adjustment wheel is located underneath the control panel
4.1.2 Connecting the Computer
The LaserPro C180II can communicate with a computer through a USB Port or Parallel Printer Port
connection interface. The USB Port connection offers faster file transfer rates and greater flexibility
over the Parallel Printer Port connection. Regardless of the connectivity method chosen, you will need
to connect the respective connection cable from the LaserPro C180II to your computer.
USB Connectivity: Connect the included USB Port Cable to the USB Port on the right side of the
LaserPro C180II.
Printer Port Connectivity: Connect the included Printer Port Cable to the Printer Port on the right side
of the LaserPro C180II.
NOTE
If you have purchased additional Optional Accessories for the LaserPro C180II, please refer
to chapter 7 for instructions on how to properly setup your optional accessories. These
should be setup prior to working with your LaserPro C180II.
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4.2 Graphics Software Setup
The LaserPro C180II is compatible with graphics software that can output HPGL commands,
such as CorelDraw, Adobe Photoshop, AutoCAD, Illustrator etc.
Supported Graphic Software
•
Photoshop
• CorelDRAW
• Illustrator
• AutoCAD
AutoCAD Inventor
Other software such as EngraveLab and PhotoGrav may work with the LaserPro C180II, but LaserPro
does not guarantee 100% compatibility for those software and will not provide technical support for them.
NOTE
Support will not be offered, if you experience output problems with non-supported
graphics software.
4.2.1 Recommended Computer Configuration
The LaserPro C180II operates under Windows operating systems and is designed to work on a
computer that meets the following minimum requirements.
Computer Compatibility
•
CPU – Pentium 90 (or equivalent) or greater
•
RAM – 32MB or higher
•
HDD – 1.2 GB Hard Drive or greater
•
SVGA – 15" Super VGA Monitor
•
On Board Parallel Mode (Enabled from your motherboard’s BIOS):
•
SPP – Preferred Mode
•
ECP – Cable (Less than 1.8 meters)
Software Compatibility
•
The LaserPro C180II drivers are designed for Windows Vista, 7, 8, or newer operating systems.
TIP
When you have the mass cutting production, we will suggest that you can select AutoCAD to
work with the LaserPro C180II to have better output performance.
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4.2.2 Installation of Common USB
When you connect computer with GCC machine by USB, the computer will detect and install a common USB driver
automatically as below procedure. It will finish all procedure within several minutes
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4.2.4 Installation of the LaserPro Print Driver
1) Insert the LaserPro CD.
2) From the auto run menu, select C180II → LaserPro Driver to start the LaserPro Print Driver
installation.
3) When the Add Printer Wizard menu comes up, click Next to continue.
4) At the Local or Network Printer page, select <Local printer attached to this computer>, then click
Next to continue.
5) At the Select a Printer Port page, select <Use the following port> and select the port that the
LaserPro C180II will be attached to, then click Next to continue.
6) The next screen will prompt you with a list to select the manufacturer and model of your printer.
From this menu, click Have Disk. Another menu will now pop up for you to indicate the location of the
print driver. With the LaserPro CD still in your drive, click Browse and locate the GLxxx.inf file
on the installation CD(xxx are numbers representing the driver version). Click OPEN to have
C180II displayed as a valid printer.
7) Now select C180II from the list of printers (The C180II should be the only printer displayed on the list)
and click Next to continue.
8) If a screen comes up informing you of the detection of a previous driver and asks to keep the
existing driver or use the new one, select Replace Existing Driver and click Next to continue.
9) This screen will prompt you to provide a printer name. Simply type in <C180II> and select Yes or
No if you want to use this printer as the default printer and click Next to continue.
NOTE
When working with the LaserPro C180II Print Driver within your graphics software, you will
need to have the C180II set as the default printer to get proper output. If you select to not
have the C180II be the default printer, please remember to manually change this on your
own from within the graphic software printer selection area or from the Windows Control
Panel → Printers and Faxes section.
10) At the Printer Sharing screen, select <Do not share this printer> and click Next to continue.
11) Select <No> when asked if you want to print a test page and click Next to continue.
12) Now simply click Finish to complete the Add Printer Wizard.
13) Now the installation will proceed, if you get a Hardware Warning about the software you are
installing for this hardware has not passed Windows Logo testing… simply click Continue Anyway to
ignore this warning.
14) Congratulations, your printer driver has been successfully installed!
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4.2.5 Parallels Desktops for MAC Users
MAC users can use GCC LaserPro machines by purchasing the Parallels Desktop software which allows you to
install Windows OS in MAC computers and run Windows based software under MAC computer and output with
GCC print driver.
1) Purchase Parallels Desktops on its official website.
2) Install Parallels Desktops under Mac OS environment.
3) Read Software License Agreement and press “Accept” to continue installation
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4) Enter your Mac OS X User Name and Password then press “OK”
5) Press “Active”
6) Press “OK” when activation is complete.
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7) Register Parallels Desktop
8) Press “Register” and “OK” to complete the installation of Parallels Desktop.
9) Open Parallels Desktop (in the Applications folder) then choose File → New
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10) Press “Install Windows from DVD or image file” then press “continue” to install windows OS
11) Select CD-ROM drive with the Windows installation CD
12) Enter the Windows OS product key
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13) Select how you would like to run your Windows program.
14) After the prior setting is complete the windows OS installation procedure will start
automatically.
15) Windows OS installation is complete then you can refer to “4.2.4 Installation of the LaserPro
Print Driver” to install GCC LaserPro Print Driver.
16) Install the AP that you want to use after the above installation is complete.
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4.2.6 Using AutoCAD Inventor with GCC Lasers
1. Start drawing.
2. Delete border and title block by right clicking on sheet1 and selecting delete.
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3. Set sheet size to match working area of engraver. Engraver working area can be found
on the paper tab of the windows driver.
4. Start sketch.
5. Engraving
a. Finish sketch.
b. Right click on sketch and select properties.
c. Line Type: By Layer
d. Line Weight: By Layer
e. Set color to match one of the 16 colors available in the pen tab of the windows
driver.
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6. Cutting
a. Finish sketch.
b. Right click on sketch and select properties.
c. Line Type: Continuous
d. Line Weight: .001 in.
e. Set color to match one of the 16 colors available in the pen tab of the windows
driver.
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Note: All objects created in one particular sketch will have the same properties meaning all will
engrave or all will cut. If you would like to engrave and cut in the same job you will need at least
two sketches, one with all the engravings and another with all the cuts, to do so properly.
4.2.7 Using eCut with GCC Lasers
eCut is an inexpensive and powerful plugin work under CorelDRAW or Illustrator software with
GCC laser systems. It increases the functions Corel Draw or Illustrators doesn’t have or
simplifies the operations workflow. eCut details and operation videos can be found on
http://eng.e-cut.ru/
eCut unique feature list:
Nesting
Puzzles
Material usage calculation
AutoText to import files including image, text, QR code, and barcode etc. to the
linked variable columns.
Slice/ Tile function
CAD editing function
Sign box and packaging box aided design
2D barcode
QR code
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5
Chapter 5
Operating the LaserPro C180II
Using the Hardware
- Adjusting the LCD Display Screen's Contrast Setting
-
Graphic Control Panel Overview (Description)
-
Graphic Control Panel Navigation Chart
-
Graphic Control Panel Function Pages
The LaserPro C180II Print Driver
- Page Setup and Orientation
- Color Management
- Using the LaserPro C180II Print Driver
- LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Options Page
- LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Pen Page
- LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Advanced Page
- LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Paper Page
- LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Language Page
- LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Raster Page
- LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Stamp Page
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Once you have installed the LaserPro USB Driver (USB connectivity only), LaserPro Print Driver, and have
connected the LaserPro C180II to your computer, you will need to familiarize yourself with the LaserPro
C180II’s control panel and LaserPro Print Driver. The print driver will be where you spend most of your time
configuring specific laser parameters for your jobs, while the control panel will allow you to set repeat times,
manipulate the file order, perform auto / manual focusing, configure the start point, and more.
5.1 Using the Hardware
5.1.1 Adjusting the LCD Display Screen’s Contrast Setting
Depending on the lighting of your immediate work area, you may need to adjust the LCD display
screen’s contrast. You may increase or decrease the display screen’s contrast via the contrast
adjustment wheel found on the inside of the front cover on the bottom, right side. You can access this
area by opening the top window and looking inside to the near, right side of the work area (as shown
in the picture below).
5.1.2 Graphic Control Panel Overview (Description)
The Control Panel
The control panel on the LaserPro C180II provides easy access to all of the manual controls needed
for cutting and engraving. The liquid crystal display (LCD), functional, directional and selection
buttons make navigating through the machine’s manual controls easy to do.
LED Indicator Lights
LCD Display Screen
Directional and Selection Buttons
Auto Focus Button
Start/Stop Buttons
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LED INDICATOR LIGHTS
Three indicator lights on the LaserPro C180II’s control panel are part of the system’s safety
interlock system.
• DOOR - The door light will illuminate when either the top lid or external pass through doors on the
LaserPro C180II are open or improperly closed.
• POWER - The power light will illuminate when the LaserPro C180II is powered on.
• LASER - The laser light will illuminate when the laser is active and in operation.
WARNING
• DO NOT attempt to remove or modify any component of the safety interlock system.
• If at any time, any of the access doors are open and the “laser” LED is illuminated,
IMMEDIATELY unplugs the laser system and contact GCC technical support for
service instructions.
• DO NOT operate the laser system if any component of the safety system is malfunctioning.
NOTE
There is an 8 seconds warm up period after the door LED is triggered for
systems equipped with Synrad laser tubes. i.e. opening the top lid or the
external pass through doors of the machine. Operator must wait for 8 seconds
before the laser tube can begin to work. A 40 seconds laser warm up period is
required after the machine is turned on. A warning will be displayed if the user
tries to run a job during the 40 seconds warm up time.
Directional and Selection Buttons
Function (F1 / F2 / F3 / F4) – Four function buttons allow you to select various functions
which will change depending on what section of the menu you are in. Each function button’s
corresponding task will be displayed right above its respective button on the LCD display
screen. Please note that in certain menus, not every function button will always be mapped to
a corresponding action. In these situations, that particular button will not have a function.
Directional ( /
/
/ ) – Four directional buttons allow you to navigate the selection
cursor through the control panel menu and adjust the value of specific settings. In general, the
/
directional buttons cycle through the various selections, while the
/
directional
buttons adjust the value of that particular selection.
Enter – Confirms the current selection.
Start / Stop – Allows you to start or stop engraving jobs, once those jobs have been
successfully loaded onto the system.
Delete – Provides quick access to delete the current job.
Pause – Pauses the current engraving process. Press again to resume the current process.
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Auto Focus – After you have positioned your material and moved the laser carriage head to
the area you want to engrave, press this button and the system will automatically adjust the
optimal vertical focal distance for the laser.
Manual Focus ( / ) – To manually adjust the vertical focal distance between the laser
head and the material, you can use the
/
buttons to do so. Doing so will adjust the
vertical height (z-axis) of the worktable.
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5.1.3 Graphic Control Panel Navigation Chart
Main Work Page
Functions Page
File Management Page
File Information
Page
Machine Setting
Advanced Option Page
Select Lens
Save Position
Tune auto-focus
SmartGUARD
Table Down
Vector Mode
Information
Carriage Free
Command Mode
File Save Mode
LED Light Setting
Scaling
Other
Reset
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5.1.4 Graphic Control Panel Function Pages
When the LaserPro C180II is powered on, the machine will perform a series of safety checks
and initializing routines. The LCD display screen will display the GCC copyright, LaserPro logo,
and machine initialization pages before going to the main work page.
Main Work Page
The main work page is the page that the LaserPro C180II will default to upon startup and will be the “home
base” for when navigating through the various functions of the control panel. This will be the page that
is displayed when you are processing your jobs. This page contains specific job information such as
the current job’s name, Speed, Power, PPI, DPI, processing / remaining times, and jobs loaded.
Main Work Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Prev)
Scroll through previous jobs
F2 (Next)
Scroll through next jobs
F3 (SP)
Go to Store Position Page for SmartCENTER
F4 (Func)
Go to Functions Page
/
/
/
Directional
Go to Carriage / Work Table Adjustment Page
Start / Stop
Start / Stop the current job
Delete
Delete the current selected job
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
Manual Focus Buttons
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Carriage / Work Table Adjustment Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
Press
or F3
/
/
/
Carriage / Work Table
Carriage / Work Table
Adjustment Page
Adjustment Page
The Carriage / Work Table Adjustment Page allow you to manually increase and decrease the
height of the work table (Z-axis). In addition, you can manually adjust the Y-axis and X-axis of
the laser carriage.
Carriage / Work Table Adjustment Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F3 (Down)
Manually decrease the height of the work table (Z-axis)
F4 (Up)
Manually increase the height of the work table (Z-axis)
/
/
/
Directional
/
Directional
Manually adjust the Y-axis position of the laser carriage
Manually adjust the X-axis position of the laser carriage
Start / Stop
Start / Stop the current job
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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SmartCENTER Page
Navigating to this page:
Main
MainWork
WorkPage
Page
press F3
SmartCENTER Page
Under SmartCENTER mode the job will begin after the system positions the carriage to the center
position between two points or four points indicated by the user. The SmartCENTER mode has to be
enabled through the driver.
Enter SmartCENTER page by pressing the F3 button. You will be prompted to indicate and store
the position points. The positions can be indicated by moving the carriage by hand and pressing
enter to save the positions indicated by the red pointer. After all points are set, the carriage will move
to the center of the stored positions and the job will begin.
SmartCENTER Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F2 (Reset)
Reset all saved positions
F4 (Save)
Save current lens carriage position
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
▲/ ▼ Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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Function Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
Press F4
Menu Page
•
File Management Page – this page allows you to manage the files that you have loaded onto
the LaserPro C180II
•
Machine Setting Page – this page allows you to access and modify various machine settings,
including: Set Lens, Tune Auto Focus, Set Table Down, Set Red Beam, Carriage Lock, Set
Command Mode, Save Position, Flash Memory, Set File Save Mode, Set Vector Mode, Tune
Image Power, Set Laser Wattage, Set Fine Mode, Other, Reset.
•
Machine Information Page – this page allows you to view information regarding the system
such as the GCC logo, machine name, firmware version, and other information.
Functions Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F3 (Help)
Display help
F4 (Recall)
Back to previous page
/
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
Enter
Perform the selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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File Management Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<File Management>from the menu
File Management Page
The File Management Page allows you to manage the files that you have loaded onto the
LaserPro C180II. You can scroll through your jobs, delete a selected job, delete all jobs, and go to
the Link / DLink Page to set and arrange multiple loaded jobs into a single job queue for
processing.
File Management Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F2 (Link)
Display help
F3 (D-All)
Back to previous page
F4 (Del)
Delete the selected job
/
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
Enter
Perform the selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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Link / DLink Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<File Management>from the menu
File Management Page
press F2
Link / DLink Page
The Link / DLink Page allows you to set, arrange, and remove loaded jobs to and from a job
queue for processing. Use the directional keys to cycle through your loaded jobs, then simply
press the <F2 (Link)> key to add a file to the job queue. The job queue will be set in a sequential
order based on the order you link the files. To remove a job from your job queue, press the <F4
(DLink)> key.
The first column field (before the file name) displays the job number. The sequence for your job
queue is displayed in the two columns to the right of your file names. The first column to the right
of your job file name displays the job number of the previous file in the job queue sequence. The
second column after the file name displays that job’s next file in the job queue sequence. First
and last jobs in the job sequence you set will have a (---) in the first and second columns
respectively. So according to the image above, the job queue sequence has been set to be
processed in this order: 03:Marble.cdr 01:Marble.cdr 02:Marble.cdr.
Link / DLink Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F2 (Link)
Add the currently-selected job to the job queue
F4 (DLink)
Remove the currently-selected job from the job queue
/
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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File Information Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<File Management>from the menu
File Management Page
Select a job file and
press Enter
File Information Page
The File Information Page allows you to view the speed, power, DPI, and PPI settings of the
selected job. In addition, you will be able to go to the File Management Edit Page from this menu
to change raster / vector speed and power settings for the selected job.
File Information Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Edit)
Go to the File Management Edit Page for the selected
job
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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File Management Edit Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<File Management>from the menu
File Management Page
Select a job file and
press Enter
File Information Page
press F4
File Management Edit
The File Management Edit Page allows you the choice to modify your raster or vector settings for
the selected job, as well as setting the number of times to repeat the process of the selected job
(Repeat Num).
File Management Edit Page
Relevant Buttons
F1 (Back)
Function
Back to previous page
/
Directional
Scroll through your loaded jobs
/
Directional
Cycle through the available selections
Enter
Perform the selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
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File Edit Raster Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<File Management>from the menu
File Management Page
Select a job file and
press Enter
File Information Page
press F4
File Information Page
Select<Raster Setting>
from the menu
File Edit Raster Page
The File Edit Raster Page allows you to edit the raster power and speed settings, as well as
enable or disable SmartACT for the selected job. These settings correspond to the same settings
found on the LaserPro C180II driver. This page allows you to easily adjust these values to make
immediate adjustments while processing your loaded jobs, even when you have disconnected
your computer from the LaserPro C180II
• Raster Power: 0.0% - 100%
• Raster Speed: 0.1% - 100%
• SmartACT: YES / NO
File Edit Raster Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
/
Directional
Scroll through your loaded jobs
/
Directional
Cycle through the available selections
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
Manual Focus Buttons
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File Edit Vector Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<File Management>from the menu
File Management Page
Select a job file and
press Enter
File Information Page
press F4
File Information Page
Select< Vector Setting>
from the menu
File Edit Vector Page
The File Edit Vector Page allows you to edit the vector pen, vector power, vector speed, and
vector PPI, and power ramp settings for the selected job. These settings correspond to the same
settings found on the LaserPro Spirit LS print driver. This page allows you to easily adjust these
values to make immediate adjustments while processing your loaded jobs, even when you have
disconnected your computer from the LaserPro Spirit LS.
•
•
•
•
•
Vector Pen: 1 - 16
Vector Power: 0.0% - 100%
Vector Speed: 0.0% - 100%
Vector PPI: 30 - 1524
Power Ramp: YES / NO
File Edit Vector Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Scroll through your loaded jobs
/
Directional
Adjust the value for that selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
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Machine Setting Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<File Management>from the menu
Machine Setting Page
The Machine Setting Page allows you to access and modify various machine settings, including:
Set Lens, Tune Auto Focus, Set Table Down, Set Red Beam, Carriage Lock, Set Command
Mode, Save Position, Flash Memory, Set File Save Mode, Set Vector Mode, Tune Image Power,
Set Laser Wattage, Set Fine Mode, Other, and Reset.
Machine Setting Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
/
Back to previous page
Directional
Scroll through your loaded jobs
Enter
Perform the selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
Manual Focus Buttons
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Set Lens Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the
Machine Setting Page
Select<Set Lens>
from the menu
Set Lens Page
The Set Lens Page allows you to modify the lens settings after you have changed to a different
focal lens. Remember to save your settings after you have made the proper changes. Now by
pressing the Auto Focus button, the LaserPro C180II will conduct auto focus accordingly using
the new lens. The LaserPro C180II default setting is <2.0">
•
Lens: 1.5" / 2.0"
Set Lens Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Cycle through selections
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
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Tune Auto Focus Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the
Machine Setting Page
Select<Tune Auto
Focus>from the menu
Tune Auto Focus Page
The Tune Auto Focus Page allows you to manually set the default auto focus distance / vertical
height of the worktable (Z-axis) when the Auto Focus button is pushed.
Tune Auto Focus Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
Manual Focus Buttons
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Set Table Down Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the
Machine Setting Page
Select<Set Table
Down>from the menu
Set Table Down Page
The Set Table Down Page allows you to select whether or not the LaserPro C180II displays a
warning prompt at startup. If the Table Down selection is set to <YES>, the LaserPro C180II will
display a warning prompt: at startup, stating: “Table will move down and remove objects on table”.
Pressing the Enter key at this point will confirm the prompt to move the work table to its lowest
position. If the Table Down is set to <NO>, then the LaserPro C180II will not display this warning
prompt at system startup.
•
•
Table Down: YES / NO
Distance: 0 - 165 mm
Set Table Down Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
/
Directional
Adjust the value for that selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
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Carriage Lock Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the
Machine Setting Page
Select<Carriage
Lock>from the menu
Carriage Lock Page
The Carriage Lock Page allows you to set whether the laser carriage is to be locked or free. If the
Carriage Free setting is set to <YES>, then you will be able to manually move the laser carriage
along the X and Y axis by hand with the top door open. Whereas setting the Carriage Free to
<NO> will lock the laser carriage and movement or positioning can only be done by the control
panel.
•
Carriage Free YES / NO
Carriage Lock Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
Manual Focus Buttons
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Command Mode Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the
Machine Setting Page
Select<Set Command
Mode>from the menu
Set Command
The Command Mode Page allows you to configure vector settings when outputting in Default or
HPGL mode. Default mode is the standard Windows print driver and also recognized by the most
popular graphic software programs such as CorelDRAW, Photoshop, Illustrator, and more.
Whereas, HPGL mode is a less common output format generated from some RIP applications
(signage industry). Regardless of which format you will be working with, both output formats are
supported.
•
•
•
•
•
Mode: Default / HPGL
Vector Pen: 1 - 16
Vector Speed: 0.0% - 100%
Vector PPI: 0.0% - 100%
Power Ramp: YES / NO
Set Command Mode Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
/
Directional
Adjust the value for that selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
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Save Position Function
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the
Machine Setting Page
Select<Set File Save
Mode>from the menu
Set File Save ModePage
The Save Position Function allows you to save the current X-axis and Y-axis positions of the
laser carriage and sets this position to be the origin for subsequent jobs.
Tip
This is an excellent function to use when you are processing identical items or
engraving relatively smaller objects positioned away from the default start
position (top left) of the work table.
Recall Position
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Recall> by pressing F4
To recall the saved position, simply go to Functions page and press F4 again to recall the saved
position. The laser carriage will be moved to the saved position.
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Set File Save Mode Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the menu
Machine Setting Page
Select<Set File Save
Mode>from the menu
Set File Save Mode Page
The Set File Save Mode Page allows you to set whether or not the LaserPro C180II automatically
deletes each job file after processing. Setting File Save to <NO> will automatically and
immediately delete each job file from the LaserPro C180II after the engraving or cutting process.
Setting File Save to <YES> will retain all job files on the LaserPro C180II.
•
File Save: YES / NO
Set File Save Mode Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Cycle File Save between YES / NO
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Zaxis)
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LED Light Setting Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the menu
Machine Setting Page
Select<LED Lighting
Setting>from the menu
LED Light Setting Page
The LED Light Page allows you to set LED Lighting is always on or not .Setting LED Light to
<OFF> will keep the light off from the LaserPro C180II all the time. Setting LED Light to <ON> will
retain light on the LaserPro C180II.
•
Always On: ON / OFF
LED Light Setting Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Cycle LED Light Setting Page between ON / OFF
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
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Set Vector Mode Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the menu
Machine Setting Page
Select<Set Vector
Mode>from the menu
Set Vector Mode Page
The Set Vector Mode Page allows you to adjust and balance vector mode’s quality and speed
settings based on your specific job. Speedy Vector Mode offers the highest output speed,
sacrificing quality. Whereas Quality Vector Mode offers the highest quality, sacrificing output
speed. Keep in mind that speed and quality are usually at a tradeoff. The system’s default is Fine
Vector mode, sacrificing some speed for higher quality. The LaserPro C180II default setting is
<Fine Vector>.
•
Modes: Quality Vector, Fine Vector, Coarse Vector, Speedy Vector
[Slower speeds / higher quality -------------------- Faster speeds / lower quality]
Set Vector Mode Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Cycle Set Vector Mode between QUALITY VECTOR/
FINEVECTOR/ COARSE VECTOR/ SPEEDY
VECTOR
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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Set Fine Mode Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the menu
Machine Setting Page
Select<Set Fine
Mode>from the menu
Set Fine Mode Page
The Set Fine Mode Page allows you to choose whether to engrave with more precision (quality)
at the expense of speed, or vice-versa. With Fine Mode set to <YES> will provide higher quality
output, but slower processing speeds. With Fine Mode set to <NO> will provide faster processing
speeds at lower quality output.
•
File Mode: YES / NO
Tip
The Fine Mode setting modifies the acceleration and deceleration of the X / Y
rails, therefore enabling or disabling Fine Mode will be most evident when
engraving small, fine, intricate designs (such as engraving small circle
patterns). We recommend you set Fine Mode to YES when engraving such
designs. When cutting, the Fine Mode setting should always be set to NO, as
this doe not benefit vector cutting operations, but rather slows the processing
speeds down.
Set Fine Mode Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Cycle Fine Mode between YES / NO
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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SmartGUARD Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Advanced
Options>from the
Machine Setting Page
Select<SmartGUARD>
from the menu
SmartGUARD Page
After hardware installation, please enter the function menu on the control panel to enable the
SmartGUARD fire alarm.
SmartGUARD Enable / Disable:
Press directional key (left or right) to enable the SmartGUARD device or disable it.
Sensitivity：
Press directional key (left or right) to set the sensitivity of SmartGUARD. There are five sensitivity
settings (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 seconds) that can be selected. Sensitivity is defined by the delay time from
when a fire is detected until the fire alarm alerts user, and automatically shuts down the system.
For example, if the sensor delay switch is set to the 3 second position, the SmartGUARD will start
an alarm and automatically shutdown the laser system after detecting a fire for 3 seconds.
SmartGUARD Setting Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
/
Directional
Adjust the value for that selection
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Others Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the menu
Machine Setting Page
Select<Others>
from the menu
Others Page
The Others Page allows you to change various settings that correspond to the control panel. The
Language setting will allow users to change available languages displayed on the control panel.
The Unit setting will allow you to change whether the units displayed by the control panel is in the
metric or imperial system. The EOF (end of file) Alarm setting will enable or disable an audible
notification when jobs are complete. The Air Delay setting allows you to specify the delay in
seconds of the SmartAIR air-assist after the point of laser firing.
•
•
•
•
Language: ENGLISH (others dependent on Firmware)
Unit: METRIC / ENGLISH
EOF Alarm: YES / NO
Air Delay: 1-100 seconds
Tip
Depending on the material you are engraving with, your laser settings, and the
desired results, please experiment with the air delay to achieve your desired
results.
Others Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
Back to previous page
F4 (Save)
Save your current settings
/
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
/
Directional
Adjust the value for that selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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Reset Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the menu
Machine Setting Page
Select<Others>
from the menu
Others Page
The Reset Page allows you to reset all changes made to the LaserPro C180II Machine Settings
Page to their default settings. This does not affect the settings saved to an image file on the
computer. The User Reset setting will set all settings back to default. After any firmware updates,
you must use the System Reset setting (your previous settings are saved).
•
•
User Reset (a confirmation will pop up, press Enter to confirm and continue)
System Reset (a confirmation will pop up, press Enter to confirm and continue)
Reset Page
Relevant Buttons
F1 (Back)
/
Directional
Function
Back to previous page
Scroll through the menu selections
Enter
Perform the selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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Machine Information Page
Navigating to this page:
Main Work Page
press F4
Functions Page
Select<Machine
Setting>from the menu
Machine Setting Information
Page
The Machine Information Page allows you to view information regarding the system such as the
GCC logo, machine name, firmware version, and other information.
Machine Information Page
Relevant Buttons
Function
F1 (Back)
/
Back to previous page
Directional
Scroll through the menu selections
Enter
Perform the selection
Start / Stop
Back to Main Work Page
Auto Focus
Initiate the auto focus function
/
Manual Focus Buttons
Manually adjust the height of the work table (Z-axis)
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5.2 The LaserPro C180II Print Driver
With the LaserPro C180II print driver successfully installed, you will need to adjust the printer and page
size default settings before you can begin editing and completing jobs. By doing so, you will be setting the
work area in your graphics software to match the LaserPro C180II’s worktable area.
NOTE
Please make sure the LaserPro C180II is set to the default printer before proceeding to the
page and layout setup.
Ensure that the LaserPro C180II has been selected as the DEFAULT PRINTER. You can do so by going into
your Windows Control Panel → Printers and Faxes.
If LaserPro C180II is not selected as DEFAULT PRINTER, you may set it up through the graphics software as
well. The following is taking Corel Draw as example of how to set up LaserPro C180II as the Printer.
1)
From the primary menu, click FILE → PRINT SETUP.
2)
From the navigation bar Name, click C180II → OK
5.2.1 Page Setup and Orientation
The first thing you must do before working with the LaserPro C180II Print Driver will be to make sure
the page and layout settings are properly configured within your graphics software. You will need to
access and edit the Page Setup or Layout page of your graphics software to set your graphics
software’s page layout to match the LaserPro C180II’s work table’s dimensions and orientation.
From your graphic software’s Page Setup page:
•
Set the page orientation in the graphics software to Landscape mode.
•
Set page size horizontal length to 458 mm (18 inches) and vertical height to 305 mm (12 inches).
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CorelDRAW Example (Page Setup and Orientation)
The following is an example of how to set the Page Setup and Orientation in the graphics software.
CorelDRAW is the designated graphics software used for this example. For other graphics software, you
will need to access the corresponding Page Setup page.
3)
From the primary menu, click LAYOUT → PAGE SETUP.
4)
From the navigation bar on the left, click DOCUMENT → PAGE → SIZE.
5)
Ensure that NORMAL PAPER and LANDSCAPE are selected.
6)
Ensure the Paper Width and Height dimensions match the LaserPro C180II’s work table dimensions
of 458 mm (18 inches) and 305 mm (12 inches).
7)
Click OK to complete the paper size adjustment.
Tip
Instead of manually selecting the Landscape and setting the Paper Width
and Height, you can simply click the Set From Printer function and
CorelDRAW will automatically set the proper orientation and dimensions
based on LaserPro C180II’s work table. (You MUST have the LaserPro
C180II set as the default printer prior to doing this.)
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5.2.2 Color Management
LaserPro driver uses pen color settings to control laser engraver engraving and cutting parameters.
In addition to having your Page Setup and Orientation properly set in your graphics software, you
will also need to make sure Color Management is DISABLED prior to working with the LaserPro
C180II Print Driver
From your graphic software’s Color Management page:
Disable Color Management or set Color Management to Off.
CorelDRAW Example (Color Management)
The following is an example of how to properly disable Color Management in the graphics software.
CorelDRAW is the designated graphics software used for this example. For other graphics software,
you will need to access the corresponding Color Management page.
1)
From the primary menu, click TOOLS → COLOR MANAGEMENT and CorelDRAW’s Color
Management will appear.
2)
Under the Style pull down menu, select COLOR MANAGEMENT OFF.
3)
Click OK to complete the color management adjustments.
5.2.3 Using the LaserPro C180II Print Driver
Now after you have properly set the Page and Layout and Color Management of your graphics
software, you are ready to configure the details of your actual job through the LaserPro C180II Print
Driver. The LaserPro C180II print driver allows you to adjust your engraving / cutting options. After
you have setup your image, design, or text to be engraved in your software application, you can
access the LaserPro C180II print driver by going to FILE → PRINT → PROPERTIES.
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NOTE
For this screenshot example, CorelDRAW was used as the software application.
The LaserPro C180II Print Driver consists of seven primary sections (pages) in which you will be able to
choose various engraving / cutting options and settings:
•
Option Page
•
Pen Page
•
Advance Page
•
Paper Page
•
Language Page
•
Raster Page (appears only in Black & White Mode)
•
Stamp Page (appears only in Stamp Mode)
Tip
The following sections describe the specific functions for each of the settings
ound in the LaserPro C180II Print Driver. If you are new to laser engraving,
it is recommended that you first familiar yourself with the general principals of
the laser process in Chapter 6, especially the Vector Cutting and Raster Engraving
concepts. This will make it easier to understand the various descriptions
and terminology used in this section.
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5.2.3.1 LaserPro C180II Print Driver >> Option Page
Mode Setting (OPTION PAGE) [DEFAULT SETTING: Black & White]
You can select four primary mode settings, depending on your application or results you would like to
achieve.
Black & White: Select this mode when using clipart images or drawings with several colors,
shades of gray, or many outlines. This mode outputs in a method similar to that of a black and white
laser printer. The entire selected image will be engraved using a single set of power & speed
settings (the black pen from the PEN menu. Please refer to the next section of the manual for
details regarding the PEN functions). The LaserPro C180II print driver will interpret colored and
shaded areas as different shades of gray by producing a halftone effect while engraving. Instead
of engraving only solid lines, gray/halftone areas will be a collection of dots with varying density.
The resolution and depth of these halftone areas can be adjusted with the DPI setting found on the
Options page. Please note that selecting the Black & White mode will add a new Raster page to the
menu. The Black & White mode dithering settings can be changed from the Raster page. (Please refer
to the Raster section below for details). Experiment with different dithering settings to attain the desired
results.
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Tip
The Black & White mode interprets the processed image by the varying colors
and shades. For the best results, we suggest you convert the image to a grayscale
image with your graphics software prior to engraving in the Black & White mode.
NOTE
Selecting the Black & White mode will enable the Raster page on the LaserPro C180II Print
Driver, allowing you to adjust advanced stamp-related settings.
Manual Color Fill: Select this mode when you would like to designate specific power and speed
settings and link them to certain colors of your image. The LaserPro C180II print driver allows a
maximum of 16 pen parameters to be set.
3D Mode: Select this mode to attain a sculptured 3D effect on your engraving. By using images that
have a range of gray areas, the LaserPro C180II print driver can manipulate the image to give it
added depth, by linking the laser power (depth of engraving) to specific colors. The settings can be
adjusted through
h the DPI setting (Option page) and PPI, power and speed settings (Pen page).
Stamp Mode: Select this mode to when you would like to engrave stamps. The stamp mode is one
of the more dynamic functions of the LaserPro C180II. Due to the unique engraving nature when
engraving a stamp, the stamp production requires different operational steps than most engraving
or cutting operations.
NOTE
Selecting the Stamp mode will enable the Stamp page on the LaserPro C180II Print Driver,
allowing you to adjust advanced stamp-related settings.
DPI (Option Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: 500]
DPI (dots-per-inch) represents the number of times the laser will fire over a one-inch path. This setting
determines the image resolution and quality when performing raster engraving functions. Higher DPI
settings result in cleaner and deeper engravings, but require a more time to complete. Lower DPI
settings result in coarser and shallower engravings, but require less time to complete. The LaserPro
C180II offers 8 DPI options: 125, 250, 300, 380, 500, 600, 760, and 1000, experiment with different
settings to get your desired effect.
Below is a chart for your convenience detailing the Set DPI (your input setting) vs. Actual DPI
(your output results).
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Set
DPI
125
250
300*
380
500
600*
760
1000
Actual
DPI
127
254
381
381
508
762
762
1016
Mirror (Option Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
Checking this box will automatically engrave your image with a mirrored effect. This setting will flip the
image along the Y-axis from left to right and vice-versa.
Tip
When engraving a stamp, via the stamp mode, the stamp image needs to be
engraved in reverse (mirrored) for the final stamp to be correctly laid out.
Invert (Option Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
Checking this box automatically inverts / reverses the color of your image (the white areas become
black and vice versa). The Invert option is not available in disabled with Manual Color File mode
selected.
Print Immediately (Option Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
Checking this will instruct the LaserPro C180II to immediately begin the laser engraving process, when
you select Print from your graphic software program. If Print Immediately is not checked, then selecting
Print will transfer the job file to the LaserPro C180II system and will need to be initialized from the
LaserPro C180II control panel.
File Function (Option Page):
The file function section allows you to manage various laser parameters. This section is useful when
performing repeat jobs on a variety of objects, allowing you to save your frequently used laser
parameters and load them in the future.
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•
History File: This section contains a list of the recent files you have recently created and worked.
•
SAVE: This function will save current print driver parameter settings to a file under the specified
location on your computer. (Saved parameter setting files will be tagged with the C180II extension)
•
LOAD: This function allows you load a previously saved print driver parameters.
•
ORIGINAL: This function will load the print driver’s original factory parameter settings.
•
SAVE TO DEFAULT: This function allows you to save your current print driver parameters as the
default startup settings.
•
DELETE: This function will delete the file you select from the History File section. Please note the
delete function only removes the file from the history file section, it does not remove the .GL file
from your hard drive, if you wish to completely remove the file from your hard disk, and you will
have to manually delete the file from your operating system.)
NOTE
If you are using Windows 2000 or XP as your operating system, then make sure you log
in with an administrator or administrator-rights account in order to properly save laser
parameter settings.
TIP
LaserPro material database settings allow you easy to load the several parameters.
you are loading LaserPro parameter database as your operating parameter, please
direct load from several build-in parameter folders.
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5.2.3.2 C180II Print Driver >> Pen Page
The LaserPro C180II incorporates the use of 16 different colors to represent 16 different laser power
and speed settings when cutting and engraving. These colors are referred to as “Pen”. Think of each
pen as a designated laser setting, rather than as a color. As an example, a black and white image will
use only one power and speed laser setting (Black). An image that is made up of black, red and blue
colors will be processed using the laser settings designated for each particular color. In order to utilize
up to 16 different pens (laser parameter settings), make sure your graphics software can recognize
and utilizes the 16 pen colors designated by the LaserPro C180II print driver.
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If you would like to specify your own colors to designate to a particular laser setting, then all you have to
do is to double-click on that particular pen color from the pen menu and a color manager window will
open where you can select “define custom colors” to define your own color (shown in the picture below).
This is useful when your image is composed of colors that are not part of the pen menu’s default color
selection, and instead of modifying your image, you simply would like to assign the laser settings based
on the existing colors based on your current image.
NOTE
The LaserPro C180II print driver cannot store more than 16 pen colors or different laser
parameter settings per file.
Speed (Pen Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: 40]
The speed slider controls the laser’s speed during operation (engraving speed) with settings ranging
from 0.1 – 100%.Only when moving in straight line with enough distance, the carriage can achieve
100% speed. On the other hand, the machine will automatically slow down when processing curves
so the speed % indicator only presents maximum speed % that laser can achieve but not equal to
actual laser carriage moving speed. It is exactly like driving a car on a straight road, you can driver
faster and on a curve road you have to slow down.
Laser pulse frequency is controlled by the speed setting for vectors and it is opposite to pulse width,
meaning higher speed setting for vectors, lower pulse width, and thus less cutting capability. Not only
speed% setting affects actual processing time but also the job size, complexity of the graphic and the
position of the graphic in the working area..
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Power (Pen Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: 50]
The power slider controls the laser’s power during operation (engraving/cutting power) with a range
setting from 0 – 100%. The percentage setting represents the power for each laser pulse fired. The
lower the power setting, the shallower it engraves or cuts, and vice-versa.
Tip
Cutting / engraving depth are determined by a combination of power and speed.
Slower speed at higher power will produce deeper cuts and engravings, whereas
higher speeds at lower power will produce more shallow cuts and engravings.
PPI (Pen Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: 400]
PPI (pulses-per-inch) represents the pulsing frequency of the laser pulse (fire) numbers within an inch
exclusive for vector cutting. Higher PPI settings may cause more melting, burning or charring on the
edges when cutting. Lower PPI settings may reduce this effect, but may result in a serrated looking edge.
If you drag the PPI slider to the maximum, the value will change to X. This completely disables the PPI
control and turns on the laser continuously without pulsing.
This disables the power ramp functionality, which automatically controls the PPI depending on the speed
of the laser carriage (such as vector cutting around the corner of a square).With PPI to X. the cutting
corner with slower speed will generate over burn or melting.
Tip
1. When cutting thicker materials, suggest setting PPI to X and slow speed
setting to melt/cut through the material
2. When cutting thin material or do kiss-cutting, it is recommended to set the
PPI value to 400 and slower speed setting to keep curve and line with
consistent cutting result, no over burn in corner.
Raster / Vector (Pen Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Selected]
Checking the Raster checkbox will process only the raster functions for the areas of your design that
correspond to that particular "pen" color. Checking the Vector checkbox will process the vector
functions for the areas of your design that correspond to that particular “pen” color.
As an example: a particular "pen" color may be assigned to areas in your design containing color fills
(raster engraving) and very thin lines (vector cutting). By checking / unchecking the Raster and Vector
will force the driver to process / ignore the color fills / thin lines.
Vector Checked
Vector Unchecked
Raster
Checked
Processes both Vector and Raster
functions for that particular color
Processes only the Raster functions for
that particular color (Vector functions
ignored)
Raster
Unchecked
Processes only the Vector functions for
that particular color (Raster functions
ignored )
Does not process Vector or Raster
functions for that particular color
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Auto Focus (Pen Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
This checkbox sets the Auto Focus for that particular job. With the Auto Focus button checked, the
LaserPro C180II will automatically initialize the auto focus procedure before starting the job. This will
ensure the focal distance is properly set based on the particular material you are working with and the
focal lens you have installed.
Air (Pen Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
This checkbox controls the SmartAIR air-assist function (if you have the optional air compressor
installed). By selecting a pen color and checking this box will enable the SmartAIR air-assist
function for that particular pen color. As an example, if you are performing a combination of both
surface raster engraving job and deep vector cutting on a material such as acrylic, you may want
to enable the SmartAIR air-assist for the vector cutting sections to get the cleanest cuts. To do
this, you would simply need to select the pen color that you have assigned to the sections to be
cut and select the Air checkbox for those particular pen colors.
5.2.3.3 C180II Print Driver >> Advance Page
Scaling (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: 0]
In some cases you may find a slight output inaccuracy in the actual output compared to what you have
set in the computer. This margin of error or offset is extremely small (approximately 1/300). What this
means that there may be a 1-unit offset for every 300 unit increments. As an example, if you engrave a
300 mm straight line, it may end up measuring only 299 mm or 301 mm in the final output. In this case,
you will want to set the scaling setting to +1 / 1000 or -1 / 1000, respectively to compensate. A general
rule of thumb is for every 300 unit increment, you will want to adjust the slider by +1 if the final output
is 1 unit increment shorter or -1 if the final output is 1 unit increment longer than your graphic design
setting.
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Position Modes (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Home]
These selections allow you to control the positioning of the laser head after each job completion and
before the next subsequent job.
•
Home: Resets the positioning of the laser head to the "home position" (upper-right) before and after
each job.
•
Without Home: The laser head will start the next job based on its position from its graphic
application software setting, from the last position of the previous job. Upon completion of the
current job, the laser head will remain at the last position of the previous job.
•
Relative: This mode sets the current laser head position to correspond to the origin (top
left) position of the graphic software. Therefore, the laser head will process the job from its
current position relative to its setting in the graphics software.
•
Center: Sets the current position of the laser head as the center point for your subsequent job. As
an example, if the subsequent job is to vector cut a circle and you have the Position Mode set to
Center, then the C180II will vector cut a circle around the initial position of the laser head.
SmartCENTER: The SmartCENTER mode is an enhanced version of the center mode and will
determine the center point between two/four positions. User can pinpoint and save two or four
distinct points by moving the pen carriage and using the red beam as a reference. When this mode
is selected, the machine will prompt the user to move the lens carriage to store the location of the
first position and then prompt the user to move the lens carriage again to store a second position or
rd
th
continue to a 3 and a 4 position depending on whether the 2-point mode is selected or the 4-point
mode is selected. Once the positions are stored, the pen carriage will automatically position itself to
the center of the saved positions.
•
Tip
It is highly recommended you enable the red dot laser pointer when setting /
adjusting the Position Modes, as this makes accurate positioning of your laser
carriage for your particular jobs much easier.
Image Output Direction (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Top To Bottom]
These selections allow you to control the direction in which the system processes an engraved image.
•
Top To Bottom: Selecting this will force the system to process the current task by moving the laser
carriage from the top to the bottom of the image (rear end to front end of the work table).
•
Bottom To Top: Selecting this will force the system to process the current task by moving the laser
carriage from the bottom to the top of the image (front end to rear end of the work table)
(Normally, the LaserPro C180II engraves from left to right, top to bottom. Selecting Bottom Up will
force the machine to start from the bottom and work its way to the rear of the working table.
Tip
In situations where the material you will be working with may produce a lot of
dust byproducts and you are utilizing the optional air extraction system, it is
recommended you select the Bottom To Top image output direction option.
This will minimize the amount of dust byproducts lodged in the engraved
sections as the air extraction system is vented from the rear of the machine,
the same direction as the image is processed.
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Border (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
In cases where you are working with a negative image (negative outline areas of your image are
engraved, rather than the positive areas), you may wish to include a border around your image. To
properly add a border, you will first need to Invert your design from the Option Page, then check Use
Border and specify a value for the thickness of the border you would like to add to your design.
This mode is useful for engraving rubber stamps, as it allows you to create the outline around your
stamp image.
NOTE
If you wish to use the Border and Cluster function simultaneously, then the Border
Thickness value must be less than the Distance value specified in the Cluster setting.
Vector Function (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Normal]
•
Normal: This selection will not apply any special advanced vector function to your job. This is
the default Vector Function setting.
•
All Raster Output: This selection will instruct the print driver to process your entire image as a
raster engraving. Any vector lines within the image will be treated as raster data and outputted as
a raster engraving, similar to a dot-matrix printer.
•
Inside-Out Cutting: When performing a vector cutting job in which your image has one vector
cut area enclosing within another vector cut area, select the vector sorting mode. This mode will
automatically instruct the print driver to process the inside vector image and moving outwards. If
you try to process a vector image that has multiple layers without using this mode, what may
occur is the laser engraver may process the outer vector cutting first, and any inner vector cutting
will not be possible as your centerpiece material may have dropped to the cutting table. This
setting will always automatically direct the laser to cut from the inner most vector shape and
move outwards.
•
Optimization Sorting: This is a setting that will minimize your process time. When selected,
the print driver will analyze your image and automatically determine the most efficient processing
path to process your image.
Use Cluster (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
This setting allows you to change how the LaserPro C180II interprets and processes individual /
independent areas of an image in order to minimize job-processing times. The Cluster function is only
applicable when multiple areas of an image are broken down and isolated from each other (areas not
touching each other, blank space in-between). Another condition that must be met for the Cluster
function is that these individual areas of your design must have some X-axis overlap, meaning that
they should be somewhat side-by-side with empty space between them. The distance value can be set
by the user and represents the limit or cutoff point in which side-by-side objects will be processed in
Cluster mode or not. If the distance between side-by-side objects is greater than the set distance value,
then the individual areas will be processed in Cluster mode. Conversely, if the distance between sideby-side objects is lesser than the set distance value, then the individual areas will be processed
normally (not via Cluster mode).
An example of an image that would benefit from the Cluster function would be: 2 squares to be
engraved, side-by-side on the X-axis with a 20 cm gap in between them. In this scenario, you would
want to enable the Cluster setting and set the distance to a value less than 20. By doing so, the laser
will completely process one square and “leap-frog” to the second square, rather than processing both
squares simultaneously. The result: you shorten the processing time by minimizing the unnecessary
travel distance the laser head needs to make across the X-axis in between squares, if they were to be
processed simultaneously.
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NOTE
If you wish to use the Border and Cluster function simultaneously, then the Border
Thickness value must be less than the Distance value specified in the Cluster setting.
Enhanced Vector Mode (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
This setting allows you to improve the cutting quality at the expense of speed. Your engraving
speed will be dropped 50%, to maximize the cutting power. We recommend you enable this
function when cutting thicker materials.
True Image Mode (Advance Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
This setting allows you to improve the engraving quality by reordering the line by line output
sequence and by doing so masking the banding problems. This feature is only suitable for engraving
large sized graphics. Note: The overall working time will be increased.
True Image is a function that will shuffle the normal engraving sequence to produces a nicer
engraving output by reducing possible banding occurrences.
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5.2.3.4 C180II Print Driver >> Paper Page
Paper Size (Paper Page)
The paper size represents your total work area. Ensure that the paper size is never set greater
than the C180II’s worktable area of 18" x 12" (458 mm x 305 mm). The X value represents the
length and the Y value represents the width.
NOTE
When using the optional rotary attachment system and with the Rotary Fixture option
checked, the X value represents the length of your working piece. The Y value will be
changed to Diameter, which represents the diameter of your working piece (at the
position you wish to engrave).
Unit (Paper Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Metric (mm)]
Here you can set your preferred measurement standard in which you would like use with the
C180II print driver. You can choose between metric or imperial standards.
Image Tuning (Paper Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: 0]
In the event that you are processing extremely fine and detailed designs requiring near-microscopic
edge-to-edge precision, you will need to adjust the image tuning setting. To adjust this setting, we
recommend you engrave a small black square design as a sample and apply a magnifying glass to the
engraved results.
When you look at your engraved test square under a magnifying glass, you may notice the edges of
your square may be slightly offset, with every consecutive engraved even or odd line protruding past
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the square’s ideal edge. This occurrence may occur on the left or right side of the square and can be
compensated for by the image tuning setting. In the diagram below, the arrows refer to the direction
the laser head is moving to generate that engraved line. If the first and every other line protrude to the
left of the square’s ideal edge, you will want to set the image tuning to a negative value. If the first and
every other consecutive line protrude to the right of the square’s ideal edge, you will want to set the
image tuning to a positive value. The further the protruding lines are from the square’s ideal edge, the
larger you will need to set the Image Tuning value to compensate.
Square’s Left Edge
Square’s Right Edge (Ideal)
The following is an example of how having the proper image tuning is important when engraving fine,
small, intricate text. The following two pictures show engraved text magnified with no image tuning (left picture)
and image tuning enabled (right picture).
Rotary Fixture (Paper Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
NOTE
This option is only to be used with the Rotary Attachment optional accessory properly
set up. For instructions on how to set up the Rotary Attachment, please refer to Chapter
VII of this manual.
You will need to select the option when processing a job with the optional rotary attachment system
to engrave on rounded or cylindrical objects. When you have your material and rotary attachment
properly set up:
1)
Check the Rotary Fixture function and notice the change in the Paper Size fields. Under Paper
Size, the X value represents the length of your work piece. Enter the length of your work piece in
this field.
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2)
Under Paper Size, the Diameter value represents the diameter of your working piece (at the
position you wish to engrave). Enter the diameter of your work piece in this field. Again,
remember the proper diameter value would be the diameter location, at the point of engraving
on your work piece.
3)
Under Rotary Parameter, the Offset value represents distance from the open end of your
work piece to the base of the padded rubber wheel. This value will be displayed on the
C180II’s LCD panel. Enter the proper offset value in this field.
Uninstall Driver (Paper Page)
Select this to uninstall the C180II print driver. You will then need to restart your computer to
complete the process.
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5.2.3.5 C180II Print Driver >> Language Page
This page allows you to specify the language displayed by the C180II Print Driver. Available language
options include: English, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional
Chinese.
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5.2.3.6 C180II Print Driver >> Raster Page
NOTE
The Raster Page is only available when Black & White Mode Setting is selected from the
Option Page, this page offers a number of advanced Raster Engraving output options.
Contrast (Raster Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: 0]
A quick and easy way to immediately adjust the contrast of an engraved image. Moving the slider
to the Dark setting will increase the contrast levels of the engraved output, whereas moving the
slider to the Light setting will decrease the contrast levels of the engraved output.
Tip
There are other ways to adjust an engraved image’s contrast such as:
adjust the power / speed settings or simply adjusting the contrast of the
image in software with the graphic software application.
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Halftone (Raster Page) [DEFAULT SETTING: Dithering]
This option controls the way a raster-engraved image is processed. The “digital image to engraved
output” process can be processed via two methods: Dithering or Error Diffusion. Each offer additional
output options yielding different output effects, style, and quality.
•Dithering: Interprets and outputs the raster engraving via the dithering method. This mode
will allow you to select the Pattern Type and Dithering Matrix, and Enhanced Dithering.
•Pattern Type: Dot, Bayer, Corner, 45 Degree [DEFAULT SETTING: Dot]
Each pattern type uses a different shape and arrangement of dots to compose the shading
effect of a raster image.
The following diagram is an example of the raster effects when using the different
pattern types.
Dot
Bayer
Corner
•Dithering Matrix: Variable depending on the Pattern Type selected.
[DEFAULT SETTING: 8 x 8]
This controls the resolution (dot size) and the number of dots the image is broken
down into for the dithering process. As an example, selecting 2 x 2 will shade with
a 5-grade halftone, where as an 8 x 8 Dithering Matrix will dither with a 65-grade halftone.
The following diagram is an example of the raster effects when using the different dithering
matrices.
2 x 2 Dithering
8 x 8 Dithering
2 x 2 Enhance
Dithering
8 x 8 Enhance
Dithering
Enhance Dithering [DEFAULT SETTING: Unselected]
Selecting this will produce a finer dithering output.
• Error Diffusion (Raster Page): Interprets and outputs the raster engraving via the error diffusion
method. This mode will allow you to select from three diffusion types: Floyd, Stucki, and Jarvis.
• Diffusion Type: Floyd, Stucki, Jarvis [DEFAULT SETTING: Floyd]
Each diffusion type presents the shade of image as different spread halftones instead of dots to
compose a raster image.
The following diagram is an example of the raster effects when using the different diffusion types.
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Floyd
Stucki
Jarvis
Tip
There is no "correct" or "best" setting when using the Raster options. The most
appropriate settings will be based on a variety of factors: your design, the
material you are engraving on, the results you wish to achieve, etc. Please take
some time to experiment with the multitude of raster options to get the one you
feel is the best for your piece. This is where much of the fun in engraving is….
experimentation!
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5.2.3.7 C180II Print Driver >> Stamp Page
Producing stamps require different operational steps than your standard engraving or cutting jobs.
The Stamp page offers dynamic options allowing you to customize your stamp production process.
NOTE
The Stamp page will only appear and be accessible when you have selected the
Stamp Mode from the Option Page.
Tip
Functions located on the other pages that are useful when making a
stamp: Set Shoulder, Pitch, Border, Invert, and Mirror.
Ridge: contact area of the
stamp
Slope of ridge (shoulder level)
Base of ridge (pitch)
Pitch (Stamp Page)
Your stamp will be a reversed image composed of engraved depressions and ridges. Think of
these ridges as the "contact sections" of the stamp. If the ridges of these contact sections are too
thin, they may break. The Pitch setting allows you to increase the width of the ridge base, hence
creating more stable "contact sections" and longer lasting stamp. The pitch value setting allows
you to adjust the base width of the ridge. Broad pitch gives the maximum amount of support for
each ridge. Experiment with different pitch value settings in order to produce the stamp that is
best suited for your application.
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Adjustment Bar / Power Level (Stamp Page)
Another important aspect of creating a stamp is setting the slope level of the shoulder. The shoulder
is the section from the "contact section" of the stamp to its base. This function allows you to adjust
the slope for the shoulder sections of your stamp. By sliding the sliders or directly input of power
levels, you will be able to change the slope of the shoulder.
NOTE
The visual representations of the Pitch and Shoulder Levels in the C180II driver are an
exaggerated representation to allow for easy visual guidance and precise input.
Remember we are working with distances less than 1 mm here.
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6
Chapter 6
Engraving and Cutting Techniques
Raster Engraving
Vector Cutting
Vector and Raster
3D Tips
To Modified Image Settings of a Picture
for Better Engraving Quality
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6.1 Raster Engraving
A laser engraver can process text, scanned image, digital picture, or design by "laser firing" grids / dots of
individual pixels into a raster image. Think of this as simply "printing" your job onto any particular material. An
example of a raster engraved piece would be a photo engraving on tile, as shown in the picture below.
6.2 Vector Cutting
A laser engraver can process text, design, and images composed of lines through continuous-firing of the
laser to cut out various shapes. When performing vector cutting operations, imagine the laser head as a
pair of scissors cutting out the lines specified in your design. An example of a vector cut piece would be a
customized dining mat, as shown in the picture below.
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The LaserPro C180II Print Driver determines which sections should be raster engraved or vector cut based on
the outline width of that particular area or section of the design. In order to prep a particular section for vector
cutting, you will need to set that object’s fill color to white and set its outline thickness between 0.001" (0.025
mm) to 0.004" (0.1 mm) via the graphics software.
Below is an example of how to prep an area (in this case, we will use a section of text) for vector cutting.
CorelDraw will be used as the selected graphics software.
1) With the text function, create a string of characters and select those characters by clicking on the
text.
2)
Change the text fill color of the selected characters to white by left clicking on the white color from
the CorelDraw Color Palette (located on the right hand side of the screen).
3)
Change the outline color of the selected characters outline by right clicking on the desired color from
the CorelDraw Color Palette.
4)
Change the selected characters outline thickness to the thinnest width by right clicking on
the selected text → select <Properties> → Click on the <Outline> tab and change the Width
to its thinnest dimension. Click on "OK" to apply the changes.
5)
Now your string of characters has been properly designated as an area to be vector cut. Simply
“print” your job (output the file to the C180II) and watch as your string of characters is vector cut.
6.3 Vector and Raster
In some cases, you will want to process both raster engraving and vector cutting tasks within a single project.
For example, if you wanted to engrave a design onto a particular material and then cut a particular shape
around that engraving. The picture below is an example of an engraving on a piece of cork, which has then
been cut out with a square shape:
In these situations when there are raster engraving and vector cutting operations on a single project, the
LaserPro C180II driver will interpret between raster sections and vector sections by the types of lines and line
widths of your design. Areas of your design with line widths set between 0.001" (0.025 mm), 0.004" (0.1 mm)
will be designate for vector cutting, and the other areas will be designated for raster engraving.
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6.4 3D Tips
3D Mode is one of the functions of LaserPro laser engraver. Instead of traditional two
dimensional graphic processing, 3D Mode allows the naked eyes to visualize the curvatures of
the 3D effect. Although it is easy to produce 3D samples with LaserPro Engraver, production of
the 3D graphic can be a hassle for our users.
Principle for 3D production by laser
3D processing uses degrees of the gray level to adjust the output energy of the laser. Take the
figures below as an example. When the color of a certain block is set as 100% black, the laser
output energy for processing will be at 100%. The processing depth will be fairly deep. When
the gray level is set as 50% black, the laser output energy will be adjusted to a smaller value
accordingly so that the processing depth is not as deep.
By specifying the degrees of the gray level in this way, various energy output is achieved and
the 3D effects are produced.
By specifying various degrees of the gray level, various energy output is for processing.
Introduction to software for 3D graphic production
Many ways to produce 3D graphics are available. If you are familiar with or frequently use one
of the 3D software in the market, you may use it for the production of 3D graphics. After
completion, save the 3D images as one of the formats that is compatible with the Laser
Engraver (such as JPG or BMP) and let the machine begin the engraving. If you are not
familiar with any 3D software, some editing software specific for laser in the market also have
3D mode functionality, which could be a handy tool for you to produce 3D objects. Of course,
you may also use Photoshop or CorelDRAW, which you might be using on daily basis, for the
production of 3D objects. Ways to produce 3D graphics with these software are not the same.
In the following section, we will give you simple illustrations with respect to how these software
work.
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Laser Professional AP
Currently, quite few Laser Professional AP is available in the market. The users can not only
create all kinds of vector images with these AP but also convert these vector images into 3D
module, which is a great way to produce 3D graphics.
As illustrated in the figure below, all you need to do is to choose the direction of the vector and
then set the length and shape of the convex or concave surface. The software will
automatically generate the 3D graphic for you.
Illustration for the production of 3D graphics with Laser Professional AP
In addition, you may output the completed graphic directly to the Laser Engraver, which is very
handy. You may also export the graphic as JPG or BMP format and then use CorelDRAW or
Illustrator, which you probably use frequently, to output the graphic.
Photoshop & CorelDRAW
The way to produce 3D graphics with Photoshop and CorelDRAW is very similar. Fill in the
desired gray level colors to each of the drawn figures, and proceed with further arrangement
and combination. Then you may output the 3D graphic to the laser for the production of the 3D
object. Take the figure below as an example. After producing two graphs in gray level, proceed
with the arrangement and combination. Then you may let the laser proceed with 3D mode.
Both Photoshop and CorelDRAW may produce 3D graphics in the manner of combination.
A way to produce 3D graphics
For the production of 3D graphics, in addition to the requirement of having great familiarity with
the software, a significant amount of time is required to design and arrange the layout. Thus,
we use a relatively simple graphic for illustration so that you would understand how to produce
3D graphics better.
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Take the graphic above as a production example. CorelDRAW is used for the production of the
3D graphic.
Step 1. Produce the gray level background
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LaserPro requests your attention
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If you need to produce circular 3D graphics, you only need to select Radial as the gray level
type in the pull-down menu of Type. Then, a circular 3D graphic may be produced.
Step 2. Produce three-dimensional characters
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Step 3. Edit the characters for the website
Step 4. Combine the 3D images
After finishing the production for each of the objects, you may proceed with the combination of
the objects. The combined graphic may be output with the laser engraver.
Output the 3D graphic
After selecting the graphic to be output, set the Mode as 3D Mode in the driver. After setting
the engraving parameters, output the 3D graphic.
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Tips for engraving 3D graphics
LaserPro Application Lab provides a few reminders that may require your attention during the
3D engraving in order to improve the result of the engraving.
Turn on the Air Assist function
When the engraving is done along with Air Assist, the depth of the engraving would be deeper.
Set Air assist inside the driver by checking the box.
Polish
Dust will accumulate during the engraving when acrylic is engraved. The acrylic may be
polished with Polish after the engraving. After the processing, don’t remove the engraved
object. Use the Control Panel to lower the platform (for about 7~8 mm) and then engrave once
again to achieve the better finish.
After engraving the wooden objects, please use a toothbrush with some clean water to remove
the dust on top of the object.
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6.5 To modified image settings of a picture for better engraving quality
1.
2.
3.
4.
Connect your digital camera to the computer by USB cable.
Download the picture from the digital camera to the computer
Select the picture that you want to engrave.
Import the image from the folder where the picture is located by selecting File/Import
5.
Convert the image to Bitmap by selecting the image and click on Bitmaps/Convert to Bitmap
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6.
Change the Bitmap settings by setting “Color” to Grayscale (8-bit) and “Resolution” to 300 dpi and
click OK.
7.
Finally, Invert the image by selecting Effects/Transform/Invert
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8.
Now you are ready to output the modified image by clicking File/Print
Note:
This instruction is a simple example for general use. There are many tips and
tricks to achieve a good engraving quality. It takes a lot of practice and
experience to achieve a good engraving quality. Different picture may need
different modifications and different material may need different parameters.
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7
Chapter 7
Optional Items
Air Extraction System Option
Air Compressor Option Items
Honeycomb Table Option
Focus Lens Option
SmartAIR Nozzle (Fine/Ultra)
SmartGUARD Fire Alarm Option
Rotary Attachment Option
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When purchasing the LaserPro C180II from your local authorized GCC distributor, you will be
provided a chance to purchase optional items to enhance your experience with your system. If anytime
after the purchase of your LaserPro C180II, would you like to purchase any optional item, please contact
your local authorized GCC distributor.
7.1 Air Extraction System Option
To properly remove dust, vaporized materials and chemical smoke from the working area and machine, it is
necessary to install a suitable air extraction system. The air extraction system and other components
are readily available from your local authorized GCC distributor or you can elect to purchase and install
one yourself with compatible models found at your local industrial supply store.
LaserPro's Air Extraction Systems are specifically designed to prevent personnel from inhaling hazardous
fumes and dust generated by the laser process. Available for all LaserPro engravers, the LaserPro Air
Extraction System represents the latest in fume extraction and odor reduction technology for all types of
applications. Quiet operation, high vacuum capacity, compact design and long life expectancy are but a few
outstanding features. Each LaserPro Air Extraction System is powered by a maintenance-free, continuousrunning turbine. In order to ensure personnel safety and legal compliance, the LaserPro Air Extraction
System is CE-compliant for Europe and ETL-certified for the United States and Canada. To purchase a
LaserPro Air Extraction System, contact your local authorized GCC distributor
7.1.1 INSTALLATION (Self-Assembled Unit)
1)
Purchase an exhaust system at your local industrial supply store, we recommend you to have
a contractor install the exhaust system is a centralized exhaust system is preferred. We highly
recommend you to use movable exhaust systems with filter systems.
2)
Mount the exhaust system in an obvious and accessible location, not too far from the C180II,
so it can be routinely switched on prior to laser engraving. The maximal distance you should
mount the exhaust system away from the C180II depends on the blower’s vacuum capacity. We
recommend you consult with the vendor regarding the unit’s vacuum force, maximal distances,
based on the available models.
3)
Connect rigid and smooth walled tubing such as PVC or sheet metal with a 2" diameter to the
ventilation opening located on the rear side of the LaserPro C180II. (As shown in the picture
below). Try to keep this tubing as straight as possible as bends reduce the exhaust efficiency.
Use the appropriate sized tube clamps and sealants to ensure a tight and secure attachment.
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7.1.2 Air Extraction exhaust adjustment bar
Air Extraction exhaust
adjustment bar
Back view
C180II added fantastic adjustment function for air exhaust system.
When user pull the bar to the left side “Bottom Suction” will increase gradually; on the contrary when
user pull the bar to the right side, the “Top Suction will increase. User can adjust the bar according to
the application.
Top view
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7.2 Air Compressor Option
Specifically designed for laser engravers, the air compressor utilizes an oil-free diaphragm.
The air compressor helps eliminate harmful and potentially damaging moisture from the laser optics,
maximizing laser optic life. In addition the air compressor provides the optimal air flow to the
SmartAIR nozzles to minimize flaming, suppress working temperatures, and blow away dust and particle
byproducts generated from the laser process.
Power Cord B
1/4" Air Inlet Tubing
Power Cord A
INSTALLATION:
1)
2)
Remove the plugs on the air compressor to expose the air inlets.
Fasten the included air tube fastener valve to the outgoing air inlet (indicated by 2a) and the air
filter into the ingoing air inlet (indicated by 2b).
2b
2a
Plugs
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3)
Connect a ¼" tubing to the air tube fastener valve on the air compressor.
NOTE
It is important that the ¼" air tubing has clean, straight cuts on each end. Jagged or
slanted cuts will not produce adequate sealing capabilities.
4) Take the unattached end of the ¼" air tubing (other end already connected to air compressor)
and connect it to the air tube connector on the air assist valve. Make sure you press down on the air
tube fastener when inserting the ¼" air tubing, to form a tight, secure attachment as indicated in the
diagram below.
Air Flow Regulator:
Turn Clockwise to
increase airflow
Air Tube Fastener
Turn Counter- Clockwise
to decrease
Air Tube Connector
5)
Congratulations, you have finished setting up the air compressor. Make sure you have the
proper SmartAIR nozzle installed (depending on your application), before you turn on and utilize the
air compressor.
OPERATION:
1)
Switch on the air compressor unit and make sure that the airflow regulator on the air assist valve is
opened (turn clockwise to increase the airflow, counter-clockwise to decrease the airflow). The air nozzle
under the laser head should emit a steady flow of air.
7.3 Honeycomb Table Option
Honeycomb tables are important to tune out a beautiful output when working with cutting operations. The
C180II has a very easy to install honeycomb table. Simply lay it on top and against the upper left corner of the
working area for use.
7.4 Focal Lens Option
GCC offers four different focal lenses namely the 1.5”, 2.0”, 2.5”, and 4.0” for different applications. The number
description, 1.5”, 2.0”, 2.5”, and 4.0” signifies the distance of where passed through beam will converge. For
example, when a laser beam passes through a 2.0” focus lens, the beam will converge at a 2.0” distance
resulting in a concentration of energy at that spot.
The resulting spot size from the different focus lens are also different and the following chart shows the different
spot sizes achieved from the different lenses.
1.5” Lens: The 1.5” lens is best when used for engraving of very fine details
2.0” Lens: The 2.0” lenses are good for normal engraving and cutting of up to 10mm thick acrylic
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Unscrew the three thumb screws on
lens carriage to remove the carriage
panel. Take out the lens carriage and
insert the optional one for different
applications.
Thumbscrew
Engraving effects achieved with the different lenses
Cutting edges achieved with the different lenses
7.5 SmartAIR Nozzle (Fine/Ultra)
The optional SmartAIR Fine Nozzle is recommended for engraving or cutting thin materials such as textile.
The smaller caliber nozzle is positioned closer to the object for a concentrated blast directed over a small
area to eliminate burning on the cutting edge. The perfectly-vertical design of the SmartAIR Fine Nozzle produces a concentrated airflow to blow away dust and unwanted residue, leaving a clean product surface. The
Ultra Nozzle is recommended for the need of even stronger airflow for applications such as deep cutting.
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7.6 SmartGUARD Fire Alarm Option
Laser cutting and engraving operations using the SmartGUARD device protects the operator, machine, and
the work products from potential fire hazards. During the engraving process, flames may be produced when
working with combustible or easily-flammable materials, such as paper or wood. The SmartGUARD is an
optional item that can be set to notify the operator through audio warnings and automatically shutdown the
machine as a safety precaution.
INSTALLATION:
If you have purchased your system with SmartGUARD, then no installation is required, as your system will
arrive with SmartGUARD pre-installed. For system owners that did not initially purchase this option, but
would now like to add the SmartGUARD, they will need to contact your local authorized GCC distributor to
have this great feature installed.
1.
Lift top cover of the C180II using the handle.
Remove the rear plate covering
the Y motor and rear panel of
the working area
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Insert the SmartGuard
cable through the
opening
Connect the cable shown
7.7 Rotary Attachment Option
The rotary attachment option provides the C180II with the ability to engrave on cylindrical or spherical
objects. In addition to the standard X, Y, Z axis, the rotary attachment allows for a fourth axis which
rotates your object 360° to allow for engraving on cups, wine glasses, and even spherical objects.
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Work Piece Limitations
Model
C180II
Maximum Length
250 mm (9.8 inches)
Maximum Loading Weight
3kg (6 lbs.)
Minimum Diameter (Small conical fixture)
12 mm (0.5 inches)
Maximum Diameter (Small conical fixture)
50 mm (1.9 inches)
Minimum Diameter (Large conical fixture)
90 mm (3.5 inches)
Maximum Diameter (Large conical fixture)
120 mm (4.7 inches)
INSTALLATION:
1)
Open the front panel of the LaserPro C180II, lower the working platform to the bottom
2)
Turn off the power of the laser engraver
3)
There are different system configurations on LaserPro C180II and the rotary attachment is
installed accordingly. For machines without the built-in SmartBox, the rotary attachment is
positioned on the working table. For machines with built-in SmartBox, the rotary attachment can be
placed on the base of the SmartBox and used with the large conical fixtures to engrave objects with
larger diameter.
4) When placing the rotary attachment on the working table and the working table with small conical
fixtures, we can only use the small conical fixtures, we can only use the small conical fixtures ( for
working with small objects with diameters 0.5”-1.9”).
5) If the built-in SmartBox is available, remove the working table by removing the 4 thumbscrews
towards the sides and place the rotary attachment on the bottom tray. Under this condition, we
can use either the small or big conical fixtures ( for working with bigger objects with diameters 0.5”1.9” or 3.7”-5.0” respectively)
6) Line up the rotary attachment to the left hand side of the working area and towards the mid-section
of the working area.
7) Connect the rotary attachment cable to the rotary attachment port located inside the LaserPro
C180II ( shown in the picture below).
8) Turn on the machine.
Rotary Attachment Port
9) Close the front panel.
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10) The rotary attachment is now properly installed. Power on the LaserPro C180II and the rotary
attachment will be automatically detected and the engraving table will automatically move to its
lowest position.
NOTE
For machines without the built-in SmartBox, the rotary attachment is positioned on the
working table and the max. diameter of the object is 0.5”-1.9”. For machines with built-in
SmartBox, the rotary attachment can be placed on the base of the SmartBox and used with
the large conical fixtures to engrave objects with larger diameter up to 3.7”-5.0”.
OPERATION:
1)
Use a ruler to measure the diameter (at the point on the work piece you will be engraving)
and length of the work piece you will be engraving. Make a record of this.
2)
Load the work piece onto the rotary attachment by first listing the lever on the rotary
attachment, unlocking the adjustable end of the rotary attachment. Slide the adjustable end to
accommodate the length of the work piece. Load the working piece by centering the open end of
the work piece against the rubber wheel and slide the adjustable end to fit the bottom of work
piece firmly. Now simply lower the lever to secure the work piece with the rotary attachment.
CAUTION
If your work piece is small, please apply 2" focal lens for operation to prevent the lens
carriage from colliding with the rotary attachment.
3)
Prepare the graphic you would like to engrave with the rotary attachment and go to the Paper
Page of the C180II print driver.
4)
From the Paper Page, the first thing you must do is to check the Rotary Fixture. The Paper Size
options and Rotary Parameter will change to allow for proper input based on your rotary
attachment.
a)
Under Paper Size, the X value represents the length of your working piece. Enter the
length of your work piece in this field.
b)
Under Paper Size, the Diameter value represents the diameter of your working piece
(at the position you wish to engrave). Enter the diameter of your work piece in this field.
Again remember the proper diameter value would be the diameter location on your
work piece you will be engraving.
c)
Under Rotary Parameter, the Offset value represents distance from the open end of your
work piece to the base of the padded rubber wheel. This value will be displayed on the
LCD panel. Enter the proper offset value in this field.
NOTE
The maximum diameter and length of the to-be-engraved object is 90 mm and 250 mm
respectively. Its maximum weight should not exceed 3kg.
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5) Your C180II print driver settings are now property set. Manually position the laser carriage to the
proper X / Y location on the object you will be engraving and position the auto focus pin over the area
to be engraved on your work piece. Hit the Auto Focus button and the LaserPro C180II will now
properly focus at the location to be engraved.
6)
Go back to the print driver to print your design and let the engraving begin.
NOTE
The maximum diameter and length of the to-be-engraved object is as follows:
Small conical fixture: 50 mm and 250 mm.
Big conical fixture: 127 mm and 250 mm.
Maximum weight should not exceed 3kg.
Exchanging the conical fixtures on the rotary attachment:
A. Remove the 2 screws shown in the picture below.
B. Detach the circular cylindrical cone by moving it in the direction of the arrow as shown
below.
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C. Assemble the smaller conical fixture onto the rotary attachment as shown below.
D. Use the flat surface as shown in picture below as a reference point and tighten the first
screw against it. After doing so, tighten the second screw and the rotary attachment is
ready for use.
Flat surface
1. Tighten this against the flat
surface
2. Tighten the second screw
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8
Chapter 8
Basic Maintenance
Suggested Cleaning and Maintenance Supplies
Maintaining the Work table and Motion System
-
Cleaning the Work table and Motion System
-
Lubrication of the Y Rails
Cleaning the Optics System
- Removing the Mirrors
- Cleaning the Mirrors
- Removing and Cleaning the Focal Lens
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Keeping your LaserPro C180II clean and well maintained will ensure quality output, consistent reliability,
and extended product life. Smoke, dust or residue build-up inside the laser system or the mechanical
components can cause a reduction in the laser power, irregularities in the motion system, reduced
product life cycle, and a host of other avoidable problems. This section will cover how to perform regular
maintenance on the LaserPro C180II’s worktable, motion system, mirrors, and focal lens.
The frequency of the cleaning schedule will depend on number of variables such as the types of material you
work with, the immediate work environment, the frequency of use, the quality of the exhaust system, etc.
Clean the machine on weekly base for normal case.
WARNING
・
Electrical shock may occur if you do not turn off and unplug the C180II before cleaning.
・
Damage may occur to the system if you do not turn off and unplug the C180II
before cleaning.
・
・
Always turn off and unplug the LaserPro C180II before cleaning!
Resulting debris from laser cutting are very dangerous and may cause fire hazard.
8.1 Suggested Cleaning and Maintenance Supplies
Cleaning / Maintenance Tool
Special notes
Soap Solution or All-Purpose Cleaner
Paper Towels
Cotton Cloth
Denatured Alcohol
DO NOT use alcohol on any painted surface, plastic,
or the laser system!
Acetone
ONLY to be used on the working table
Vacuum Cleaner with a Flexible Nozzle
Only to be used in and around the worktable and
motion system
Light Grade Machine Oil
Cotton Swabs
Supplied
Lens Cleaner
1pc Supplied; suggest source locally*
Lint Free Lens Tissue
Supplied
# 2 Phillips Screwdriver
Allen Wrench .050”
*The recommended lens cleaner is Eclipse Cleaning System Solution from Photographic Solutions
or HPLC grade Methanol. Search “Eclipse Cleaning System Solution” on Amazon or eBay to get
the solution locally.
http://www.amazon.com/Photographic-Solutions-ECDCS-Cleaning-Solution/dp/B0000AUR1I
Eclipse Cleaning System Solution
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8.2 Maintaining the Worktable and Motion System
8.2.1 Cleaning the Worktable and Motion System
Clean the working table and the motion system on weekly basis through the following steps:
1) Turn the power off and unplug the C180II before cleaning.
2) Use a vacuum cleaner with a flexible nozzle to remove dust and debris from the worktable and
motion system.
3) Apply small amounts of all-purpose cleaner, alcohol, or acetone to a paper or cotton towel to
clean the working table.
4) Apply a soap solution, all-purpose cleaner, or alcohol to a paper or cotton towel to wipe down the
rails of the motion system.
5) Wait for all cleaning residue to dry completely before plugging in and operating the C180II.
CAUTION
•
Never pour or spray alcohol or acetone directly to the working table.
•
Oil, alcohol and acetone can cause fires or smoke build-up if improperly used.
TIP
Please clean the AutoFocus pin each time after completing the engraved
job to make sure the AutoFocus pin is free to move.
8.2.2 Lubrication of the X / Y Rails
In order to keep the motion system running smoothly, the X / Y rails of the motion system will
need lubrication on a weekly basis. Use a small amount of light grade machine oil or PS2 grease
to a paper or cotton towel and apply to the rails.
You can purchase PS2 grease from NSK dealers worldwide. Please visit http://www.nsk.com
for additional information.
NOTE
•
Always clean and lubricate the rails after working with materials that produce lots of
debris (such as wood).
•
Too much oil or PS2 grease applied to the X / Y rails will accelerate the build
up of debris.
8.3 Cleaning the Optics System
8.3.1 Removing the Mirrors
We recommend you check the mirrors once or twice a week to see if they require cleaning. If
any debris or smoke residue is present, use the following steps to clean them.
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NOTE
•
•
It is highly recommended you remove, clean and replace each mirror one at a time!
Refer to section 8.3.2 on how to clean the mirrors.
The following section will detail how to access and remove each of the four mirrors found on the
LaserPro C180II for cleaning.
Mirror 1
This mirror is located inside the bottom cover of the LaserPro C180II.
1)
Use a Screwdriver to remove the back cover located on the bottom side of the LaserPro C180II.
2)
Loosen the thumbscrew and screw to the dust cover securing the mirror. (As shown in the
picture below).
3) Clean the lens in the proper manner.
4)
Re-install the mirror after cleaning.
5)
Tighten the thumbscrew and screw
6)
Replace and secure the outer access panel.
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Mirror 2
1)
Unscrew and remove the black dust cover covering mirror 2.
2)
Unscrew the thumbscrew holding mirror 2 in place.
3)
Clean the lens in the proper manner.
4)
Re-install mirror 2 after cleaning.
5)
Tighten the thumbscrew.
6)
Replace and secure the dust cover.
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Mirror 3, 4
These mirrors are accessible on the worktable area of the LaserPro C180II.
Mirror3
Mirror 3
1)
Unscrew the thumbscrew holding mirror 3 in place.
2)
Clean the lens in the proper manner.
3)
Re-install mirror 3 after cleaning.
4)
Tighten the thumbscrew.
Mirror 4
1)
2)
Unscrew the three thumbscrews (front face of the laser head) securing the laser carriage panel
and remove the laser carriage panel to reveal mirror 4 and the focal lens.
Loosen the top thumbscrew to remove mirror 4 (as shown in the picture below).
Top Thumbscrew
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3)
Clean the lens in the proper manner.
4)
Re-install mirror 4 after cleaning.
5)
Tighten the top thumbscrew.
6)
Reinstall the laser carriage panel and tighten the three thumbscrews.
8.3.2 Cleaning the Mirrors
After you have removed each mirror, you will want to inspect each mirror for scratches, smoke residue, or
debris. If any residue or debris is present, use the following steps to clean the mirror.
1)
2)
3)
Hold the mirror with the reflective side up, without touching the reflective side of the mirror
(DO NOT apply any finger pressure or any other cleaning solutions to the mirror surface).
Drape a new sheet of lens tissue over the mirror.
Apply a few drops of lens cleaner on the tissue covered mirror (apply enough so that the tissue
absorbs just enough to cover the mirror surface).
4)
Pull the tissue across the mirror in only one direction.
5)
Repeat the cleaning processes if the mirror is not completely clean after the first attempt.
6)
Make sure that the mirror is completely dry before reinstalling it.
CAUTION
If the center of the mirror is scratched, contact your LaserPro C180II dealer for a replacement.
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8.3.3 Removing and Cleaning the Focal Lens
1)
Unscrew the three thumbscrews (front face of the laser head) securing the laser carriage panel
and remove the laser carriage panel to reveal the focal lens.
2)
Carefully pull out the focal lens (as indicated in the picture below).
3)
Clean the focal lens with a cotton swab and lens cleaner solution. Be sure to clean both sides of
the focal lens (DO NOT apply any pressure or other cleaning solutions to the lens surface).
4) After cleaning, use a cotton swab to gently dry the focal lens and lens cover.
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9
Chapter 9
Basic Troubleshooting
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Quality Problems
•
Check focal length setting under Menu function key > Machine Setting > Set Focus Lens to see if it
matches the type of the lens installed.
•
Check if the focal lens is installed correctly or if focal lens is not fixed properly.
•
Check if it is caused by the debris or dust builds up in the bearing tracks or x rail.
•
Check if it is caused from the damaged or dirty focal lens and mirror 4 in the laser carriage which
can not deliver the laser beam effectively.
Non-operational Problems
•
Laser beam does not generate
1. If the red alignment beam is not revealed, the laser beam is misalignment. Adjust
reflective mirrors for exact focus.
2. If the red alignment beam is revealed, please check the driver power. The laser power
may be too low to be detected. Please increase the percentage setting of the Laser Power
from the software driver or the control panel.
3.
4.
Please check if the laser power connector is loose.
For safety purpose, the laser beam will not be generated when the top or front door is
opened unless you short the connector of the magnetic switches.
NOTE
Unplug the machine before examining the mirrors, lens, motion system or any other part
of the laser system.
Other Problems
•
Graphic Was Clipped…” Message
The size or location of graphic image may be bigger or beyond legal working area.
Do not place graphic object, especially vectors, right from (3,0) origin position, or 0 at either x or y
rail of working area on application software, Corel Draw for instance, even vector line’s width has
been set to the thinnest. Because at thinnest line width, it still goes beyond the boarder and
causes the error. If the message appears randomly but frequently even image object is smaller or
within the legal boarder, check or change DRAM module, a bad contact or faulty DRAM could
cause such error.
•
Auto Focus Pin is Not Functioning
The focus pin could be stocked by greasy residue that coats on it. Clean the probe with alcohol or
acetone. Check the cable of focus pin, there might be a bad contact or breakage.
• When encountering trouble or short circuit problems please press ON/OFF switch to restart the
system.
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10
Chapter 10
Appendix
Glossary
LaserPro C180II Series Specification Sheet
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10.1 Glossary
Color Fill – Term within the awards and engraving industry used to describe the variety of techniques used
to add color or contrast to engraving.
DPI – Dots Per Inch or Pixels Per Inch. The resolution of an image as defined by the amount of dots/pixels
included in an inch. The DPI setting of 500, will include tell the machine to include 500 laser firings within
an inch.
Driver – A software program that allows the computer to communicate with its components and peripherals:
printers, scanners, monitors, etc.
Error Diffusion (Dithering Method) - This effect uses a series of random black and white pixels to
represent shading.
Firmware – Programming permanently set into a computer’s ROM chips. This information is burned into
the computer chips and can only be changed by replacing the chips, or in the case of EEROM, by special
procedure.
PPI – Pulses Per Inch. PPI determines the gross amount of laser pulses there will be per linear inch. PPI
is exclusively for the vector setting. A PPI setting of 500 results in the laser firing every .002” (500 times per
inch). If the standard lens is producing a vector laser focal point of .007”, then higher PPI settings will result
in deeper, overlapping laser pulses. PPI settings lower than 150 will result in the individual laser
pulses being spread far apart, so they will not touch each other. Low PPI settings are a good example of
perforate paper.
Raster – The process of rendering a cutting or engraving by multiple horizontal lines. For example: when
cutting out or engraving a square, the raster setting will make the laser use numerous horizontal lines to fill in
the outlined space.
Raster Image – An image that is defined as a collection of arranged pixels in a rectangular array of lines.
raster image is similar to a "Bitmap" graphics image.
A
Raster Line – A raster line is the individual horizontal line that makes up the raster image.
Vector – The process of cutting or engraving an image by using single horizontal, vertical and curved lines.
For example: when cutting out or engraving the outline of a square, the vector setting will make the laser use
a thin single line to follow the outline of the shape.
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10.2 LaserPro C180II Series Specification Sheet
Work Area
Maximum Part Size
Table Size
Dimensions
Laser Source
Drive
Maximum Motor Speed
Throughput*
Speed Control
Power Control
Z-Axis Movement
DPI
Focus Lens
Computer interface
Compatible Operating
systems
Display Panel
Safety
Facility Requirements
Electrical
Power Consumption
Air Exhaust System
LaserPro C180 II
18x12 in. (458 x305 mm)
19.8 x 12.2 x 6 in.(505 x 309 x 170 mm)
20.4 x 14.7 in.(520 x 375 mm)
29.1 x 30.7 x 16.1 in.(740 x 780 x 410 mm)
12W/30W/40W Sealed CO2 Laser
Closed-loop DC Servo Control
40 IPS
176.3 in2 / hr (1137 cm2/ hr)
Adjustable from 0.1~100% (Up to 16 color-linked speed
settings per job
Adjustable from 0~100% (Up to 16 color-linked speed
settings per job
Automatic
Available 125,250,300,380,500,600,760,1000, 1500
Standard 2.0”, Optional 1.5” available
Full-speed USB 2.0 port
MS Windows
4-line LCD panel showing current file name, total working
time, laser poser, engraving speed, file(s) loaded into
memory buffer, setup and diagnostic menus
Class I Laser Product Complies with EN60825
Class II Laser Product Complies with CDRH
2006/42/EC Machinery Directive Compliance
100-240 Volt AC Auto Switching
700W-2640W
External exhaust system required, one 4” connection on the
back of the machine
* Speed does not equal to throughput. See dealer or visit www.GCCworld.com for more details.
* Specifications are subject to change without prior notice.
*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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