Changes

* Inkscape - The program you will be using to design is Inkscape. It allows you to type in words, edit logos, make your own logos and such to engrave or cut out of your material.

* Inkscape - The program you will be using to design is Inkscape. It allows you to type in words, edit logos, make your own logos and such to engrave or cut out of your material.

* Job Control - The program that interacts with the laser cutter to perform a cut. Job Control lets you set up/create Material Profiles, change between the HoneyComb Table and the Rotary tool (mostly used for Hydroflasks), and choose a location to cut on your material.  

* Tortec Ruby - The program that interacts with the laser cutter to perform a cut. Tortec Ruby lets you set up/create Material Profiles, change between the HoneyComb Table and the Rotary tool (mostly used for Hydroflasks), and choose a location to cut on your material.  

* Focusing tool - Used to focus the laser cutter.

* Focusing tool - Used to focus the laser cutter.

====Operation====

====Operation====

Performing a cut or engrave with the laser will always begin with Inkscape by opening/importing an image, pdf, DXF, or similar file. If you do not have a file yet then it can also be used to create geometries. When you use SolidWorks to generate a .dxf file the correct face must be selected prior to saving the file. Once a file has been brought into Inkscape, it must be adjusted  so that job control can distinguish between what should be cut out of the material and what should be engraved. A cut is indicated by a hairline red stroke (in the RGB color scheme) and an engrave is indicated by the color black. After the graphic is prepared, it is transferred to job control using [File] > [Print] and making sure trotec is selected as the device. It will then pop up in the job list on the right hand side of JobControl. At this point the laser cutter should be set up by turning it on, placing the material on the honeycomb table, and then raising the table to focus the laser. The final steps are then to click the USB icon in job control to connect to the laser cutter, drag the job onto the to scale honeycomb table, set the correct material properties, and then click the play button to perform the cut/engrave. When performing an engrave on a cylindrical object, the set up process in Inkscape is the same but there are a few differences in job control and laser cutter itself. Primarily, the honeycomb table must be exchanged for the rotary tool, which must be done while the laser cutter is OFF. The laser cutter should automatically recognize that the rotary is attached. The only change in job control is that the accessory should be changed in the settings from the honeycomb table to the rotary tool.

Performing a cut or engrave with the laser will always begin with Inkscape by opening/importing an image, pdf, DXF, or similar file. If you do not have a file yet then it can also be used to create geometries. When you use SolidWorks to generate a .dxf file the correct face must be selected prior to saving the file. Once a file has been brought into Inkscape, it must be adjusted  so that Tortec Ruby can distinguish between what should be cut out of the material and what should be engraved. A cut is indicated by a hairline red stroke (in the RGB color scheme) and an engrave is indicated by the color black. After the graphic is prepared, it is transferred to Tortec Ruby using [File] > [Print] and making sure trotec is selected as the device. It will then pop up in the job list on the right hand side of JobControl. At this point the laser cutter should be set up by turning it on, placing the material on the honeycomb table, and then raising the table to focus the laser. The final steps are then to click the USB icon in Tortec Ruby to connect to the laser cutter, drag the job onto the to scale honeycomb table, set the correct material properties, and then click the play button to perform the cut/engrave. When performing an engrave on a cylindrical object, the set up process in Inkscape is the same but there are a few differences in Tortec Ruby and laser cutter itself. Primarily, the honeycomb table must be exchanged for the rotary tool, which must be done while the laser cutter is OFF. The laser cutter should automatically recognize that the rotary is attached. The only change in Tortec Ruby is that the accessory should be changed in the settings from the honeycomb table to the rotary tool.

====Demonstration====

====Demonstration====

First, import a George Fox logo into Inkscape and set it up so that the logo is an engrave with a cut circle surrounding it. Once this is done, print the job to job control and run the job on a piece of scrap material.

First, import a George Fox logo into Inkscape and set it up so that the logo is an engrave with a cut circle surrounding it. Once this is done, print the job to Tortec Ruby and run the job on a piece of scrap material.

====General Procedure====

====General Procedure====

## Now we can manipulate the colors. Select the object and go to [Object] > [Fill and Stroke] (usually it will already be open on the right sidebar). You will see Fill, Stroke Paint, and Stroke Style on the top right. Fill changes the color of a piece, Stroke Paint changes the color of a stroke, and Stroke Style changes the thickness and style of a stroke. You will see values for R, G, and B, where all colors can be made using these. When each color has a 0 next to it, it will be fully black. When the red has a 255 next to it and the others have 0, it will be fully red. Make sure you check these bit values before continuing, since the machine is set to cutting material ONLY when it sees 255, 0, 0, and it will engrave material ONLY when it sees 0, 0, 0. Everything else, make it white, which is 255, 255, 255. Be sure to make each a Flat Color so that the color is constant throughout the entire object.[[File:...Stroke.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]

## Now we can manipulate the colors. Select the object and go to [Object] > [Fill and Stroke] (usually it will already be open on the right sidebar). You will see Fill, Stroke Paint, and Stroke Style on the top right. Fill changes the color of a piece, Stroke Paint changes the color of a stroke, and Stroke Style changes the thickness and style of a stroke. You will see values for R, G, and B, where all colors can be made using these. When each color has a 0 next to it, it will be fully black. When the red has a 255 next to it and the others have 0, it will be fully red. Make sure you check these bit values before continuing, since the machine is set to cutting material ONLY when it sees 255, 0, 0, and it will engrave material ONLY when it sees 0, 0, 0. Everything else, make it white, which is 255, 255, 255. Be sure to make each a Flat Color so that the color is constant throughout the entire object.[[File:...Stroke.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]

## Once you have finished your design, it’s time to send it to the Laser Cutter! Hit print, make sure it is sending to Trotec Engraver but do not click [OK] yet.   

## Once you have finished your design, it’s time to send it to the Laser Cutter! Hit print, make sure it is sending to Trotec Engraver but do not click [OK] yet.   

## Select [Preferences] to open the engraver properties. You will want to make sure the [Minimize to Job size] option is NOT selected and that the [Height] - [Width] values match the page size selected in Inkscape. DO NOT have [Enhanced Geometries} selected because it causes the curved parts of your design to be unrecognized once it is uploaded to the Job Control.[[File:...printing.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]

## Select [Preferences] to open the engraver properties. You will want to make sure the [Minimize to Job size] option is NOT selected and that the [Height] - [Width] values match the page size selected in Inkscape. DO NOT have [Enhanced Geometries} selected because it causes the curved parts of your design to be unrecognized once it is uploaded to the Tortec Ruby.[[File:...printing.png|none|thumb|600x600px]]

## Then you can save these settings by selecting the button that shows the JC logo near the bottom of the Printing Preferences.

## Then you can save these settings by selecting the button that shows the JC logo near the bottom of the Printing Preferences.

## Select Print to send the design to Job Control.

## Select Print to send the design to Tortec Ruby.

# Setting up the Laser Cutter

# Setting up the Laser Cutter

## Turn on the machine using the power switch located on the back of the machine in the left corner. The machine will go through a startup procedure where the cutting bed lowers and the laser travels to its home position. Note that the lid must be closed for the startup procedure to begin and there will be some beeping coming from the machine which is normal.

## Turn on the machine using the power switch located on the back of the machine in the left corner. The machine will go through a startup procedure where the cutting bed lowers and the laser travels to its home position. Note that the lid must be closed for the startup procedure to begin and there will be some beeping coming from the machine which is normal.

## Now it’s time to focus the laser onto your material. Begin by moving the laser head over the middle of your material; then place the focusing tool on the laser head and slowly raise the table until the the focusing tool falls off. Raise the bed extra slow when reaching the focusing tool so the bed can be stopped the moment the tool falls off. Reference the images below for proper focusing tool placement and laser head controls.[[File:Laser Focus Tool.png|none|thumb|404x404px| Proper placement of the focusing tool. ]][[File:Laser Controls.png|none|thumb|296x296px| Laser control pad. (1) Raise and lower the bed. (2) Move the laser head (5) Air assist. Make sure it is always on to vent fumes properly.  ]]

## Now it’s time to focus the laser onto your material. Begin by moving the laser head over the middle of your material; then place the focusing tool on the laser head and slowly raise the table until the the focusing tool falls off. Raise the bed extra slow when reaching the focusing tool so the bed can be stopped the moment the tool falls off. Reference the images below for proper focusing tool placement and laser head controls.[[File:Laser Focus Tool.png|none|thumb|404x404px| Proper placement of the focusing tool. ]][[File:Laser Controls.png|none|thumb|296x296px| Laser control pad. (1) Raise and lower the bed. (2) Move the laser head (5) Air assist. Make sure it is always on to vent fumes properly.  ]]

## Remove the focusing tool and return it to its home.

## Remove the focusing tool and return it to its home.

## Press the USB icon found in the bottom right corner of job control to connect to the laser cutter. The laser should beep a few times and then a the background of job control will change to a honeycomb pattern to represent the actual honeycomb table. Also, the USB icon will change to a play icon.  

## Press the USB icon found in the bottom right corner of Tortec Ruby to connect to the laser cutter. The laser should beep a few times and then a the background of Tortec Ruby will change to a honeycomb pattern to represent the actual honeycomb table. Also, the USB icon will change to a play icon.  

# Cutting with Job Control

# Cutting with Tortec Ruby

## After you send your design to Job Control it will let you name your design and it will store it in a window on the right. If you do not see your design, be sure to select [See All] at the bottom of that window. This lets you see files ALL dpi types, rather than just a specific dpi type.  

## After you send your design to Tortec Ruby it will let you name your design and it will store it in a window on the right. If you do not see your design, be sure to select [See All] at the bottom of that window. This lets you see files ALL dpi types, rather than just a specific dpi type.  

## Double click/drag your design into the middle area and lock the top left corner of the design into the bottom right of the cursor.  

## Double click/drag your design into the middle area and lock the top left corner of the design into the bottom right of the cursor.  

## Then select your material at the top left.You can check the print preview by double clicking the box showing your preview in the bottom right.[[File:Mitch5.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]

## Then select your material at the top left.You can check the print preview by double clicking the box showing your preview in the bottom right.[[File:Mitch5.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]

## If the cursor is not already visible, be sure that the laser cutter is connected to Job Control via the USB symbol in the bottom right. You can click the Update in the bottom left to see the duration of the job, and now you are ready to click the Play button in the bottom right. For bigger jobs, the Laser Cutter will take a little bit of time to read the design. If it does not start immediately, don’t be scared. Just be supportive and it will begin shortly. If it does not start at all, ask for help from a worker.

## If the cursor is not already visible, be sure that the laser cutter is connected to Tortec Ruby via the USB symbol in the bottom right. You can click the Update in the bottom left to see the duration of the job, and now you are ready to click the Play button in the bottom right. For bigger jobs, the Laser Cutter will take a little bit of time to read the design. If it does not start immediately, don’t be scared. Just be supportive and it will begin shortly. If it does not start at all, ask for help from a worker.

## Once the job starts, stay with it. Be sure it is actually engraving/cutting the material. If it is not doing what it should be, stop it by lifting the lid and consult the supervisor for assistance.[[File:Mitch6.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]

## Once the job starts, stay with it. Be sure it is actually engraving/cutting the material. If it is not doing what it should be, stop it by lifting the lid and consult the supervisor for assistance.[[File:Mitch6.jpg|thumb|600x600px|none]]

## After the job is completed reset the space by cleaning out any scrap materials from the bed and deleting the job from job control and Inkscape.

## After the job is completed reset the space by cleaning out any scrap materials from the bed and deleting the job from Tortec Ruby and Inkscape.

# Cutting with the Rotary Tool

# Cutting with the Rotary Tool

## The Rotary Tool lets you cut and engrave cylindrical objects, the most popular of these being Hydroflasks. This part applies after you have already sent the file from CoreLDRAW to the Laser Cutter.

## The Rotary Tool lets you cut and engrave cylindrical objects, the most popular of these being Hydroflasks. This part applies after you have already sent the file from CoreLDRAW to the Laser Cutter.

* If you are using the correct material profile for your material and cuts are not going all the way through, please email me and let me know so that I can take a look and fix the settings. ZCogswell18@georgefox.edu

* If you are using the correct material profile for your material and cuts are not going all the way through, please email me and let me know so that I can take a look and fix the settings. ZCogswell18@georgefox.edu

'''The laser went really fast leaving a sort of light engrave rather than a cut'''

'''The laser went really fast leaving a sort of light engrave rather than a cut'''

* You did not select the correct material, and the job ran with the ‘standard’ setting. DO NOT MOVE THE MATERIAL! You can reset the job by right clicking on the job in Job Control and selecting the reset job option, or by pressing Ctl+R. Then, select the correct material in the upper left dropdown menu and run the job again. This way you do not need to reposition the material or job, which you will almost never do perfectly.  

* You did not select the correct material, and the job ran with the ‘standard’ setting. DO NOT MOVE THE MATERIAL! You can reset the job by right clicking on the job in Tortec Ruby and selecting the reset job option, or by pressing Ctl+R. Then, select the correct material in the upper left dropdown menu and run the job again. This way you do not need to reposition the material or job, which you will almost never do perfectly.  

'''The laser repeated the cut multiple times'''

'''The laser repeated the cut multiple times'''

* Some material profiles, such as half-inch, acrylic are set to repeat the cut line multiple times, as to get a cleaner product. If the cuts look good, this is normal.

* Some material profiles, such as half-inch, acrylic are set to repeat the cut line multiple times, as to get a cleaner product. If the cuts look good, this is normal.

'''The material is being cut in unintended places'''  

'''The material is being cut in unintended places'''  

* Check your Inkscape file and make sure there are no red stokes in places you did not want

* Check your Inkscape file and make sure there are no red stokes in places you did not want

* Make sure there are no other jobs on the work area (grey rectangles in the honeycomb area of JobControl). If there are, drag them back into the list on the right side or delete them

* Make sure there are no other jobs on the work area (grey rectangles in the honeycomb area of Tortec Ruby). If there are, drag them back into the list on the right side or delete them

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