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.

* 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.  

* Trotec Ruby - The program that interacts with the laser cutter to perform a cut. Trotec 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 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 by dragging and dropping the .dxf file into Trotec. Then you need to go under the design tab. The you should see what you want to be cut/engraved on the screen with the correct corresponding colors. Once this is done go under the prepare tab. All you need to do is to click the proper material that you will be using. DO NOT CHANGE ANY SETTINGS WITHOUT TALKING TO A SUPERVISOR FIRST. Finally, go under the produce tab and start the laser cutter.  

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 Trotec 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 Trotec Ruby by dragging and dropping the .dxf file into Trotec. Then you need to go under the design tab. The you should see what you want to be cut/engraved on the screen with the correct corresponding colors. Once this is done go under the prepare tab. All you need to do is to click the proper material that you will be using. DO NOT CHANGE ANY SETTINGS WITHOUT TALKING TO A SUPERVISOR FIRST. Finally, go under the produce tab and start the laser cutter.  

====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 Tortec Ruby 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 Trotec 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 Tortec Ruby.[[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 Trotec 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 Tortec Ruby.

## Select Print to send the design to Trotec 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.

# Cutting with Tortec Ruby

# Cutting with Trotec Ruby

There are four tasks you will need to complete in order to cut/engrave using Trotec Ruby

There are four tasks you will need to complete in order to cut/engrave using Trotec Ruby

## First, you need to get the image from inkscape into Trotec Ruby. This can be done by simply downloading the file and dropping it into Trotec Ruby.  

## First, you need to get the image from inkscape into Trotec Ruby. This can be done by simply downloading the file and dropping it into Trotec Ruby.  

* You should always place your material in a corner. This way, if the cuts do not go all the way through you can reposition it easily. DO NOT MOVE THE JOB in JobControl! If you put the material in a corner, should be able to place the material back where it was, and then reset the job in JobControl by right clicking on the job in JobControl and selecting the reset job option, or by pressing Ctl+R. Next, run the cut again on the smallest thickness setting for your material. For example, if you are cutting 1/4 inch acrylic and it does not cut all the way through, repeat the cut with the 1/8 inch acrylic setting.  

* You should always place your material in a corner. This way, if the cuts do not go all the way through you can reposition it easily. DO NOT MOVE THE JOB in JobControl! If you put the material in a corner, should be able to place the material back where it was, and then reset the job in JobControl by right clicking on the job in JobControl and selecting the reset job option, or by pressing Ctl+R. Next, run the cut again on the smallest thickness setting for your material. For example, if you are cutting 1/4 inch acrylic and it does not cut all the way through, repeat the cut with the 1/8 inch acrylic setting.  

'''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 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.  

* 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 Trotec 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 Tortec Ruby). 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 Trotec Ruby). If there are, drag them back into the list on the right side or delete them

*

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