Full Spectrum Laser HL40-5g Hobby Advanced, User Manual, Page: 47 / 91

Share

Page: 47 / 91

Full Spectrum Laser HL40-5g Hobby Advanced User Manual Download Page 47

46

Using RetinaEngrave Software

RetinaEngrave is the combination control software, electronics and print driver that allows you to
create jobs and download them to your laser system. The full control package for your laser has
four parts:

• RETINAENGRAVE PRINT DRIVER

                              • RETINAENGRAVE JOB SOFTWARE
                              • FSL LCD CAPACITIVE TOUCH CONTROL PANEL
                              • RETINAENGRAVE PRO LASER CONTROLLER

QUICK START CHECKLIST

A typical job starts with the creation of a design in your favored software. You can also find designs
online. Once you are satisfied with your design, follow these steps:

1. Open RetinaEngrave.

DoubleClick the RetinaEngrave icon on the desktop of your

computer. The program must be open at the time of printing from your design software in
order to capture the print stream. You can also print to an XPS print file while
RetinaEngrave is not running and open this XPS file at a later time to print.

2. Select Print Driver. Select the “Full Spectrum Engineering Print Driver”.

Make sure

that the “Preflight Check” tab is not giving any warnings.

3. Print.

Click the “Print” button. Your job is parsed by RetinaEngrave and will appear in the

RetinaEngrave software under the currently selected mode tab. Now you are able to review
your design, make adjustments and choose the laser settings for running the job.

4. Options.

You can start the job immediately or download the job to the onboard memory of

the RetinaEngrave controller. To run a downloaded job, there is an additional step of
loading the job in the controller’s memory before pressing “Start”. This is done using the
LCD touch panel.

ATTENTION! The first time that you open RetinaEngrave, you will be
asked to select your laser from a popup menu. It is extremely important
that you choose the correct laser, for example, Generation 5 Hobby
20x12”. Choosing the wrong laser will cause communication errors and
the laser tube will fire continuously. If you select the wrong laser, use
the Laser menu and select “Change Laser” to select the proper unit. If
the connection dialog (lower left of RetinaEngrave) shows the laser as
disconnected, make sure the Ethernet cable is plugged in and power

cycle the laser. If there is still a connection issue, go to the laser menu and manually
enter the IP Address displayed on the control panel after boot.

Technical Support is available from 8:00 am (PST) to 5:00 pm (PST) Monday through Friday at

[email protected]

.

«
...
45
46
47
48
49
...
»

Summary of Contents for HL40-5g Hobby Advanced

Page 1: ......

Page 2: ...uct as defined in International Standard IEC 60825 1 The Full Spectrum HL40 5g complies with 21 CFR 1040 10 and 1040 11 the Federal Performance Standards for Light Emitting Products except for deviations pursuant to Laser Notice No 50 dated July 16 2001 The Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the US FDA issued Laser Notice No 50 to permit manufacturers to classify and manufacture their p...

Page 3: ...g the Ethernet Cable Assembly Stage Seven Install RetinaEngrave Software Focus Lens Adjustment Laser Tube Test Mirror Alignment Focusing Laser Head Adjustment USER INTERFACES H Series Hobby Laser Touchscreen Interface Validating Control Card RetinaEngrave Interface OPERATIONS Engraving Cutting Designating Layers Design Tab Workspace Tools HARDWARE MAINTENANCE Replacing the Laser Tube Replacing the...

Page 4: ...s CO2 Gas icon Warns of potential gas leaks and associated hazards Laser Icon Warns of potential dangers associated with laser usage Fragile Icon Warns of fragile parts or materials such as glass Laceration Icon Warns of potential sharp edges that could cause cuts or injury Level Icon Indicates the need for a level surface Temperature Icon Warns of potential temperature issues with your machine Sa...

Page 5: ... inspect the laser cutter for damage and breakage before use It is the responsibility of the user to ensure all safety precautions are correctly assembled and working properly before operating the machine NEVER leave the laser system unattended during operation KEEP YOUR LASER SYSTEM CLEAN A build up of cutting and engraving residue and debris is dangerous and can create a fire hazard Keep your la...

Page 6: ...produce a corrosive vapor that is extremely harmful to humans and will destroy your machine Your warranty will be void if your machine is damaged by corrosion from engraving or cutting PVC or vinyl NEVER engrave or cut any unknown material The vaporization melting of many materials including but not limited to PVC and polycarbonates can give off hazardous fumes Please refer to the MSDS sheet from ...

Page 7: ...erning proper installation and use of laser systems While the ANSI standard itself does not have the force of law its recommendations including warning signage training and the designation of a laser safety officer may be compulsory under local workplace regulations when operating laser systems above Class I It is the operator s responsibility to ensure that the installation and operation of the F...

Page 8: ...gen extinguishers are more expensive than a dry chemical but offer certain advantages should you ever need to use an extinguisher The Halogen extinguisher discharges a clean easily removable substance that is not harmful to the mechanics or wiring of the laser system The dry chemical extinguisher discharges a sticky corrosive powder that is very difficult to clean up BE AWARE t hat stacking materi...

Page 9: ... quantities of fuel in the form of wood and wood products sawdust and flammable materials such as paints oil finishes adhesives solvents and liquid propane for internal combustion engines Preventing the buildup of dust is one of the key means for controlling fire and explosion hazards The principal engineering control technology for control of dust is exhaust ventilation The primary work practice ...

Page 10: ...reak any electrical connections to the system while the unit is turned on NEVER access the electronics area with hands or tools unless the unit is disconnected from power for at least one hour NEVER replace the installed 10 amp fuse with a fuse of a higher rating This will void your warranty and the electronics will not be adequately protected from surges or short circuits POWER ON OFF is controll...

Page 11: ...om of the power supply and the side optics riser 1 so that the labels are visible when the covers have been removed One label located on the right tube access panel 5 DEFEATABLY INTERLOCKED PROTECTIVE HOUSING SAFETY LABEL This label is located on the machine s cabinet door in the lower right hand corner 6 APERTURE SAFETY LABEL 2 This label is located on the left slider of the Y gantry and on the m...

Page 12: ...11 UNBOXING Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 13: ...12 Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 14: ...r 1 sheet J Power Cable 1 K 2 5 mm Hex Key 1 L Ethernet Cable 1 M 2 0 mm Hex Key 1 N 2 Focusing Bilit 1 O Adjustment Tool 1 Optional Accessories not included but recommended P 4 Ducting 1 Q Exhaust Fan 1 R 4 Hose Clamp 1 S Air Compressor 1 T Air Hose 2 Additional Recommended Tools 3 5 gallons of distilled water A five gallon bucket Small scissors Aluminum Tape Ducting Tube Exhaust Fan recommended ...

Page 15: ...facturer 3 Remove honeycomb cutting table Remove the honeycomb plate B from the box and then remove the bubble wrap surrounding it Set the honeycomb plate aside for now Once we have removed the packed accessories we will insert it into the base of the machine 4 Remove the Machine from the box With the foam packaging intact gently lift the machine out of the box and place on a clean flat surface su...

Page 16: ... this procedure 8 Inspect the machine Examine your laser cutter for defects and breakage If you find any defects or breakage contact your sales representative immediately Have pictures of the damage ready to share Your machine is now unboxed Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 17: ...16 INSTALLATION AND ASSEMBLY Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 18: ...d software Assembly Stage One Remove Zip Ties To secure the machine during shipping zip ties are used to hold the X belt the Y belts and the laser head These must be removed before operating your laser cutter for the first time REMOVE ZIP TIE STEPS 1 Locate Zip Ties There are a total of four 4 zip ties that need to be cut and removed One is located on the laser head one is located on the X belt an...

Page 19: ...d over the installed Exhaust Port located at the back of the machine and hold 2 Secure with Aluminum Tape Evenly tape secure and seal the ducting to the Exhaust Port using aluminum tape not included 3 Attach Exhaust Fan recommended We recommend using an exhaust fan to ensure maximum air exhaust Secure the other end of the ducting connected to the machine to a Exhaust Fan not included Now repeat th...

Page 20: ...e the short silicone tubing capping the water inlet and outlet on the back of the machine 2 Attach Water Pump FItting Remove the water pump D from its packaging Attach the white plastic fitting C to the water pump by gently screwing it on 3 Prep Water Bucket Fill a clean 5 gallon bucket not included with 3 4 gallons of distilled water not included ALWAYS use only distilled water and replace often ...

Page 21: ...d CAUTION Make sure that there are no air bubbles inside of the water jacket of the laser tube Air bubbles can create local hot spots in the lasing chamber and reduce the lifetime of your tube If present water bubbles typically migrate to the electrodes on either end of the tube You should visually inspect the laser tube to make sure that bubbles are not present slightly tilting the laser while po...

Page 22: ...g Gently screw on the push fitting to air compressor 2 Attach Air Hose to Air Compressor Recommended Push one end of the black air inlet hose into the air compressor push fitting until it is snug 3 Attach Air Hose to Laser Cutter Recommended Insert other end of the black air inlet hose into the air inlet slot in the back of laser cutter A via the blue push fitting THIRD PARTY AIR ASSIST SYSTEMS If...

Page 23: ...rs of your exhaust system POWER ON OFF the laser s power is controlled by the large red button e stop located on the top of the case in the far right This is an open twist to release button To power the laser down simply press the button down until it locks To power the laser up twist the button clockwise according to the indicating arrows on the surface of the button IN CASE OF A BLOWN FUSE deter...

Page 24: ...to the router If both of those are not possible then direct connection to computer can be utilized via the Ethernet cable PRO TIP The Hobby Advanced can connect to your computer via either Ethernet or USB but not both simultaneously Full Spectrum includes an Ethernet cable in the laser accessories and recommends the use of Ethernet cables as USB is more prone to electrical interference ATTENTION Y...

Page 25: ...our laser cutter via the Ethernet Cable J or a router as demonstrated in Stage Six above In your favorite browser Google Chrome Firefox etc go to http fslaser com RetinaEngrave 2 Download Installer You will need to download the RetinaEngrave installer first Click Download RetinaEngrave Installer to begin the process 3 Run Installer Once the Installer is downloaded click Run Approve any security wa...

Page 26: ...t destination is your C drive If this is acceptable Click Next 7 Select Components This is another optional step allowing you to choose what components you want to add with your install You can selectively click any component on Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 27: ...shortcut in your Start Menu folder It is recommended that you use the default name Click Next 9 Select Additional Tasks This window allows the options to create a shortcut desktop icon and tell your computer not to firewall block running the program Both are the default options and are recommended Click Next Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at su...

Page 28: ...ady to install Click Install and allow the computer time to run to the next step 11 Extract Files Click Extract to unpack the files and launch the install process Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 29: ...8 12 Driver Installation This is another necessary step in downloading the software Click Next Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 30: ...inaEngrave Software You are ready to launch the program You can go directly to the software by Clicking Finish You can also launch the program through your start menu or by clicking the desktop shortcut icon Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 31: ...e sensing which requires contact with skin to operate The panel is quite sensitive and can often sense changes through thin fabrics a cotton shirt Please take note of this and avoid leaning on the panel during maintenance The control panel interface is mode based meaning that each button s function depends on the currently selected mode Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PS...

Page 32: ...ens The Focus Lens attaches to the focus head using one 1 M3 thumbscrew and two 2 M3 spring washers G Be sure all screws and washers are accounted for and properly placed and tightened Figure 1 2 Check the Air Assist Be sure the air assist tube is attached to the push to connect connector once the head has been secured Figure 2 3 Check for Interference Run a job with the laser OFF to verify the ai...

Page 33: ... laser with safety lid open 5 Set Laser To Test Mode This step will require using the Touch Screen Interface This manual has a section fully describing the Touch Screen features but for now we can complete this process with minimum introduction Place the laser into test fire mode by pressing the FS Z button toggle until menu reads Align Mode 6 Test Fire the Laser Press the Test Fire Button on the ...

Page 34: ...d make it impossible to fire the laser with the safety lid open Regardless never attempt to fire the laser with safety lid open 5 Test Fire the Laser Press the Test Fire Button on the Touch Screen 6 Check Results Observe and note the location of the mark on the thermal paper 7 Reposition Laser Using the Touch Screen Interface arrow keys position the laser halfway along the Y axis towards the lower...

Page 35: ...k on the thermal paper You may need to hit Test Fire more than once to create a visible black dot on the thermal paper 6 Check Results A black dot should appear on the thermal paper Check that this dot is round and not clipped on the left or right In the unlikely case the dot is still clipped after multiple test fires the tube may be sitting at an angle causing it to hit the beam combiner This wil...

Page 36: ...piece of thermal paper and fire a test dot with the X gantry still in the lowest Y position Move the X gantry to the top position and fire another test dot Now the two black dots should be closer together 13 Adjust Move the X gantry back to the lowest Y position Now adjust the red dot until it moves to the center of the two black dots 14 Repeat Until Aligned Repeat the process of firing two black ...

Page 37: ...k dot through the screws on the red laser diode mount or twisting the red laser diode mount 17 Second Test Fire Put on a new piece of thermal paper Move the laser head to the far left and fire a black dot Move the laser head to the far right and fire a second black dot 18 Track and Verify Now you should have two black dots on the thermal paper and the red dot Verify as you move from the left side ...

Page 38: ...exactly on top and this axis is aligned The goal is to have the two black dots overlap exactly IT IS NOT NECESSARY THAT THE DOTS BE IN THE CENTER OF THE MIRROR BUT THEY SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE ON THE MIRROR RE ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE Mirror 3 21 Adjust Mirror 3 Once mirror 2 is aligned put a piece of thermal paper on top of the lens Adjust the screws on mirror 3 until the red dot is in the center of the l...

Page 39: ...cers When the eccentric spacers are turned they tighten the bottom wheels against the underside of the black X axis rail Too much tension and the wheels can bind up when doing high speed raster or rapid moves Too little tension and you can see some slop in the cutting Two special wrenches are included to adjust the wheels ECCENTRIC SPACER ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE STEPS 1 Adjust the Eccentric Shafts Fi...

Page 40: ...chine There should be minimal wobble to ensure the laser head doesn t move when the laser head rapidly changes direction A small amount of looseness on the head is required for proper operation PRO TIP Ideally the wheels should be tight enough so if they rotate they move the head but not tight enough that they introduce too much friction The above wheel test is an excellent test of balance between...

Page 41: ... field gives information on the current operation mode of the laser 2 Mode Field Located on the far left of the lower line this field tells the operator the current mode 3 Power Field Displays the laser power on a scale of 0 255 During a job you can adjust from 0 255 on the fly using the up and down arrows It is located to the right of the MODE field Note that if the power is increased above the d...

Page 42: ... on the bottom are typically active during Alignment Mode 2 1 FS Z MODE SELECT Toggles between modes a Fast XY Jog Mode 0 b Slow XY Jog Mode 1 c Alignment Mode 2 d Factory Reset Mode 3 2 LOCK UNLOCK Locks or unlocks the drive motors System cannot jog or test fire while unlocked but laser head can be positioned by hand a Locked b Unlocked 3 HOME If in Fast XY Mode 0 or Slow XY Mode 1 pressing this ...

Page 43: ...green arrow keys pointing UP 7 DOWN 9 LEFT 8 and RIGHT 10 a In Fast or Slow XY Modes 0 and 1 the buttons move the laser head left right and front back b In File Select Mode 3 the up and down buttons scroll through the loaded jobs PRO TIP During a job only the LOCK UNLOCK CANCEL and UP DOWN JOG buttons function All other function buttons are disabled LOCK UNLOCK pauses resumes the job CANCEL cancel...

Page 44: ...you will have 80 hours to activate your card The 80 hours are only counted while the laser is ON During the temporary usage period you must connect your laser to your PC while it is connected to the internet and validate your card Control card activation is a one time process This section will walk you through the validation process VALIDATION OF CONTROL CARD New Customers Only STEPS 1 Connect You...

Page 45: ...ccount VALIDATION FOR EXISTING CUSTOMERS SOFTWARE UPGRADE 1 Follow Download Instructions Download the latest version of RetinaEngrave and extract the zip archive to a location on your computer You may or may not be required to update your laser s firmware 2 Open the extracted folder Read any documents Text PDF Word found there for installation information Follow those instructions first load firmw...

Page 46: ...will verify that your information matches the purchase or send you an email if we need more information Once your profile has been verified we will email you an activated profile When you receive this email continue to the final steps below 8 Download the Activated Profile This file will be attached to the email you received 9 Start RetinaEngrave You can drag the activated profile into the workspa...

Page 47: ...aEngrave and will appear in the RetinaEngrave software under the currently selected mode tab Now you are able to review your design make adjustments and choose the laser settings for running the job 4 Options You can start the job immediately or download the job to the onboard memory of the RetinaEngrave controller To run a downloaded job there is an additional step of loading the job in the contr...

Page 48: ...ou will be introduced to the major interface features of RetinaEngrave WORK SPACE The workspace window shows a preview of your current job Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 49: ...ile in RE cannot be saved Designs need to be at the desired scale and stroke color before being brought into RE LASER The Laser menu provides options related to the laser unit configuration and communications It will allow you to select the type of laser you are connected to manually reconnect to the laser or manually set the connection IP address Laser sub menus Change Laser Profile Firmware Upda...

Page 50: ...s the X coordinate the left field the Y coordinate MOVE TO The text fields show the saved position read from the controller The fields are editable allowing you to move to a manually entered location Pressing the Move To button will first move the laser head to the home switches for reference then rapidly move to the position in the text boxes Press the Home button to move the laser head to the or...

Page 51: ...will present a bounds alarm when you attempt to run a job RetinaEngrave has a built in bounds checker to make sure that your design fits within the workspace PERIMETER J The perimeter function will run the laser head in a box that bounds the limits of your design PERIMETER STEPS P Each button press steps through one side of the perimeter bounding box LASER HEAD POSITIONING BETA The default job ori...

Page 52: ... current settings The job origin is by default located at the upper left of your design and is indexed from the current location of the laser head For example if you are vector cutting a 3 inch square the laser will fire and move 3 inches to the right then 3 inches forward down then 3 inches left and finally 3 inches up back to the starting position of the laser head The Start button will be graye...

Page 53: ...rties section allows you to set the power and speed of a raster job as well as the B W threshold for a grayscale image see Operations section for more information IMPORT OPTIONS Import Options allow you to set conditions under which the print stream from Windows is captured Ignoring raster data is useful if you are working with large or complex files and only causes RetinaEngrave to only render ou...

Page 54: ... functionality Raster Engrave Vector Cut etc These tabs can be dragged to change their order or location in the program window You can organize your workspace using the auto size function or leave the tab dialog window floating The auto size function will snap the dragged tab to a preset location in the program window The default tab location is reached by dragging to the center of the auto size o...

Page 55: ...ter Engraving or Rastering because the laser fires individual pulses corresponding to pixels in an image When the laser is operating in raster mode the head moves rapidly from left to right and slowly top to bottom engraving your image pixel by pixel and line by line You can also engrave images in vector mode by setting the power such that you score the workpiece without cutting through Engraving ...

Page 56: ... effect The quality of the dithered image preview in the workspace often looks poor however the actual output engrave quality will be much higher Dithered images simulate true grayscale by averaging pixel density to achieve an optical effect closely approximating the original image Selecting this button has no effect on images that are 1 bit or black white already HALFTONE DITHER Like the Simple D...

Page 57: ...time raster time Since acceleration time is also lower the total time is not linearly related to the speed However the energy heat applied to the material is linear according to the speed For deeper engraving use a slower speed BLACK WHITE THRESHOLD Adjust this slider to fade in or fade out portions of any image that is not black white Your computer graphics card must be fast enough to use the sli...

Page 58: ...mum of the configuration file setting and the dpi selected from the dropdown menu The default setting is 250 dpi By selecting 1000 dpi before printing the laser will import at 250 dpi then upscale the image using a bi cubic interpolation to 1000 dpi RetinaEngrave stores the source image in memory and converts it to grayscale before dithering Due to the large number of pixels in a 1000 dpi image 1 ...

Page 59: ... image in a dedicated editing program with DPI settings that match the native DPI of the laser 1000 dpi In the case of non 1 bit bmp images grayscale color dimensions are set on import using the page size in the print driver dialog box Changing the DPI setting results in a different number of pixels in the same space without changing the dimensions of the image This procedure results in lower outp...

Page 60: ... way to carry artwork from a non compatible operating system Mac or Linux onto your Windows PC Limited testing has been carried out with CorelDraw X6 and it appears to be a good choice as well Other popular packages include Adobe Illustrator Inkscape and Google s free online vector drawing application Additionally most CAD packages are able to output drawings in a vector format for printing Autode...

Page 61: ... is a useful function for engraving deeply into an object with the proper settings it will remove material much more quickly than in Engraving mode Be aware that due to the scan gap being non zero the bottom surface might not be smooth VECTOR LAYERS VECTOR CURRENT VECTOR LAYERS RetinaEngrave automatically separates vector drawings into layers by color Each layer can specify different properties Th...

Page 62: ...ata is memory intensive for large drawings at the highest resolutions and is unneeded if only vector cutting is required IGNORE ALL VECTOR The existing documents in the Vector Cut is not replaced when loading new documents IGNORE THIN VECTOR Disables vectorable content from Raster Tab and non vectorable content from Vector Tab Vectorable is defined as having line width set to hairline All other ob...

Page 63: ...program compatibility Black Blue Red Magenta Green Cyan and Yellow from the RGB color palette PRO TIP RetinaEngrave uses a best guess color round off routine when a color is not a standard RGB color Avoid using black whenever possible because black is the default color RetinaEngrave uses whenever it cannot figure out what color it should be By avoiding black you will have more control Technical Su...

Page 64: ...design you select it and render it to one of the mode tabs Attention The Design Tab is not meant to replace a dedicated drawing design package it exists as an internal tool for quick tests and is released as is If you are having a problem with the output of the design tab please use a standard program such as CorelDraw to create your work and report any software issues to support fslaser com DESIG...

Page 65: ...Panel to set start and end points NEW RECTANGLE Draw a rectangle Use the handles to change proportions or the properties panel to adjust width and height units are inches as well as corner radii Use the Stroke properties to adjust corner joint type NEW ELLIPSE Draw an ellipse Use the properties panel to change the X and Y radii units are pixels NEW PATH Create a new spline path Select one of the e...

Page 66: ...trols grid display and parameters The Grid Width and Snap Grid Width fields can be altered to suit your preferences units are in inches ZOOM BUTTONS Adjust the zoom level of the design area BOUNDING OPTION Print bounding box around work area perimeter PROPERTIES PANEL TOP NEW DRAWING Create a new drawing COPY DRAWING Copy current drawing DELETE DRAWING Delete current drawing Technical Support is a...

Page 67: ...on in the design area DRAWING PROPERTIES DRAWING SIZE Set the total work area drawing size units in inches DESIGN PROPERTIES This drop down list allows you to select which drawing to make active via a left double click You can also select the tab of the drawing you would like to work on in the design area SHAPE PROPERTIES Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday throug...

Page 68: ...sign s scale The small field located on along the height extension line gives the current X and Y workspace coordinates of the mouse Hovering the mouse over a vector object polyline will cause it to highlight You can right click the mouse to disable that object in the current job and right click again to re enable Clicking on a poly line will bring up the workspace editor You can move scale or dis...

Page 69: ...ff of the connectors SHOCK WARNING The capacitors in the power supply retain power even after turning the laser off To ensure your safety turn off the laser remove the power cord and wait at least 1 hour before accessing the power supply REQUIRED PARTS AND TOOLS FSL 40W replacement tube Part 420153 01 Wrench for M5 hex nuts Scissors wire cutters Large zip ties 2mm hex key for removing back panel o...

Page 70: ...sed end to the RED POWER terminal If there is any residual voltage in the capacitors there will be a spark as it grounds to the BLUE wire SHOCK WARNING DO NOT hold the BLUE wire near the exposed end while doing this NEVER perform this procedure while the laser s power cord is connected The waiting period should have dissipated any residual charge but take extreme care during this procedure 10 Remo...

Page 71: ...bolts to the rubber holders and place the tube back onto the rear panel 19 Re Thread Hex Nuts CAREFULLY re thread the M5 hex nuts onto the U bolt posts and make snug but not yet tight with the rear panel 20 Re Attach Water Tubes Carefully re attach the water tubes to the proper laser connection bulkheads Make sure that the water tube routing and locations match the original configuration We have n...

Page 72: ...exposed portion of the RED lead tightly and securely around the positive electrode reflector end opposite of the aperture Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 73: ...tape around the neck of the laser tube 5 Wrap Electrode Tightly wrap one end of the Teflon tape several times around the electrode Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 74: ...er tube and around the inside of the electrode Knot the Teflon tape tightly around the electrode Trim Teflon tape 7 Slide Silicone Tubing Slide the silicone tubing onto the electrode Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 75: ...ing on your environment 10 Repeat steps for BLUE Ground Wire Repeat steps 1 through 8 for the BLUE ground wire that attaches to the electrode nearest the tube aperture it is not necessary to insulate the ground wire with silicone tubing or sealant Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 76: ...d unplug your unit Wait at least 1 hour for capacitors to discharge 2 Disconnect PSU connectors Disconnect the three 3 GREEN PSU board connectors 3 Remove PSU screws Using the 3mm hex key remove the 2x M3 6 socket head cap screws that secure the PSU to the frame These screws are secured with threadlocker and may require some strength to remove 4 Position PSU Slide the PSU towards the front of the ...

Page 77: ... power cord and wait at least 1 hour before accessing the power supply WATER WARNING You will be disconnecting the water system and working with the laser upside down Be sure the machine is dry before proceeding with this process REQUIRED PARTS AND TOOLS 2mm Hex key included with accessories 2 5mm Hex key included with accessories Scissors STEPS 1 Power Off Machine Power off and unplug your unit W...

Page 78: ...nstalled on the riser loop over the drive and idler pulleys 7 Tension the belt Pull on the Y idler pulley mount with your hand Moderate to strong force is recommended If the motors do not jog verify that the motors are connected to the control card Detail of X Idler Tensioner Detail of Y Idler Tensioner Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support...

Page 79: ...heck that the power supply is receiving power green LED on main board is lit 4 If power supply LED is receiving power check connections between laser and power supply If connections are good no loose connectors or wires and foregoing tests passed please contact support Laser does not fire 1 Laser cover is open or magnet wires are disconnected 2 Water is flowing in the wrong direction or water sens...

Page 80: ...ually along the Y axis This problem is caused by the Y axis interrupter flag and optical limit switch interrupt moving from the nominal mounting positions X rail came out of alignment during shipping and flag cannot reach far enough to access sensor 1 Using a business card or small piece of paper home the laser and interrupt the problem axis Motion along that axis should cease If it continues to m...

Page 81: ...ft side of the laser tube nearest the emission aperture Resolution 1 Clean the electrode and rewrap the ground wire on the laser tube see Appendix F Tube replacement 2 Shifting of the connection during shipping can sometimes cause a loose connection to the ground wire The voltage on this wire is less than 0 1V and it must make tight contact with the electrode or else there can be unpredictable EMI...

Page 82: ...g connection 1 Verify that your internet connection is properly configured for DHCP You must reset the laser after connecting the Ethernet cable On some PCs it is not possible to browse the internet over WiFi and connect to the laser via Ethernet at the same time 2 Temporarily disable windows firewall and third party antivirus software to allow connection Engraved lines are diffuse cutting fails e...

Page 83: ...tting pressure on the Y shafts 3 Take two known length standards of equal size 1 2 3 blocks work well and place them at the front of the machine on either Y rail flush with the interior wall of the top panel 4 Slide the gantry forward so that both left and right risers are in contact with the blocks 5 Maintaining forward pressure on both sides of the gantry re tighten the motor flex coupling Vecto...

Page 84: ...h side should have good contact with the upper channel One of the upper fixed wheels on each side will be free wheeling or have low contact with the upper channel Air hose drags on work piece or coils into beam path Air line not oriented in correct position 1 Slide the laser head to the far right of the work area and drop the focus slide to its lowest point 2 Remove the air hose from the connector...

Page 85: ...nit Wait at least 1 hour for capacitors to discharge 2 Position Rotary Place the rotary attachment into your laser s work area 3 Disconnect Y Motor Disconnect the Y motor from the RetinaEngrave PRO control card Note the orientation of the connector as you do you will connect the rotary with this same orientation 4 Connect Rotary Connect the rotary attachment motor in its place keeping the same ori...

Page 86: ...d to the right 3 Align Adjust the positioning of the rotary until the red dot tracks back and forth evenly down the center Note that the rotary is not assembled to the body of the machine but is freestanding You may need to re align your rotary each time you use it Rotary engraving is best performed along the topmost area of the project It is crucial that the rotary level Use a small carpenter s l...

Page 87: ... launch RetinaEngrave 4 Place your piece of sample material on the honeycomb 5 Focus the laser head onto the sample piece 6 Close the cover 6 From CorelDraw call up the print menu 7 Select the Full Spectrum Engineering Driver 8 If the Pre flight check fails check that both your document page size and printer page size match the size of the work area and that no artwork Is outside the boundaries of...

Page 88: ...pport Hobby will take you to a page on the Full Spectrum Laser website where you can access the following help videos Hobby Laser Unboxing Hobby Laser Setup Hobby Laser Alignment Hobby Laser Bottom Panel Removal Hobby Laser Lens Replacement Laser Tube Replacement Proper Wheel Alignment Technical Support is available from 8 00 am PST to 5 00 pm PST Monday through Friday at support fslaser com ...

Page 89: ...rranty was charged separately and the Hobby Lasers had a 60 day base warranty on all items excluding shipping unless an extended warranty was purchased After 8 7 2012 the Hobby lasers have a 60 day warranty on all items and a free extended limited 1 year warranty which excludes consumable items shipping included in their price The limited warranty excludes shipping and consumables and other normal...

Page 90: ...ross the country going to conventions and maker events or just check out all the awesome stuff we make Best of all we offer all those designs for all those projects we make with our laser cutters and 3D printers for FREE Join our community and see what all the excitement is about www facebook com fslaser twitter com fullspeclaser www instagram com fullspectrum www youtube com user FullSpectrumLase...

Page 91: ...the next level Industrial grade components give you faster movement better precision and increased laser power All P Series Lasers come with our RetinaEngrave 3D ethernet controller motorized z stage autofocus knife edge and honeycomb trays and all necessary accessories included standard Go to http fslaser com Products Lasers for a complete catalog of the Full Spectrum Laser Pro Series laser cutte...

Reviews:

No comments