Universal Laser Systems ULTRA X6000, User Manual

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Material Loading and Processing
ALIGNMENT OF MATERIAL AND DESIGN FILE DATA
Once the processes have been set up for each color and colors assigned to each process, laser
material processing can begin. Material must be placed on the Multifunction Material Support
Structure, and positioned to align with the raster and vector data in the control file.
Corresponding rulers in the preview window of the LSM and on the multifunction table can be
used for rough alignment. For more precise alignment, the red laser pointer can be used to
relocate design file data to the material or vice versa using the relocation tools in the LSM.
SETTING UP THE MULTIFUNCTION MATERIAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE
The Multifunction Material Support Structure has many features that can enhance material
processing for various applications. A honeycomb support surface efficiently exhausts smoke and
fumes when cutting through materials. To achieve optimum vacuum, unused portions of the
material processing area can be covered with masking material, while an optional, sealed vacuum
plenum applies vacuum hold-down to flexible materials. Two options are available for reducing
back reflections when cutting sensitive materials: support pins for elevating materials above the
honeycomb surface and antireflective porous tiles for processing thin films.
FOCUSING
The laser system must be properly focused to the material for optimal results. The ULTRA X6000
laser system automatically focuses the system using a high accuracy touch probe that is
configurable on a per-process basis. Alternatively, the user may perform the focusing operation
any time they wish by pressing the Auto-focus button in the LSM.
SETTING UP GAS/AIR ASSIST
The ULTRA X6000 laser systems control and direct a source of compressed gas/air onto the
material which can aid in material processing for certain materials and applications. Two
attachments are available for directing the gas/air to the material; a coaxial gas/air assist
attachment that directs gas/air down onto the material coaxially with the focused laser energy and
a lateral gas/air assist attachment that directs air along the material’s surface, perpendicular to the
focused laser energy. Coaxial gas/air assist works best for certain vector processing tasks and
lateral gas/air assist works best for certain raster processing tasks.
Gas or air assisted laser processing can be selected independently for each process set up in a
control file. Gas/air flow levels can also be programmed per process.
INITIATING PROCESSING
Once the control file is properly set up and material is loaded and aligned with the control file
data, processing is initiated by pressing the process start button in the LSM. Once processing is
initiated it can be paused if necessary, then resumed or restarted as desired. Laser processing
tasks occur in the order of the processes in the control file and by the order of the colors
assigned within each process. Process order can be changed by rearranging processes and colors
within the control file.