Epilog Fusion M2 32, Fusion M2 40, 13000, 14000 User Manual

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FUSION M2 32 / 40

LASER SYSTEM MANUAL | MODEL 13000 / 14000

Technical Support: +1 (303) 215-9171

Knowledge Base: support.epiloglaser.com

System Registration: epiloglaser.com/register

Driver/Firmware: epiloglaser.com/fusion-drivers

UPDATED MAY 2018 | EPILOGLASER.COM/MANUALS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Fire Warning 1

Introduction 2

How to Use This Owner’s Manual ..............................................................................................................................................2

Icons Used in this Manual .........................................................................................................................................................2

Section 1: Safety 3

Laser Safety ..............................................................................................................................................................................3

Electrical Safety .........................................................................................................................................................................4

Fire Warning ..............................................................................................................................................................................5

Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance .............................................................................................................................6

Do’s and Don’ts .......................................................................................................................................................................10

Section 2: Getting Started 11

1. Unpacking the Laser System ...............................................................................................................................................11

2. Choose Where to Locate the System...................................................................................................................................12

3. Connecting the Exhaust .......................................................................................................................................................13

4. Connecting Electrical Power ................................................................................................................................................15

5. Setting Vector Cutting Table Default ....................................................................................................................................15

6. Connect the Laser to Your Computer ..................................................................................................................................15

7. Set the Fusion’s IP Address .................................................................................................................................................16

9. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your System .......................................................................................................18

Section 3: Driver Installation 19

Windows 7: Ethernet Installation .............................................................................................................................................19

Windows 7: USB Installation ...................................................................................................................................................22

Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation .................................................................................................................................25

Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation .......................................................................................................................................28

Setting Up CorelDRAW Beziers Setting ...................................................................................................................................31

Mac Driver Installation ............................................................................................................................................................32

Section 4: The Epilog Job Manager 37

Epilog Job Manager Instructions.............................................................................................................................................37

How to Install the Epilog Job Manager ....................................................................................................................................37

Trouble Shooting Job Manager Installation .............................................................................................................................39

Important Epilog Job Manager Notes ......................................................................................................................................40

Using the Epilog Job Manager ................................................................................................................................................40

Section 5: Using The Laser Dashboard™ 49

Changing Laser Dashboard Defaults .......................................................................................................................................49

General Tab .............................................................................................................................................................................50

Advanced Tab ..........................................................................................................................................................................54

Color Mapping Tab ..................................................................................................................................................................56

Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features ..................................................................................................................57

Section 6: Using The Epilog Mac Driver 59

Mac Driver Settings .................................................................................................................................................................59

Project Setup...........................................................................................................................................................................62

Vector Cutting Lines ................................................................................................................................................................63

Section 7: Fusion Control Panel 65

Display ....................................................................................................................................................................................65

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Joystick ...................................................................................................................................................................................74

Job Storage: Temporary Memory ............................................................................................................................................75

Section 8: Quick Start Guide 77

Artwork Setup .........................................................................................................................................................................77

Setting a Vector Cutting Line ...................................................................................................................................................78

Resolution ...............................................................................................................................................................................79

Piece and Page Size ................................................................................................................................................................83

Section 9: Cleaning & Maintenance 85

Reduce Fire Risk with a Clean Laser ........................................................................................................................................85

Cleaning the Optics .................................................................................................................................................................85

Cleaning and Lubricating the Bearing Rails .............................................................................................................................87

Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum ..................................................................................................................................................88

Laser Tube ...............................................................................................................................................................................91

Laser Tube Air Filter ................................................................................................................................................................91

Section 10: System Features 93

Air Assist .................................................................................................................................................................................93

Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus ..................................................................................................................................................93

Crash Bar ................................................................................................................................................................................95

Image Dithering.......................................................................................................................................................................96

Color Mapping.........................................................................................................................................................................97

Reset Home Position .............................................................................................................................................................104

Red Dot Pointer .....................................................................................................................................................................104

Movable Home Position ........................................................................................................................................................105

Center Engraving ...................................................................................................................................................................106

Emergency Stop Button ........................................................................................................................................................108

Front Access Door .................................................................................................................................................................109

Task Plate/Vacuum Hold-Down Table ....................................................................................................................................109

Exhaust Plenum ....................................................................................................................................................................110

Safety Interlock / Laser Status Indicators ..............................................................................................................................111

Rulers..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Section 11: Optional Features 113

Vector Cutting Table/Vacuum Hold-Down Table ....................................................................................................................113

Pin Table ...............................................................................................................................................................................114

Fusion Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment ....................................................................................................................................117

3-Jaw Chuck Rotary Attachment ..........................................................................................................................................125

eView Camera Module ...........................................................................................................................................................135

Dual Source Option ...............................................................................................................................................................146

PhotoLaser Plus ....................................................................................................................................................................148

Section 12: Upgrading the Operational Firmware 155

How to Upgrade Your Firmware ............................................................................................................................................155

Section 13: Printing From AutoCAD 159

How to Print from AutoCAD to the Laser...............................................................................................................................159

Section 14: Material Engraving Techniques 161

CO2 Laser Materials/Techniques ..........................................................................................................................................161

3D Engraving .....................................................................................................................................................................161

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acrylic ...............................................................................................................................................................................162

Anodized Aluminum ..........................................................................................................................................................163

Brass - Painted ..................................................................................................................................................................164

Glass .................................................................................................................................................................................165

Notary Seals: Delrin ...........................................................................................................................................................166

Plastic Engraving/Cutting ..................................................................................................................................................167

Rubber Stamps ..................................................................................................................................................................168

Wood .................................................................................................................................................................................172

Fiber Laser Materials/Techniques ..........................................................................................................................................175

Metal Annealing .................................................................................................................................................................175

Metal Etching ....................................................................................................................................................................175

Metal Polishing ..................................................................................................................................................................176

Plastic Marking .................................................................................................................................................................176

Section 15: Speciﬁcations 179

Fusion Laser Technical Speciﬁcations ...................................................................................................................................179

Compatibility .........................................................................................................................................................................180

Recommended PC.................................................................................................................................................................180

About The CO2 Laser Source ................................................................................................................................................181

About the Fiber Laser Source ................................................................................................................................................182

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Notice .............................................................................................................182

Section 16: Technical Support 183

Contacting Technical Support ................................................................................................................................................183

Frequently Asked Questions .................................................................................................................................................184

Section 17: Material Suppliers 187

Industry Material Supplier List ..............................................................................................................................................187

Appendix A: Warranty Statement 191

Warranty Statement for the Fusion Laser ..............................................................................................................................191

Appendix B: Material Settings 193

Fusion Series Suggested Material Settings (CO2) .................................................................................................................193

Fusion Series Suggested Material Settings (Fiber) ................................................................................................................196

Index 199

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FIRE WARNING

Fire Warning

Your laser system uses a high intensity beam of light that can generate extremely high temperatures when

it comes into contact with the material being engraved, marked or cut. Some materials are extremely ﬂammable and can easily ignite and burst into open ﬂame setting the machine aﬁre. This open ﬂame is very dangerous and has the potential to destroy not only the machine, but the building in which it is housed.

Experience shows that vector cutting with the laser has the most potential to create an open ﬂame. Many materials are susceptible to igniting, but acrylic, in all its different forms, has been shown to be especially ﬂammable when vector cutting with the laser.

Please read the following warnings and recommendations and follow them closely at all times!

• Stay with the laser. Never operate the laser system while unattended.

• Keep the area clear. Clean around the machine and keep the area free of clutter, combustible materials, explosives,

or volatile solvents such as acetone, alcohol, or gasoline.

• Be prepared with a ﬁre extinguisher. Always keep a properly maintained and inspected ﬁre extinguisher on hand. Epilog recommends a Halotron ﬁre extinguisher or a multi-purpose dry chemical ﬁre extinguisher. The Halotron extinguishers are more expensive than a dry chemical, but offer certain advantages should you ever need to use an extinguisher. The Halotron 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.

• Use Air Assist. Always use the system’s Air Assist feature when vector cutting.

• Use caution when vector cutting. Many materials have the potential to suddenly burst into ﬂames when cut with a

laser – even materials that may be very familiar to the user. Always monitor the machine when it is operating.

• Clean the laser. A buildup of cutting and engraving residue and debris is dangerous and can create a ﬁre hazard in its own right. Keep your laser system clean and free of debris. Regularly remove the Vector Cutting Table to clean any small pieces that have fallen through the grid.

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INTRODUCTION

How to Use This Owner’s Manual

Thank you for purchasing an Epilog Fusion Laser system. Your Epilog system has been designed to be easy to operate, but you will utilize it to its fullest potential by taking some time to read this owner’s manual prior to use. You will be ready to use the Epilog Laser system as soon as you read the ﬁrst few sections. Then you can refer to topics in the remaining sections, as you work.

Icons Used in this Manual

Look for these symbols to help you ﬁnd valuable information throughout the text:

Helpful notes to keep in mind when running the laser!

This icon signiﬁes advice you can try that will save you signiﬁcant time.

This icon highlights current contact information for receiving help.

Warnings and cautions to keep in mind when running the laser.

This icon indicates the potential for ﬁre damage when operating the laser.

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SECTION 1: SAFETY

Laser Safety

The Epilog Model 13000/14000 Laser System is a Class 2 laser product, as deﬁned in International Standard IEC 60825-1.

The Epilog Model 13000/14000 complies with 21 CFR 1040.10 and 1040.11, the Federal Performance Standards for LightEmitting 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 products in accordance with the International Standard.

The output of the embedded laser is fully contained. The laser cabinet has safety interlocks that turn the laser off if any access door is opened during operation, and no special precautions are necessary to operate the laser safely. Access doors are interlocked and can be opened without the use of a tool. Any interlocked door that is opened while the machine is operating will immediately stop the laser from ﬁring.

Access panels are not interlocked and require a tool for opening or removal. Access panels should always be installed when the laser is operating. Never operate the laser system with an access panel removed.

The visible output beam of the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) is accessible to the operator. While this device employs the same technology as the familiar laser pen-pointers, like them it is potentially hazardous if its beam is directed into the eye.

We have made every effort to make the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) as safe as possible. Its beam path is located well inside the cabinet, and under normal conditions, no hazardous levels of laser radiation can escape.

The operator of the Epilog Model 13000/14000 should observe the following general precautions:

• DO NOT disassemble the machine or remove any of its protective covers while the unit is plugged in.

• DO NOT attempt to defeat the door interlocks.

• DO NOT view directly into the beam of the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer).

• DO NOT operate the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) without the machine’s focus lens in place. If the

unfocused beam strikes a reﬂective surface, it could be directed out of the cabinet.

• 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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SECTION 1: SAFETY

Electrical Safety

The standard reference for laser safety is the American Standard for the Safe Use of Lasers, Z136.1-2000, developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This reference is the basis for many of the federal regulations for laser and laser system manufacturers, and for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) laser safety guidelines. It contains detailed information concerning 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 Epilog Model 13000/14000 Laser System is performed in accordance with all applicable laws. Copies of ANSI Standard Z136.1-2000 are available from Epilog Corporation or from:

Laser Institute of America 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 125 Orlando, FL 32826 (407) 380-1553

Electrical Safety

The AC input power to the Epilog Model 13000/14000 Laser System is potentially lethal and is fully contained within the cabinet.

• DO NOT open any of the machine’s access panels while the unit is plugged in. Opening a panel may expose the operator to the unit’s AC input power.

• DO NOT make or break any electrical connections to the system while the unit is turned on.

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SECTION 1: SAFETY

Fire Warning

Didn’t you see this already? Yes! That’s how important we think it is for you to read this information.

Your laser system uses a high intensity beam of light that can generate extremely high temperatures when it comes into contact with the material being engraved, marked or cut. Some materials are extremely ﬂammable and can easily ignite and burst into open ﬂame setting the machine aﬁre. This open ﬂame is very dangerous and has the potential to destroy not only the machine, but the building in which it is housed.

Please read the following warnings and recommendations and follow them closely at all times!

• Stay with the laser. Never operate the laser system while unattended.

• Keep the area clear. Clean around the machine and keep the area free of clutter, combustible materials, explosives,

or volatile solvents such as acetone, alcohol, or gasoline.

• Use Air Assist. Always use the system’s Air Assist feature when vector cutting.

• Use caution when vector cutting. Many materials have the potential to suddenly burst into ﬂames when cut with a

laser – even materials that may be very familiar to the user. Always monitor the machine when it is operating.

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SECTION 1: SAFETY

Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance

Epilog has incorporated speciﬁc safety features into the Model 13000/14000 Laser System in order to meet the requirements of 21 CFR 1040 and the International Standard IEC 60825-1. These safety features include:

• A safety enclosure (cabinet), which fully encloses the engraving laser and its beam path.

• Dual redundant interlock systems that turn off the engraving laser when the window is opened.

• A visible emission indication when the Laser Diode Pointer (Red Dot Pointer) is operating. There is an LED indicator on the machine’s front panel.

21 CFR 1040 and IEC 60825-1 require that certiﬁcation, identiﬁcation, and warning labels be placed on laser products. Reproductions of labels on the Epilog Model 13000/14000 Laser System follow, with their locations speciﬁed:

1. Certiﬁcation/Identiﬁcation Plate: This engraved plate is located on the left rear of the machine’s cabinet.

Epilog Corporation 16371 Table Mountain Pkwy. Golden, CO 80403 USA Model Number: 14000 Laser System

Serial Number: Date of Manufacture: May, 2015

14060- 1512383220

Class 2 Laser Product

This product complies with 21 CFR 1040.10 and

1040.11 except for deviations pursuant to Laser Notice No. 50, dated July 26, 2001.

This product complies with IEC 60825-1: 2007.

Mass: 35 kg max

Pending

Authorized Representative:

cameo Laser Franz Hagemann Gmbh Stuhrbaum14 28816 Stuhr Deutschland Tel: 0421 80 95 60-0 Fax: 0421 80 95 60-25 E-Mail: info@cameolaser.de

Patents

Made in

USA

2. Warning Logotype: This label is located on the left rear of the machine’s cabinet, above the Certiﬁcation/ Identiﬁcation plate.

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SECTION 1: SAFETY

Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance

3. Descriptive Label: This label identiﬁes the classiﬁcation of the Model 13000/14000 in accordance with 21 CFR 1040.10 and IEC 60825-1. It is located on the left rear of the machine’s cabinet, below the Warning Logotype.

4. Non-interlocked Protective Housing Safety Labels: These labels are located on, or adjacent to, removable access covers on the machine’s cabinet as shown in the diagrams to follow. Where a label is located on a removable cover, there is an additional label under the cover so that it will be visible when the cover has been removed.

5. Defeatably-interlocked Protective Housing Safety Labels: There is one label on each of the machine’s cabinet doors; one on the front door and one on the top door.

6. Emergency Stop Label: This label is located above the red Emergency Stop switch on the right front of the machine’s cabinet.

7. Electrical Safety Label: This label is located on the power supply module, inside the bay at the lower righthand side of the machine.

8. Main Breaker Label: This label is located on or below the power module panel at the left rear of the machine’s cabinet.

9. Air Assist Label: This label is located on the laser bay cover, at the left rear of the machine’s cabinet.

10. Aperture Safety Label: This label is located above the aperture, inside the cabinet, where laser beams enter the machine’s engraving area.

11. Power Labels: The appropriate label for the machine is located on or above the power module panel at the left rear of the machine’s cabinet.

12. Fire Warning Label: There are two labels on top of the machine’s cabinet; one to the left and one to the right of the top cabinet door.

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SECTION 1: SAFETY

The following diagrams show the location of each speciﬁc label.

Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance

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SECTION 1: SAFETY

Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance

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SECTION 1: SAFETY

Do’s and Don’ts

Don’ts

Do Not Run the Laser Unvented: Never operate the machine without a properly operating vent to the outside or to a

ﬁltration unit! Most material will only produce an irritating smoke when engraved. Some materials, including but not limited to paint, varnish, composition board and plastics, produce compounds that can be harmful if concentrated. A properly installed vent is the only way to ensure that problems do not occur.

Do Not Engrave or Cut PVC: Never engrave or cut any material containing PVC or vinyl. When engraved, a corrosive agent is produced that will destroy your machine. Your warranty will be void if your machine is damaged by corrosion from engraving or cutting PVC or Vinyl.

Do Not Operate Machine While Unattended: Never operate your machine without someone watching the system. There is a signiﬁcant risk of ﬁre if the machine is set improperly, or if the machine should experience a mechanical or electrical failure while operating.

Do Not Vector Cut While Machine is Unattended: Never laser cut any material with the laser without someone watching the system. Because vector cutting moves relatively slowly compared to raster engraving, a tremendous amount of heat is applied to the material being cut. This buildup of heat can cause signiﬁcant ﬁre risk and the machine should always be monitored. Additionally, the Air Assist should always be turned on when vector cutting to reduce the risk of ﬁre.

Do Not Operate The System While Doors are Open: Never operate with any of the covers or enclosures removed, and never modify the enclosure. The laser beam is invisible and is very dangerous!

Do’s

Clean the System: Please allow a few minutes a week for cleaning your machine. Just a small amount of

effort at the end of the week will pay off with years of trouble free operation of your machine.

See the “Section : Cleaning & Maintenance” on page 85 for speciﬁcs.

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

1. Unpacking the Laser System

Setting up your Epilog Laser System is easy to do! If you’ve ever installed a paper printer, this is only slightly more difﬁcult. The following information will help you understand the entire system and how it works.

Your Fusion laser system consists of the following components:

1. Fusion Laser System

2. Epilog Driver Disc

3. USB and Ethernet Cables

4. A Preprogrammed Router (eView Camera Module only)

You will also need:

1. A computer or laptop.

2. An exhaust fan: The exhaust fan is mandatory and is used to remove smoke and debris from the Fusion work area. The exhaust air can be ported to the outside or into a ﬁlter box.

Follow these steps to setup your Fusion Laser system:

1. Unpack the laser system.

2. Choose where to locate the system.

3. Connect the exhaust system to your laser.

4. Connect the electrical power.

5. Connect the laser to your computer through USB or Ethernet.

6. Sign up for driver update and register your system at www.epiloglaser.com/register.

1. Unpacking the Laser System

Unpack the laser system from the crate provided by Epilog. Please be sure to hold on to all packing materials and crating in case you need to move the system in the future.

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

2. Choose Where to Locate the System

Cooling Requirements and Operating Temperatures

All Epilog Laser systems use air-cooled laser tubes. Laser technology is such that the laser tubes generate a lot of excess heat and the tubes must be cooled for proper operation. There are cooling fans located at the back of the laser. The fans and vents should always be clear of restrictions and should never be covered.

Cooling Fans

Laser Tube Air Filter is a standard 12” x 20” x 1” (304 x 762 x 25 mm) furnace ﬁlter and can be found at any home store. This is more likely to need to be changed in a dustier shop environment.

Warning: The cooling fans and vents are located at the back of the Fusion and should never be covered or blocked in any way. Lasers that overheat will not operate properly and may begin to produce erratic laser output or possibly complete failure.

Ambient air temperature where the laser system is operating should not exceed 90 degrees F (32 C). Operating in an environment where the ambient air temperature is above 90 degrees F (32 C) will void the Epilog warranty.

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

3. Connecting the Exhaust

In this manual, the term “exhaust” refers to either an exhaust fan or a ﬁlter unit and the term “exhaust” is used for simplicity. The important point is that it is mandatory that an exhaust unit or ﬁlter system is incorporated as part of your laser system. Never operate your laser system without a properly functioning exhaust. The exhaust removes the dust, debris and smell from the engraving cavity and exhausts it to the outside of the building or to the ﬁlter unit. Prior to the installation of the laser system, you may need a contractor to install the exhaust system. The blower should be mounted outside your building for noise considerations. Ideally, the blower should not be more than twenty feet (6 meters) from the laser. You should provide a metal duct (ﬂexible aluminum or galvanized sheet metal) from the blower to the laser. All Epilog model 13000/14000 laser systems require an exhaust fan that is rated at a minimum of 650 CFM for external exhaust.

Epilog provides recommended exhaust ﬂow rates (CFM) only for direct ventilation exhaust systems that are ported to the outside. Please note that this is also a recommendation and not a requirement because factors such as length and type of tubing from the Epilog laser to the exhaust fan and from the exhaust fan to the outside of the building can produce signiﬁcant losses on the true amount of air that is drawn from the Epilog laser.

Exhaust ﬂow rates (CFM) for ﬁlter systems are not speciﬁed in this document. However, exhaust ﬂow rates for ﬁltration units will be lower than a direct ventilation exhaust systems because ﬁlters are designed to be placed directly adjacent to the laser system and do not exhibit the air-ﬂow losses that are typically found with direct exhaust fans. Epilog has worked with most major ﬁlter manufacturers to recommend a speciﬁc ﬁlter system for each model of Epilog laser. Please contact your Epilog distributor to match a ﬁlter to the Epilog laser system you are using.

Note: Remember to put the blower switch for the laser system in an obvious and accessible place so it can be routinely switched on prior to using the engraver. Please connect the exhaust blower to the laser as shown below and on the following pages.

Remember, you may need a contractor to install the exhaust. This must be done PRIOR to installation of the laser system.

Warning: It’s important that either rigid or ﬂexible metal ducting be used for all

connections leading to and from the laser system and the exhaust fan. Vinyl, plastic, or any type of “soft” ducting is potentially ﬂammable and should not be used unless provided by the ﬁltration system manufacturer and made from ﬁreproof materials.

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

3. Connecting the Exhaust

Epilog Exhaust/Filter Connections

There are two 4” (102 mm) ports attached to the back of the laser system. Attach your ducting to the machine as shown

Roof or Exterior Wall

4” (102 mm) ﬂexible aluminum duct or rigid galvanized sheet metal (do not use vinyl, plastic or “soft” ﬂexible duct).

in the diagram.

Check your exhaust system for leaks. Most small leaks can be remedied with duct tape. DO NOT OPERATE your laser with inadequate or leaking exhaust.

Exhaust Blower

Roof or Exterior Wall

4” (102 mm) ﬂexible aluminum duct or rigid galvanized sheet metal (do not use vinyl, plastic or “soft” ﬂexible duct).

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

4. Connecting Electrical Power

The drawings below show the typical exhaust setup. The left drawing shows the exhaust near the machine and the right drawing shows the exhaust fan on the roof. Where the exhaust fan is placed is a choice of personal preference. Some users like the exhaust fan outside because of noise considerations.

4. Connecting Electrical Power

All Epilog laser systems have an auto-switching power supply that detects the incoming voltage and automatically switches itself to operate properly at any single phase voltage between 100 and 240 VAC. The power supply will also automatically compensate for either 50 or 60 Hz. Epilog supplies the appropriate power cord for the system you ordered. The power cord is found in the accessory package with your machine. The power cord for the laser plugs into the power receptacle located on the left side of the machine in the rear corner. It is recommended that a dedicated 15 amp circuit be used if available, but it is not required.

Electrical Connection 110/220 V - 50/60 Hz

The Fusion 120 watt laser system requires 208/220/240 volt electrical power. This system will not operate on 120 volt power. The Fusion 120 watt power cord comes with a male plug type NEMA L6-15R (which is a Hubble HBL4570C equivalent).

While the 60 and 75 watt Fusion models can operate on 110 volts, we recommended using 208/220/240 volt electrical power to achieve maximum performance. If you would like a 220V cord for your 60 or 75Watt Fusion, please request it at time of ordering.

5. Setting Vector Cutting Table Default

If you have ordered the optional Vector Cutting Table, install it into your system (see “Installation of the Vector Cutting Table” on page 113). On the Fusion Control Panel, use the Joystick to scroll down until Settings is highlighted. Use the Joystick to scroll through the options until you see Vector Grid In. This indicates if the Vector Cutting Table is installed. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to toggle to Yes if the Vector Cutting Table is installed. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

6. Connect the Laser to Your Computer

You are now ready to connect your computer to the laser. The following connections can be used:

1. USB only connection: You can use the USB port for the print driver and Epilog Job Manager. Multiple laser systems

cannot be operated from a single computer through the USB connections. If you are using the USB connection, you

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

7. Set the Fusion’s IP Address

will need one computer for each laser system.

2. Ethernet only connection: With an Ethernet connection you can print from the Laser Dashboard and use the Epilog Job Manager.

3. If you are using the optional eView Camera Module, you will need to use both USB and Ethernet connection. For this connection, please see “Attaching the eView Camera System to Your Computer” on page 135.

USB Connection

A USB cable is included in the accessory kit. The USB port is located at the rear of the machine. USB cables have different connectors on each end. Before plugging in the USB cable, turn the laser OFF, then connect one end to the laser and connect the other end into any available USB port on your computer. After connecting the USB cable, turn the laser back on. The computer will recognize a new USB device and walk you through the print driver installation. For detailed instructions,

see “Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation” on page 28.

Connect to the laser.

Ethernet Connection

The Ethernet Port is a standard 10BaseT connection. Your Epilog Laser has all of the versatility of a network capable peripheral. As such, there are many different ways that the laser can be connected to a computer or a network. A direct connection using a crossover cable is the only method that will be described in this manual. Connect the crossover cable (included in the accessories kit) to the Ethernet port, located at the back of the machine. Plug the cable into the Ethernet port on the laser, then plug the other end into the Ethernet port on your computer.

The Epilog Dashboard is the print driver that allows your computer to talk to your Epilog Laser system when either the USB or Ethernet Crossover cables are connected. The driver is included in the accessories kit on a CD-ROM or on our website at www.epiloglaser.com. To see detailed instructions on installing the print driver, see “Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet

Installation” on page 25.

7. Set the Fusion’s IP Address

1. To set the IP Address from the Fusion’s control panel, press the down arrow until Settings/Conﬁg is selected. It’ll vary depending if you have the symbolic or text keypad.

2. Tilt the joystick down until IP Address appears.

3. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Tilt left or right to move to the different sets of three numbers. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

7. Set the Fusion’s IP Address

Most Epilog users will use the IP Address of

192.168.003.004, which is what we use in this manual.

IP Address

192.168.003.004

4. With CONFIG still selected, tilt the Joystick down

until Subnet Mask appears.

5. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or

down to increment or decrement. Tilt left or right to move to the different sets of three numbers. Set the Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.0. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

Subnet Mask

255.255.255.0

8. Set Up TCP/IP Address in the Computer

Go to your Network and Sharing Center in your computer’s Control Panel.

1. Click Change Adapter Settings.

2. Right click Local Area Connection, then click Properties.

3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP). Make sure you do not select Version 6.

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SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

9. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your System

4. If you do not have an eView Camera Module installed, select Use the following IP Address. Type in the following IP Address: 192.168.3.3.

This number is not an error; the last digit of the IP address in this window must be different than the IP address you set in the laser.

Type in a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0, then click OK.

5. If you do have an eView Camera Module installed, choose Obtain an IP address automatically. Then click the OK

key.

9. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your System

Go to www.epiloglaser.com/register and register your system. You can also sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, quarterly customer printed newsletter, and sign up for driver update notiﬁcations.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: Ethernet Installation

Next we’ll be installing the print driver. Choose your operating system. We demonstrate Windows 7, 8, and 10 installations.

Windows 7: Ethernet Installation

1. Insert the Driver CD in the computer and select your

laser system.

2. Select the Dashboard Driver.

3. Click Add a local printer.

4. Click Create New Port, then click on the drop-down menu and select Standard TCP/IP Port, then click Next.

5. Enter the IP Address to match the IP Address you set at the Fusion laser in “Setting the IP Address” on page 16. Most Epilog users will use the IP Address of 192.168.3.4, which is what we use in this document. After typing in the IP Address, click Next. Wait while the computer identiﬁes the port.

You can also download the latest driver from

epiloglaser.com/tech-support/epilog-drivers. htm. Go to Devices and Printers on your

computer and click Add a Printer to start the process.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: Ethernet Installation

6. Select Custom and then Settings.

7. Set Protocol to LPR. This is a very important step. Your download time will increase signiﬁcantly if LPR is not selected. Type Laser into the Queue Name, then click OK.

9. Click Have Disk.

10. Click Browse and go to the folder where you saved the driver and click Open. (The default location is C:/ fusion_drivers.)

8. Click Next.

11. Click EpilogWinALLFusion ﬁle and click Open.

12. Click OK.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: Ethernet Installation

13. Click Next.

14. Click Replace the current driver if requested, then click Next.

16. If you see this screen, click Install.

17. Click Next.

15. You can rename your printer here. We have not changed it for this document, but many users like to associate the driver name with the IP Address they are using, for example Fusion 192.168.3.4. This is especially helpful if there is more than one laser connected to a single computer. Click Next.

18. Click Finish and your driver is installed.

19. You must now restart your computer before you continue.

20. If you will be printing from CorelDRAW, go to

“Setting Up CorelDRAW Beziers Setting” on page

31.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: USB Installation

Please follow these instructions closely! Using a different process to install the Dashboard driver is likely to fail if you are using Windows 7.

1. Insert the Epilog driver install disc into your computer (or download the ﬁles from the website). One of the following screens will appear. For the USB installation, you will want to close them. We do not want the computer to automatically try to install the driver.

4. A small window will appear in the lower right corner of your computer screen that indicates installation was successful. This is only partially true.

5. After a short wait you will see another small window

that indicates the installation was not successful. This is what we hope to see and will lead us to the next step in the process. If your computer is connected to the Internet, it will take a few minutes for your computer to display these windows. Please be patient during this process and let the computer ﬁnish trying to install the drivers. Interrupting the computer at this point will require you to restart the process.

6. After the failure notiﬁcation, go to the Windows start key (lower left corner of your computer screen). Click Devices and Printers.

2. With the power of your laser turned off, connect the USB cable to your computer and your Fusion.

3. Power on your laser system. It will take about a minute for the laser to initialize. After it initializes it will start the process of installing the driver. You will see activity on the USB icon in your system tray (lower right corner of your computer screen).

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: USB Installation

7. Right click on the Fusion, Zing, Mini/Helix, or

FiberMark icon. Then click Properties.

8. Select the Hardware tab.

10. Click Change Settings.

11. Click the Driver tab.

9. Select the device EpilogEngraver then click

Properties.

12. Click Update Driver.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: USB Installation

13. Click Browse my Computer for driver software.

14. Use the Browse key to direct your computer to your disc drive that contains the Epilog driver disc that you inserted earlier in this process. (You can also download the latest driver from epiloglaser.com/

tech-support/epilog-drivers.htm.)

16. Once you have the proper disc drive showing click on the Next key.

17. The progress window will appear.

18. If you see this screen, click Install.

15. For this document we show the DVD RW drive as the drive where the disc is located.

19. Your Epilog Laser Dashboard print driver has been successfully installed on the USB port. Click Close.

20. Click Close in the next window and then Close again. You will then see your laser driver in the Devices and Printers page. Click on the red X in the upper right corner of this page. That’s it! You are ready to print to your laser.

21. If you will be printing from CorelDRAW, go to

“Setting Up CorelDRAW Beziers Setting” on page

31.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: USB Installation

Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation

1. Insert the Driver CD in the computer and select your laser system.

2. Select the Dashboard Driver.

3. Windows 8 and 8.1/10 have different paths. Choose your operating system:

In Windows 8:

4. In Windows 8.1/10: Select The printer that I want isn’t listed.

Click Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings. Click Next.

You can also download the latest driver from

epiloglaser.com/tech-support/epilog-drivers. htm. Go to Devices and Printers on your

computer and click Add a Printer to start the process.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation

5. Select Create a new port, then Standard TCP/IP Port. Click Next.

6. Enter the IP Address to match the IP Address you set at the Fusion laser in “Setting the IP Address” on page 16. Most Epilog users will use the IP Address of 192.168.3.4, which is what we use in this document. After typing in the IP Address, click Next. Wait while the computer identiﬁes the port.

8. Set Protocol to LPR. This is a very important step. Your download time will be greatly increased if LPR is not selected. Type Laser into the Queue Name and click OK.

9. Click Next.

7. Select Custom, then Settings.

10. Click Have Disk.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation

11. Click Browse, browse to the folder where you saved the download. The default location is c:/fusion_ driver.

12. Click EpilogWinALLFusion ﬁle and click Open.

15. Click Replace the current driver if requested and click Next.

16. You can rename your printer here. We have not changed it for this document, but many users like to associate the driver name with the IP Address they are using, especially if there is more than one laser connected to a single computer. For example, we might rename the driver Fusion 192.168.3.4. Click Next.

13. Click OK.

14. Click Next.

17. If you see this page, click Always trust software from “Epilog Corporation” then Install.

18. Click Next.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation

19. Click Finish and your driver is installed.

20. You must now restart your computer before you print to the laser.

21. If you will be printing from CorelDRAW, go to

“Setting Up CorelDRAW Beziers Setting” on page

31.

Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation

Windows 8 will not automatically walk you through the installation process so it is important to follow the instructions below.

minute for the laser to initialize.

4. Once your laser has initialized, there will not be any real indication on your computer that it is ready to install the Epilog driver, but it is ready.

5. In Windows 8, open the Charms Bar and click on the Search charm. To access the Charms Bar move your mouse into the lower right corner of your display.

6. Type the word Control into the search bar. Click on the Control Panel box under Apps in the upper left of this window. In Windows 10, you can search for this from the desktop.

2. With the power of your laser turned off, connect the USB cable to your computer and your Fusion.

3. Power on your laser system. It will take about a

7. Click Devices and Printers.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation

8. In the Unspeciﬁed section of Devices and Printers,

right click on the Fusion icon, then click Properties.

9. Select the Hardware tab.

11. Click Change Settings.

12. Click the Driver tab.

10. Select the device EpilogEngraver. Then click

Properties.

13. Click Update Driver.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation

14. Click Browse my Computer for driver software.

15. Use the Browse key to direct your computer to your disc drive that contains the Epilog driver disc that you inserted earlier in this process.

17. Once you have the proper disc drive showing click the Next key.

18. Wait while until the progress window disappears, then you may be asked if you want to install this driver. Click Always trust software from “Epilog Corporation” then Install.

16. Find the disc drive with the Epilog install disc and click OK.

19. Your Epilog Laser Print Dashboard has been successfully installed on the USB port. Click Close.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Setting Up CorelDRAW Beziers Setting

20. In the next window, click Cancel.

21. You will see your driver in the Devices and Printers page. Click on the red X in the upper right corner of this window and you are ready to print!

Setting Up CorelDRAW Beziers Setting

Due to the way that the Fusion series handles vector lines, there is a setting in CorelDRAW that needs to be changed for vector cutting to work properly. This only affects CorelDRAW and is not necessary if you are using other graphic software.

1. In CorelDRAW, go to Tools > Options.

22. If you will be printing from CorelDRAW, follow the next steps for Setting CorelDRAW’s Beziers.

2. Under Global > Printing, choose Driver

Compatabilities. Next to Printer choose the Fusion Laser you just installed. Check the box “Send beziers and paths to driver” and click OK.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Mac Driver Installation

Installing the Epilog Mac Driver for the First Time

If you already have the Mac Driver installed and just want to add the ability to work on Sierra OS, go to “Installing the Mac Driver on Sierra OS” on page 33.

3. Go to epilogﬁles.com/epilog-test/EpilogApps.dmg and double click to load the ﬁle.

4. The following screen will appear. First double click the GhostscriptInstaller.mpkg ﬁle.

6. Click Continue.

7. The software license agreement will appear. Click Continue.

5. A welcome screen appears. Click Continue.

8. Choose to Read License then click Agree.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Mac Driver Installation

9. Select Install.

10. Type in the password epilog (lower case) as the password then click Install Software.

12. Go back to the installer and double click EpilogInstall.mpkg.

13. The installation process for the EpilogInstaller is the same as for the Ghostscript ﬁle. At the end of the installation you will be asked to reboot. Reboot to

complete the driver installation.

Installing the Mac Driver on Sierra OS

To install the Mac Driver on Sierra OS there are a few additional steps.

11. Press Close to ﬁnish the ﬁrst part of the install.

1. Go to Settings.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Mac Driver Installation

2. Select Printers and Scanners.

3. Highlight and delete any existing Epilog drivers by selecting the minus symbol.

5. Click the IP icon.

6. Fill out the following information:

Type 127.0.0.1:55000 next to address.

Important! Notice that a colon separates the 1 and 55000.

Set Protocol to HP Jetdirect - Socket.

4. Add a new driver by clicking the plus symbol.

Provide a name for the printer. We have named

the printer Epilog.

In the Use drop-down menu, click on Select

Software.

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SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Mac Driver Installation

7. Select Epilog Corporation Epilog PDE, then click

OK.

8. Click Add.

11. Go to the Finder/Applications.

12. Finally, drag the Epilog icon into the dock.

9. And you’re done! The Mac driver has been installed.

10.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Epilog Job Manager Instructions

The Epilog Job Manager is a powerful new tool that will quickly become one of your favorite features on your laser system. From one piece of software, you can access any job you have sent to the laser, view the settings you used on any past job, re-run projects, access your material database, and much more. It’s a great addition to the Epilog Laser product features, and we look forward to seeing how our customers use this software!

• Windows 7/8/10 is required to use the Epilog Job Manager.

How to Install the Epilog Job Manager

3. In Windows 8 or 8.1 you may see this message. Click More Info.

4. Click Run Anyway.

1. If you have a previous version of the Epilog Job Manager installed, you must uninstall it before you continue.

2. On your driver CD, select the Job Manager.

You can also download the Job Manager from epiloglaser.com/tech-support/drivers. htm.

5. Click Next.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

How to Install the Epilog Job Manager

6. Click Next.

7. Click Next.

9. Click Next.

10. Click Install.

8. Accept the license, then click Next.

11. The installation will take a few moments.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Trouble Shooting Job Manager Installation

12. Click Finish and the Job Manager is installed.

13. A Job Manager icon will be automatically added to your Desktop. You are now ready to use the Job Manager.

Trouble Shooting Job Manager Installation

If you were unable to install the Job Manager, it’s possible that your Anti-Virus software is blocking installation.

To disable Symantec Anti-Virus software, choose Options. Other anti-virus packages should have something similar to Symantec.

Disable all Virus and Spyware Protection Features. After the Job Manager has been installed go back into your Anti-Virus software and re-enable the setting that was disabled.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Important Epilog Job Manager Notes

• Warning: Before activating your laser, install the newest version of the driver to properly associate the

correct machine with the Job Manager.

• We suggest a minimum of 1 GB of free RAM space when managing very large raster and vector jobs.

Using the Epilog Job Manager

Activate a Laser

1. The ﬁrst time you open the Job Manager you’ll see a tab for each of the models. You will need to activate your laser system to get started. Click the correct tab, then your system. You can activate multiple machines if you have more than one laser.

2. To activate your machine:

● Machine Name: Give your machine a name (Fusion M2 32).

● Printer Name: Select your installed laser from the drop-down list.

Important - if you do not choose the correct printer you will not be able to print from the Epilog Job Manager!

● Serial Number: This is not your machine serial number, but the USB serial number that can be found in your system’s Settings menu. On the laser’s control panel, arrow down to Settings, then move the Joystick down until you see Serial #.

● Select the correct machine series, wattage, etc. The Laser Power is very important because it will automatically load the proper material setting ﬁles for your speciﬁc wattage of laser.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Using the Epilog Job Manager

● Select eView System Installed if you have the optional eView Camera Module installed.

● Click Save.

3. Your new laser has been activated in the Job Manager and appears in the left panel. The Job Manager is now ready to accept jobs from the print driver.Use the Add or Delete keys to add additional machines or to remove a laser. Below you can see we have installed an additional Helix laser system to the Job Manager.

2. Select the Camera tab, then select the system you activated from the drop-down list if you have more than one laser activated. Click Save to ﬁnish.

Printing to the Epilog Job Manager

Setting Up the eView Camera Module

If you have the eView Camera installed on your Fusion laser system, associate your eView Camera with the correct laser. Follow the following steps:

1. Click on the Gear icon in the top left corner to open the Program Settings.

Create a ﬁle in your graphic software and set your laser parameters in the print driver.

In the driver you’ll see a selection available under the Center-Engraving area. You can choose to print to either the printer (your laser system), the Job Manager, or both. This allows you to send your job to the Job Manager without sending it to the laser so you can then print that job directly from the Job Manager at a later time without accessing your graphic software. This is an easy way to set up an entire day’s jobs all in one place.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Using the Epilog Job Manager

Organizing Your Print Jobs

Click the Jobs tab. All print jobs will be displayed in the Uncategorized folder. Click on your job to highlight it. You can now Print, Edit, Preview or Delete this job using the available icons.

Create and Delete Job Folders

Click the Add Job Folders icon to add folders. We added folders for this customer’s three largest customers. You can add as many folders as you’d like.

Type in the folder name and click the check mark to create your new folder.

Move an Uncategorized File to a Folder

When you highlight a folder you will see From Uncategorized on the right side of the folder. Click From Uncategorized to move a job from the Uncategorized

folder to this subfolder. and click OK.

Select the job you want to move

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Using the Epilog Job Manager

Create Subfolders

First highlight the folder in the left panel where you want to add a subfolder. Below we have highlighted the Anamosa High School folder. Click the Add Subfolder icon. Type the subfolder name in the Add SubFolder ﬁeld, then click the check mark to create the subfolder.

Using the Material Setting Conﬁgurations

The Material Settings tab stores all of the suggested laser parameters like speed, power, etc. These settings were loaded based on the wattage you speciﬁed in the Laser System tab (adding your laser was the very ﬁrst thing you did to start using the Job Manager).

Move a Job Between Folders

You can also move any job to another folder or subfolder by double-clicking on the job. Select the Folder and Subfolder from the drop-down menus where you want to save the job. You can save the job with the same name or you can save as a new job. You can also modify your laser settings and save them with the job. Click Save to continue.

To use the material settings that are automatically loaded in your Job Manager, go to the Jobs tab and double-click on the job you want to process.

Click the Import icon.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Using the Epilog Job Manager

Navigate to the material setting you need. We have highlighted 1/8” Cherry/Alder/Walnut 300 DPI. Click OK. Your new settings have been automatically applied to your job ﬁle. You can now save this ﬁle, save the ﬁle as a different name or print from this window. Double clicking on the artwork will take you to the full preview window, which is explained in the next frame.

Previewing Your Job

In the Preview mode can preview just the raster components of your job, or just the vector components. We have selected vector to show only the vector components of this job. The preview mode is very useful in identifying unwanted vector components in a job.

Searching For a Job

The Job Manager has a powerful search function. Type in part of a ﬁle name and press enter to ﬁnd all ﬁles related to that name.

To view a preview of the job, click on the Preview tab.

You can organize ﬁles by category, creation date, print date, or alphabetically to ﬁnd a speciﬁc ﬁle.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Using the Epilog Job Manager

Notice that the jobs are displayed differently if you change the search category to Alphabetical. Your jobs are now displayed in alphabetical order. Once the search is ﬁnished and the job is found, most users revert back to the default selection of Standard.

Finding Job History

Color Mapping

To access the Color Mapping settings used in a ﬁle, double-click on the ﬁle to open the Job Information, then click the Colors tab.

You can modify the settings, save as a new job, save as the same job, print, preview, etc from this window.

Click the History tab to see a full print history of a job, including settings you used in each print. You’ll see what machine it was printed to, when it was ﬁrst printed (Initial Print), all subsequent prints, and all laser parameters used. To access this, double-click on the job, then select History.

You can modify, print or save from this window using the listed settings or with new setting. The new setting will be saved as the next print job complete with time stamp and date.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Using the Epilog Job Manager

Vector Sorting

You can determine the cutting order of vector lines directly from the Epilog Job Manager.

You can choose from three different vector sorting options:

1. None: Vector line cutting order is determined by the order they were created.

Changing Program Settings

You can access the Program Settings by clicking on the gear at the top left of the page.

On this screen you can set several different system settings, including:

2. Optimized: The laser will process the vector lines looking for the next closest node for quicker vectoring.

3. Inside/Out: All internal vector paths in the ﬁle will be process prior to the external vector paths. For example, if cutting the letter O, the inner oval will be cut before the outer oval.

Display Tab:

• Language: Choose from several languages.

• Default Length Units: Choose from inches,

millimeters, or centimeters.

Alerts Tab:

Choose when the program asks for conﬁrmation when you delete machines, folders, subfolder, jobs and materials, or pages.

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SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Database Tab:

• Backup Database: Save a backup of all ﬁles, material

settings, etc.

• Restore Database: Reload settings from a previous backup.

• Clear Entire Database: Delete all settings, machines and jobs from the database.

• Clear All Jobs: Delete all jobs in the database.

• Clear Uncategorized: Clear out all uncategorized

jobs in the database.

Camera Tab:

Set which system has an eView camera attached.

Using the Epilog Job Manager

We will be adding new features to the software often, so sign up for the Driver Update Notiﬁcation list at www. epiloglaser.com/tech-support/epilog-drivers.htm.

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

Changing Laser Dashboard Defaults

The Epilog Dashboard is the print driver that sends your artwork and laser parameters from the computer to the laser.

The Dashboard is shown below and can be installed from the driver CD that came in your accessories kit. It can also be downloaded from the Epilog website. If you are just getting started and are in a hurry to engrave a job, you can do so by setting just a couple of parameters in the Dashboard without having a detailed understanding of what different choices are available to you.

Note! When using the slider bars, there are several different ways to get the desired setting. These different methods all follow standard Windows protocol, so they will work in other Windows software applications too.

• Change the settings by clicking on the slider bar to

move it, or type in exact numbers to the right of the slider.

• Holding down the Alt key while clicking close to the slider will bring up a box outlining the slider and allow you to move in increments of ten.

The following sections provide detailed explanations of the different features in the Print Driver. Most engraving and cutting jobs can be accomplished by using only the General tab of the Print Driver. Advanced features for more complex jobs can be found under the Advanced and Color Mapping tabs.

Changing Laser Dashboard Defaults

If you would like to permanently change any of the settings that we walk through on the next few pages, you can easily set a new default for each of them.

1. Go to Control Panel | Devices and Printers

2. Right mouse click on the Epilog Engraver.

3. Click Printing Preferences.

4. Change any of the settings. These changes will become the default settings for each new print job.

5. Click OK and close out all open windows.

When would you want to do this?

Most users set their defaults to match the materials they use the most. They might set the speed default to 100% because they only engrave acrylic. They might only vector cut so they set the default Job Type to vector, or they might set the page size to match the size of the engraving table. By following these quick steps you can make sure that these are the settings you see every time you open the print driver.

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

General Tab

The General Tab is where you will ﬁnd 90% of the features you will utilize when sending jobs to the laser. Everything from resolution to speed and power settings are all located on this one page.

Resolution

Set your print resolution from 75 to 1200 DPI. For the best engraving results, use a resolution equal to the resolution in the raster images within your project setup. The resolution setting in the print driver will affect the engraving time (there are twice as many engraved lines at 600 DPI as at 300 DPI) and the quality. For a detailed discussion on Resolution, visit

“Resolution” on page 79.

Center Engraving

The Center Engraving Option allows you to deﬁne the center of your artwork as the primary reference point (Home Position) of your engraving or cutting job. The Center Engraving Option has been designed to be used in conjunction with the Jog feature on the Fusion Control Panel. Center engraving differs from standard printing where the upper left corner of the page and the upper left corner of the laser table deﬁne your primary reference point. For more information, visit

“Center Engraving” on page 106 in the manual.

Rotary Options

Use this check box if you are using the optional 3-Jaw Chuck Rotary Attachment. With this Rotary Attachment you will need to enter the material’s diameter in this selection. See “3-Jaw Chuck Rotary Attachment” on page 125 for more information.

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

General Tab

Job Manager Features

You can choose to print to either the printer (your Fusion Laser), the Job Manager, or both. This allows you to send your job to the Job Manager without sending it to the laser so you can then print the job directly from the Job Manager at a later time without accessing your graphic software. This is an easy way to set up an entire day’s jobs all at one time.

Laser Type

The same Fusion driver is used to control either the CO2 or the ﬁber laser depending on your machine conﬁguration. If a function does not apply to the laser type installed in your machine, that function will be grayed out. You’ll also see a note reminding you that if you have the Optional Dual Source (CO2 and ﬁber) laser system, you will need to use Color Mapping if both CO2 and ﬁber are used in the same project. For more information see “Setting Up a Dual Source Job” on page

146.

Auto Focus

Check this box when you want to use machine’s Auto Focus capabilities. Measure the thickness of the material you are using and input the number into the Thickness box. Before the job starts the table will automatically move up or down so that the top of your material is the correct distance from the bottom of the focus lens. If the Auto Focus box is not selected, the table will not move up or down when the job starts.

When the Vector Grid is installed and you want to use Auto Focus, click both the Auto Focus box and the Vector Grid box. This tells the laser system that the Vector Grid is installed and it will automatically compensate for the combined thickness of the grid and your material.

Offset

Offset allows you to focus at any point above or below the surface of your material. When engraving acrylic many users like to focus above the surface to produce a “softer” ﬁnish to the engraving. Conversely, when cutting acrylic, many users like to focus about half way into the acrylic. Offset allows you to do this automatically. A positive value will move the table away from the focus lens. A negative value, such as -.095, will move the table closer the focus lens.

The material thickness is still required when using the Vector Grid. If a thickness is not speciﬁed the system will Auto Focus to the top of the Vector Grid, not to the top of your material. For a detailed discussion on Auto Focus, visit “Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus” on page 93.

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

General Tab

Job Type

Choose between the three modes of operation.

• Raster Mode: Used for engraving or marking materials. Typical uses include engraving clipart, scanned images, photos, text and graphic images. Vector lines that you want to engrave rather than cut should be set 0.006” (0.152 mm) or greater line thickness.

• Vector Mode: Selected when you are running only cut lines or for use with the Red Dot Pointer for previewing the job processing area. For vector mode, a line is recognized as a line to be cut based on the line width (or stroke). These lines can also be affected by resolution. For more information, see “Setting a Vector Cutting Line” on page

78. To make things easy, set any cut lines to a line width of 0.001”, or hairline width in CorelDRAW.

• Combined Mode: Used when you engrave and cut in the same job. The laser will always engrave ﬁrst, then follow

with the vector mode.

Note on Vectors: If you are in Vector or Combined mode, all thin lines will be vector cut! This can be disconcerting because even if the lines are not visible in your artwork they will still cut. Usually, this happens when incorporating a clipart image that has hidden lines that are not readily apparent. Please refer to “Setting

a Vector Cutting Line” on page 78 for an illustrated explanation of how this can affect your work.

Piece Size

Enter the size of the page you used when creating your artwork. Some laser users prefer to design their piece with a page size matching the page they are engraving, while others prefer to design with the page size set to the full engraving table.

Raster Settings

Speed: Determines the travel speed of the carriage in Raster mode and is adjustable in 1% increments from 1 to 100%.

The slower the speed, the deeper the engraving. Speed settings are heavily dependent on the hardness and the thickness of the material being engraved with harder materials requiring slower speeds for deeper engraving. Slower speed settings will produce greater depth of engraving. Please refer to “Appendix B: Material Settings” on page 193 in this manual.

Power: Determines the amount of laser energy that is delivered to the piece being cut and is adjustable in 1% increments from 1 to 100%. The higher the power, the deeper the engraving. Please refer to “Appendix B: Material Settings” on page

193 in the manual.

Engrave Direction: This feature applies to raster engraving only and allows you to engrave your project either from the

top-down or the bottom-up direction. In standard top-down engraving there can be a large amount of engraving debris generated, especially on materials such as plastic, wood and rubber. As the debris moves toward the exhaust plenum, some of it collects in the area that has just been engraved. Bottom-up engraving prevents the debris from collecting in the freshly engraved spaces.

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

General Tab

Dithering: This setting deﬁnes how the dot patterns will be engraved in raster images that contain grayscale images, blends, or color. The Dashboard offers six different dithering patterns to enhance your engraving projects. The default mode is Standard. This mode can be used for all images, including photographs, but some images improve when engraved with other dithering patterns Dithering is used only for Raster engraving and has no effect on vector cut lines. For more information, go to “Image Dithering” on page 96.

Vector Settings

Speed: Determines the travel speed of the carriage in vector cutting mode and is adjustable in 1% increments from 1

to 100%. The slower the speed, the deeper the cut. Most cutting applications require relatively slow speed settings, and the speed is heavily dependent on the hardness and the thickness of the material being cut. Slower speed settings will also produce better edge quality. High speeds are provided for draft mode only and are not intended for production applications. For more information, visit “Appendix B: Material Settings” on page 193.

Power: Determines the amount of laser energy that is delivered to the piece being cut and is adjustable in 1% increments from 0 to 100%. The higher the power, the deeper the cut. The amount of power necessary to cut completely through a given material is also heavily dependent on the hardness and the thickness of the material. For more information, visit

“Appendix B: Material Settings” on page 193.

Frequency: The number of laser pulses that the laser ﬁres per inch of travel. The frequency is set in the dashboard and

can be adjusted from 1 to 100. A lower frequency number will have the effect of less heat because fewer pulses are being used to cut the material. Lower frequency rates are helpful for products like wood, where charring is evident at higher frequencies. High frequencies are useful on materials like acrylic where a large amount of heat is desirable to melt or ﬂame polish the edges.

Speed Comp: Reduces all speed settings by one half. For example, a speed setting of 10 without Speed Comp selected will move twice as fast as a setting of 10 with Speed Comp selected. In essence, Speed Comp provides an alternative set of speed parameters that are one half the speed of the standard settings. Speed Comp mode will most often be used with speed settings below 10 when very slow cutting is desired. Most users will rarely use Speed Comp mode, but it creates additional functionality for unusual or demanding applications.

Power Comp: When checked Power Comp reduces the laser output when the laser carriage slows as it moves through a curve. Consider it a slow cutting option. Selecting Power Comp is especially useful for vector cutting jobs that incorporate a large number of curves.

Most users ﬁnd that keeping Power Comp selected is the preferred setting.

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

Advanced Tab

The advanced tab contains advanced features including 3D, stamp mode and conﬁgurations.

Advanced Tab

Raster Type

Basic Mode: This is the mode you will use for most engraving projects. The laser will use a uniform engraving speed and

power for the graphic, providing a consistent engraving.

3D Mode: When selected, instead of looking at the dots and determining where to ﬁre the laser based on the dot spacing, we look at the dots and determine how much laser power (wattage) to apply to each dot, allowing us to create a 3D effect when deep engraving in materials like wood. For more information go to “3D Engraving” on page 161.

Stamp Mode

Stamp Settings

The stamp option automatically converts your artwork into to a format that will produce a laser engraved stamp. This function automatically inverts your artwork so that the background is engraved away while your text and graphic images are left standing. It also puts a supporting shoulder around every component of the artwork. Because of the unique nature of Stamp mode, we have devoted a sub-section on all aspects of stamp making and printing. Please see “Rubber Stamps” on page 168 in this manual for detailed instructions on producing and printing

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

Select Stamp to enable stamp mode options.

Shoulders: Adjusts the angle of the sides of the stamp.

Widening: Adjusts the boldness of the character.

Mirror: Inverts the artwork. Fence: Deﬁnes outer borders.

Update Firmware

Advanced Tab

When you are ready to update your Fusion ﬁrmware, click here and load the ﬁle. For more information, visit “Section :

Upgrading the Operational Firmware” on page 155.

Conﬁgurations

The Conﬁgurations feature is a comprehensive data management tool that is used to save all of your Dashboard

settings for individual jobs. Saving the Dashboard settings as a database ﬁle allows you to retrieve the job parameters at a later time. This saves you the trouble of trying to remember what speed and power and other settings you used on a job you did three months ago. All of your settings can all be stored as a permanent record.

For example, in this database we have settings for acrylic, coated steel, glass, and many more. After each conﬁguration ﬁle name, you can see if the saved settings are for a Raster, Vector or Combined job, the resolution, and the piece size within that ﬁle. To use any of these settings, click the Load key.

If you ﬁnd a setting you would like to save into a new conﬁguration ﬁle, simply create the settings within the three Laser Dashboard tabs, then click Save.

The Driver Disc has a number of preset conﬁguration ﬁles available. When you unzip your selected wattage’s conﬁguration ﬁles, they will save to c:/epilog/engraving setting. This is the default folder that the Laser Dashboard will look in to load ﬁles available for your laser. After you have found the conﬁguration ﬁles you want to use, click on the General tab to see the settings that the loaded ﬁle brings up.

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

Color Mapping Tab

The Color Mapping feature is an advanced feature that must be checked to activate. Color Mapping is designed to be used in either Raster mode or Vector mode, but not in Combined mode. While Color Mapping is a very powerful tool, most operators use it for a few main reasons:

• Using color to deﬁne different levels of focus. Many objects need to be marked at different locations that are at different relative heights. Using color mapping to change the focus in a single job setup is a convenient way to make marking complex parts simple.

• Using different colors allows users the ability to sequence the order that objects will be marked.

• Setting different speeds and powers for vector mode. Many users, especially architects, want to score some parts of their artwork and then cut all the way through other parts. Color Mapping allows them to set up unique speed and power settings for each activity, all in a single job setup.

Color Mapping accomplishes these tasks by assigning laser attributes to the different colors in your artwork. The functions that can be controlled by color are: Speed, Power, Frequency, Focus, Raster On/Off, Vector On/Off, Air Assist On/Off. For a detailed look at the Fusion’s Color Mapping capabilities, visit “Color Mapping” on page 97.

Enable Color Mapping

When this check box is selected, the laser will use the settings assigned to each color. For any colors that are in your artwork, but not in the color mapping settings, the General settings will be used.

Adjust Settings

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SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features

Use the slider bars to create any RGB color and set the laser parameters. Adjusting the settings does not actually change the values. Select the Right Arrow key to ﬁnalize the settings.

Color Map Summary

The Color Map Summary area is located on the right side of the window and offers a visual display of all of the color mapped settings. You can quickly see each color and the speed, power, frequency, focus, mode and Air Assist settings for each of the different colors within your ﬁle.

Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features

Each program you use will provide different ways to manage these functions. CorelDRAW offers a very straight forward way to access each of these features.

Multiple Passes

You can automatically engrave or cut a job multiple times by setting the Number of Copies to the number of passes that you want to make. When each pass is ﬁnished the laser will automatically start another pass until all passes are complete.

Print Range

If you only want to print one aspect of your project (for example, just the text in the document), you can select that part of the ﬁle, then click Selection and the laser will only engrave or cut that piece of your ﬁle.

Multiple Pages

When you want to engrave multiple pieces within one document, such as ﬁve different engraved glass mugs, each with a different name, you can use the Multiple Pages feature of CorelDRAW. Set up each of the mug ﬁles on a separate page in your single CorelDRAW ﬁle, then when you print to the laser you can choose either Current document to print all of the pages or you can specify which pages you want to print by adjusting the settings in the Print range box. You can view the different pages in the Print Preview screen.

When a multiple page job is printed to the laser, each of the pages will transfer to the Control Panel with the ﬁrst ﬁle coming across as Job:1. File Name, then Job:2. Page 2, Job: 3.Page 3. Remember, the last page of the job will be the current ﬁle when you go to the Fusion’s control panel, so scroll back to Job 1: File Name to run that one ﬁrst.

If you start engraving the jobs and become uncertain about which pages are which, you can refer back to your print preview screen and the Page number in the laser will correspond to the page number in the print preview.

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SECTION 6: USING THE EPILOG MAC DRIVER

Mac Driver Settings

The Mac Driver is a powerful software tool that allows you to engrave and cut directly to your CO2 Fusion Laser from a Mac. Here we demonstrate how to print from Adobe Illustrator, but there are other graphic software programs you can print from to the laser as well.

Select Printer

Select your Fusion Laser system as your the printer.

Options

Job Type: Choose between the three modes of operation.

• Raster Mode: Used for engraving or marking

materials. Typical uses would be reproducing clipart, scanned images, photos, text and graphic images.

• Vector Mode: Selected when you are only running cut lines or for use with the Red Dot Pointer for previewing the job processing area. For vector mode, a line is recognized as a line to be cut based on line width (stroke).

• Combined Mode: Used when you have both engraving and cutting in the same job. The laser will ﬁrst engrave your artwork, then follow with the vector mode.

Center-Center: The Center Engraving Option allows you to deﬁne the center of your artwork as the primary reference point (Home Position) of your engraving or cutting. The Center Engraving option has been designed to be used in conjunction with the Jog feature on the Fusion Control Panel. Center engraving differs from standard printing where the upper left corner of the page and the upper left corner of the laser table deﬁne your primary reference point. For more information, visit “Center Engraving” on page 106 in the manual.

Auto Focus: Check this box when you want to use machine’s Auto Focus capabilities. Measure the thickness of the material

you are using and input the number into the thickness box. The table will automatically move up or down so that the top of your material is 2” (50.8 mm) from the bottom of the focus lens. If the Auto Focus box is not selected, Auto Focus will be disabled and the table will not move up or down when the job starts.

When the Vector Cutting Table is installed and you want to use Auto Focus, click both the Auto Focus box and the Vector Grid box. This tells the laser system that the Vector Cutting Table is installed and it will automatically calculate the appropriate focal distance based on this information.

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SECTION 6: USING THE EPILOG MAC DRIVER

Mac Driver Settings

The material thickness is still required when using the Vector Cutting Table. If a thickness

is not speciﬁed the system will Auto Focus to the top of the Vector Cutting Table, not to the top of your material. For a detailed discussion on focusing the laser, visit “Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus” on page 93.

Direct Print: The direct print check box is for use only when you want to send a job directly to the engraver without ﬁrst going through the Epilog Viewer.

Raster Settings

Speed: Determines the travel speed of the carriage in

Raster mode and is adjustable in 1% increments from 0 to 100%. The slower the speed, the deeper the engraving. Speed settings are heavily dependent on the hardness and the thickness of the material being engraved with harder materials requiring slower speeds for deeper engraving. Slower speed settings will produce greater depth of engraving. Please refer to “Appendix B: Material

Settings” on page 193 in this manual.

Power: Determines the amount of laser energy that

is delivered to the piece being cut and is adjustable in 1% increments from 1 to 100%. The higher the power, the deeper the engraving. Please refer to “Appendix B:

Material Settings” on page 193 in the manual.

Engraving Direction: This feature applies to raster

engraving only and allows you to engrave your project either from the top-down or the bottom-up direction. In standard top-down engraving there can be a large amount of engraving debris generated, especially on materials such as plastic, wood and rubber. As the debris moves towards the exhaust plenum, some of it collects in the area that has just been engraved. Bottom-up engraving prevents the debris from collecting in the freshly engraved spaces.

default mode is Standard. This mode can be used for all images, including photographs, but some images improve when engraved with other dithering patterns Dithering is used only for Raster engraving and has no effect on vector cut lines. For more information, go to “Image Dithering”

on page 96.

Vector Settings

Speed: Determines the travel speed of the carriage in

Vector cutting mode and is adjustable in 1% increments from 1 to 100%. The slower the speed, the deeper the cut. Most cutting applications require relatively slow speed settings, and the speed is heavily dependent on the hardness and the thickness of the material being cut. Slower speed settings will also produce better edge quality. High speeds are provided for draft mode only and are not intended for production applications. For more information, visit “Appendix B: Material Settings” on

page 193.

Power: Determines the amount of laser energy that

is delivered to the piece being cut and is adjustable in 1% increments from 0 to 100%. The higher the power, the deeper the cut. The amount of power necessary to cut completely through a given material is also heavily dependent on the hardness and the thickness of the material. For more information, visit “Appendix B:

Material Settings” on page 193.

Freq: The Frequency is the number of laser pulses that

the laser ﬁres per inch of travel. The frequency is set in the dashboard and can be adjusted from 1 to 100. A lower frequency number will have the effect of less heat because fewer pulses are being used to cut the material. Lower frequency rates are helpful for products like wood where charring is evident at higher frequencies. High frequencies are useful on material like acrylic where a large amount of heat is desirable to melt or ﬂame polish the edges.

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Speed Comp: Reduces all speed settings by ½. For example, a speed setting of 10 without Speed Comp selected will move twice as fast as a setting of 10 with Speed Comp selected. In essence, Speed Comp provides

SECTION 6: USING THE EPILOG MAC DRIVER

Mac Driver Settings

an alternative set of speed parameters that are ½ the speed of the standard settings. Speed Comp mode will most often be used with speed settings below 10 when very slow cutting is desired. Most users will rarely use Speed Comp mode, but it adds additional functionality for unusual or demanding applications.

Power Comp: When checked, power compensation reduces the laser output when the laser carriage slows as it moves through a curve. Selecting Power Comp is especially useful for vector cutting jobs that incorporate a large number of curves. This has the effect of producing unparalleled edge quality when cutting curves. Most users ﬁnd that keeping Power Comp selected is the preferred setting.

Resolution

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SECTION 6: USING THE EPILOG MAC DRIVER

Project Setup

While the Mac Driver will work with many different graphic software packages, we’ll be looking at Adobe Illustrator for this example.

1. Click the Epilog icon to open the Epilog Viewer.

2. In this example, we’ll set up an Aztec Calendar

engraving and cutting project. We’ve set up our graphic on our page and are ready to select File/ Print.

4. Click on the Layout drop-down menu and select Epilog Settings.

5. Set your laser Settings. We’ve set our Job Type to Combined because we’ll be both engraving and cutting in this job. For Raster Settings, we’ve used 50% speed, 100% power. For Vector Settings, we’ve used 30% speed, 70% power. Finally, our resolution has been set to 600 DPI.

When you have your settings how you’d like them, choose Print.

3. The standard Illustrator print window will come up, which will be different depending on which version of Mac OS you are using. Set your Printer to Epilog

Engraver and PPD to Default (Epilog PDE). Click Setup to access the laser settings.

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SECTION 6: USING THE EPILOG MAC DRIVER

Vector Cutting Lines

6. You will return to this print window, so click Print.

7. The driver will now transfer the job to the Epilog

Viewer. The Epilog Transfer icon will appear in the Dock. The transfer will take several seconds.

8. Once the Epilog Transfer Icon disappears, the Epilog

Viewer Icon will bounce up and down and you can click on the icon to access the Epilog Viewer.

It’s important that the Epilog Viewer is open before printing. If it is not open, pause the transfer in the processing window, open the

Epilog Viewer, and restart the transfer.

9. In the Epilog Viewer, click Edit Settings if you want to change any print settings, or click Print if the job is ready to send to the laser.

Vector Cutting Lines

1. Unlike Windows, the Mac Driver allows you to set the line width that will be cut in the driver. For this ﬁle we have some lines that will be engraved and some that will be cut. The cut lines we set to 0.23 pixels, while the engraved lines we set to 1 pixel width.

2. At the bottom right corner of the screen type .3 in the Vector Less Than box. This will cut any line that is less than .3 pixels in width and engrave any above that amount.

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SECTION 6: USING THE EPILOG MAC DRIVER

3. To see which lines will be cut, click Preview Final. In the Epilog Viewer, you can see which lines are vectors and ready to be cut. Click on Preview Final and the vector lines less than 1 px will be shown in red.

Vector Cutting Lines

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

The display shows valuable information associated with the highlighted Functional Menu items. We will explain the different information that will be displayed as we go through the description of each menu item.

International Symbolic Version:

US English Version:

Pause

Reset

Pointer

Laser On

Data

Job

Focus

Jog

Speed

Power

Settings / Conﬁg

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Pointer

Laser On

SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

Go Button

• Press the Go key to start or resume a job.

Pause / Stop Button

• Pressing the Pause key will stop the lens carriage and the laser beam will be shut off. If the Pause key is pressed during raster engraving mode the lens carriage will pause on either the far left or far right of the engraving line that is in process. If the Pause key is pressed while in vector cutting mode, the lens carriage will stop at the end of a line segment or at the next line node location.

• Once the lens carriage has stopped, you can open the door to examine the engraving. By closing the door and pressing the Pause key, the engraving/cutting job will commence where it left off. If the item being engraved is not moved the engraving/cutting registration will not be affected.

•

• If you press the Pause key while in vector mode it may take some time for the system to actually stop. The system needs to get to the next node in a vector before it can stop.

Note: Opening the door on the laser during engraving or cutting will stop the laser from ﬁring; however, the lens carriage will continue to move. It is important to stop the job before you open the door to insure the engraving/cutting is completed.

Reset Button

• Pressing the Reset key will move the carriage back to its Home Position. Press the Reset key after you have pressed the Pause key, or after you have moved the carriage when in the Jog position.

• Reset does not erase the job from the laser systems memory; rather it will stop the engraving job in process and send the carriage back to the Home Position.

Left

Right

Data Transferring

This light will illuminate when data is being passed to the laser. This is a handy tool when you are checking to see if your laser is connected to your computer.

Down

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

Pointer

The Pointer key is a toggle switch that turns the laser system’s Red Dot Pointer on and off. When the Red Dot Pointer is on, the indicator light directly to the left of the pointer key will be illuminated. For more information visit “Red Dot Pointer” on page 104.

Laser On

The Laser On key allows you to move the carriage and ﬁre the laser without having a job in the display. This is a very handy feature because it allows you to do simple tasks without printing a job to the laser system.

To use the Laser On feature you must be in Jog mode, with the door closed. When in Jog mode, press and hold the white Laser On key. Simultaneously use the Joystick to move the carriage. When the carriage moves, the laser will ﬁre. As soon as the carriage stops moving the laser will stop ﬁring.

You can adjust the default laser power being used in Laser On mode from the Settings menu. Highlight Settings, then use the Joystick to scroll down to Jog Laser PWR. Center click the Joystick and then tilt the Joystick Up or Down to change the value. Press the Go key to activate the change. Go back to Jog mode to use Laser On.

Job

• The Jobs selection allows you to use the Joystick to scroll through the jobs in your laser system. You will be able to see the job in the ﬁrst line of the display. The estimated job time and the print resolution will also show on the second line of the display.

• The job name displayed is the same name as the ﬁle name that you printed to the laser.

• When the job you want has been selected, press the Go key in the action keys to start the job.

• After the job starts, the job timer in will be activated and will be shown on the second line of the display.

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

Focus

The Focus selection allows you to manually set the table to the correct height for engraving. With Focus highlighted, use the Joystick to move the table up or down. The display will show a digital readout of the table position.

The image below also shows two visual indicators that provide addition functionality to the Focus function:

• The two arrows on the left side of the second line in the display indicate whether you are in “Course” or “Fine” focus mode. In Course mode the table will move up or down in large increments. In Fine mode the table will move up or down in small increments.

• Tilt the Joystick left or right to toggle between ﬁne and course movements.

Two diamonds indicates that you will double

Job: 1. Fusion_test.cdr FOCUS -0.000

♦

click the Joystick to access the sub-menu. One diamond will display for a single click menu item.

Course or ﬁne movement indicator.

Focus Sub-Menu: New Z-Axis Home Position

The two diamonds on the bottom right of the display indicate that by double center clicking the Joystick you will bring up a sub-menu that will allow you to set a new or temporary table z-axis Home Position. To set a new Home Position, ﬁrst move the table up or down in the focus menu, then double click the Joystick at bring up the sub-menu:

<--

GO 0

<--

SET 0

• Up (Go): Tilt the Joystick up to move the table to its default zero/zero Home Position.

• Down (Moveout): Tilt the Joystick down to move the lens carriage out from its upper, left corner position by about

2” (50 mm).

MOVEOUT RESTORE

<--

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

• Left (Set): Tilt the Joystick to the left to set a new or temporary z-axis Home Position.

Note: The SET 0 function is only used to set or reset a new or temporary Home Position for your table

height when using the Color Mapping function in the Dashboard driver. Auto Focus will not work properly once a new 0 (zero) table Home Position has been established.

When you set a new 0 (Zero) position for your table, the Auto Focus function in the driver will no longer reference the default table height. It will reference the new Table Home Position, rendering Auto Focus useless.

You must RESTORE Table Home to re-establish the default Table Home Position if you want to start using Auto Focus again.

• Right (Restore): Tilt the Joystick to the right to restore the table height to its default Home Position. This is normally done when you are ﬁnished with your new or temporary Table Home Position and want the table to move back to its default Home Position so you can start using Auto Focus again.

Note: An alternative method of setting a new Table Home Position is to just center click once while in the Focus Menu. There is no visual indicator on the display, but a single center click after you have focused your table eliminates double center clicking to access the sub-menu.

JOG

The Jog function allows you to move the laser head around the table with the use of the Joystick. To make it easier to use, turn on the Red Dot Pointer for a visual indicator of where the carriage is moving. The carriage can be moved in X, Y or diagonally. The display will show a digital readout of the carriage position.

Jog Sub-Menu: Setting a New X/Y Axis Home Position

The Jog function is most useful for setting a new or temporary Home Position when working on odd shaped items or if it’s just more convenient to designate somewhere other than the upper left corner of the table as your starting point. To set a new Home Position, use the following instructions:

1. Go to the Jog function on the Control Panel.

2. Use the Joystick to move the carriage to a new position. Use the Red Dot Pointer as a visual indicator of the carriage location. The display will also show a digital readout of the X and Y position.

3. Double center click to access the sub-menu:

• Up (Go): Tilt the Joystick up to move the carriage back to its zero/zero position. This function will move the lens carriage back to a new or temporary Home Position.

• Down (Exit): Tilt the Joystick down to exit the sub-menu. Center clicking does the same thing.

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

• Left (Set): Tilt the Joystick left to set a temporary (new) XY Home Position.

• Right (Restore): Tilt the Joystick to the right to reset the lens carriage back to its upper left corner position after you

are ﬁnished using a new or temporary Home Position.

<--

Speed

GO 0

<--

SET 0

Note: An alternative method of setting a new Home Position is to just center click once while in the Jog menu. There is no visual indicator on the display, but a single center click eliminates the need to access a sub-menu.

EXIT RESTORE

<--

With Speed highlighted, the speed setting will be displayed. The display will show RS for Raster Speed and VS for Vector Speed.

Power

With Power highlighted, the power setting will be displayed. The display will show RP for Raster Power and VP for Vector Power.

Settings/Conﬁg

With Settings highlighted, use the Joystick to scroll through the available menu items.

There are two different modes of operation in the Settings menu:

• Functions: Any menu item with a diamond ( perform that function.

• Adjustment (Calibrations): These are menu items that can be changed. There is not a diamond in front of these items, but center clicking is used to allow access to the function. After center clicking to gain access, use the Joystick to increment, decrement or toggle the value that is shown. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

♦) in front of it is a function. Simply center click on the Joystick to

The items in the Settings menu are shown below along with a description of how they are used:

♦ Restore XY Home: Center click to restore the lens carriage to its standard Home Position when you are ﬁnished

1. using a temporary Home Position. You can Restore XY Home from here or you can double center click in Jog mode to do the same thing.

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

2. ♦ Restore Table Home: Center click to send the table back to its default Home height. You can Restore Table Home

from here or you can double center click in Focus mode to do the same thing.

3. X Home: This is a calibration function that insures your artwork is properly located on the table in the X-axis. It is

set relative to the upper left corner of the table and the readout shows increments of .001” (.025 mm).

● Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Press the Go key to make your change permanent. These settings will not go into effect until you Restore Table Home (see above) or turn off the system.

● Increasing this number has the effect of moving your artwork to the right. If you increase the value from -123 to

-121 will move the X Home to the right by .002” (.051 mm).

● Decreasing this number has the effect of moving your artwork to the left.

4. Y Home: This is a calibration function that insures your artwork is properly located on the table in the Y-axis. It is set relative to the upper left corner of the table and the readout shows increments of .001” (.025 mm).

● Increasing this number has the effect of moving your artwork down.

● Decreasing this number has the effect of moving your artwork up. If you decrease the value from 23 to 20 you

will move the Y Home up by .003” (.076 mm).

5. Table Home: This is a calibration function that insures your Auto Focus distance is set properly. It establishes the correct spacing between the focus lens and the top of the table. It insures that the table always moves the top of your work piece to a point that is exactly two inches below the focus lens (or, three inches for the Fiber lens) when Auto Focus is used. The readout shows increments of .001” (.025 mm).

● Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

● Increasing this number has the effect of increasing the distance between the table and the lens carriage.

● Decreasing this number has the effect of decreasing the distance between the table and the lens carriage.

6. Fiber Offset: This is a setting found on Fusion M2 systems that have both CO2 and ﬁber lasers installed. This setting is a factory installed setting.

7. Vector Grid Home: A calibration for adjusting the Z-Home Position of the Vector Grid when installed.

8. Jog Laser PWR: This function sets the laser power that will be used when using the Laser On feature. Increasing this number increases the percentage of the laser power that will be used when Jogging the lens carriage and pressing the white Laser On key.

● Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

♦ Quick Table Home: A center click will move the table down to ﬁnd the nearest table height sensor. This function

9. is rarely used.

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

10. Serial #: This establishes a serial number for USB use. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Press the Go key to make your change permanent. This function is rarely used.

11. IP Address: This sets the IP Address of the laser system. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Tilt left or right to move to the different sets of three numbers. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

12. Subnet Mask: This sets the Subnet mask for the laser system. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Tilt left or right to move to the different sets of three numbers. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

13. Gateway: This sets the Gateway for the laser system. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement. Tilt left or right to move to the different sets of three numbers. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

14. Laser Installed: This is a factory setting that is not user accessible and shows which type laser is installed in the machine - CO2, Fiber, or both. CO2 lasers are the most versatile and work with many different types of materials. Fiber lasers are used for metal marking only.

15. Vector Grid In: This indicates if the Vector Cutting Table is installed. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to toggle between Yes and No. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

16. AirA Raster: This tells the machine to activate Air Assist during all Raster jobs. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to toggle between Yes and No. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

17. AirA Vector: This tells the machine to activate Air Assist during all Vector jobs. Center click to gain access, tilt the Joystick up or down to toggle between Yes and No. Press the Go key to make your change permanent.

18. CO2 Laser Match: This sets the left-right raster line alignment for the CO2 laser. This setting is normally a factory only setting and will not need to be adjusted by the user.

19. Fiber Laser Match: This sets the left-right raster line alignment for the ﬁber laser. This setting is normally a factory only setting and will not need to be adjusted by the user.

♦ Set XY Home: This sets a new Home Position. Most users ﬁnd it is easier to make this setting from the sub-

20. menu in Jog mode.

♦ Set Table Home: This sets a new Table Home Position. Most users ﬁnd it is easier to make this setting from the

21. sub-menu in Focus mode.

♦ Go XY Home: This restores the carriage lens to its default Home Position in the upper left corner of the machine.

22. Most users ﬁnd it is easier to make this setting from the sub-menu in Jog mode.

23. Auto Delete: This setting allows you to have jobs automatically delete after running. You will typically want to have this setting turned to No.

♦ Go Table Home: This restores the table to its default Home Position.

24.

25. X Scale Adjust: This setting calibrates the accuracy in the X-axis. This setting is normally a factory only setting and will not need to be adjusted by the user.

26. Y Scale Adjust: This setting calibrates the accuracy in the Y-axis. This setting is normally a factory only setting and will not need to be adjusted by the user.

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

27. Laser TI: This sets the Tickle of the laser tube. This setting is normally a factory only setting and will not need to be

adjusted by the user.

28. Pulse Stretch: This sets the Pulse Stretch of the laser tube. This setting is normally a factory only setting and will

not need to be adjusted by the user.

29. Table Speed Adj: This adjusts the speed of the table and is normally a factory only setting that should not be

adjusted by the user.

30. Bed Size: This indicates the bed size. This setting is normally a factory only setting and will not need to be adjusted

by the user.

31. System Unit: Sets the units of the machine to inches or millimeters.

32. Fiber Laser Power: This the wattage of the ﬁber laser source and should not be changed by the user.

♦ Full Table Home: This setting resets all temporary Home Positions and reestablishes the default Home Position

33.

that is found at boot up.

34. Raster Tune Adj: This ﬁne tunes raster engraving mode and is normally a factory only setting that should not be

adjusted by the user.

35. Vector Tune Adj: This ﬁne tunes the vector cutting mode and is normally a factory only setting that should not be

adjusted by the user.

36. Calibrate Joystick: This setting is normally a factory only setting. It reestablishes the feel of the Joystick.

37. Rotary Installed: This displays if a Rotary Attachment is currently installed.

38. Rotary Version: This displays the Rotary version that is installed.

39. Y Drive Version: This displays the Y Drive version that is installed.

40. X Drive Version: This displays the X Drive version that is installed.

41. Passcode: The passcode feature on the Fusion laser allows you to create a passcode to lock the factory set

machine functions within the Settings menu so they cannot be changed accidentally.

To Establish a Passcode:

• Go to the Settings menu on the Fusion Keypad and tilt the Joystick up until you see Passcode 0000.

• Center click the Joystick to gain access and show the cursor.

• Tilt the Joystick up or down to increment or decrement the ﬁrst number. Tilt the Joystick left or right to increment or decrement the next number. Continue the process until you have set a four-digit Passcode number.

• Write down your Passcode and save it in a secure place!

• Press the Go key to exit and display your Passcode.

• To ﬁnalize the lock process, tilt the Joystick down while still in the Settings menu until you see the Lock Conﬁg menu item.

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

• Center click the Joystick.

• Press Go to lock the code or Pause to exit the menu.

• After locking the Passcode, access to all machine factory settings from within the Settings menu will be visible, but will be locked out so they cannot be changed accidentally.

• Machine functions such as Restore XY Home, Quick Table Home, etc will not be locked out and can still be used from the Settings menu.

Verify the Settings/Conﬁg Menu Has Been Locked

• To verify that your Passcode has been locked, tilt the Joystick Up until the menu reads Passcode XXXX.

Disable Your Passcode

• Go to the Settings Menu on the Fusion Keypad.

• Tilt the Joystick Up to the Unlock Conﬁg menu item.

Joystick

• Center click the Joystick to gain access and display the cursor.

• Tilt the Joystick Up, Down, Left and Right to enter your Passcode.

• Press the Go key. Your Passcode will now to displayed, but it has been unlocked.

• Your Fusion is unlocked any time you can read the four-digit Passcode.

• Your Fusion is locked any time the Passcode reads XXXX.

♦ Lock Conﬁg: Locks and unlocks the Settings/Conﬁg menu in conjunction with the Passcode (see above).

42.

43. System Version: This displays the Firmware version that is installed.

Joystick

The Joystick is used to control, move, or change all of the available features found in the Fusion Control Panel. After you highlight a Function Menu item you will use the Joystick to control, move or change that function by tilting or depressing the Joystick.

Changes made while using the Joystick will be shown on the two-line LCD display. The Joystick is an extremely versatile tool that can be used in many different ways.

There are four primary functions to control the Joystick:

• Tilting: Many actions will be performed by tilting the Joystick from side-to-side or up and down. The Joystick provides 360 degrees of maneuverability. The Joystick is progressive in that a slight tilt will produce a small or slow movement while a greater tilt will produce a faster or larger movement.

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SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Job Storage: Temporary Memory

• Center Click: This is accomplished by simply pressing straight down on the center of the Joystick. A special ♦ character is used in the display to indicate functions where a center click action is used. For example, use the cursor keys on the Control Panel to scroll to the Settings function. The ﬁrst setting will read The diamond that is in front of Restore XY Home indicates that a center click will restore your lens carriage to the upper left Home Position.

♦ Restore XY Home.

• Double Center Clicking: A double diamond is available when a double center click is initiated. The Focus and Jog functions both provide a sub-menu when a double center click is used.

• Flick: A single, quick “ﬂick” will produce a single movement or very small adjustment.

The Joystick is progressive and touch sensitive and provides a continuously variable range of adjustments. It is sensitive to the degree of tilt that is being applied. The more you tilt the Joystick, the bigger your impact on the function you are using.

♦ ♦ in the lower right corner of the display indicates that a sub-menu

Now you try it!

1. Use the cursor keys on the Control Panel to highlight the Jog function. Jog mode moves the lens carriage. Now, simply tilt the Joystick as far as you can to the right and down. The lens carriage will start moving, slowly at ﬁrst, then after a second it will start picking up speed. To slow the carriage, simply reduce the amount of tilt you apply to the Joystick. Varying the amount of tilt changes how fast the carriage moves.

2. Now, let’s “ﬂick” the Joystick. By ﬂicking the Joystick, the carriage will move about .001” or .002”. You will probably not be able to see the motion, but if you watch the display panel you will see that the digital readout changes.

3. Once you get a feel for it, you will be able to move the carriage at an absolute crawl or as fast as it will go just by adjusting the amount of tilt.

Job Storage: Temporary Memory

While there is no key for this, the Fusion laser has the capability to store multiple jobs in temporary memory. The machine will store any and all jobs sent until there is no free temporary memory left. For all practical purposes, there is no limit to the number of jobs you can send to the laser.

Note: Temporary jobs stored in the laser systems will be erased when the laser system is turned off. For permanent job saving, print the ﬁle to the Job Manager, where you can ﬁle the job for later retrieval along with all settings you used in the past.

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SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Artwork Setup

Create your job in the graphics software of your choice, such as CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. There are three different modes of operation for the laser and the way you setup your artwork will determine if you raster engrave, vector cut, or use combined mode.

Raster Engraving

Raster engraving can best be described as very high resolution dot matrix “printing” with a laser. Raster engraving is used to create highly detailed graphic images. The laser head scans back and forth, left to right, engraving a series of dots one line at a time. As the laser head moves down line by line, the dot pattern forms the image that was printed from your computer. You can raster engrave scanned images, text, clipart, photographs, or line drawings.

This artwork is a good representation of a raster ﬁle. The photograph of the tiger will raster engrave, as will the text that has been placed on the page.

Vector Cutting

When you are vector cutting, the laser is following a continuous path that follows the outline, or proﬁle, of an image. Vector cutting is normally used to cut completely through materials such as wood, acrylic, paper, etc. It can also be used for quick marking of characters and geometric patterns. You can vector cut with the laser by setting objects and text to be unﬁlled and drawn with a 0.001” (0.025 mm) outline. The thin outline will produce a vector cut.

This graphic shows a vector image made up of lines. You can tell it is a vector image because you can individually select any of the lines and manipulate that part of the graphic.

When vector cutting, we always suggest that you use the Vector Cutting Table or Pin Table to protect the back of your material as well as your table from laser marking.

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SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Setting a Vector Cutting Line

Note: If your raster artwork contains thin lines between .001” (.025 mm) and .007” (.177 mm) depending on resolution, and you are using Vector or Combined mode, those thin lines will all vector cut. The most common

setup where this occurs is when you have a clipart image with hidden lines that you send to the laser using Combined mode. The artwork shown below is a good example of a piece of clipart as it appears on the screen (top) and the hidden lines (bottom) that will vector cut if you are in Combined or Vector mode. If you only want to raster engrave, make sure you select Raster mode in the Epilog Dashboard.

In CorelDraw you can view just the lines (bottom view) by clicking on the View key in the menu bar and selecting Simple Wire Frame. The upper image is a complex piece of clipart. The lower image shows all of the hidden lines that are in this piece of clipart. If this clipart image were run in Combined mode, it would ﬁrst raster engrave most of the car then vector cut any of the thin lines below .007” (.177 mm). You can also use the Preview function of the Epilog Job Manager to view only vector lines. See “Previewing Your Job” on page 39.

Clipart that looks like it is a raster ﬁle is actually often made up of small lines. If the lines are set too thin, then it may cut as well as engrave if you send it to the laser in combined mode.

Setting a Vector Cutting Line

The laser determines which lines to engrave or cut based on the width (stroke) of each line. If you’re using CorelDRAW, any line set to hairline width will cut. But in other software what width should you set a line to? Different line weights will engrave and cut at different widths and resolutions.

The table below shows various line widths and which will cut at the different resolutions. To be safe, set all vector lines to .004” (.101 mm) or less to make sure they will always cut.

Line Width 150 DPI 200 DPI 300 DPI 400 DPI 600 DPI 1200 DPI

.001” (.025 mm) Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut

.002 (.058 mm) Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut

.003 (.076 mm) Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut

.004 (.101 mm) Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut

.005 (.127 mm) Cut Cut Cut Engrave Engrave Engrave

.006 (.152 mm) Cut Cut Cut Engrave Engrave Engrave

.007 (.177 mm) Cut Cut Engrave Engrave Engrave Engrave

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SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Resolution

Where do I set the Vector Line Width?

Different software packages set the line width in different places. In CorelDRAW, you can ﬁnd the outline width in the top menu bar when a vector line is selected. In Adobe Illustrator it is called the stroke width and you can ﬁnd this setting in the Stroke Panel.

If you can’t select a line to set the width, it may be because it is part of a grouped object. Try to ungroup the object, then select the line. You also can’t select an

individual line if that line is part of a raster image.

Resolution

Print quality is commonly referred to as Resolution and is one of the variables that determine image quality. Resolution is expressed in dots per inch (DPI) and is determined by the number of lines or dots that are engraved for every inch of movement. Each horizontal line is referred to as a raster line. The higher the resolution setting, the ﬁner the detail that can be achieved. Keep in mind that engraving resolution is only one factor in determining image quality. The quality of the artwork being sent to the laser can have a bigger inﬂuence on the look of the ﬁnal product than the resolution. If low quality artwork is being used, even the highest resolution will not improve it. Also keep in mind that image quality is subjective. 300 DPI may be just ﬁne for some images and some customers, while 600 DPI is the absolute minimum for others.

This diagram shows the concept of raster lines and dots-per-inch (DPI). The arrows show the change in direction of the carriage between raster lines. The difference in dot density between 300 DPI and 600 DPI.

Resolution Settings:

75 – 200 DPI

These resolution values are typically used for non-production purposes where you want to experiment with image location, or if you want to quickly produce a rough draft. Low resolution setting are also useful when engraving products that you don’t want to remove too much material while engraving, such as fabric.

300 DPI

300 DPI is useful when engraving materials such as glass, marble, plastic and other items that don’t beneﬁt from the engraved dots being close together.

300 DPI

600 DPI

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SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Resolution

400 DPI

This resolution value is ideal for many applications. It combines very good image quality with fast engraving times. Many users like 400 DPI for all of their work.

600 DPI

When really ﬁne detail or overall excellent results are required, most users choose 600 DPI.

1200 DPI

This resolution is used for projects that require the best engraving quality possible, or if engraving extremely small fonts. Although it’s seldom used because, under normal circumstances, most people cannot visually discern the difference between 1200 and 600 DPI. There are some users that appreciate this high level of quality and are willing to take twice as long to produce an image at 1200 DPI as it would take them at 600 DPI.

Helpful Hints

• There are four times as many dots engraved at 600 DPI as there are at 300 DPI. Twice as many horizontally and twice as many vertically.

• The gap between the dots is very small at 600 DPI. At 300 DPI the lesser overlap is responsible for the jagged edges that are visible when engraving at lower resolutions.

• It’s important to remember that while resolution plays a part in producing good image quality, the artwork that is sent to be engraved is just as important. If the artwork that is sent to the laser is poor quality, trying to engrave it at 600 DPI will not improve the quality. It’s always best to start with high resolution images. Poor artwork will probably always look poor at any resolution, while good artwork will look good at any resolution.

• Twice as many dots and twice as many lines at 600 DPI produces a much deeper burn into materials like wood than you would see engraving the same image at 300 DPI. This is important to understand because depth of burn is closely associated with engraving resolution – the higher the resolution, the greater the depth of burn for a given speed. The relationship between resolution, depth of engraving and Speed and Power setting is something that most people ﬁgure out with just a little experience. “Appendix B: Material Settings” on page 193 helps to make this easy to understand by providing different Speed and Power settings and suggested engraving resolutions for each different material listed.

The next photo shows a clipart image engraved at 300 DPI (top) and at 600 DPI (bottom). This clipart image is full of different shades of gray and you can see that the dot spacing is spread out more on the 300 DPI than it is on the 600 DPI. Just changing the resolution to 600 DPI produces so much dot overlap that the ﬁll patterns tend to blend together. It’s a matter of personal preference as to which resolution looks better, but these photos show the dramatic difference resolution can make, especially when engraving with grayscale images.

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SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Landscape or Portrait

You can engrave using either landscape or portrait modes. Depending on the artwork, you can increase your efﬁciency and decrease the time it takes to engrave an image by changing the orientation of your ﬁle. Many users set up their artwork in portrait mode and then rotate the artwork 90 degrees if they are going to print from landscape mode.

300 DPI

600 DPI

Resolution

This project setup shows the same job in portrait mode (left) and landscape mode (right). The landscape mode will engrave quicker because there is less turnaround time as the laser makes longer passes across the engraving table. For example, at 100% speed and 100% power in portrait mode this graphic will take 56 minutes, 56 seconds, while in landscape mode it takes 38 minutes, 54 seconds, a 34% time savings.

Engraving Time: 56:56

Engraving Time: 38:54

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SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Resolution

The drawings below show a job that works in the opposite way - the horizontal mode will take longer than the portrait mode. You’ll notice in the portrait mode there are a number of white space lines that the laser can skip through, saving engraving time. In the landscape mode there is not white space for the laser to recognize as it moves down the page, taking the engraving time from 10:12 to 17:14. Experiment with the artwork that you use. It will quickly become second nature which mode works best for different types of artwork.

Engraving Time: 10:12

Engraving Time: 17:14

A third consideration for landscape or portrait art setup is material speciﬁc. Some materials, such as wood or plastics that have a grain or brushed look, will look better when engraved if the grain of the material runs parallel with the X-stroke of the carriage. While the orientation of material without a grain pattern is usually not important, it is important to keep this in mind with woods that have a stronger grain pattern.

Preferred

Travel direction of carriage

Less Desirable

Wood Grain

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SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Piece and Page Size

Many users like to create their artwork on a page size that matches the size of the piece that is to be lasered. Compensating for beveled edges or placing an image in an exact location is easy when there is a one-for-one relationship between the material and the page size of the artwork. If this method works for you, remember that you must also set the Piece Size dimensions in the Laser Dashboard to match the page size you have set in your graphics software.

On the other hand, many users do not want to change the Piece Size dimensions in the Dashboard every time they print something new. They prefer to use a page size that matches the table size and place their artwork into the upper left corner of the page. Both methods are effective and it is a matter of personal preference which method is used.

Place the material to be engraved on the engraving table in the upper left hand corner, pressing the material ﬁrmly against the metal rulers along the top and left edges.

Most material does not need to be held or clamped in place. Simply setting it on the table and letting gravity hold it in place is enough. If you are using a material that is likely to move during operation or is very thin, you can hold it in place using the Epilog Integrated Vacuum Table. Simply place it on the table ﬂush against the upper left hand rulers, then cover any remaining holes in the metal table with scrap material or a jig. This will create a semi-suction and hold the piece of material in place. The material can also be held with a variety of materials such as masking tape, clay, magnets, etc. Creating jigs is also an excellent method of holding materials that are high volume, or high value. Engraving or cutting a jig to match an unusual shape is very easy to do with the laser from scrap wood, acrylic or even cardboard.

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SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Reduce Fire Risk with a Clean Laser

Cleaning the laser is an excellent way to prevent ﬁre with the laser. A buildup of cutting and engraving residue and debris is dangerous and can create a ﬁre hazard in its own right. Keep your laser system clean and free of debris. Regularly remove the Vector Cutting Table to clean any small pieces that have fallen through the grid.

For more information on ﬁre safety, see “Fire Warning” on page 5.

Cleaning the Optics

About once a week, or if you notice dust building up, you will need to clean the optics (mirrors and lenses) of your laser. If smoke, resin, or other contaminants are allowed to accumulate they will reduce the available laser power and may cause damage to the optics.

The two optical components most likely to require cleaning are the focus lens and the mirror directly above it. The lens and mirror are a single assembly, and can be removed from the machine for cleaning by unscrewing the three thumbscrews on the front lens cover.

Mirror

Focus Lens

To clean the optics, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully.

If you run out of the cleaner supplied by Epilog, Reagent or laboratory grade Acetone can be substituted. Another option is a 10 to 1 water to white vinegar mixture. This is very good at removing ﬁnger prints and other minerals which can be left behind on the optics. Also, if “Golden Grain” or “Everclear” are available in your area these are also good substitutes for the optical cleaning solution.

Never use Alcohol or Hardware grade Acetone, they contain impurities which can damage the optics in your machine.

Wet the swab thoroughly with the solvent, and then blot it against a piece of cotton so that it is no longer soaking-wet. Then daub the optic gently, rotating the swab after each daub to expose clean cotton to the surface until the optic is free of visible contamination. At that point, prepare a fresh swab and clean the surface with a gentle zigzag motion across it. Avoid any hard “scrubbing” of the surface, especially while there are visible particles on it, and try not to use repetitive circular motions. When you are done, be careful to remove any cotton threads that may have snagged on the mountings.

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SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Cleaning the Optics

Allow the optics to dry before you operate your engraver.

When reinstalling the lens assembly, make sure that the Crash Bar is sitting on top of the locating pins on the side of the carriage.

Mirror

Focus Lens

In addition to the focus lens and the mirror directly above it, there is a mirror located on the left side of the X-beam. This mirror is very well protected and should not need regular cleaning. It can be accessed with a cotton swab if it does need cleaning.

The photos below shows how to clean the focus lens. Remove the lens carriage from the machine to clean both the top and bottom of this lens.

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SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Cleaning and Lubricating the Bearing Rails

While the bearing rail on the Fusion M2 lasers are self lubricating, we still suggest a periodic lubrication to keep the laser running at top performance.

Clean the X-axis Bearing Rail

Use a soft cloth or cotton swab with some alcohol or similar mild solvent to clean each of the bearing tracks which the optics (mirror and lens) run along. A cotton swab is perfect for cleaning out the inside of the grooved tracks of the X-axis rail.

Use a soft cotton cloth or cotton swab to clean the entire length of the X-axis rail.

This photo shows a cotton swab cleaning out the top groove of the X-axis rail. There is another groove on the bottom side of the rail. You will need to move the X-axis belt out of the way to access the rail. There is enough ﬂex in the belt to move it out of the way, but do not pull on it so hard that it becomes stretched or stressed.

Lubricate the X-axis Bearing Rail

After cleaning the rail, place about an inch long bead of Epilog supplied grease into the top and bottom grooves of the X-axis rail. The following photo shows where to grease the bottom groove of the rail.

After applying the grease to both grooves, run the X-carriage over the grease to work it into the bearing block and rail.

Turn the machine off to easily move the X-carriage back and forth over the grease.

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SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Clean the Right Side Y-Axis Rail

Clean the length of the right side Y-axis rail using a soft cotton cloth. Lubrication is not required.

Clean the right side Y-axis rail with a soft cloth.

Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum

Clean the Left Side Y-Axis Rail

Clean the length of the left side Y-axis rail using a soft cotton cloth. Lubrication is not required.

After cleaning the rails and bearings, clean off the table and the rest of the inside of the machine. Spending just a few minutes a week will pay off in the long run with better quality and performance.

The left side Y-axis rail (the silver cylinder) should also be wiped with a soft cloth.

Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum

Make sure the exhaust blower you are using receives proper maintenance. Periodically clean the exhaust blower and duct system to remove built-up debris. If you detect odor while engraving, or if the smoke in the cabinet is visible in the area of the lens carriage, inspect the exhaust system. Check for loose or broken pipe/hose connections, or obstructions. The following photos show where to clean the duct work of your machine. You should also occasionally check your exhaust blower and the connected duct work.

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SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Cleaning the Vents

Clean the vents from the inside of the machine. It is best to use a ﬂexible or wire brush that can access the inside of the vent.

Clean the vents with a ﬂexible or wire brush.

Cleaning the Down Draft Ports

Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum

In addition to the top vents, also clean the down draft ports. These are the air ports that the exhaust system pulls from when using your Vector Cutting Table.

The down-draft ports are located in the black circles at the back of the machine.

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SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum

In addition to cleaning the inside of the machine you should occasionally clean the exhaust plenum. The exhaust plenum can be completely removed from the Fusion. Remove the six screws that hold the exhaust plenum in place.

The photos below the plenum partially removed and the back of the machine with the plenum fully removed.

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SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Laser Tube

The laser tube used in your system does have a maximum service life, and there is very little maintenance that is required. At some point in the life of the laser you will need to replace it for gas recharge, electrical repair or mechanical repair. Replacing laser tubes is common practice and Epilog has made the process of changing tubes extremely easy for users to perform with a minimum amount of effort. The laser tubes can be refurbished and are available on an exchange basis by contacting Epilog technical support.

Ensure that all of the laser cooling fans are properly working at all times. The fans keep the laser tube cool and prevent it from overheating. An overheated laser tube will produce erratic output and may fail completely.

If the laser system is in a dirty or dusty environment, make sure that the cooling ﬁns on the laser tube are kept free of dust buildup. Use compressed air to blow the dust and debris off of the laser tube ﬁns. Be sure that the system is unplugged before performing any maintenance on the machine!

Laser Tube Air Filter

To help protect your laser tube from dust, dirt and debris, we have included a ﬁlter on the back of the Fusion Laser. Every three months, check the ﬁlter to see if it needs replacement. The ﬁlter is a standard 12” x 30” x 1” (304.8 x 762 x 25.4 mm) furnace ﬁlter and can be found at any home store. Changing this ﬁlter is much more likely in a dustier shop environment.

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SECTION 10: SYSTEM FEATURES

Air Assist

The Air Assist feature on the Fusion Laser is used to keep combustible gases away from the cutting surface and to reduce ﬂare-ups of more ﬂammable materials as you cut through it, such as wood and acrylic.

The Air Assist directs a constant stream of compressed air across the material surface at the point of burn removing the heat and combustible gases from the work surface. The constant air stream helps reduce charring and scorching associated with materials, such as wood, rubber, and acrylic.

The Fusion M2 systems have been pre-plumbed for Air Assist so that all you need to do is to attach a small compressor pump to the back of the machine. The pump can either be purchased through your Epilog representative or you can connect your existing compressed air supply to the .25 inch (6 mm) receptacle at the back of the machine (30 PSI max).

Air Assist

Air Assist Tube

Air assist should always be activated during vector cutting operations to reduce the risk of ﬁre! For more information, see “Fire Warning” on page 1.

Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus

In order to engrave or cut a crisp, clean image, your material must be the correct distance from the bottom of the focus lens. Setting the distance from the bottom of the focus lens to the top of your material is the process of focusing, and is accomplished by placing your material on the table and moving the table up or down. There are two different methods of focusing: Manual or Auto Focus.

Manual Focus

The photo below shows the “V” shaped manual focus gauge that is used to determine the correct distance from the focus lens to the top of your material. This gauge is included in your Accessories Kit that comes with your system. If you have

a dual source Fusion M2 system, there will be two separate focus gauges for the CO2 and ﬁber laser sources.

Place the manual focus gauge on the carriage and place the object to be cut or engraved in the upper left corner of the machine. Use the arrow keys on the control panel to highlight the light next to the word Focus. You can now move the Joystick up or down to move the table appropriately until your material just touches the bottom of the gauge. The speed at which the table rises or lowers can

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SECTION 10: SYSTEM FEATURES

Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus

be controlled by applying varying pressure upwards or downwards on the Joystick. Once the focus position has been established, remove the gauge. Press the Reset key.

If your material has a taper or curve, pick an intermediate point between the highest and lowest points being engraved and focus on that point. In general, the area of the material being engraved needs to be relatively ﬂat. If the area being engraved differs in height by more than about an .125” (3 mm), the image will begin to look “fuzzy” or out of focus.

Manually Focus Anywhere on the Table: If you wish to focus at a point on the table other than in the upper left corner, you can do so by activating the Jog feature of the machine. Press the Arrow keys on the Control Panel until the light next to Jog is illuminated. This now activates the Joystick to allow you to move the lens carriage of the laser to the desired position on the table. Again, varying the pressure applied to the Joystick will vary the speed at which the lens carriage moves to the desired position on the table. Once the lens carriage is located over the desired portion of the table, use the procedure above for raising and lowering the table until the focus gauge touches the top of the material. After you have focused, press the Reset key to send the carriage back to its Park position.

Dual Source Manual Focus Gauges

If you purchased a system with the Dual Source option, you will receive two separate focus gauges with your laser system, a 3” focus gauge for the CO2 (blue) and 3” gauge for the ﬁber source (silver). The optimal focal point for each of the laser sources is a bit different, so two separate gauges are required based on the material you are working with in each job. When you are using Auto Focus, the machine will automatically compensate based on which source you have selected. For more information on focusing the Dual Source, see “Focusing a Dual Source Job” on page 147.

Auto Focus

Activating the Auto Focus can be done on your computer by checking the Auto Focus box in the dashboard. If there is not a check in this box, Auto Focus will be disabled and the table will not move up or down when the job starts.

When a job is started, and Auto Focus has been enabled, the table will automatically raise or lower to the appropriate height before the lens carriage moves to the ﬁrst point of engraving/cutting.

You must also indicate if you are using a Vector Cutting Table. When the Vector Cutting Table is installed and you want to use Auto Focus, click the box next to Vector Grid. This tells the laser system that the Vector Cutting Table is installed and it will automatically calculate the appropriate focal distance based off this information.

Please note: The material thickness is still required when using the Vector Cutting Table. If a thickness is not speciﬁed the system will Auto Focus to the top of the grid, not to the top of your material.

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Epilog Fusion M2 32, Fusion M2 40, 13000, 14000 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

FIRE WARNING

INTRODUCTION

How to Use This Owner’s Manual

Icons Used in this Manual

SECTION 1: SAFETY

Laser Safety

Electrical Safety

Fire Warning

Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance

Do’s and Don’ts

SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED

1. Unpacking the Laser System

2. Choose Where to Locate the System

3. Connecting the Exhaust

4. Connecting Electrical Power

5. Setting Vector Cutting Table Default

6. Connect the Laser to Your Computer

7. Set the Fusion’s IP Address

9. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your System

SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION

Windows 7: Ethernet Installation

Windows 7: USB Installation

Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation

Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation

Setting Up CorelDRAW Beziers Setting

Mac Driver Installation

SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER

Epilog Job Manager Instructions

How to Install the Epilog Job Manager

Trouble Shooting Job Manager Installation

Important Epilog Job Manager Notes

Using the Epilog Job Manager

SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™

Changing Laser Dashboard Defaults

General Tab

Advanced Tab

Color Mapping Tab

Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features

SECTION 6: USING THE EPILOG MAC DRIVER

Mac Driver Settings

Project Setup

Vector Cutting Lines

SECTION 7: FUSION CONTROL PANEL

Display

Joystick

Job Storage: Temporary Memory

SECTION 8: QUICK START GUIDE

Artwork Setup

Setting a Vector Cutting Line

Resolution

Piece and Page Size

SECTION 9: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Reduce Fire Risk with a Clean Laser

Cleaning the Optics

Cleaning and Lubricating the Bearing Rails

Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum

Laser Tube

Laser Tube Air Filter

SECTION 10: SYSTEM FEATURES

Air Assist

Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus