Universal Laser Systems PLS4.75, PLS6MW, PLS6.75, PLS6.150D User Manual

PLS User Guide
PLS4.75, PLS6.75, PLS6.150D, PLS6MW

www.ulsinc.com

Revision August 2012

©2012 Universal Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Universal Laser Systems logo and name are registered
trademarks, and High Power Density Focusing Optics, Rapid Reconfiguration, 1-Touch Laser Photo, Laser
Interface + and SuperSpeed are trademarks of Universal Laser Systems, Inc. All other company and product
names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Universal’s laser systems are protected under one or more of U.S. Patents: 5,661,746; 5,754,575; 5,867,517;
5,881,087; 5,894,493; 5,901,167; 5,982,803; 6,181,719; 6,313,433; 6,342,687; 6,423,925; 6,424,670; 6,983,001;
7,060,934; 7,415,051; 7,469,000; 7,715,454; 7,723,638; 7,947,919. Other U.S. and international patents pending.

2

Thank you for choosing Universal Laser Systems®. We appreciate innovative customers like you who have made
Universal Laser Systems an integral part of their business.

Universal Laser Systems is committed to providing the highest level of customer satisfaction and support. To
ensure your satisfaction, we urge you to read the documentation provided with your equipment.

Since 1988, Universal Laser Systems has been committed to continually improving our technology and customer­driven laser solutions. Your satisfaction is very important to us and we welcome your feedback. Tell us about your
experience with Universal Laser Systems and our systems at [e-mail].

Should you have any questions, please contact Universal Laser Systems’ Customer Service Team at 480-609­0297 (USA), [phone] (Austria), [phone] (Japan) or e-mail us at [e-mail].

Again, thank you for choosing Universal Laser Systems.

Your Universal Laser Systems Team

3

Table of Contents

USER GUIDE CD

Chapter 1 – Specifications 5

Chapter 2 – Safety 8

Chapter 3 – Installation 22

Chapter 4 – Operation 48

Chapter 5 – Accessories 83

Chapter 6 – Maintenance 111

Software

Your Reference Guide contains the Software Installation CD. Please follow the instructions for proper installation.

Warranty

Your Reference Guide contains Warranty documents pertaining to your purchase. Should you require a copy of
the warranty, please contact ULS at 480-609-0297 or email [e-mail].

Parts

To order parts for your Universal laser system, contact ULS at 480-609-0297 or [e-mail].

4

Chapter 1 - Specications

5

PLS4.75 PLS6.75 PLS6MW

(multi wavelength)

PLS6.150D

Operating

Environment

Operating

Temperature

Well-ventilated oce (recommended) or clean, light-duty manufacturing

50ºF (10ºC) to 95ºF (35º C) capable

73ºF (22ºC) to 77ºF (25º C) for best performance

Storage Temperature 50ºF (10ºC) to 95ºF (35º C)

Operating Humidity Non-condensing

Particulate/Odor

Outside Ventilated

Exhaust System

Computer

Requirements

(See the Installation & Set-up

Guide for more information)

Software

Requirement

Laser Safety

250 CFM (cubic feet per minute) @ 6 inches

static pressure (425m3/hr at 1.5kPa)

Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit)

Graphics or CAD based (See page 61 for recommendations)

High-pressure vacuum blower capable of:

500 CFM (cubic feet per minute) @ 6 inches static

pressure (850m3/hr at 1.5kPa)

2.0 GHz Processor (minimum)
1 GB of RAM (minimum)

40 GB Hard Drive (minimum)

Main Laser, Interlocked Safety Enclosure = Class 1

Red Diode Pointer = Class 2

6

Work Area*

Table

PLS4.75 PLS6.75 PLS6MW

(multi-wavelength)

24 x 18 in

(610 x 457 mm)

29 x 23 in

(737 x 584 mm)

32 x 18 in

(813 x 457 mm)

37 x 23 in

(940 x 584 mm)

PLS6.150D

Maximum Part

(WxHxD)

29 x 23 x 9 in

(737 x 584 x 229 mm)

37 x 23 x 9 in

(940 x 584 x 229 mm)

Maximum Part Weight 40 lbs (18 kg)

Resolutions 2000, 1000, 500, 333, 250, 200, 83 dpi/lpi

Control

Requires a dedicated PC to operate; requires Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7

(32-bit and 64-bit)

Interconnection USB 2.0 High Speed port only

Cabinet Style Floor Standing

Laser Options 10, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 75 watts

Power Consumption up

to:

Overall Dimensions

(WxHxD)

36 x 39 x 36.5 in

(914 x 991 x 927 mm)

CO2 Lasers: 10, 25, 30,

40, 50, 60 and 75 watts

Fiber Laser: 30 watts

110V/10A

240V/5

44 x 39 x 37.5 in

(1118 x 991 x 953 mm)

10, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60

and 75 watts

(equipped for two

lasers)

230V/15A

Weight (uncrated) 270 lbs (122 kg) 325 lbs (147 kg) 345 lbs (156 kg)

Exhaust Hookup One 4-inch (10.16 cm) port Two 4-inch (10.16 cm) ports

CO210 Watt = 13 lbs (6kg)

CO2 25/30 Watt = 20 lbs (9 kg)

Laser Cartridge Weight

CO2 40 Watt = 23 lbs (10 kg)

CO2 50/60 Watt = 26 lbs (12 kg)

CO2 75 Watt = 29 lbs (13 kg)

Fiber Laser 30 watt=32 lbs(14 kg)

Standard Air Assist, Air Assist Cone, Air Assist Back Sweep, Air Compressor, Computer Controlled

Available Options

Air, Dual Head (CO2 only),

Honeycomb Cutting Table, Rotary Fixture and Lens Kits

7

Chapter 2 - Safety

8

Description of Appropriate Use

This device is designed for laser cutting and engraving in an office, laboratory, workshop or light duty
manufacturing environment. Materials to be processed must fit completely inside the system for proper operation.

CAUTION: This device is not designed, tested, intended or authorized for use in any medical applications,

surgical applications, medical device manufacturing or any similar procedure or process requiring approval,
testing or certification by the United States Food and Drug Administration or other similar governmental
entities.

General Safety

Use of the equipment in a manner other than described in this manual or failure to follow the operational
requirements and safety guidelines listed in this manual can result in injury to yourself and others and may cause
damage to the equipment and your facility.

EXPOSURE TO THE LASER BEAM MAY CAUSE PHYSICAL BURNS AND CAN CAUSE
SEVERE EYE DAMAGE. Proper use and care of this system are essential to safe

operation. Use of controls or
specified herein may result in hazardous radiation

NEVER OPERATE THE LASER SYSTEM WITHOUT CONSTANT SUPERVISION OF THE
CUTTING AND ENGRAVING PROCESS. Exposure to the laser beam may cause ignition

of

combustible

should be kept on hand at all

materials

adjust

ments or performance of procedures other than those

which can lead to a

times

.

exposure.

fire. A

properly

maintained

fire extinguisher

NEVER LEAVE MATERIALS IN THE LASER SYSTEM AFTER LASER PROCESSING
HAS FINISHED. Always remove all material including scrap material from the machine after

use. Scrap material left in the laser system including materials that collect in the
cutting table
cool prior to leaving the work area. A properly
kept on hand at all

A PROPERLY CONFIGURED, INSTALLED, MAINTAINED AND OPERATIONAL
PARTICULATE AND FUME EXHAUST SYSTEM IS MANDATORY WHEN OPERATING
THE LASER SYSTEM. Fumes

from the laser system and f i l t e r ed or

SOME MATERIALS, WHEN ENGRAVED OR CUT WITH A LASER, CAN PRODUCE
TOXIC AND CORROSIVE FUMES. We

Data Sheet
laser system. The MSDS
particular
deterioration
Damage to

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE OR LIFT THIS SYSTEM ALONE. Obtain the assistance
o f additional people when lifting or carrying (secure motion system and doors before
lifting). Injury may occur

can be a fire

times

(MSDS) from

material

the laser system from corrosive fumes is NOT covered under

.

of the laser system such as rust, metal etching or

hazard. It

.

and

the manufacturer of every material you intent to process in the

discloses all of the hazards when handling

DISCONTINUE processing any material that causes

if

improper lifting

is also

smoke from the engraving process must be extracted

recommended

exhausted

recommend

techniques

you allow

maintained

outside

that you obtain the Material Safety

are used or the system is dropped

fire extinguisher should

.

pitting, peeling paint, etc

scrap

removable

materials to

or

processing a

chemical

warranty.

be

.

.

9

DANGEROUS VOLTAGES ARE PRESENT WITHIN THE ELECTRONICSENCLOSURES
OF THIS SYSTEM. Access to these areas is not necessary during normal operation.

bec

omes

remember

necessary to open one of these enclosures for service reasons, please

to disconnect

the

power cord from your electrical

supply

.

If

it

NEVER REMOVE THE GROUND LEAD TO THE ELECTRICAL CORD AND PLUG THE
SYSTEM INTO A NON-GROUNDED OUTLET. A laser system that is not properly

grounded
Without proper gr
beha

is

hazar

dous

and has the potential to cause severe or fatal electrical

ounding, the

laser

system may exhibit sporadic or

vior. Always plug the system into a properly

grounded

(earthed)

unpredictable

outlet.

shock

.

THE POWER SUPPLY CORD IS THE MAINS DISCONNECT DEVICE; THE EQUIPMENT
SHOULD BE LOCATED CLOSE TO AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE POWER OUTLET.

disconnect
unplugged

the

equipment

from the supply

from the power outlet

mains, the power cord should be

or

main power inlet (appliance coupler) of the

unit.

To

THE LASER SYSTEM IS DESIGNED AS A CLASS I, GROUP A, PLUGGABLE DEVICE. It

is

also

the

designed for connection to

user

.

IT

power systems which provide the most

flexibility

to

THIS DEVICE IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH CDRH PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
UNDER 21 CFR 1040.10 AND 1040.11 AND TO COMPLY WITH EUROPEAN LASER SAFETY
REGULATIONS UNDER EN60825-1. CDRH is the Center for the Devices of Radiolog

Food and Drug Administration

(FDA)

in the USA. No guarantees of suitability or safety are provided for any use

ical

Health division of the

other than those specified by Universal Laser Systems, Inc.

CO2 Laser Safety

PLS Laser systems are designed to support a sealed carbon dioxide (CO2) laser cartridge that produces intense
invisible laser radiation at a wavelength of 10.6 microns in the infrared spectrum. For your protection, the laser is
contained within a Class 1* enclosure designed to completely contain the CO2 laser beam. CAUTION: Use of
controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein may result in exposure to
hazardous levels of invisible laser radiation.

• Laminated safety glass is employed in the viewing window to block 10.6 micron laser radiation from CO

lasers. This viewing window will block transmission of CO2 laser radiation allowing safe observation of
laser processing. Do not operate the laser system if the view port is damaged, with any of the doors
removed or if any of the safety interlocks are defeated.

•The

intense light that appears during the engraving or cutting process is the product of material

c

ombustion

or vaporization. DO NOT STARE AT THIS INTENSE LIGHT FOR LONG PERIODS OF

TIME OR VIEW DIRECTLY WITH OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS BINOCULARS OR
MICROSCOPES.

•

This

device contains a visible Red Diode Pointer

engraved

.

DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE RED LASER BEAM OR USE A REFLECTIVE

(Class 2)

to aid in positioning material to be cut or

SURFACE TO REDIRECT OR VIEW THE RED LASER BEAM. NEVER ATTEMPT TO VIEW THE RED
LASER BEAM USING OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS BINOCULARS OR MICROSCOPES.

•The

user door(s) are safety interlocked which will prevent the CO

user

door(s)

activated with the

are

opened. The

door(s)

Red Diode Pointer is NOT safety interlocked and can be automatically

either open or

closed

.

laser beam from firing when the

2

• DO NOT OPERATE THE LASER SYSTEM IF ANY SAFETY FEATURES HAVE BEEN MODIFIED,
DISABLED OR REMOVED.

which may cause severe eye

•

Always

use caution when

*An

enclosure which does not permit human access to laser radiation in excess of the accessible emission limits of

for the applicable

wavelength

This

damage

operating

and emission

may lead to accidental exposure to invisible CO

and/or severe burns to your skin.

a laser syst

duration.

em.

laser radiation

2

Class

2

1

10

CO2 and Fiber Laser Safety (PLS6 Multi Wavelength Laser System Only)

The PLS6 multi wavelength laser system is designed to support a sealed carbon dioxide (CO2) laser cartridge
that produces intense invisible laser radiation at a wavelength of 10.6 microns or 9.3 microns in the infrared
spectrum and a fiber laser cartridge that produces intense indivisible laser radiation at a wavelength of 1060
nanometers (1.06 microns). For your protection, these laser cartridges are contained within a Class 1* enclosure
designed to completely contain both the CO2 laser beam and the fiber laser beam. CAUTION: Use of controls,
adjustments or procedures other than those specified herein may result in exposure to hazardous levels of
invisible laser radiation.

• Fiber laser radiation is especially damaging to the eye if viewed directly. The green tinted top door

viewing window is designed to completely contain both CO2 and fiber laser radiation allowing safe
observation of laser processing. Do not operate the laser system with any of the doors removed, if the
view port is damaged or if any of the safety interlocks are defeated.

•The

•

•The

• DO NOT OPERATE THE LASER SYSTEM IF ANY SAFETY FEATURES HAVE BEEN MODIFIED,

•

intense light that appears during the engraving or cutting process is the product of material

c

ombustion

or vaporization. DO NOT STARE AT THIS INTENSE LIGHT FOR LONG PERIODS OF

TIME OR VIEW DIRECTLY WITH OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS BINOCULARS OR
MICROSCOPES.

This

device contains a visible Red Diode Pointer

engraved

.

DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE RED LASER BEAM OR USE A REFLECTIVE

(Class 2)

to aid in positioning material to be cut or

SURFACE TO REDIRECT OR VIEW THE RED LASER BEAM. NEVER ATTEMPT TO VIEW THE RED
LASER BEAM USING OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS BINOCULARS OR MICROSCOPES.

user door(s) are safety interlocked which will prevent the CO2 laser or fiber laser beam from firing
when the user
automatically activated with the

DISABLED OR REMOVED.

radiation which may cause severe eye

Always

use caution when

door(s)

are

opened. The

door(s)

This

operating

Red Diode Pointer is NOT safety interlocked and can be

either open or

closed

.

may lead to accidental exposure to invisible CO

damage

a laser syst

and/or severe burns to your skin.

em.

laser or fiber laser

2

*An

enclosure which does not permit human access to laser radiation in excess of the accessible emission limits of

for the applicable

wavelength

and emission

duration.

Class

1

11

Laser Safety When Using the Optional Class 4 Module (ILS Laser System Only)

ILS laser systems are equipped with interlocked access doors on either side of the unit. An optional device is
available to allow the user to operate the laser system with the side doors open. This device bypasses the safety
interlocks on the side doors of the ILS laser system. With this optional device in place, the protective system
housing will not fully contain the infrared laser radiation produced by the carbon dioxide laser, creating the
potential for exposure. Use of this optional device redefines the safety classification of the ILS laser system from
Class 1, which is considered safe for use under all conditions of normal use, to Class 4, which is considered
potentially hazardous. Additionally, the system housing will not contain flames or by-products from potential
ignition of materials within the system housing. It should also be noted that damage or ignition of flammable
materials in the immediate or remote vicinity can be caused by infrared laser radiation escaping the housing of a
system equipped with the Class 4 Laser Option.

There are many mandatory safety measures set by national standards and laws and European standards
which must be complied with when operating a Class 4 laser system. Certain safety measures are provided

by the manufacturer through incorporation into the optional Class 4 laser device, including the following:

1. Remote Interlock Connection – A means of remotely connecting to the interlock circuit of the laser
system allowing connection of remote switches to the laser system for deactivating the laser. This feature
must be used to connect an interlock switch to the doors of the designated room in which the laser
system will be operated so that the laser is automatically deactivated when the doors are open.

2. Key Control – A removable key that prevents unauthorized operation of the laser.

3. Laser Radiation Emission Warning Device – A visible warning light that indicates when the laser is
capable of emitting laser radiation.

4. Attenuator – A mechanical device to block emission of laser radiation. This device takes the form of a
shutter which is manually operated.

5. Class 4 Warning Label – A Class 4 warning label to indicate the laser system is classified as Class 4.

In addition to a properly installed exterior exhaust connected to the laser system equipped with the Class 4 Laser
Option, the laser system must be operated only in a continuously well-ventilated area. Certain operational safety
measures are the responsibility of owners of the ILS laser system with the optional Class 4 laser device installed.

These safety measures are mandatory for operation of Class 4 laser devices under Federal and State law
in the United States as well as under the laws of most foreign countries. Many of these safety measures are

outlined in ANSI Standard Z136.1 “American National Standard for the Safe Use of Lasers” or in equivalent
standards available in most foreign countries, such as the European Standard EN 60825-1. Other safety
measures may be required by state and/or local authorities, for example, the Regulation BGV B2 on laser beams
of the German Employer’s Liability Insurance Association, and will be the responsibility of the Owner to
understand and adhere to these laws. A brief synopsis of the most common safety requirements ad- dressed to
Owners of a Class 4 laser is outlined below:

1. In any facility in which a Class 4 laser system is to be operated, an individual must be designated as a
Laser Safety Officer (“LSO”) who will assume the authority and responsibility to monitor and enforce the
control of laser hazards. The individual designated as the LSO should be trained in laser safety and
aware of all safety measures set by law. There are many avenues available to acquire this training.
Recognized sources of this training are the Laser Institute of America (www.laserinstitute.org), the
Employer’s Insurance Liability Associations in the European countries or, laser safety associations within
Owner’s country or territory.

12

2. The Owner of the Class 4 laser system will be responsible for creation of a controlled area in which a
Class 4 laser system will be operated. A controlled area is an area designed to fully contain the laser
radiation potentially escaping from a Class 4 laser system. and with measures in place to prevent
unauthorized personnel from entering the area including lighted warning signs outside the designated and
controlled area and interlocks on entryways.

3. The LSO will be responsible for designating and training all personnel authorized to operate, maintain or
service a Class 4 laser system. It will also be the responsibility of the LSO to take measures to inform and
restrict all unauthorized personnel from access to a Class 4 laser system.

4. The Owner of the Class 4 laser system will be responsible for identifying and providing to all authorized
personnel any protective equipment such as specially designed eyewear, protective equipment and
clothing needed when operating, maintaining or servicing a Class 4 laser system. Further, the Owner will
ensure that no juveniles operate the laser, and that mirrors, lenses and other reflecting materials are fixed
and are only moved in a controlled manner if the last is in use.

5. The LSO will be responsible for auditing all safety measures on a regular basis. This includes regular
retraining of authorized personnel, serialization and regular inspection (and replacement when necessary)
of all special eyewear and clothing and regular inspection of all safety measures surrounding the
controlled area in which a Class 4 laser system is operated. The LSO may be required to maintain
records as necessary to prove compliance.

6. The LSO will be responsible for regular medical surveillance of all authorized personnel operating a Class
4 laser system. This can include but is not restricted to mandatory annual eye exams, for example.

7. Class 4 lasers must not be used at tradeshows or exhibitions.

The above list is not to be considered all inclusive. Other mandatory safety measures may be applicable and will
vary from state to state and country to country. It is the responsibility of the owners of a Class 4 laser system

and the owners of the facility in which it will be operated to identify and comply with all regulations
pertinent to their locale. In some states, for example, anyone wishing to operate a Class 4 laser device must

register with the state radiation regulatory agency, pay annual fees and submit to annual inspections. There may
be penalties involved for non-compliance. The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(“OSHA”) has also adopted rules for safe use of lasers in the workplace. The LSO must comply with all Rules and
Regulations set by law.

To reiterate, the safety measures relating to operation of a Class 4 laser system are mandatory under
Federal and State law in the United States as well as in most foreign countries. This optional Class 4 laser

device must not be used if you are unable or unwilling to comply with all safety measures required for safe
operation of a Class 4 laser system.

13

Tamper Proof Labels

Safety Labels

ULS Fiber Laser Cartridge Labels

15

PLS4 Back View

17

PLS6 Front View

18

EU Declaration of Conformity

Product Identification: Professional Laser System

Manufacturer: European Office:

Universal Laser Systems, Inc. Universal Laser Systems GmbH
16008 N. 81st St. Lerchenfelder Guertel 43
Scottsdale, AZ 85260 A-1160 Vienna/Austria
USA

The manufacturer hereby declares that the equipment specified below is in
conformity with the following directives:

2004/108/EEC (EMC Directive)
2006/95/EEC (Low Voltage Directive)
2006/42/EEC (Machinery Directive)
2002/95/EEC (ROHS Directive)
2002/96/ECC (WEEE Directive)

based on the standards listed.

Standards Used:

Safety:
EN 60950: 2002
EN 60825-1: 2007 (Class 2)
EMC:
EN 55024 1998 (Class A)
EN 55022: 2003 (Class A)
EN 61000-3-2: 2001 (class A)
EN 61000-3-3: 2002
EN 61000-4-2: 2001 (4kV CD, 8kV AD)
EN 61000-4-3: 2003 (3 or 10 V/m)
EN 61000-4-4: 2002 (1 or 2 kV power line)
EN 61000-4-5: 2001 (class 3)
EN 61000-4-6: (3 or 10Vrms)
EN 61000-4-8
EN 61000-4-11

Note: This is not a declaration of conformity. The importer of this
equipment supplies the declaration of conformity.

Warning: This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio
interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.

20

FCC Compliance

This ULS laser system has been tested and found to comply with Federal Communication Commission (FCC)
directives regarding Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC). In accordance with these directives, ULS is required to
provide the following information to its customers.

FCC Compliance Statement and Warnings

This device complied with FCC Rules Part 15. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and

2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device as set forth in Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause
harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his or her own expense.

Users should be aware that changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the
manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

This equipment has been type tested and found to comply within the limits for a Computing Device per FCC part
15, using shielded cables. Shielded cables must be used in order to insure compliance with FCC regulations.

Recycling

By placing the above symbol on our products and accessories, Universal Laser Systems is indicating that we are
committed to helping reduce the amount of waste electronics ending up in municipal landfills. Therefore, Universal
Laser Systems urges consumers to recycle this product and its accessories. Universal Laser Systems is equipped
to recycle any of its electronic products and accessories and will assist our customers with their recycling options.
To arrange for recycling of your ULS product or accessory, please contact Universal Laser Systems for more
information at 480-609-0297 (USA), [phone] (Austria), +81 (45) 224-2270 (Japan) or e-mail us at

[e-mail].

21

Chapter 3 - Installation

22

This section provides step-by-step instructions for site preparation, computer/software setup and laser system
assembly and connection. Follow the instructions in the order shown.

1. Site Preparation

2. Operating System Requirements and Software Installation

3. Assembling and Connecting Your Laser System

Note: Make sure to complete step 2 (software installation) prior to plugging the laser system into a USB port
on your PC.

CAUTION: Damage to the laser system due to inadequate or improper installation or operation is not

covered under the Universal Laser Systems (ULS) Warranty. See the ULS Warranty for additional
information. A ULS Warranty document is supplied with your laser system. Should you require a copy of the
Warranty, please contact our Customer Service Team at 480-609-0297 (USA), [phone] (Austria),
[phone] (Japan) or e-mail us at [e-mail].

Please refer to the Safety section before operating your laser system.

Step 1: Site Preparation

Operating Environment (User Supplied)

1. The laser system must be installed in an office, laboratory, workshop or light duty manufacturing
environment.

2. Dusty or dirty environments can damage the laser system. Keep the laser system isolated from any
processes that produce airborne particles such as sandblasting, sanding, machining, etc. Also, keep the
laser system isolated from any equipment requiring mists of oil or water for lubrication. Airborne dust and
liquids can coat and damage optics and motion system components.

3. Avoid small, enclosed, non-ventilated areas. Some materials, after laser engraving or cutting, continue
emitting fumes for several minutes after processing. Having these materials present in a confined,
unventilated room can create a health hazard.

4. For best results, since the laser cartridges are air-cooled, we recommend operating the laser system
between the ambient temperatures of 70ºF (21ºC) and 78ºF (25ºC).

5. Avoid storing the laser system outside the temperatures of 50ºF (10ºC) and 95ºF (35ºC) as excessively
cold or hot temperatures can damage the laser cartridge or reduce its lifetime.

6. Ambient humidity levels must be non-condensing to protect optics.

7. The laser system should be at least 1 foot (300 mm) away from any wall or obstruction to allow for access
and proper ventilation.

Electrical Power Source (User Supplied)

1. For your system’s electrical requirements, please refer to the “INPUT POWER” label near the power inlet.

2. CAUTION: Never remove the ground lead to the electrical cord and plug the laser system into a non-

grounded outlet. A laser system that is not properly grounded is hazardous and has the potential to cause
severe or fatal electrical shock. Without proper grounding, the laser system may exhibit sporadic or
unpredictable behavior. Always plug the system into a properly grounded (earthed) outlet.

3. Noisy or unstable electricity and voltage spikes may cause interference and possible damage to the

electronics of the laser system. If electrical power fluctuations, brown outs or constant power outages are
a problem in your area, please contact your local Electrician to supply a power isolation and regulation
module. Electrically noisy equipment, such as equipment with large motors, can also cause interference if
plugged into the same outlet. It may be necessary to attach the laser system to a dedicated electrical line
to resolve the problem.

4. The laser system is designed as a Class I, Group A, pluggable device. It is also designed for connection

to IT Power systems which provide the most flexibility to the user.

23

Exhaust System (User Supplied)

1. We recommend you consult with a licensed contractor to meet local safety and building code
requirements.

2. The exhaust system must be capable of supplying a minimum of

• PLS4.75 - 250 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of airflow while under a load of 6 inches of static
pressure (850m3/hr at 1.5kPa).

• PLS6.75 and PLS6.150D - 500 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of airflow while under a load of 6
inches of static pressure (850m3/hr at 1.5kPa).

2. Do not install forward incline, backward incline, in-line or ventilator fans because these types of air
handlers are inadequate and inappropriate for this type of installation. A high-pressure blower must be
used to meet minimum airflow requirements.

3. For personal safety and noise control, we recommend that the exhaust blower be mounted outside the
building.

4. Rigid tubing should be used for the majority of the connection between the blower and the laser system.
The tubing should be smooth-walled and have as few 90-degree bends as possible.

5. Install an exhaust gate to adjust airflow and to close off the exhaust when the laser is not in use. Place
this gate near the laser system within 5 to 10 feet (1.50 to 3.00 meters).

6. Use a short piece of industrial grade, wire-reinforced rubber tubing to connect each laser system exhaust
port to an exhaust gate and secure with a hose clamp. This will provide isolate exhaust blower vibrations
from your laser system.

7. Wire the exhaust blower electrically to a wall switch in the same room for easy ON/OFF control.

Note: The following diagram shows a typical exhaust system layout. Use this as a guideline for proper
exhaust system installation. Although this diagram serves as an example, we recommend you consult with a
licensed contractor to meet local safety, environmental and building code requirements and to also calculate
the correct size blower required for your particular installation. Length of exhaust pipe, exhaust pipe diameter,
number of 90-degree angles and other restrictions must be calculated when determining the correct exhaust
blower unit. Installing an undersized or oversized blower is not only unsafe, but can also lead to excessive
wear and tear to the laser system and premature failure.

24

PLS4.75

1. Exhaust blower mounted outside* (User Supplied)

2. Weatherproof shield (User Supplied)

3. Rigid ducting matching the diameter of the blower inlet (User Supplied)

4. Shut-off or air-flow gate (User Supplied)

5. Computer (User Supplied)

6. Flexible, wire-reinforced, industrial grade rubber hose (User Supplied)

7. Connection to laser system

8. Exhaust On/Off switch (User Supplied)

PLS6.75 and PLS6.150D

1. Exhaust blower mounted outside (User Supplied)

2. Weatherproof shield (User Supplied)

3. Rigid ducting matching the diameter of the blower inlet (User Supplied)

4. Computer (User Supplied)

5. Y-pipe (User Supplied)

6. Shut-off or air-flow gate (User Supplied)

7. Flexible, wire-reinforced, industrial grade rubber hose (User Supplied)

8. Connection to laser system

9. Exhaust On/Off switch (User Supplied)

25

Step 2: Computer Requirements and Software Installation

Your computer is a critical component in the operation of your laser system. In fact, you cannot operate the laser
system if your computer is not connected, powered on, running Windows and running the Universal Control Panel
(UCP) software.

You can only run one laser system per computer. You will need to purchase a separate computer for each laser
system you own. You must operate the laser system using the computer that is directly attached to it via the
provided 6 ft (2 meters) USB cable. USB cables longer than 6 feet (2 meters) may cause the laser system to
malfunction.

Computer and Operating System Requirements

Minimum Computer Requirements (User Supplied)

• 2.0 GHz processor (minimum)

• 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7

• 2 GB of RAM (minimum)

• 40 GB hard drive (15 GB free space) (minimum)

• VGA monitor (minimum 1024 x 768 resolution)

• CD/DVD Drive

• Mouse and keyboard

• Available USB 2.0 Hi-Speed compliant port only

• Computer speakers (optional)

• Internet connection and e-mail address (optional)

Note: Some computer manufacturers’ USB ports do not comply with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed standards. This may
cause the laser system to exhibit erratic behavior. Confirm that your computer is USB 2.0 Hi-Speed compliant
by checking your computer manual. For more information on USB 2.0 Hi-Speed compatibility, please visit

www.usb.org.

Other USB peripheral devices that demand a large amount of computer processing power may slow down the
operation and productivity of the laser system. If you experience problems with operation of the laser system
while using another USB device, we recommend you discontinue use of that device while the laser system is
in use. Do not connect or disconnect USB devices while the laser system is running a job.

26

Computer Power Management

Power management settings on your computer can interfere with proper operation of the laser system by putting
the PC in standby or sleep mode while the laser system is processing material. The settings can be controlled
through the power options in the Windows control panel on your PC. The illustrations below show you how to
disable power management.

XP Vista and 7

For the Power Scheme in use, select “Never” for
all the options: Turn off display and Put the
computer to sleep.

For the Power Scheme in use, select
“Never” for all the options: Turn off monitor,
turn off hard disks, system standby and
system hibernates.

27

Software Installation

At this point you need to install the Universal Control Panel (UCP) and printer driver. In order to install the
software, you need to have administrative privileges on the computer before starting installation. Use the Software
Installation CD-ROM included with your laser system.

1. Insert the Software Installation CD-ROM into your PC’s CD/DVD drive. It should automatically launch the
“Universal Control Panel Installation” window. Select the laser system for which you are installing
software.

Note: If the setup window does not automatically launch, you can launch it manually. Locate your CD or
DVD drive using Windows Explorer and launch the Setup.exe application to start installation.

2. The installation process will proceed as indicated by a progress bar.

3. When the installation process is finished, the “Completing the ULS Software Setup Wizard” window will
prompt you to reboot the PC to complete the installation. If you have any other applications running in
windows make sure you save your work prior to rebooting. After the PC finishes rebooting, the software
installation is complete and you are ready to connect your laser system to the PC.

28

Step 3: Assembling and Connecting Your Laser System

Familiarize yourself with the instructions before getting started.

The final step in installation is to assemble your laser system, install the laser cartridge(s), level the laser system,
make final connections and perform a beam alignment check. Do not power up your laser system until the final
step, “Checking Beam Alignment.”

CAUTION: Do not attempt to move or lift this laser system alone. Obtain assistance from additional people

when lifting or carrying the laser system and make sure to secure the motion system and doors before lifting.
Injury may occur if improper lifting techniques are used or the system is dropped.

Machine Assembly

1. Unpack the laser system.

2. Remove the unassembled cart from the top of the laser system.

3. Assemble the cart as it appears in the diagram below, but leave all of the screws slightly loose, except for
the casters which should be tightened as far as possible into each cart leg.

(1) Back panel
(2) Legs (both are identical)
(3) Side panels (two)
(4) Shelf panel
(5) 1/4-20 x ½ socket head screws w/lock & flat

washers (four)
(6) Nuts (four)
(7) Locking casters (four are identical)
(8) 10-32 x 3/8 socket head screws w/lock & flat

washers (two)
(9) Connect to laser system with 1/4-20 x ½ socket

head screws w/lock & flat washers (four)
(10)Attach side panels with 8-32 x 3/8 button head

cap screws (eight)

4. With the assistance of another person, place the system on top of the cart and loosely install
the provided screws that attach the machine to the cart. These screws go up through the
cart legs into the bottom of the machine.

5. Open front door all the way to ensure that it does not rub on or interfere with the cart legs. If
the door should come in contact with the cart legs, gently pull the cart legs apart to ensure
there is noncontact between the door and the cart legs.

6. Securely tighten all the screws at this point.

7. Place the laser system in the desired location for operation.

8. Attach your exhaust system’s wire-reinforced rubber hose to the exhaust port at the rear of the laser
system and secure with a hose clamp.

29

System Assembly PLS6

1. Unpack the laser system.

2. Move the laser system to the location in which you intend to operate it and lock the casters.

Note: If it becomes necessary to move the laser system through narrow doorways to install in its
intended location, the system can be detached from the cart and transported in two pieces. If so,
follow the steps below, if not, skip laser cartridge installation.

a. In the back of the system, locate the access panel shown below and remove the four screws

holding it in place.

b. Locate the three white connectors and the two black connectors and disconnect all of them.

30

c. Open the rear cover of the laser system.

d. Locate the pocket (1) where the cables disconnected in step b reside. Gently pull the cables up

and rest them on top of the sheet metal as shown below.

e. Close and latch the rear cover.
f. Tape the front and top doors closed using strong shipping tape, prior to lifting the laser system off

the cart, to ensure they stay closed.

31

g. Locate and remove the eight screws that attach the cart to the laser system (see below).

h. Lift the laser system off the cart and place the laser system front door down on a dolly for

transport.
i. The cart and laser system can now be moved separately to the install location.
j. Reassemble in reverse order by placing the cart into position first and locking the casters. Then,

carefully line up the laser system and place it back on top of the cart.
k. Bolt the laser system to the cart, re-connect the plugs and replace the access panel.

32

Laser Cartridge Installation – CO2 Only Platforms

1. Mak e sure that your laser system power cor d is not plugged in at this tim e. Open the rear laser cover
using the latches on top of the laser c over. Some laser systems are s hipped with keyed locks so make
sure the latches are unlocked.

Note: Access latches f or the laser c over ar e lock able. If you lose your ke ys, please c ontact our Cus tom er
Service Team at 480-609-0297 (USA), [phone] (Aus tria) , [phone] (Japan) or e-mail us
at [e-mail]

for new keys.

2. Loc ate the mounting blocks (1), the laser la tches (2) and alignment forks (3). N otice that the alignment
fork has a groove (6) located between two blocks, one short (4) and one tall (5).

33

3. Loc ate the “V” groove along the upper (3) and lo we r (2) part of the laser cartridge base plate and the
alignment plate (1) at the end of the base plate.

4. If you have purchased two las er cartridges, m ount the one cartridg e onto the lower mountin g blocks first.
Single laser users should mount the las er cartridge in the top position.

5. Important: Higher powered CO2 lasers can weigh up to 29 pounds. Use caution when installing a
cartridge.
Pick up the laser cartr idge by the ends and tilt it at a 30° angle as shown (1). Mou nt th e c art rid ge o nto the
mounting blocks shown in s tep 2 by placin g the upper “V” gr oove on top of the mounting b lock s. Slide the
cartridge to the right until the outer edge ( 2) of the alignment plate contac ts the inside edge of the tal l
block of the alignment fork.

34

6. Slow ly rotate the laser cartridge down i nto place, making sur e that the alignm ent plate is center ed in the
groove in the alignm ent fork . The laser shoul d click onto the spr ing loaded l aser catc h shown in st ep 2 to
lock it in place. Never for ce the laser onto the l aser latch. If the laser does not instal l smoothly, check for
obstructions such as pinched wires or hoses or a binding laser latch. Once installed, verify that the
alignment plate is centered within the alignment fork.

7. Plug in e ach power con nector (1) to the corr esponding las er cartridge. T he power c onnectors are labe led
Top (2) or Bottom (3). Single laser cartridge users will use the top laser connector only.

8. Gently close the rear cover, making sure not to pinch any wires or hoses.

9. Once the laser cartridges have been installed, proceed to “Laser System Leveling.”

35

Laser Cartridge Installation – PLS6MW Multi-Wave Laser Platform

1. Make sure that your laser system power cord is not plugged in at this time. Open the rear laser cover
using the latches on top of the laser cover. Some laser systems are shipped with keyed locks so make
sure the latches are unlocked.

Note: Access latches for the laser cover are lockable. If you lose your keys, please contact our Customer
Service Team at 480-609-0297 (USA), [phone] (Austria), [phone] (Japan) or e-mail us
at [e-mail] for new keys.

2. Locate the mounting blocks (1), the laser latches (2) and alignment forks (3). Notice that the alignment
fork has a groove located between two blocks, one short and one tall.

3. Locate the “V” groove along the upper (3) and lower (2) part of the laser cartridge base plate and the
alignment plate (1) at the end of the base plate.

36

4. IMPORTANT: The fiber laser cartridge weighs 32 lbs. Use caution when installing it. Pick up the laser
cartridge by the ends and tilt it at a 30° angle as shown (1). Mount the cartridge onto the mounting blocks
shown in step 2 by placing the upper “V” groove on top of the mounting blocks. Slide the cartridge to the
right until the outer edge (2) of the alignment plate contacts the inside edge of the tall block of the
alignment fork.

5. Slowly rotate the laser cartridge down into place, making sure that the alignment plate is centered in the
groove in the alignment fork. The laser should click onto the spring loaded laser catch shown in step 2 to
lock it in place. Never force the laser onto the laser latch. If the laser does not install smoothly, check for
obstructions such as pinched wires or hoses or a binding laser latch. Once installed, verify that the
alignment plate is centered within the alignment fork.

37

6. Plug in the power connector to the laser cartridge.

7. Gently close the rear cover, making sure not to pinch any wires or hoses.

8. Once the laser cartridges have been installed, proceed to “Laser System Leveling.”

38

Laser System Leveling

Once the laser system is in place, you should lock the casters and level the laser system using the leveling
nuts provided on the laser system casters. This will ensure the laser system is not twisted due to unlevel
floors which can affect laser beam alignment and Z axis binding.

1. Place a bubble level (1) across the front (2) and rear cart legs (3). Adjust the caster height using the
adjustment nut (4) until both the rear and front of the cart are level with respect to each other. Once the
system is level, secure all casters by tightening the locknut (5) up against the cart leg.

2. Remove any remaining packing materials and accessories from inside the machine including items such
as elastic bands that may have secured the motion system in place for shipping.

3. To check level in the machine, move the Focus Carriage by hand to the upper left corner.

39

6. If one or more of the other corners does not match the upper left corner, loosen the lock nut and adjust
the caster directly underneath that corner up or down until the focus tool fit at that corner matches the fit
at the upper left corner. First loosen the lock nut (1), then turn the adjusting screw (2) in 1/8 turns. Once
the foot is at the correct height, tighten the lock nut (1). When you are done, the focus tool fit at all four
corners should be the same.

*Alternate leveling method
For the best leveling results, use a digital caliper and adjust the caster directly under each corner that
does not match the height of the upper left corner until that corner matches the upper left corner’s height.
Verify that you zero out the caliper before taking any measurements. The height at each corner should be
within 0.010” (0.254 mm) of the height at the upper left corner.

41

Finalizing the Connections

Make the following connections in the order described; otherwise static electricity can potentially damage the
computer and/or the laser systems electronics.

1. Connect the 4-inch (101.6 mm) flexible rubber exhaust system to the rear of the laser system.

2. Connect the laser system’s power cord and your computer’s power cord to a grounded electrical outlet.

CAUTION: International users - if using an adapter or replacement power cord for local outlets, make

sure that you attach the adapter correctly to the power cord and that you are using a properly grounded
(earthed) adapter and power.

3. Do not power on the laser system at this time.

4. Locate the Thermal Sensor battery holder drawer on the side of the laser system. Install the provided 9­volt Thermal Sensor battery using a flat head screw driver to open the drawer.

Note: A properly installed 9-volt battery is necessary to operate the laser system. The laser system will
not function without a charged battery installed. Keep a spare 9-volt battery on hand at all times.

5. Connect the USB cable provided with the laser system between the USB port of the computer and the
USB port on the back of the laser system.

CAUTION: The laser system is USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (only). The laser system comes equipped with a high

quality, 6-ft (2.0 meter) USB 2.0 certified cable. We recommend you use this provided cable. Do not use
any adapters, extension cables, USB cables longer than 6 ft (2.0 meters) or other devices between the
computer’s USB port and the port on the laser system; sporadic or unpredictable behavior may result.

42

6. After

connecting

the USB cord, the “F

ound

New Hardware Wizard”

USB connection. If the wizard offers to connect to “W

not at this

time.” T

hen select “

Next”

to continue

.

indows

will open to install the drivers for the

Update”

to search for

software, select

a. Select “Install the software automatically.” Then Select “Next” to continue. You do not need to insert

the Software Installation CD-ROM.

b. Select “Finish” to close the Wizard.

“No,

Note: Another set of New Hardware Wizard windows may appear after the initial USB connection.
Follow the same instructions as mentioned previously. Once completed, your USB connection is
established.

43

Checking Beam Alignment

As a final step in the installation process you need to check your beam alignment. You do this using the red
pointer beam.

1. Open the top door.

2. Place a small piece of masking tape across the 3/4” (19 mm) hole in the focus carriage (1). Gently rub the
tape around the edge of the hole so that you can see the outline of the hole through the tape (2).

3. Power on your computer and verify that the Universal Control Panel (UCP) icon is present in the taskbar.
If not, activate it by selecting the “Universal Control Panel” icon on your desktop.

4. Power on the laser system by pressing the Power switch on the side of the laser system.

5. With the top door open, a red dot will appear on the masking tape (3). The red dot should appear
centered, within 1/8 inch (3 mm). If not, turn off the laser system, remove and re-install the laser cartridge
and try again. If the red dot still does not appear centered, please contact our Customer Service Team at
480-609-0297 (USA), [phone] (Austria), +81 (45) 224-2270 (Japan) or e-mail us at

[e-mail].

6. Once you have completed laser beam alignment verification, remove the masking tape.

Focus Carriage Beam Alignment

Accessories

Your laser system includes various accessories such as a cutting table for cutting applications and ULS computer
Controlled Compressed Air Unit, along with cone and backsweep for air assisted material processing. The
accessories section of the manual details how to install and use these accessories.

44

Running Your First Job

This example will walk through the process of engraving an image on a 2 x 3.5 inch (50.8 x 89 mm), 0.0195 inch
(0.49 mm) thick anodized aluminum test cards supplied with your laser system. For additional test card please
contact Universal Laser Systems’ Customer Service Team at 480-609-0297 (USA), [phone] (Austria),
[phone] (Japan) or e-mail us at [e-mail].

Note: For this example, we will be using CorelDRAW and the CorelDRAW sample file provided on the installation
CD. The file is also provided in .eps or .dxf for use in other applications if CorelDRAW is not available..

Step 1 – Loading and Positioning the Material

Position the piece of anodized aluminum (1) in the upper left corner of the table, against the rulers.

Step 2 – Creating the Graphic

Using CorelDRAW, open the sample graphic file found on the software installation CD. The file is named
ULSTest.cdr. The Software Installation CD contains test files in .cdr, .eps, and .dxf.

45

Step 3 – Printing to the Laser System (Materials Database Tab)

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 4

You are using the Materials Database Tab in the printer driver.

1. Verify that the Universal Control Panel (UCP) is running in
the taskbar by looking for the square red icon.

2. When you are ready to print the job, select PRINT from the
CorelDRAW FILE menu. Make sure that your laser system
printer driver appears in the DESTINATION NAME dropdown
list, and then click PROPERTIES (Figure 4) to display your
laser system printer driver settings (Figure 5).

3. Choose your material category (metal, in this case) and then
select the desired material: Aluminum Anodized (Figure 5).

4. Set the Fixture Type to NONE.

Note: If you were using an optional accessory or custom
fixture, you would choose it from the fixture list.

5. Measure the thickness of the material (a digital caliper is
recommended for this task) and enter it into the material
thickness field. In this example, the provided test card is

0.019” (0.483 mm) thick.

6. Select OK when done.

7. Now Select PRINT in the Print dialog window (Figure 4).

8. Launch the UCP by selecting the square red UCP icon on the
taskbar and the current print job will appear in the Viewer Tab
of the Universal Control Panel (Figure 6).

9. Now select the System Tab and verify that the Auto Z box is
checked.

10. Return to the Viewer Tab and proceed to the next step.

46

Step 4 – Starting the Process

1. Turn on the exhaust and laser system if not already on.

2. Note: Laser system cooling fans are variable speed and may speed up and slow down during operation
as needed to cool the lasers.

3. Make sure the material is positioned correctly within the engraving area.

4. Close the top door.

5. Press the green START button on the UCP to begin laser processing (Figure 6 on previous page).

CAUTION: Observe the laser system to ensure it is functioning properly. If everything is working properly,

an image should appear on the test card as the laser system runs the job. If no image appears, check
focus manually as described in the User Guide and adjust if necessary. If you cannot resolve the issue,
please contact your distributor or the ULS Customer Service Department. Never leave the laser system
unattended while laser processing.

Step 5 – Material Removal and Reloading

Once the laser system has completed processing the material, the focus carriage will move to the home position
in the upper right hand corner of the processing field.

Before opening the top door, wait a few seconds to allow any remaining fumes that are left from laser processing
to evacuate through the exhaust system.

Congratulations! You have just completed your first laser processing job. Below is an image of the
sample test card as it should look after laser processing. If your results are not satisfactory, please
contact the Customer Service Department at 480-609-0297 (USA), [phone] (Austria), +81 (45) 224­2270 (Japan) or e-mail us at [e-mail].

47

Chapter 4 – Operation

48

Important Overview

CAUTION: Please refer to the Safety section before

All ULS laser systems are designed to operate like a computer printer. The laser systems are provided with
two software components designed for Microsoft Windows based operating systems. The first component is a
printer driver that allows you to print from any Windows based graphic software capable of printing through
the Windows print system. This component shows up as a printer in the printer section of the Windows
control panel. The second component is a task bar application called the Universal Control Panel (UCP)
which controls and operates the laser system through the USB port. Laser systems cannot function unless
this component is running on the PC connected to the laser system. This component shows up as a red
diamond shaped icon in the task bar.

Printing through the printer driver creates a job for the laser system which is then transferred to and stored in
the job queue in the UCP from which the job can be selected and run on the laser system as needed. The
printer driver has a printing preferences interface which can be accessed at the time of printing to set the
laser system job settings for the particular job being printed. Most of these settings can also be changed after
the job is printed through the UCP.

ULS laser systems operate in one of two modes. A raster mode in which images are marked or engraved into
a material by etching a pattern of dots into the material at high resolutions up to 1000 dpi and a vector mode
in which the laser follows a two dimensional path to cut or mark a shape into a material. The printer driver
determines whether an element in the graphic data being printed is a vector or raster object by its width. Only
lines and curves with a thickness of .001” (.0254 mm) or less will be interpreted as vector objects. All other
elements of the graphic being printed will be interpreted as raster objects. In order to print vector elements,
the software you are printing from must support creation of lines with a thickness of .001”(.0254 mm) or less.

Vector cutting depth and raster engraving depth (or marking intensity if you are surface marking only) are
controlled by specifying the speed of processing and the laser power level for raster engraving and by
specifying the speed of processing, laser power level and number of pulses per inch (PPI) for vector cutting
and marking. These parameters are specified in the printer driver printing preferences interface by one of two
methods. The two methods are laid out in tabs in the printer driver interface. The first method is a materials
database method which simplifies setup for beginners and casual users, the second method is a manual
method with allows much more control for advanced users. Each method treats assignment of laser job
settings to colors in the graphic being printed and interpretation of raster and vector elements in the graphic
being printed in slightly different ways which will be described in the Printer Driver Interface section that
follows.

operating

the laser syst

em.

49

The Printer Driver Interface

The printer driver is a piece of software that allows you to create jobs for the laser system using the Windows print
system. The printer driver has a preferences dialog with two tabs which allow you to set various parameters for a
print job. One tab offers a materials-based approach to setting job parameters and the other offers a more
detailed manual approach to setting job parameters.

Materials Database Printer Driver Tab (beginner and casual user)

This tab of the printer driver is for beginners and
casual user and automatically calculates the
appropriate laser job settings based on the
material selected and the maximum output power
of the laser installed. For the PLS6MW Multi­Wave Laser Platform, the database only displays
materials that are compatible with the currently
installed laser. Please note that when this tab is
used to set up a job, all raster data is printed
using one set of job settings, all vector cut data
using another set and all vector marking data
using a third set. There are only three sets of job
settings available, one for each type of graphic
element in your print job: raster objects, vector
cut objects and vector mark objects. All elements
of the graphic interpreted as raster objects will be
converted to grayscale and printed using the
raster job settings with a grayscale dither pattern
applied. A dither pattern is a method of mimicking shades of gray using patterns of dots with varying spacing. Dots
further apart will appear lighter gray and dots closer together will appear darker gray. This is how the laser system
is able to print shaded images and photographs. If you desire a solid background removal for certain elements of
your graphic instead of a dither pattern, you must make those elements solid black in color. Objects to be vector
cut must be in red and must have a
in blue and must have a
blue or red in color will be converted to grayscale and printed as raster objects. Order of execution when using the
materials database tab proceeds with raster objects first, then vector marking objects and finally vector cutting
objects.

thickness of .001” (.0254 mm) or less

thickness of .001” (.0254 mm) or less.

. Any vector elements in your graphic that are not

Objects to be vector marked must be

The various controls in the materials database printer driver tab are explained below:

Materials Tree

Materials settings in the database are arranged in a multi-leveled tree structure. Click the plus symbol next to
a material category to expand the category, and then select a material type. Double clicking on a material
allows you to read the material record for standard materials and to read and edit custom or cloned materials
using the materials editor explained laser in this section. Right clicking on a material or category opens a
menu with the following options.

New Category (category only)

Create a new category in the materials tree

New Material (Category only)

Create a new custom material. You can then edit the settings using the material editor described later in
this section. Please note that new materials will not be compatible with the VLS air filtration unit.

Clone (material only)

Make a custom copy of the selected material. This copy can then be edited to make a new material
record. Please note that cloned materials will not be compatible with the VLS air filtration unit.

50

Dene Job (material only)

Add a sub-material record underneath the main record. This sub-material record captures all user-defined
settings in the materials tab GUI which are normally not part of a standard material record, including
fixture type, material thickness, printing direction, vector sliders and intensity adjustments.

Hide

Hide the selected material or category. This function is useful to hide materials which you do not
commonly process. To un-hide materials, push CTRL-F2.

Rename

Rename the selected material or category. This is only allowed for custom materials and categories.

Delete

Delete the selected material or category. This is only allowed for custom materials and categories.

Cancel

Exits the right-click menu. You can also click outside the menu to exit the menu.

Intensity Adjustments

Intensity Adjustments allows you to adjust the nominal material settings for raster, vector mark and vector cut
operations up to +/-50%. Increasing the intensity gives you deeper results. Decreasing the intensity gives you
shallower results. In most cases the default material settings will be sufficient and it will not be necessary to
adjust intensities. Always start with intensity adjustments at zero on a scrap piece of material and make any
necessary changes after a trial run

Which Laser (Dual Laser Systems Only)

If your laser system is dual laser capable and you have two lasers installed, you can choose to use only one
of the lasers for an application by deselecting the top or bottom laser. If both lasers are selected, the materials
database will calculate the laser settings based on the combined power of both lasers. If only one laser is
selected the materials database will calculate the laser settings required based on the laser selected.

SuperSpeed (optional accessory)

If the optional SuperSpeed accessory is installed a switch will be present to turn activate the feature. This
feature uses a beam splitter to separate the laser beams from the top and bottom lasers by a controlled
amount so that they will focus, one above the other on the material processing table with a distance between
them equal to the density selected. Each laser is pulsed separately, to allow two lines of raster data to be
engraved simultaneously which will cut job completion time in half.

Computer Controlled Air Assist

These controls allow you to configure air assist settings for the print job if desired. You can activate air for
raster objects, vector cuts or vector marks individually and select the desired flow rate in 25% increments.

Print Special Eects

Select the print mode for your custom material, normal for most materials and application, or one of the other
modes for special applications. The modes work as follows:

Normal mode:

In this mode all raster data is converted to grayscale and then a dither pattern is applied to it. Laser
processing of the raster data is then done at a fixed laser job setting (laser power level and processing)
calculated from the materials database. This is the default recommended mode of operation.

51

3D mode:

This mode affects raster elements of your image. In this mode, instead of a dither pattern being applied to
all raster data, the laser power level is varied on the fly in accordance with the grayscale levels in the
image (multicolor bitmaps are converted to grayscale first). Lighter parts of the image will receive less
laser power and darker parts more laser power. This mode is for very specific applications. If you select
3D mode, you can adjust how the grayscale levels are mapped to laser power levels using the SETUP
button. You can contact our applications lab at Universal Laser Systems for more information on use of
the 3D mode.

Rubber stamp mode:

This mode is specifically for rubber stamp creation and is used for creating shoulders on characters when
processing rubber stamps. If you select rubber stamp mode, you can adjust the shoulder settings for the
rubber stamp mode using the SETUP button.

Reduction Mode:

This mode is specifically for barcode engraving and adjusts the barcode elements for readability. If you
select reduction mode, you can adjust the reduction settings by using the SETUP button.

Material Thickness

You must enter the thickness of the material to be processed. This value is used by the materials database to
calculate the vector cutting job settings to ensure that the laser cuts all the way through the material. This
value is also used to by the laser system to move the Z axis to the proper focus height when using the auto Z
mode. Using a caliper or similar measuring device, measure the thickness of your material and enter it into
the Material Thickness box.

Merge Pages

This setting allows you to treat multipage documents in different ways. By default, multipage documents are
treated as separate jobs with each page having to be selected in the UCP and run individually. This setting
allows you to change that behavior. Selecting this setting once will merge the pages with auto-start, meaning
the pages will all be printed one after another as one job. This is useful if you want all the graphic images to
print on one piece of material, but you want to control the order in which they are applied. Selecting this
setting again will merge the pages with manual start, meaning the pages will all be printed one after another
as one job, but with the laser system pausing in between each page. This is useful if you need to load new
material in between each page.

Print Direction

This setting specifies whether raster objects are processed from the top down or bottom up. On some
materials it is advantages to process rasters from the bottom up to prevent smoke from marring the previously
marked or engraved surfaces.

Vector performance

This setting allows you to adjust vector performance from Standard to Throughput or Quality. This affects how
small geometry and curves in your graphic are processed. The Quality mode will increase job completion
time, but improve vector quality. Throughput mode will decrease job completion time, but may have an
adverse effect on vector quality.

Units

This section allows you to switch between Metric and English units.

1-Touch Laser Photo

This switch is automatically selected when printing photos from Universal Laser Systems 1-touch Photo laser
photo printing software. This switch also be selected when printing a photo processed by 1-Touch Photo and
then imported into other software before printing. This switch optimizes settings for best results with 1-Touch
Photo images.

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Fixture Type

None

If you are not using any type of fixture, set the drop down menu to NONE.

Rotary

If you have purchased this accessory, read how to install and operate this fixture in the Accessories
section of the User Guide.

Pin Table

If you have purchased this accessory, read how to install and operate this fixture in the Accessories
section of the User Guide.

Custom (Cutting table)

This setting is used to set the height offset from the engraving table of any fixtures such as the cutting
table or any custom fixtures you might use to support the material to be processed. This value is used
along with the material thickness to move the Z axis to the proper focus height when using the auto Z
mode.

Material Editor (Only available for customer materials - New or Cloned)

This section of the driver allows you to edit new or cloned custom materials you have added to the materials
database. Please note that you cannot edit any of the standard materials that come with the printer driver.
They are read only. You can create new materials in one of two ways. Right clicking on a category and
selecting New Material creates a blank material record that you can fill in. Right clicking on an existing
material and selecting clone allows you to make a copy of an existing material and then edit it. Creating or
editing materials records requires knowledge of the Manual Control features. Learn more about the Manual
Control Tab in the Manual Control section of the User Guide.

Material Editing Window

When you clone or create a new material the material editing windows appears with the following
controls:

Material Name

Enter a name for your new material here.

Category

Select the category you want your new material to appear under from this pull down menu.

Options

Material Enabled

This switch controls whether the material is visible or not in the materials tree. If you hide a
material this switch is set. To restore materials that are disabled (hidden) Press CRTL F2.

Fiber/CO2 laser support

Select one or more of the lasers offered by ULS (the laser must be compatible with your particular
laser system) either Fiber (1.06 micron), CO2 (10.6 micron) or CO2 (9.3 micron) to make the
material record available when that particular type of laser is installed in your laser system.

3D Support

Select this switch if the material supports 3D mode and adjust default 3D power levels for this
material using the 3D Power button. For more information about 3D mode see the manual driver
section.

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Can be Vector Cut

Select this switch if the material can be cut and enter information in the vector cut section.

Fixed Thickness

Select this switch if the material being added is only available in a particular thickness and you
want to lock the thickness to one value.

Stamp Support

Select this switch if the material supports rubber stamp mode.

Can Be Rastered

Select this switch if the material can be raster marked or engraved and enter information in the
Raster engraving section

Conguration Laser Mode

Use this section to select the laser type that the material settings you are editing apply to. There are
three types of lasers offered by ULS (not all lasers are compatible with a particular laser system)
either Fiber (1.06 micron), CO2 (10.6 micron) or CO2 (9.3 micron).

Fiber Laser Settings

If the material settings are for a fiber laser enter the fiber laser settings here.

Raster Engraving Settings

In this section of the Material Editor window you enter the laser job settings to be used for raster
engraving. These settings must be determined for your material through testing. For a deeper
explanation of these laser job settings, see the Manual Printer Driver Interface Tab section of the
manual.

Vector Engraving - Blue Pen

In this section of the Material Editor window you enter the laser job settings to be used for vector
marking. These settings must be determined for your material through testing. For a deeper
explanation of these laser job settings, see the Manual Printer Driver Interface Tab section of the
manual.

Vector Cutting - Red Pen

In this section of the Material Editor window you enter the laser job settings to be used for vector
cutting. These settings must be determined for your material through testing. If the material can be
cut by a laser you enable vector cutting by selecting the Material Can Be Vector Cut switch.

In order for the materials database to automatically calculate the necessary job settings for any
material thickness, you will need to determine job setting values for at least two different thicknesses
of the material and enter them into the cut data window. The materials database will interpolate and
extrapolate for other thicknesses as necessary up to the max possible depth which you can enter into
the max depth field. This field allows you to limit the material thickness values that can be entered at
time of printing. The more thicknesses you enter laser settings for the more accurately the materials
database can calculate the settings for other thicknesses. For a deeper explanation of these laser job
settings, see the Manual Printer Driver Interface Tab section of the manual.

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Apply Button

The APPLY button saves all changes made to the printer driver settings.

Default Button

The Default button will reset the driver settings to factory default values. You may abort these changes by
selecting Cancel; selecting OK or APPLY will approve the changes.

Load Button

To recall a snapshot of the printer driver settings that have been previously saved to a .LAS file using the save
button, select on the “Load” button and choose the desired .LAS settings file from the dialog box. The settings
that are currently on screen will be replaced by the settings from the .LAS file. You may abort these changes
by selecting Cancel; selecting OK or APPLY will approve the changes.

Save Button

The save button brings up a dialog box which allows you to save a snapshot of the laser job settings which
you can then reload at a later date. All settings will be stored in a file with “.LAS” extension. Verify that you
have pressed the SET button before you save any .LAS files to ensure that changes to the color table are
properly registered.

OK Button

The OK button saves all changes made to the printer driver settings and closes the printer driver settings
interface window and takes you back to the previous window.

Cancel Button

The Cancel button closes the printer driver settings interface window and takes you back to the previous
window without saving changes made to the settings.

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Manual Printer Driver Interface Tab (advanced users)

This tab of the printer driver is for the advanced user and
allows the user to manually configure all laser job settings.
This approach allows the user much more configurability, but
requires a deeper knowledge of the laser job settings and
how they affect laser processing. Please note that when this
tab is used laser settings are applied to the graphic being
printed by color and each color can contain raster and vector
data. There are eight colors available to which you can
assign laser power and processing speed setting. Elements
in the graphic are interpreted as vectors only if their line
thickness is .001 (.0254 mm) or less. All other elements in
the graphic will be treated as raster objects. Laser power
and processing speed settings are displayed based on the
wavelength of your installed laser. Different values for these
settings can be assigned to raster and vector objects by
color. Any objects which have a color that does not map directly into a color in the driver table will be matched to
the nearest color. Any multicolor objects, such as grayscale or color bitmaps, will have a black and white dither
pattern applied and will be mapped to the black power and speed settings. Order of execution when using the
manual driver tab proceeds down the color table from top to bottom with all raster objects being completed first,
then vector objects follow.

A useful feature of the dual materials and manual tabs is the ability to select a material in the materials driver and
then switch over to the manual tab. When you do this the settings stored in the materials database for the material
selected will be transferred to the manual tab, including the laser power and processing speeds for rasters and
vectors which will transfer to the black, red and blue colors in the color table.

The various controls in the Manual Printer Driver Interface Tab are explained below:

Color table

The color table contains a list of all of the job settings that are tied to colors in the graphic being printed. To
change job settings for color, select that color so it is highlighted, then use the controls to the right of the color
table to change the desired settings. It is possible to highlight more than one color at a time and the changes
will be applied to all the highlighted colors.

Color Order (Order of Execution)

You can change the order of the colors in the color table by dragging the color up or down the list in the
table. This will change the order of execution of objects in those colors. You can only change color order
when first printing a job. After printing the job to the UCP the color order becomes fixed for that job.

% Power

The Power setting allows you to select the laser power level to be applied from 0 to 100%. This setting is
directly related to how deep the cutting or engraving will be. The higher the setting, the deeper it engraves
or cuts, and vice-versa. Power essentially determines the duty cycle of each laser pulse in the job. Laser
pulse frequency is controlled by the PPI setting for vectors and by the image density selected for rasters
(image densities 5 and below fix pulses at 500 PPI and image densities 6 and 7 fix pulses at 1000 PPI).

% Speed

This setting allows you to select processing speed from 0 to 100%. This setting determines the maximum
rate of travel of the motion system. Actual engraving time (throughput) is not only dependent on the %
Speed setting, but is also dependent on the size, intricacy and the placement of the graphic in the
engraving field. The motion system will accelerate/decelerate at a fixed rate up to the chosen speed. If the
motion system cannot achieve the chosen speed based on the size and intricacy of the graphic or
graphical placement in the field, it will automatically adjust its speed to the maximum speed it can
achieve. This is evident when you see the motion system automatically slow down while cutting curves or
circles as opposed to straight lines. Automatic proportional pulsing (see PPI) of the laser beam will ensure

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that there is no difference in the depth of cut from straight lines to curves.

% Power and % Speed work together in determining how deep the engraving or cutting will be. Higher
power and slower speeds produce deeper results. Lower power and higher speeds produce shallower
results.

Note: 100% raster speed is different than 100% vector speed. Rastering is done with the X axis focus
carriage which is light weight and has a high acceleration and top speed. Due to the inertia of the X-Axis
arm, movements in the Y-direction have a slower acceleration and top speed making vector speeds range
from one-third to one-half the maximum raster speed.

PPI (CO2 ONLY)

This setting allows you to select the pulsing frequency of the laser pulse stream being applied to the
material when vector cutting from 1 to 1000 pulses per inch (PPI). The PPI setting indicates how many
laser pulses, per linear inch, the laser cartridge will emit. The pulsing of the laser beam is electronically
linked to the motion. These pulses will always fire, equally spaced, from one to the next, regardless of
changes in speed. Higher PPI settings may cause more melting, burning or charring on the edges when
cutting. Lower PPI settings may reduce this effect, but may result in a serrated looking edge. Using less
than 150 PPI may result in the pulses being spread so far apart that they may or may not touch one
another creating a perforated effect. A PPI setting between 300 to 500 PPI is a good nominal value for
most applications, but some experimentation may be necessary.

Note: In raster mode, PPI is controlled by the image density selected for rasters (image densities 5 and
below fix pulses at 500 PPI and image densities 6 and 7 fix pulses at 1000 PPI).

Waveform (Fiber only)

Changing the waveform setting for the fiber laser source will allow you to achieve many different types of
effects on your target material. There are six main waveform settings to choose from (waveforms 0-5).

Frequency (Fiber only)

When choosing a waveform, the driver will automatically fill in the recommended frequency value.
Changing this value will alter the overall effect the laser has on your material. The frequency can be set
at intervals from 1kHz to 500kHz. To change the frequency back to the recommended value for a
particular waveform, switch to a different waveform and then switch back to the desired waveform. The
driver will again automatically fill in the recommended frequency value.

Mode (Drop Down Menu)

Mode allows you to force graphical elements mapped to that color to be treated in a certain way. The
choices are Rast/Vect, Rast, Vect and Skip. Rast/Vect mode is the default setting and will interpret
elements in the graphic being printed that are mapped to that color as rasters or vectors depending on
line width. Vectors must have a line width of .001” (.0254 mm) or less, everything else will be treated as
raster objects. Rast mode will force all elements of the graphic mapped to that color to be converted to
raster objects including thin line widths. Vect mode will ignore (not print) raster elements mapped to that
color and only print vector objects mapped to that color. Skip will cause all elements of the graphic
mapped to that color to be ignored (not printed).

Laser (Dual Laser Cartridge System Only)

If your laser system comes equipped with more than one laser cartridge, you are given the choice of
using both laser cartridges or only one laser cartridge (Top or Bottom.) If your laser system has one laser
cartridge, this setting will not be available.

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Z-Axis

This control lets you set the Z-Axis table to a specific height. When the auto Z feature is turned on in the
UCP and a Z height is set for a color in the color table, the table moves to the height indicated before
processing the elements in the print job graphic that were mapped to that color. This feature can be used
as a method of focusing by entering the thickness of the material to be processed. This feature requires
that the Z axis be calibrated to the focus lens being used and properly homed prior to running the job.

Flow (Computer Controlled Air Assist only)

This feature will not appear if you do not have the Computer Controlled Air Assist option installed. This
setting allows you to choose between Air or Gas inputs on the Computer Controlled Air Assist option or
Off for no air flow.

Flow Rate (Computer Controlled Air Assist only)

This feature will not appear if you do not have the Computer Controlled Air Assist option installed. This
setting allows you to select the flow rate for the air or gas input selected in 25% increments.

Set Button

After adjusting all of the color based settings for the colors highlighted you must push the SET button to
register the changes to the color table. Also note that the changes will not be permanently saved until the
OK or APPLY buttons are pressed.

Apply Button

The APPLY button saves all changes made to the printer driver settings.

Default Button

The Default button will reset the driver settings to factory default values. You may abort these changes by
selecting Cancel; selecting OK or APPLY will approve the changes.

Load Button

To recall a snapshot of the printer driver settings that have been previously saved to a .LAS file using the save
button, select on the “Load” button and choose the desired .LAS settings file from the dialog box. The settings
that are currently on screen will be replaced by the settings from the .LAS file. You may abort these changes
by selecting Cancel; selecting OK or APPLY will approve the changes.

Save Button

The save button brings up a dialog box which allows you to save a snapshot of the laser job settings which
you can then reload at a later date. All settings will be stored in a file with “.LAS” extension. Verify that you
have pressed the SET button before you save any .LAS files to ensure that changes to the color table are
properly registered.

OK Button

The OK button saves all changes made to the printer driver settings and closes the printer driver settings
interface window and takes you back to the previous window.

Cancel Button

The Cancel button closes the printer driver settings interface window and takes you back to the previous
window without saving changes made to the settings.

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Raster Sub-Tab

The raster sub-tab on the manual control tab of the
printer driver setting interface displays a group of
settings which affect how raster objects are
processed by the laser system. The controls in the
sub-tab are described below:

Print Special Eects

The drop down list allows you to choose from
several special print modes, normal for most
materials and applications or one of the other
modes for special applications. The modes work as follows:

Normal mode

In this mode all single color raster data is mapped to the closest color in the color table and
processed using the job settings attached to that color. All grayscale or multicolor bitmaps are
converted to grayscale and then a dither pattern is applied to them and the black color job settings
are used. This is the default recommended mode of operation.

3D mode

This mode affects raster elements of your image. In this mode all raster objects regardless of color
will be converted to 256 color grayscale and then during processing the laser power level is varied on
the fly in accordance with the grayscale levels in the image. Lighter parts of the image will receive
less laser power and darker parts more laser power resulting in a contoured depth and a three
dimensional look. Special 3D software is required to produce the type of grayscale images that are
compatible with this mode. Please contact our Applications Department for the latest 3D software
recommendations. If you select 3D mode, you can adjust the grayscale to laser power level mapping
table using the 3D Setup button. See the description of the 3D Setup button for more details. Keep in
mind that it may require several passes to create enough relief in the engraving to get the desired
results. By default all other colors are forced to raster mode and are not used since colored raster
data is converted to grayscale. The red pen is left in rast/vect mode and it is recommended that all
vector cut lines in the graphic being printed be colored red so that they will be interpreted as vectors.
Any black vector lines will be converted to raster objects.

3D Setup Button

This button is used with the 3D print mode to adjust the grayscale to laser power level mapping
table. It only appears when 3D mode is selected. When 3D mode is selected the laser power
levels mapped to the various shades of gray in the image are scaled from the laser power level
you entered for the color black in the color table. The darkest shade of gray (black) in the image
will be assigned the black color laser power level. The lightest shade of gray (white) will
automatically be assigned a 0% laser power. All other shades of gray that fall between black and
white will automatically be mapped to a laser power level in between 0% and the laser power
level assigned to the black color based on the mapping table you set up in the window brought up
when you press the 3D setup button. When you select the 3D setup button, the ULS 3D Power
Calibration window will appear. There are 16 slider bars representing the 16 shades of gray of the
calibration scale. The 00 and the 15 are not adjustable as they represent white and black. The
other 14 can be adjusted. Higher values result in deeper engraving than lower values. A linear
mapping works for most applications (adjust the sliders in a diagonal line going up from left to
right), but in some cases the setting can be varied as a sort of gamma correction for depth of
engraving.

The APPLY button saves any changes you have made to the mapping table. You must press the
apply button before pressing the CLOSE button to exit this window or you will lose your changes.

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Rubber stamp mode

O r i g i n a l
G r a p h i c

N e g a t i v e

I m a g e

P o s i t i v e

I m a g e

E n g r a v e d

R e s u l t

S h o u l d e r a p p l i e d t o

n e g a t i v e a n d p o s i t i v e i m a g e s

This mode is specifically for rubber stamp creation and is
used for creating shoulders on characters and graphics
when processing rubber stamps. The shoulder is created by
gradually ramping the laser power up or down near the
edges of each element in the graphic being printed creating
a tapered edge around each graphic element that produces
a pyramid-like effect in the material being processed. Most
rubber stamp applications will require the graphic to be a
negative image with black representing the material to be
removed by the laser. The shape of the taper or shoulder
can be varied as desired using the controls in the rubber
stamp profile setup window by pressing the Rubber stamp
setup button. In this mode all non-black raster data is
converted to grayscale and a halftone dither pattern is
applied to it. By default all other colors are forced to raster mode and are not used since colored
raster data is halftoned to black. The red pen is left in rast/vect mode and it is recommended that all
vector cut lines in the graphic being printed be colored red so that they will be interpreted as vectors.
Any black vector lines will the converted to raster objects.

Rubber Stamp Setup Button

When you press the Rubber Stamp Setup Button the rubber stamp shoulder controls window will
appear with the following settings:

Taper Selection

You can use Taper Selection to choose from a selection of predefined shoulder angles for
specific rubber stamp applications. In most cases these predefined shoulders will be
adequate. However, you can create custom shoulders by pressing the New button.

Image Options - Invert Page

This converts all black objects into white and all white objects into black for the entire page.

CAUTION: When using the “Invert Page” feature you may need to reduce your page size to

match your material size so that the entire work area is not engraved.

Image Options - Mirror Page

This mirrors the entire page from left to right (horizontally) at the time of printing.

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Power

The Power table graphically represents the shoulder characteristics of the predefined rubber
stamp shoulders and also allows you to adjust the shape of any custom shoulders you
create. You will notice that you cannot adjust the settings when a predefined shoulder is
selected. You must press the new button to create a clone of the selected shoulder and then
you will be able to edit the settings for the cloned shoulder. You can also rename the cloned
shoulder once it is created by pressing the Rename button and delete the clone by pressing
the delete button. The predefined shoulders cannot be deleted.

Once you have created a custom shoulder, you can adjust the shape of the shoulder using
the power table controls. A shoulder is made up of a series of steps. Each slider bar controls
the laser’s power level for that step from 0 to 100%. The first and last steps in the shoulder
are fixed at 0 and 100% respectively. You can vary all of the values in between to create a
desired shoulder shape. The numbers beneath the power levels represent the width of each
step in 0.001” (.0254 mm) increments; you can make each step up to .004” (.116 mm) wide.
You do not have to employ all of the steps to make a shoulder; you can use the check boxes
to deactivate steps to shorten the table. When you deactivate a step, the power level for that
step is automatically set to 100%.

Note: The maximum possible shoulder width is 0.064” (1.62 mm).

Clip Art Mode

This is a special mode that allows you to easily print many images from off-the-shelf clip art libraries.
Many of these images are made by combining many overlapping shapes and only print correctly if
converted to grayscale bitmaps. Be aware that this mode converts the entire graphic being printed
into a grayscale image, including vectors, and the black color job settings are used for processing.
Because of this you will notice that the color table is reduced to one color (black) when this mode is
selected. The dither pattern applied is the pattern currently selected in the dithering section of the
raster sub tab.

Reduction Mode

Raster Block Reduction Mode (also known as Print Growth Management), is specifically for barcode
engraving and adjusts the barcode elements for readability by removing pixels from the edges of
each element of the barcode being printed to adjust them for readability. This is necessary because
most barcodes are generated from barcode fonts so that the widths of the elements in the barcode
are not adjustable. This mode allows you to adjust the widths of the elements at time of printing to
make the barcodes more readable with barcode scanners. The Reduction Setup button allows you to
control the amount of reduction that takes place.

Reduction Setup Button

When you press the Reduction Setup Button the reduction setup window will appear and allow
you to adjust the amount of reduction that takes place in .001” (.0254 mm) increments.

Frame Rasters switch

A Frame Rasters feature is available in normal mode which affects the way rastered object are
processed in the laser system. When this switch is off the raster strokes the X axis makes when
laying down the pattern of dots on each line of the raster image can vary with the image. For
example, if you are engraving a triangular shape the tip of the triangle will be engraved with short
raster strokes and the strokes will get longer as the wider parts of the triangle are engraved. If this
mode is turned on, the longest raster stroke for the raster object being engraved will be determined
and all other raster strokes will be made equal in length to the longest raster stroke. This will increase
processing time, but can improve edge quality when engraving or marking at higher processing
speeds. Use this mode only if necessary.

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1-Touch Laser Photo Switch

This switch is automatically selected when printing photos from Universal Laser Systems 1-touch
Photo laser photo printing software. This switch also be selected when printing a photo processed by
1-Touch Photo and then imported into other software before printing. This switch optimizes settings
for best results with 1-Touch Photo images.

Image Density

The Image Density setting determines how many lines of pixels (or dots) per vertical inch are used to
render a raster image on the material being laser marked or engraved. It can also be referred to as the
vertical resolution or dpi of the image. There are seven image density choices available in most models
(two extra density levels are available in SuperSpeed models). Higher Image Density (DPI) settings
produce better quality raster images with finer detail, but reduce productivity by increasing raster
engraving time. Lower Image Density (DPI) settings produce lower quality raster images, but increase
productivity by decreasing raster engraving time.

Image Density (DPI) settings will also have an effect on vector quality and processing speeds when
vectors objects contain many curves and small segments. Higher image densities will produce finer vector
detail, but may reduce productivity and vice versa for lower image densities. By running samples on scrap
materials and tying different density settings, you can find a compromise between throughput and image
quality that is acceptable to you.

SuperSpeed (optional accessory)

If the optional SuperSpeed accessory is installed a switch will be present to turn activate the feature. This
feature uses a beam splitter to separate the laser beams from the top and bottom lasers by a controlled
amount so that they will focus, one above the other on the material processing table with a distance
between them equal to the density selected. Each laser is pulsed separately, to allow two lines of raster
data to be engraved simultaneously which will cut job completion time in half. When this switch is
activated two extra densities become available. See the accessories section for more details on operation
of the SuperSpeed.

Print Direction

The default direction is Down which begins raster engraving at the top of the field and finishes at the
bottom. On some materials you may get better results by starting at the bottom and engraving towards
the top of the field (Up) due to the fact that smoke and fumes from the engraving process travel over the
surface of the material before being exhausted and can mar the previously engraved areas.

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Dithering

Dithering settings are used when printing graphics that contain grayscale or color bitmaps such as
photographs in all printing modes except 3D mode. A dither pattern is a special screen filter that is used to
convert a grayscale or color image to monochrome (black and white). The screen filter reduces the image
to black and white while preserving the illusion of shades of gray by varying the spacing of pixels (dots) in
the image. Darker areas have more dots spaced closer together and lighter areas have fewer dots
spaced farther apart. Since the laser system is not capable of directly reproducing color or shades of gray
this is the method used to mimic shades of gray in order to engrave or mark photographs onto material.
There are three choices for the dither pattern applied:

Halftone

The halftone dither pattern is a line-type filter which applies a 45° line screen to a color or
grayscale image to convert it to black and white. The line spacing of the line screen varies with
the density chosen so at lower densities the line screen is more coarse.

Image Density Lines Per Inch

6 and 7 180

5 90
4 60
3 45
2 36

Error Diusion

The error diffusion dither pattern uses a random scatter filter to place pixels in order to represent
shades of gray, introducing a level of noise in the process. The pattern created will vary with
density chosen. Higher density settings, such as 5, will produce a more densely packed, finer
pattern and lower resolution settings, such as 2, will produce a loosely packed, coarser pattern.

Black and White Mode

The Black and White dither pattern is a thresholding pattern that thresholds at 50% black. Each
pixel in a grayscale image that is greater than 50% black will be converted into black and each
pixel that is less than 50% black will be converted into white. This dither pattern will not give good
results for reproducing photographs, but is very useful when printing images that should be black
and white yet may have some unintended grayscale pixels in them. A good example is a scanned
image of a text document that was scanned into a computer using a grayscale scanner setting.
Ideally the scanned image of text should be black text on a white background, but if a grayscale
scanner setting was used there may be very light gray pixels at the edges of the characters of
text. This dither pattern will remove those gray pixels.

Helpful Tip

Laser marking or engraving grayscale or color bitmaps onto materials requires a bit of trial and
error to achieve good results. Results will vary on different materials. As a rule of thumb, use an
Image Density setting of 5 using halftone or diffusion pattern on harder materials where you are
marking the surface. Use an Image Density setting of 3 using the halftone or diffusion pattern for
softer materials where you are engraving into the material.

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Image Enhancements

This section contains settings for enhancing and improving raster imaging.

Texturize

Texturize is a special feature which adds random variation to the laser power level assigned to each
color. This is useful for creating a textured effect on engraved surfaces to mask grain lines and motion
artifacts. One useful application of this feature is when engraving away large areas of acrylic, but for
most applications this feature is not necessary.

Tuning

Tuning shifts the left to right and right to left raster strokes the motion system makes when Rastering
an image so that they line up vertically with respect to each other. This is necessary to compensate
for laser response and mechanical lag when rastering at high speeds. A misadjusted TUNING value
will cause the image to appear double- imaged or bolder than normal and edges may not be sharp
and defined. The optimum tuning value will vary by material and speed of processing. TUNING will be
different if you have Image Enhancements enabled vs. disabled. A typical TUNING value can be from

-8 up to 0 depending on speed of processing. If you use the materials database, nominal tuning
values are already set for you. You can look up the tuning value for a particular material in the
database by selecting that material in the materials database tab and selecting edit. Keep in mind that
the tuning value is optimized for the particular raster speed and power level stored in the database. If
you need to change the speed or power significantly for your application, you may need to determine
a new value by testing. Also remember that the tuning value is affected by raster enhancement
settings so if the material database record has image enhancements turned on, you should use those
values along with the tuning value.

Procedure For Setting The Tuning Value

An easy way to set the tuning value on a given material at a desired processing speed is to create a
graphic consisting of about 20 thin vertical lines about 1” (25.4 mm) tall and .010” (.254 mm) apart in
the center of the engraving field. The lines should have a line thickness of .001” (.0254 mm) if
possible in the graphic application being used, otherwise use the thinnest the application allows. Then
print the graphic to the laser system as a raster image by forcing the color the lines are drawn in to be
in rast mode in the color table and the image density to 1 (draft mode). Make sure you set your speed
of processing equal to the speed you plan to run your application at and the laser power set high
enough to mark the material. This will result in vertical lines that look dotted. You can then look at the
dots and if they are not lined up vertically, adjust the tuning value by 1-2 ticks and try again. Repeat
until the dots in the dotted lines are lined up vertically.

Note: If you need to use image enhancements for you application, you should use the image
enhancement tuning procedure in place of this procedure.

Image Enhancement Dropdown Menu

Various Image Enhancement modes improve marking and engraving quality at high speed by
compensating for laser response in order to make edges crisp and defined and to keep thin
elements of a graphic being printed, such as certain fonts (especially at small font sizes) and thin
vertical lines, from fading out. Four Modes are available: Disabled, Manual, Automatic with
margins, Automatic without margins.

Note: The Image Enhancement feature is not available in 3D or rubberstamp printing modes.

Automatic Enhancements With Margins (Drop Down Menu)

Calculates optimal enhancements but with margins on either side of the printing for best edge
quality. With margins added the motion system over-strokes (travels beyond the edge of the print
data) so that the motion system does not try to laser mark or engrave while it is accelerating or

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decelerating to change direction for the next raster stroke. If engraving or marking near the edges

U n i v e r s a l L a s e r S y s t e m s I n c .

U n i v e r s a l L a s e r S y s t e m s I n c .

of the laser processing field these margins are automatically reduced.

Automatic Enhancements Without Margins (Drop Down Menu)

Decreases file completion times by removing over stroke margins. The laser system attempts to
compensate for laser response while accelerating or decelerating to change directions for the
next raster stroke but edge quality may suffer on some materials.

Image Enhancement Manual Mode

In manual mode Image Enhancement controls (CONTRAST, DEFINITION and DENSITY) can be
adjusted manual. Keep in mind that the TUNING value may need to be readjusted for different
settings of the manual image enhancements. Manual mode settings are explained here:

Contrast

CONTRAST increases laser power at the edges of thin graphical elements in areas of a
graphic that are high density (a lot of detail packed close together) such as the area
outlined in the figure below:

Within this area, using too little CONTRAST may cause thinner parts of the letters or thin
vertical lines to appear too thin, faint or even non-existent when Rastering at high
speeds. Having too much CONTRAST will cause the affected areas to appear too thick,
bold or over-powered.

Denition

DEFINITION increases laser power at the edges of thin graphical elements in areas of a
graphic that are lower density (graphic elements with a lot of white space around them)
such as the area outlined in the figure below:

The low density parts of the graphic are typically the ascenders and descenders of text or
thin vertical lines in a graphic being printed. Within this area, using too little DEFINITION
may cause thinner parts of the letters or thin vertical lines to appear too thin, faint or even
non-existent when rastering at high speeds. Having too much DEFINITION will cause the
affected areas to appear too thick, bold or over-powered.

Density

DENSITY decreases laser power at the edges of all graphical elements to compensate
for laser lag in turning off at high speeds. If the DENSITY is set too high, then the entire
engraved image may appear too thick, bold or over-powered. Setting the DENSITY too
low may cause the image to appear too thin and thinner parts of characters and thin lines
may disappear altogether. The opposite effect would occur on inverted images such as
white text on a black background.

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How to Tune Image Enhancement Settings

These three parameters (CONTRAST, DEFINITION and DENSITY) work together to
compensate for laser response when rastering at higher speeds. For a given material at a
given speed they must be determined by testing. If you use the materials database, these
values are already determined for you. You can look up these settings for a particular
material in the database by selecting that material in the materials database tab and
selecting edit. Keep in mind that these settings are tuned for the particular raster speed
and power level stored in the database and if you need to change the speed or power
significantly for your application, you may need to establish new values by testing. Also
remember that these settings are for high speed engraving on sensitive materials such as
anodized aluminum and acrylic and may not be necessary for your application.

Step 1: Establish the nominal power setting.
The enhancement settings work best when you are not overpowering the material. The
first step is to establish the minimum laser power necessary at the desired processing
speed to mark the material or to engrave the material to the required depth. You should
not use more laser power than necessary. The best way to determine this is to engrave a
4” (101.6 mm) wide by 0.5” (12.7 mm) tall solid black rectangle in the center of the
processing field. Use a scrap piece of material to adjust laser power in a series of 5%
increments at the desired processing speed until you establish the minimum power level
required to produce the desired result. Make sure image enhancements are DISABLED.

Step 2: Use text to set the CONTRAST parameter.
Type in a string of text, using the Times New Roman font, set at 8 or 10 points in size.
Make sure that the text string is at least 6 inches long and that the string includes
punctuation marks, spaces, lower and upper case letters as in the following example:

This is a test to set contrast definition and density for High Speed Engraving

Engrave the sample text with the settings established in step 1 on a scrap piece of
material, but this time ENABLE Image Enhancement and set CONTRAST to 0,
DEFINITION to 0, DENSITY to 100 and the TUNING value to +4. The results may appear
fuzzy, some thinner elements of characters may be missing and overall engraving quality
may not be as good as expected. Keep adjusting the CONTRAST upward in increments
of 5, engraving another sample between each adjustment (you may want to engrave
each sample right beneath the previous one so you can compare them). Note the results
after each trial. The objective is to adjust the CONTRAST just enough to cause thin parts
of the text in the high density areas of the text to be sharp and clear. Ignore the
appearance of the ascenders and descenders that stick out above and below the dense
areas of text as they will be adjusted using the DEFINITION setting. Setting CONTRAST
too high can cause the characters to appear “fat” or “bold” so find the minimum value that
gives good results.

Step 3: Adjust DEFINITION to enhance the ascenders and descenders.
Now, increase the DEFINITION in increments of 5 at a time until the ascenders and
descenders begin to appear sharp and clear. The objective is to increase the setting just
enough to cause these parts of the graphic to match the appearance of the high density
areas. Setting the DEFINITION too high will result in ascenders and descenders
appearing too “fat” or “bold” compared to the rest of the image.

Step 4: Reduce DENSITY as needed.
Once CONTRAST and DEFINITION have been set to the appropriate levels you can
adjust DENSITY to increase or decrease boldness of the image as a whole. If everything
appears overpowered or bold, try reducing the DENSITY down from 100 in increments of
5 and note the results. For most applications this is not necessary and you can leave the
DENSITY at 100 (its default value). Density can be especially useful for inverted images.

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Step 5: Establish the tuning value.
Once the Contrast, Definition and Density are determined, an easy way to set the tuning
value on a given material at a desired processing speed is to create a graphic consisting
of about 20 thin vertical lines about 1” (25.4 mm) tall and .010” (.254 mm) apart in the
center of the engraving field. The lines should have a line thickness of .001” (.0254 mm) if
possible in the graphic application being used, otherwise use the thinnest the application
allows. Then print the graphic to the laser system as a raster image by forcing the color
the lines are drawn in to be in Rast Mode in the color table and the image density to 1
(draft mode). Make sure you set your processing speed equal to the speed at which you
plan to run your application and the laser power set high enough to mark the material.
This will result in vertical lines that look dotted. You can then look at the dots and if they
are not lined up vertically, adjust the tuning value by 1-2 ticks and try again. Repeat until
the dots in the dotted lines are lined up vertically.

Vector Sub-Tab

The vector sub-tab on the manual control tab of the printer
driver setting interface displays a group of settings which
affect how vector objects are processed by the laser
system. The controls in the sub-tab are described below:

Vector Optimizer

The four available selections apply to vectors and
affect how vectors are grouped and in what order they
are executed. Vectors are grouped by pen color first
and will always execute in the color order listed in the color table, but all vectors of a given color will be
grouped and executed based on which of the following controls is selected:

None

This selection does no sorting or enhancing and prints in the original order in which they were passed to
the printer driver by the graphics program you used to create them. This is usually a random order.
Remember, however, that they will always be grouped by color.

Enhance Only

The ENHANCE function looks for all vectors that are connected in the graphic being printed and makes
them into a continuous path.

Sort Only

The SORT function will sort vectors so they are executed in the following order:

1. All open path vectors are output first, beginning with the end point of the vector path that is closest to

the current position of the focus carriage. All subsequent open vector paths are output using the same
“nearest neighbor” starting point method.

2. Once open paths are completed, closed paths will follow in a nested order, beginning with closed

paths that are contained within other closed paths, with the innermost closed path executed first and
ending with the outermost closed path.

Enhance and Sort

Enhance and Sort turns on both features simultaneously.

Vector Scaling

This feature allows you to calibrate vector output size if necessary for your application. To calibrate the
system, draw a simple shape, such as a square, to a known size and print that shape as a vector object
(make sure line thickness is .001” [.0254 mm] or less). Measure the object vertically and horizontally
using a caliper or other measuring device and use the formula (desired length/measured length) to
determine the scale ratio in X and Y. Enter the result into the X-axis and Y-axis text boxes of the vector

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scaling feature respectively. Keep in mind that this feature DOES NOT scale raster images. If you are
combining raster and vector images in one file, the raster image may not align with your vectors. Raster
objects cannot be scaled after printing. If it is necessary to scale raster objects, adjust their size in the
graphic application you are using.

Vector Performance

There is a tradeoff between quality of output and speed of processing when printing vectors. For longer
straight line vectors (over 1 inch [25.4 mm]) you can adjust the speed of processing in the color table until
you achieve the desired results. However, the motion system rarely achieves the selected processing
speed when processing curves and small line segments because of the constant directional changes that
occur when processing these types of vectors. Processing speed for these types of vectors is controlled
by other rules in the software. This control allows you some adjustment of processing speed of curves
and small line segments in order to achieve desired results. Using the quality setting jobs will take longer
to complete, but will improve curve and small line segment quality. Using the throughput setting will
compromise quality a bit to improve job completion time if desired.

Engraving Field Sub-Tab

The engraving field sub-tab on the manual control tab of the
printer driver setting interface displays a group of settings
which affect the engraving field (page size) and other
miscellaneous settings. The controls in the sub-tab are
described below:

Units

Units allows you to change units used between Metric
and English.

Language

Select from many different languages in this drop down list. Some language changes will not take effect
until the printer control panel is closed and then re-opened.

Engraving Field Width and Height

Normally you will want to set the width and height in printer driver at their max, matching the processing
field in your laser system, and set the page size in the graphic software to match. If your graphic software
does not allow large enough page sizes to match your processing field, you can reduce this engraving
field size and your reduced page size will print in the upper left corner of the field in the laser system.
Reduced page sizes are also useful in some special cases, such as rubber stamp engraving, so you can
take advantage of the invert page feature without having to engrave the entire field of the laser system
away.

Important Note: Make sure that the page size in your graphic program always matches the engraving
field size setup in the printer driver. Mismatched settings may cause your graphics to print in an
unexpected location or not at all.

Dual Head

Dual head is an optional accessory. If you have this option, you must activate it at time of printing to use
the feature.

Max Size Button

Selecting the Max Size button restores the width and height to the maximum values your laser system
can accept.

Center image

This selection allows you to force jobs to always be centered in the processing area.

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Merge Pages

This setting allows you to treat multipage documents in different ways. By default, multipage documents
are treated as separate jobs with each page having to be selected in the UCP and run individually. This
setting allows you to change that behavior. Selecting this setting once will merge the pages with auto­start, meaning the pages will all be printed one after another as one job. This is useful if you want all the
graphic images to print on one piece of material, but you want to control the order in which they are
applied. Selecting this setting again will merge the pages with manual start, meaning the pages will all be
printed one after another as one job, but with the laser system pausing in between each page. This is
useful if you need to load new material in between each page.

Rotary

A rotary fixture option is available for all models. Please contact Universal Laser System for more details.

Diameter

If a rotary fixture is installed in your laser system, the diameter of the cylindrical object being processed is
entered in this field. A correct diameter must be entered for the graphics being printed to be scaled
properly.

Rotation Factor

This factor allows you to calibrate your fixture if your application requires you to engrave or cut completely
around the cylinder (360 degrees). Print a vector line or raster graphic that extends from the top of the
page to the bottom of the page. If the fixture comes up short or overlaps by a few degrees, you can
compensate for this. If short, increase the factor; and if long, decrease the factor. The factor is a ratio, so
if you can measure the object and image circumference, you can calculate the scale. If you do not have
the equipment to measure this, you can use trial and error.

Pin Table (enable)

This switch tells the system a pin table is installed which compensates for the height of the pin table when
using the auto Z feature.

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The Universal Control Panel (UCP)

When a graphic has been printed through the printer driver a laser job is created and passed to the queue in a
piece of software called the Universal Control Panel (UCP). The UCP software provides a convenient interface for
interacting with and controlling your laser system. Once you have installed the UCP, a red diamond-shaped icon
will appear in the lower right corner of your Windows taskbar. If for any reason the UCP is
deactivated, you can reactivate it by using the ULS Engraver shortcut found on your computer’s
desktop. The UCP is organized into three convenient tabs: Viewer, System and Diagnostics. The
following describes the features of each tab of the UCP.

Viewer Tab

You send jobs to your laser system by printing to
it. Anytime you print to the laser system, a job is
created and inserted into the laser systems job
queue. Selecting the viewer tab allows you to
navigate through and manage the jobs in the laser
system job queue. The viewer tab also allows you
to operate your laser system right from your
computer. The viewer tab has the following
functions:

Laser System Controls

• The same controls found on the
control panel on your laser system are
duplicated here.

• The green START button begins processing the selected job.

• The PAUSE button stops the engraving process. Pressing the PAUSE button again resumes the

engraving process where it was last stopped.

• The four navigation buttons move the focus carriage manually in X and Y.

• The two up and down buttons move the Z-Axis table up or down.

• The Home XY button re-homes the focus carriage to the upper right hand corner of the field.

• The Home Z button re-homes the Z-Axis table to the bottom of the laser system.

View Tab Modes

Icons allow you to select from various modes of operation for the preview screen.

Basic View (default mode)

• The Basic View shows a preview window of the job currently selected.

• The cursor becomes a magnifying glass (Zoom Tool) if you pass it over the preview window. Left-

clicking the mouse zooms in and right-clicking zooms out. (Mouse scroll wheel can be used in
any mode to zoom in and out.)

• Selecting the Settings button takes you back to the printer driver interface to allow you to change
most of the settings for the job selected. Keep in mind that some settings cannot be changed
after printing from your graphics program, such as print density and vector quality. If a setting is
not adjustable after printing from your graphics program, it will be grayed out or not appear at all
when you press the settings button in the UCP.

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Focus View

The Focus View allows you to quickly manually move the focus carriage to a desired position in the
material processing field.

• To have full range of motion, verify that you are zoomed out in the preview window by right­clicking on the mouse before entering the manual focus window.

• In the focus view the cursor changes to a blue target symbol with trailing X-Y coordinates.
Pressing the mouse in the preview window moves the focus carriage to the selected position.
Selecting another feature from the drop down list terminates the focus feature and moves the
focus carriage back to the home position.

• To move the focus carriage to a specific location, select the GO button. Type in the X and Y
coordinates and press the GO TO button and the focus carriage will move to the specified
location. You can also move the engraving table to a specific Z-height using the GO feature.

Relocate View

The Relocate feature gives you the ability to move the image in the selected job to another area of
the engraving field. This feature does not permanently modify the original image location. When this
feature is activated, the image is surrounded by nine small squares (anchor points) representing the
center and extents of the graphic. Using these anchors you can relocate the image in one of three
ways:

1. You can select and hold an anchor point and drag that anchor to move the image around in the

field.

2. You can select an anchor point and type a new X-Y coordinate for that anchor point in the X-Y

fields to the right of the preview screen.

3. Using the X-Y manual motion buttons, you can move the focus carriage to a location on the

processing table in the laser system using the red pointer diode as reference, then select an
anchor point in your image and press the TO POINTER button to move that anchor point to the
current focus carriage location. This feature is useful for aligning an image with a piece of
material you plan to process with the laser system.

Note: If you print with a page size smaller than the maximum field size of the laser system, the
anchors will display at the edges of the page on the image.

Duplicate View

The Duplicate feature gives you the ability duplicate an image in a grid pattern. You can select how
many rows and columns of the image as well as the spacing between the rows and columns. After
you create a grid of duplicate images you can also remove any one of the copies or the original from
the group by selecting that instance in the preview window. If you need to restore a copy that you
removed, click in the general area of that instance and it will return.

Estimate View

The estimate feature approximately calculates the amount of time it will take the laser system to
process the selected job. For more complex jobs, the estimate feature can take a while to estimate
the job completion time. A job can be estimated while a machine is disconnected or turned off.

Settings

The settings button gives you access to the printer driver settings for the selected job. Most of the settings
can be changed after printing if necessary. A few of the settings like image density and print mode are not
reconfigurable after initial printing and will be grayed out. Any changes made will be permanently saved
with the job.

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File Management

As jobs are printed they are added to the print queue until the queue reaches the print queue limit set in
the system tab. Once the Print queue reaches the maximum number of jobs, the printer driver deletes the
oldest job each time a new job enters the queue (a FIFO system). Information listed above the preview
screen includes the name of the currently selected job, the number of jobs stored, the date and time the
selected job was stored on your hard drive and the job processing time (after the job has been run once).
There is also text field which indicates to which machine the job was originally printed. This information is
important if you use multiple laser systems with the same computer. Because job data is stored on the
computer and settings are finalized when the document is printed, attempting to reprint a job from the
Universal Control Panel on a different laser system than was originally intended can produce
unpredictable results.

For the PLS6MW Multi-Wave laser system, this text field will also indicate whether the job was printed for
a CO2 laser or a fiber laser. If you attempt to run a job originally intended for a CO2 laser with a fiber
laser installed, or vice versa, a warning message will appear. The job will not run until the correct laser is
installed.

Just under the name of the job the Copies feature tells you how many times the selected job has been
run on the laser system. Navigation Arrows on either side of the currently selected print job number allow
you to navigate through the print jobs stored on your hard drive. The “folder” button displays a pop up
window that allows you to further manage the jobs in the print queue by performing such functions as:
importing print jobs exported from other computers or exporting print jobs to other computers using the
proprietary ULS job format (file extension .EMF), deleting print jobs, marking jobs as permanent so they
will not be deleted by the FIFO systems, purging the entire queue (except for jobs marked permanent), or
directly importing PDF or DXF files (with optional Direct Import add-on explained in the accessory section
of the manual).

Multi-page Job Controls

If you print a job from a graphics program that supports creation and printing of multi-page documents, a
second set of file navigation controls will appear below the preview windows allowing you to navigate
through the pages in the multi-page job. Multi-page jobs can by processed with each page manually
selected in the preview screen one at a time or they can be merged and processed as a single job with or
without a forced pause between pages. Use the multi-page control in the printer driver (setup button in
the UCP) to control this.

Laser System Status Indicators

At the bottom left of the preview window two lights and some text are provided to indicate status of the
laser system connected to the UCP. Blinking of the lights indicate when the UCP is talking to the laser
system and the status text indicates the current state of the laser system.

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System Tab

The System Tab allows you to configure certain features of the laser system. If your laser system needs to be
calibrated, you will need to do so from this tab. The System tab contains the following controls

•

• The PRINT CACHE number indicates the

maximum number of print jobs that will be
stored on your hard drive. If you exceed the
number shown, the software will
automatically begin deleting the oldest jobs
as newer jobs enter the queue, unless
“Permanent” is checked in the File
Management window.

• LANGUAGE allows you to switch between
available languages according to your
preference.

• UNITS allows you to choose between Metric
or English units of measure.

• AUTO Z enables a feature that
automatically moves the Z axis to the
material thickness value entered into the
printer driver properties window in the color
table. If it is disabled, the Z values in the
color table will be ignored and you will need
to set focus manually by using the Focus
Tool. If you use this feature make sure the Z axis has been properly homed.

• The TUNING value is used compensate for mechanical lag when raster engraving by shifting the left to
right and right to left raster lines with respect to each other by the amount entered. This value is in pixels.
This value performs the same function as the tuning value in the printer driver and the values are additive.

• The LENS SIZE selection lets the laser system know which lens you have installed. This is important for
proper function of the auto Z mode in the laser system and auto-focus feature in laser systems with
autofocus. Lenses are calibrated to the laser system at the factory, but if you replace a lens you will need
to recalibrate the lens. Select the Calibrate feature and follow the instructions given.

• The ALIGNMENT Mode Launch button opens the Alignment Mode window for checking and adjusting
alignment of the laser to the motion system. The Alignment feature should only be used if instructed by
the Customer Service Team at ULS.

• CUTTING TABLE allows you to calibrate the Z axis to the top surface of a removable cutting table. You
need to have the cutting table installed in the system to activate the CALIBRATE button. To calibrate,
press the button and follow the instructions.

• ROTARY allows you to calibrate the Z axis to a rotary fixture. You need to have the rotary fixture installed
in the system to activate the CALIBRATE button. To calibrate, press the button and follow the instructions.

• AUTO FOCUS allows you to calibrate the autofocus sensor.

• PULSE CALIBRATION is set at the factory to calibrate laser pulsing for the installed laser. It should not be

adjusted unless you are instructed to do so by the Customer Service Team at ULS.

• APPLICATION provides access to optional features and functionality of the software. The ACTIVATE
button allows you to enter activation code for these optional software features and functions such as the
Direct Import Feature. These optional features are explained in the accessory section of the manual.

• If the SOUNDS box is checked, the computer will play the sound file selected every time the selected
event occurs. You can attach sounds to the JOB COMPLETE, PAUSE and RESUME events.

• MANUAL FOCUS POSITION allows you to specify the location on the table the system goes to when the
focus button is pressed on the control panel.

• HOMING OPTIONS allows you to change behavior of the homing features in the laser system. By default
after a job is complete the motion system will return home. To prevent this, select the ‘Don’t Return Home
After Engraving’ switch.

• If the laser loses its Z location, the materials processing table will home at start up. To have this feature
turned off, check the ‘Disable Automatic Z-Homing’ switch. Disabling this feature can also be helpful when
troubleshooting Z-Axis problems.

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• If you would like the laser system to re-home the X and Y axes before it processes each job, select the
‘Home XY Before Engraving’ switch.

• Your laser system may contain an Air Pressure detection switch to warn you if no air pressure is present
and you have selected air assist functions in the job properties window. If the DETECT AIR PRESSURE
switch is selected and sufficient air pressure is not present, then an error message is displayed. Deselect
this switch to stop these error messages from being displayed.

Diagnostics Tab

The Diagnostics Tab gives you important information about your laser system for troubleshooting purposes.
The diagnostics tab contains the following:

• ENGRAVER shows the current Firmware
and FPGA version being loaded in the laser
system. It also displays the Serial Number of
your laser system. The Serial Number is
needed when calling the Customer Service
Team at ULS.

• SOFTWARE displays the current Materials
Database, Language Database and Printer
driver versions being used.

• An UPDATE button in the software section
checks the ULS website for the latest
available version of the software and allows
for updating the latest version if desired
(computer must have internet access).

• PERIPHERAL DEVICES displays the
current firmware version for various devices
installed in the laser system as well as
status information about those devices.

• LASER displays information about the current laser cartridge(s) installed in the laser system. If a red ‘x’
appears, this indicates that the laser cartridge is either not functioning properly or is disabled because
one of the safety interlocked doors to the laser system is open (causing the interlock system to disable
the laser).

• The Test button, under USB LATENCY, displays information about the speed of the USB connection.
Typical USB 2.0 performance should be below 10 msec and worst case USB 2.0 performance should be
below 100 msec.

• SYSTEM displays information about your personal computer.

• ALARMS shows the status of the over-temperate circuit in the material processing area and indicates if

the Thermal Sensor circuit battery is low in power. If the Thermal Sensor inside the laser system is
triggered, an alarm will sound and the laser will be shut down.

• FIXTURES indicates if a cutting table is installed on the engraving table and properly detected.

• INTERLOCKS displays the status of the Top, Front or Rear Doors of the laser system.

• COMPRESSOR shows the status of the ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit which supplies

compressed air for the air assist feature.

• The RUNTIME DIAGNOSTICS box is for use when troubleshooting.

• The PRINT button gathers the information displayed on the Diagnostics Tab into a PDF file. This PDF file

can be emailed to the Customer Service Team at ULS for aid in troubleshooting.

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Control Panel

The control panel on your laser system provides the functions necessary to setup and run jobs on your laser
system.

Safety Interlock Status

A Red LED on the control panel provides an indication of the status of the interlock system.

Indication Condition

On All access doors to the laser system are closed. If a laser job is initiated in this state, the

CO2 laser will fire.

Flashing One or more of the access doors to the laser system is open and the safety interlock system

has disabled the CO2 laser. If a laser job is initiated in this state, the CO2 laser will not fire
and the red target pointer will be on instead.

Keys

START: Initiates processing of the laser job currently selected and visible in the preview screen of
the Universal Control Panel on your PC.

PAUSE: If a laser job is in process, the Pause button stops job execution and moves the focus
carriage to its home position in the upper right corner of the engraving area. If the Pause button is
pressed again, it will resume job execution at the point where the motion system was paused. If
the Start button is pressed while the machine is in a paused state, it will restart processing at the
beginning of the laser job.

SELECT: This button activates the currently highlighted menu item on the display.

ESCAPE: This button exits from the currently selected menu item.

Navigation: The navigation buttons perform different functions depending on the display screen
selected. See the display section for more details.

FOCUS: This button has two functions: Manual Focus and Auto-Focus. Momentarily pressing the
Focus button will move the focus carriage to a pre-stored position for manually focusing on
materials using a focus tool. This pre-stored position is defaulted to 2” down and 2” over from
zero-zero position in the machine, however, you can change this pre-stored position using the
focus position setting in the system tab of the UCP. Holding the Focus button for one second or
more will initiate the Auto Focus routine which will automatically lower the table and then raise the
table until the auto-focus sensor in the machine has located the top surface of the material. Auto
focusing is complete once the table stops moving. To stop the Auto-Focus routine at any point
during execution, press the Escape button.

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Display

Main Menu: When your laser system is initially powered up the
laser system model name will appear on the displayed. This
screen will remain until the laser system establishes
communication over the USB port with the Universal Control
Panel running in the task bar on your PC. If the UCP is not
running in the task bar or the laser system is not connected to a
USB port on the PC, the laser system will not be able to function.
Once communication is established, the Main Menu screen will
appear giving you access to three sub menus: File, XY and Z.
Use the UP/DOWN navigation buttons to highlight a sub menu and the SELECT key to enter it.

File Menu: This menu displays the name of the laser job
currently selected for laser processing. You can scroll through
the laser jobs stored in the queue in the UCP using the
LEFT/RIGHT navigation buttons while the job name is
highlighted by the cursor. As you scroll through the laser jobs the
preview screen in the UCP on your computer will also update to
show the laser job selected. Pressing the START button will
begin processing the selected job. While a particular laser job is
selected, you can use the DOWN navigation button to highlight
row B which allows you to view the laser settings assigned to the various colors in the selected laser job. With
the cursor highlighting row B, use the LEFT/RIGHT navigation buttons to scroll through the colors and Power,
Speed and PPI settings will update. If you want to change a laser setting for a particular color in the selected
job, move the cursor to row C, D or E using the UP/DOWN navigation buttons and then use the RIGHT/LEFT
navigation buttons to change the setting. Pressing the SELECT button after making changes to a setting will
cause the change to be permanently saved in the laser job.

XY Menu: This menu screen displays the current position of the
focus carriage and allows you to move the focus carriage
manually to any location in the processing field using the
navigation buttons. A momentary press of a navigation button
moves the carriage a single step in the indicated direction. The
size of a single step is indicated by the position of the check
mark at the bottom of the screen. The check mark can be
toggled between the tenths, hundredths and thousandths
positions using the SELECT key. Holding down a navigation
button will cause the carriage to move continuously in the
direction indicated until the key is released.

Z Menu: This menu screen displays the current position of the
engraving table in the Z axis and allows you to move the table
up and down manually to load material and focus using the
UP/DOWN navigation buttons. A momentary press of a
navigation button moves the table a single step in the indicated
direction. The size of a single step is indicated by the position of
the check mark at the bottom of the screen. The check mark can
be toggled between the tenths, hundredths and thousandths
positions using the SELECT key. Holding down a navigation
button will cause the carriage to move continuously in the
direction indicated until the key is released.

76

Loading and Processing Materials

Before laser processing material, you will need to load material into the laser system and then focus the laser
system onto the top surface of the material.

Important Optics Notice

The PLS6MW uses special Multi-Wavelength compatible optics which are NOT interchangeable with standard
CO2 laser optics. Only use lens kits marked MW (Multi-Wavelength) when operating you PLS6MW laser system.
All MW optics are compatible with all laser wavelengths offered for the PLS6MW laser system. There is no need
to change optics when switching between different laser types in a PLS6MW laser system.

Changing the lens kit

Remove the currently installed lens kit (if any) by holding the front cover (1) with one hand and removing
the three thumbscrews with the other hand. Pull the front cover straight out. Insert the new lens kit onto
the lens carriage and screw in the thumbscrews.

Loading Material

Open the top door to the laser system and place material to be laser processed onto the engraving table. You
may need to manually move the support table down to allow clearance to fit thicker materials into the machine. If
you are cutting, you can also use the cutting table (use of this accessory is described in the accessories section of
the manual).

Caution: Material to be laser processed must fit completely within the machine so that the all access doors to

the laser system can be closed. The access doors are safety interlocked and will not allow the laser to
operate if the access doors are not fully closed.

Position the material so that it is aligned with the graphics to be engraved, cut or marked. There are a few
methods that can be used to accomplish this. One method is to use the rulers on the laser system processing
table and the corresponding rulers in the preview window of
the UCP to align your material with the graphics in your laser
job file. It is often useful to push the material up against the
rulers and position your graphics accordingly before printing. A
second method is to use the relocation feature in the UCP to
move your graphics to your material. A third method is to use
fixturing to position your material. This is especially useful for
odd shaped materials. The laser system can even be used to
create the fixturing. For example, fixturing can be made out of
acrylic by placing a piece of acrylic against the rulers in the
laser system and cutting the shape of the material to be laser
processed out of the acrylic. You can then place the material
in the cut out to position it accurately.

77

Focusing

Once you have positioned the material, you will need to focus the laser system by adjusting the Z axis up or down
until the top surface of the material to be laser processed is at the focal plane of the lens installed in the laser
system. This can be done in one of four ways.

The first focusing method is to use the calibrated focus tool provided with the lens kit. Every lens kit is
provided with a calibrated focus tool so make sure to use the one provided with the lens being used.

Manual focusing steps:

1. Manually move the focus carriage out over the material to be laser

processed.
Note: For the PLS6MW, make sure you are using the correct focus tool for
the currently installed laser wavelength. The type of laser the focus tool is
calibrated for is marked on the tool.

2. Move the engraving table manually up or down in the Z axis as necessary

until base of the focus tool can be placed on the top surface of the material
to be laser processed and the wedge shaped notch at the top of the focus
tool can be placed as shown with the edge of the carriage fitting in the corner
of the notch. Laser processing results are very sensitive to focus so pay

close attention to the fit of the focus tool.

3. Remove the focus tool from the material processing area.

A second focusing method is to measure the thickness of the material (use a calipers for accuracy) to be
laser processed and manually move the Z axis up or down until the Z axis position equals the measured
thickness.

Important Note: Make sure the lens specified in the system tab of the UCP matches the lens installed in the
laser system when using this method.

Caution: In order for this method to work correctly, the Z axis must be properly homed and calibrated to

the lens being used. To verify this, move the Z axis manually until the Z axis position reads zero and use
the manual focus tool as described in the manual focus section above to verify that the surface of the
engraving table is at the focus plane. For the PLS6MW, make sure you are using the correct focus
tool for the currently installed laser when checking Z axis calibration. If necessary, re-home the Z
axis using the home Z command in the UCP viewer tab and re-check. If you are still having trouble,
recalibrate the lens using the lens calibrate function in the system tab of the UCP.

A third focusing method is to measure the thickness of the material (use a calipers for accuracy) to be laser
processed and enter the material thickness into the printer driver settings when printing. If you use the
materials database printer driver tab, you will enter the thickness in the material thickness field. If you use the
manual printer driver tab, you must enter the material thickness into the Z axis field for every color in the color
table. With this method, the Z axis will move up or down to the appropriate height when you press the start
button to initiate laser processing of the selected job.

Important Note: Make sure the lens specified in the system tab of the UCP matches the lens installed in the
laser system when using this feature and that the Auto-Z function is enabled.

Caution: In order for this method to work correctly, the Z axis must be properly homed and calibrated to

the lens being used. To verify this, move the Z axis manually until the Z axis position reads zero and use
the manual focus tool as described in the manual focus section above to verify that the surface of the
engraving table is at the focus plane. For the PLS6MW, make sure you are using the correct focus
tool for the currently installed laser when checking Z axis calibration. If necessary, re-home the Z
axis using the home Z command in the UCP viewer tab and re-check. If you are still having trouble,
recalibrate the lens using the lens calibrate function in the system tab of the UCP.

78

A final focusing method is to use the auto-focus feature to focus on the material. In the Cell 2 and Cell 3
laser systems, the autofocus sensor is a light beam sensor that crosses the processing area horizontally at
about 3” inches in the Y axis. There is a notch in the Y axis ruler between the 2” and 4” marks to indicate
where the beam crosses the processing area. Make sure that a least at portion of the material to be
processed is lined up vertically with the notch blocking the light beam. If not, you may have to move the
material so it will block the light beam for auto-focus and then move it back into position for laser processing.
Then press and hold the focus button on the control panel until the autofocus process initiates. When the Z
axis stops moving the material is focused.

Important Note: Make sure the lens specified in the system tab of the UCP matches the lens installed in the
laser system when using this feature and that the Auto-Z function is enabled.

Caution: In order for this method to work correctly, the Z axis must be properly homed and calibrated to the

lens being used. To verify this, move the Z axis manually until the Z axis position reads zero and use the
manual focus tool as described in the manual focus section above to verify that the surface of the engraving
table is at the focus plane. If necessary, re-home the Z axis using the home Z command in the UCP viewer
tab and re-check. If you are still having trouble, recalibrate the lens using the lens calibrate function in the
system tab of the UCP.

Initiating laser processing

Once the material is placed and focused, you are ready to initiate laser processing of the selected laser job file. If
you need to use air assist for the material to be processed, make sure you have an air assist cone or backsweep
installed on the carriage and the ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit is properly connected (see the
accessories section for details). Also ensure that your exhaust system is on and exhaust air is flowing through the
machine. Then start the laser job by pressing the start button on the control panel or in the UCP.

Caution: Make sure proper exhaust flow is present in the laser system before initiating laser processing. If

proper exhaust flow is not present, damage to optics and other laser system components can occur very
quickly.

79

Third-Party Graphic Software Conguration

ULS Windows Printer Driver will work with a wide variety of Windows based graphic software to create laser jobs
through the Windows Print System. Every effort has been made to make the printing process as seamless as
possible, however, to get the best results when printing through the ULS Windows Printer Driver, you should be
aware of a few general guidelines for all software as well as some specific notes regarding some of the more
popular Windows software for printing to the laser system.

Note: ULS provides no warranties or guarantees regarding compatibility with any third party software packages
not supplied by ULS.

Note: ULS laser systems are not postscript devices and therefore are not compatible with PostScript fonts. Use
True type fonts only.

General Software Guidelines

Use the following GENERAL guidelines when configuring Windows software applications to print to the ULS
Windows printer driver.

Page Setup

To properly position graphics in the laser system processing field, most graphics software will permit the
customization of the page size and orientation. As a rule of thumb try to set the page orientation in your
software of choice to Landscape and the page size to match the engraving area of your laser system. This
should result in the upper left corner of the page aligning with the upper left corner or zero-zero of the laser
system processing field.

If you are using the manual printer driver tab, the page size in your graphic software may also be reduced to
match the size of your material, but remember to adjust the page size in the printer driver to correspond to the
graphics software’s page size. If the page size in the software and the page size in the ULS printer driver
match the alignment between the upper left corner of the page and upper left corner of the processing field
should be preserved.

Some graphics software will provide on-screen rulers. If this is the case, it is often possible to configure the
rulers so they match those in the laser system. This can also help with positioning of graphics in the
processing field of the laser system.

Power Control through Color Selection

As mentioned earlier your laser system uses colors to assign laser settings to different elements of the
graphics you are printing. The materials database driver tab uses three colors: BLACK (raster objects), RED
(vector cut objects) and BLUE (vector mark objects). The manual driver tab uses a color table of eight colors:
BLACK, BLUE, RED, GREEN, CYAN, MAGENTA and ORANGE. These colors are defined in the RGB (Red­green-blue) color system using the following RGB values. In order to ensure that the colors you are using in
your graphics will map appropriately in to the printer driver colors, you should learn how your graphic software
defines colors and if possible use or set up an RGB pallet with the RGB values listed below.

RED (R) GREEN (G) BLUE (B)

CO

BLACK 0 0 0

LO

RED 255 0 0

RS

GREEN 0 255 0

YELLOW 255 255 0

BLUE 0 0 255

MAGENTA 255 0 255

CYAN 0 255 255

ORANGE 255 102 0

80

Vector Output for Vector Cutting and Marking

The printer driver distinguishes between raster objects (raster engraving) and vector objects (vector cutting
and marking) by the types of elements contained in the graphic being printed. All graphics, other than outlines
of very thin line widths will be interpreted as raster objects and the raster mode will be used for laser
processing. Not all software is capable of printing vector output. If you want to create jobs for vector cutting,
make sure your graphic software of choice allows creation of vector lines and that the line width can be 0.001”
(0.0254 mm) or less. The printer driver will interpret these objects as vectors.

Overlapping Raster Objects

If the artwork created has raster objects that overlap, the driver will automatically filter out the portion of the
object that is not visible so that only the visible part of the underlying filled area will be engraved to prevent
the overlapped area from being engraved twice. This allows the color white to be used as an effective drawing
tool. Since the laser system will not engrave the color white (this is the background color), it can be used to
block out the undesired engraving areas of raster objects. However, you cannot use a white fill to cover a
vector outline, the outline will vector cut even though you cannot see it on screen.

Overlapping Vector Objects

The driver does not filter vector objects that overlap each other. If you place one thin vector outline on top of
another, both outlines will be cut by the laser system. This can be useful for making multiple cutting passes in
one laser job for thicker materials.

Bitmapped Scanned Images

When printing raster objects such as photographs which are grayscale or color bitmaps, keep in mind that the
printer driver uses a dither pattern filter screen to reduce the images to black and white (monochrome
images) for laser processing using variable spacing between the dots to create the illusion of shades of gray.
These dither patterns are relatively coarse so it is not necessary to use high resolution bitmaps. Grayscale or
color photos should be reduced to 300 to 600 dpi for purposes of laser processing and scanned images
should be scanned into the computer at 300 to 600 dpi.

Postscript Images and Fonts

The laser system is not a postscript device. This means that Postscript fills, Postscript textures and especially
Postscript fonts are not compatible with the laser system and should be avoided.

Font Troubles

Occasionally you may have trouble printing certain fonts at certain sizes in some Windows applications. In
these cases it is sometimes helpful to export the graphic to a bitmap format, such as jpeg, and re-import it into
your software. This process forces the fonts to be converted to bitmap images.

Adobe Illustrator CS or CS2

Illustrator versions CS and CS2 do not properly support non square landscape pages. For this reason, in order to
print effectively from these programs you must set up your page size as landscape and make the width and height
both equal to the largest dimension of your laser system’s processing field. For example, if your processing field is
24” wide x 12” tall, make the page in Illustrator 24” x 24” landscape. You can then treat the upper left corner of the
illustrator page as the zero-zero point in the laser system processing field and only use the upper half of the page
in illustrator. Anything in the lower half of the page will not be printed. Also make sure you are using an RGB color
palette and the vector line stroke width is set to .001” (.0254 mm) or less.

Adobe Illustrator CS3 and higher

Illustrator versions CS3 and higher treat landscape page sizes correctly, but make sure you select user defined
page size at time of printing and make sure the page size in Illustrator matches the page size in the printer driver.
Also make sure you are using an RGB color palette and the vector line stroke width is set to .001” (.0254 mm) or
less.

81

AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT

Note: AutoCAD version 2000 is not compatible with ULS laser systems. You must upgrade to version 2000i or
higher.

Vector output

Line widths for printing from AutoCAD products are controlled by plot styles. Make sure you set the first eight
pens in the plot style you use to .001” (.0254 mm) or less in order to ensure vector objects are output.

Placement of Graphics

The easiest way to control placement of graphics in the processing field when using AutoCAD is to create a
non-printing rectangle with a width and height equal to the processing field in your laser system. Then print
using the Print Window feature and use the Pick Tool to pick the upper left and lower right corners of the
rectangle as the Print Window. You can then treat the upper left corner of the rectangle as the zero-zero point
in the processing field and lay out your graphics inside the rectangle as desired.

Make sure you print with a 1:1 scale and make the plotter margins zero in the print setup screen. Also make
sure plotter offsets are set to zero.

CorelDRAW (All versions)

CorelDRAW products have a color matching feature which interferes with the proper mapping of colors in
graphics being printed with colors in the printer driver. Make sure to turn color matching feature off when using
CorelDraw.

Solidworks

When using 3D solid modeling software such as Solidworks, you must keep in mind that the laser system is a 2D
device, so you must create a 2D drawing view of the object you want to laser process. You cannot print 3D parts
and assemblies directly to the laser system.

To control placement of your job on the processing table in the laser system, use a custom page size and make it
the same size as your laser system’s material processing area. Make sure to remove any drawing templates and
borders from the page or they will print also and be part of your laser job. Once your page size is set, match the
material processing area in the laser system. Treat the upper left corner of the page as equivalent to the zero-zero
point in the processing field of the laser system. Solidworks does not give you the ability to precisely position
sketch elements on the page, so you can use the relocate feature in the UCP to more precisely position your job
once you have printed them.

Set the thickness for the thin line font in document properties to .001” (.0254 mm) or less to force thin lines to be
output as vector objects. Then assign all line segments in the drawing view the thin line font and change colors as
necessary to map to colors in the printer driver. If you are using the materials database, driver tab remember that
all vector cut objects must be red and all vector mark objects blue.

SPECIAL NOTE: If printing at image density 6 and 7, Solidworks will not print sketch entities assigned the color
black as vector objects regardless of line thickness. Avoid the color black if you want a sketch element to print as
a vector object at image density 6 and 7. At lower image densities this is not a problem.

82

Chapter 5 – Accessories

83

Manual Air Assist

Manual Air Assist is employed with a backsweep or cone to control air flow onto the material during laser material
processing. This feature also provides compressed air to the optics (mirrors and lenses) in the system reducing
contamination. Air assists aids in removing smoke and debris from the laser processing area and directing it to the
exhaust. It also helps reduce the heat affected zone in the material being processed and helps to prevent flame
up when processing certain materials. Use of cone vs. backsweep is dependent on the application. The
backsweep fitting is geared more toward engraving applications and the cone is geared more toward cutting
applications.

NOTE: Air Assist can decrease frequency of cleaning for the optics but will not decrease the need for
maintenance as a whole.

Air Supply Requirements

Air Assist requires a compressed air source. ULS recommends the optional ULS Computer Controlled
Compressed Air Unit which is designed specifically for ULS laser systems. If you choose to use a different
source of compressed air, it must be capable of supplying 50 PSI max pressure and 2.0 cfm free air flow (3.2
bar and 3.2 cubic meters/hour). The air supply must be oil-free, moisture-free and particulate filtered.

CAUTION: A contaminated air supply can cause damage to the laser system. Air or gas supply pressures

higher than 60 PSI (4.1 bar) can rupture the internal hoses. Damage to the laser system from improper air
or gas supply is not covered under warranty.

Connections to the Manual Air Assist

On the left rear side of the laser system you will find
the flow adjustment valve (2), a pressure gauge (1)
quick release fitting (4) and mating quick fitting (3)
which accepts a ¼” NPT fitting.

Functions of the Manual Air Assist

From the Quick Release Fitting (1) on the back of the
laser system, the compressed air source is directed to
the optics protection path and also to the cone or
backsweep. The optics protection path is a direct path
from the air source (1) to the #2 mirror (4) and the #3
mirror (5). The cone/backsweep path goes through the
flow adjustment valve (2), then a pressure gauge (6) and
then to the cone (3). The amount of air flowing through
the cone is adjusted using the flow adjustment valve (2)
and pressure gauge (6). The cone path protects the
focus lens and provides a downward flow directly into the beam path at the focus point of the laser beam.

The Manual Air Assist also has a built in pressure sensors that will detect insufficient supply pressure and will
stop laser processing. An error message, “The air pressure is low or unstable” will appear on the computer
monitor, indicating that there is a problem with your supply of compressed air.

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Air Flow Setting Guidelines

As a rule of thumb the flow rate should be set as low as possible for the application especially when using
gas, start with low flow and adjust upward until the desired result such as suppression of flame up.

Maintenance

The components of the Manual Air Assist are maintenance free. However, use of air assist may cause the
interior of the laser system to become dirty faster. Keep you laser system clean for best performance.

Computer Controlled Air Assist

Computer Controlled Air Assist is employed with a backsweep or cone to control air or gas flow onto the material
during laser material processing. This feature also provides compressed air to the optics (mirrors and lenses) in
the system reducing contamination. Air/Gas assist aids in removing smoke and debris from the laser processing
area and directing it to the exhaust. It also helps reduce the heat affected zone in the material being processed
and helps to prevent flame up when processing certain materials. Use of this system requires a supply of 50 PSI
max pressure and 2.0 cfm free air flow (3.2 bar and 3.2 cubic meters/hour), clean, dry oil free compressed air or
gas. Air can be provided by the ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit. Gas, such as nitrogen or carbon
dioxide, can be supplied from pressurized gas tanks with a pressure regulator to keep pressure below 60 PSI.
That can be procured from local industrial gas vendors. Use of cone vs. backsweep is dependent on the
application. The backsweep fitting is geared more toward engraving applications and the cone is geared more
toward cutting applications.

CAUTION: Do not use flammable or corrosive gases as this can result in injury or fire.

NOTE: Air Assist can decrease frequency of required cleaning for the optics, but will not decrease the need
for maintenance as a whole.

Solenoids are employed to control the air flow automatically as a laser job is processed. Use of air assist is
programmed through the printer driver when a laser job is created. Air or gas can be selected independently
for raster, vector marking and vector cutting using the materials database tab of the printer driver and can be
selected independently per color in the color table using the manual printer driver tab. Flow rate can be
selected in 25% increments.

Connections to the Computer Controlled Air Assist

• Compressed Air from the ULS computer Controlled

Compressed Air Unit connects to the fitting labeled
“air in” (2).

• Gas supply is connected to the fitting labeled “gas in”

(3). The quick fitting used to connect the gas supply
accepts a ¼ NPT fitting.

• The control cable for the ULS computer Controlled

Compressed Air Unit is attached to the connector
labeled compressor (4).

Functions of the Computer Controlled Air Assist

The control box (1) (represented by the dotted lines) directs the
compressed air source to the optics protection path and also to
the cone. The optics protection path is a direct path from the
entry point of the compressed air source (2) to the #2 mirror (3)
and #3 mirror (4). The air supply for the cone or backsweep
comes from either the AIR valve (5) or the GAS valve (6), then

85

travels through a flow control device (7) which adjusts its flow in increments of 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% and
finally to the cone or backsweep. The flow control device (7) can be adjusted through the printer driver
settings. The cone path protects the focus lens (8) and provides a downward flow directly into the beam path
at the focus point of the laser beam. You choose which source (Gas or Air) (5 or 6) to use through the printer
drivers’ settings. If you choose to use a gas to supply the cone, the supply must go through the GAS coupling
(9).

As the diagram indicates, the optics protection path is not regulated nor solenoid valve controlled. So when
the ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit is on air will always flow to the optics to reduce
contamination.

When the ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit is in auto mode and you press the “Start” button on
the laser system, the Air Assist control box will turn ON the ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit
and will keep the ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit ON until the file completes.

The control box also has built in pressure sensors that will detect insufficient supply pressure and will stop
laser processing. An error message, “The air pressure is low or unstable” will appear on the computer
monitor, indicating that there is a problem with your supply of air or gas.

Air Flow Setting Guidelines

As a rule of thumb the flow rate should be set as low as possible for the application especially when using
gas. Start with low flow and adjust upward until the desired result is achieved, such as suppression of flame
up.

Maintenance

The components of the computer controlled air assist are maintenance free. However, use of air assist may
cause the interior of the laser system to become dirty faster. Keep you laser system clean for best
performance.

Air Assist Back Sweep

The Air Assist Back Sweep directs debris and smoke away from cutting or engraving process toward the exhaust
at the back of the laser system. When using the air assist back sweep, you can adjust the angle of the air jet
coming from the back sweep as necessary to optimize the effect of the air assist.

1. To install the back sweep remove the thumbscrew that seals the air assist feed port for the

backsweep.

2. Insert the air assist back sweep’s brass tube into the forward of the two holes on the carriage.

86

3. Use the thumbscrew (1) removed earlier to hold the air assist back sweep in place. Adjust the air

assist back sweep’s height by loosening the thumbscrew (2) and adjusting it up or down. Tighten the
thumbscrew once it is at the desired height. To adjust the angle of the air flow, turn the screw (3) in
small increments to direct the air jet to the desired position over the material. A convenient way to
align the air flow is to focus on the material to be processed and then align the nozzle using the angle
and height adjustments toward the red target laser which is on when the laser system is powered on
and the top door is open.

Note: If you remove the backsweep, always remember to reattach the mounting thumbscrew (1) to seal the
air feed port.

Air Assist Cone

To install the cone, insert the cone (1) into the cone base completely until it bottoms out. Tighten the screw on the
side of the cone base (2) until it is snug. To remove the cone, simply loosen the screw (2) and pull the cone
straight down. Do not remove or loosen the cone base mounting screws (3) & (4) to mount or dismount the cone.
These screws keep the cone base aligned with the laser beam. If the cone becomes misaligned with the beam,
portions of the laser beam will be clipped causing a loss of laser power to the material. If this occurs, follow
instructions below to realign the cone.

87

CAUTION: Do not install the cone unless you plan on using Air Assist and never use the Air Assist Cone

without proper airflow. Leaving the cone attached to the cone base and running the laser system without
airflow will cause smoke from laser processing to be drawn up into the cone and rapidly damage the focus
lens. Also remember to make sure the back sweep mounting screw is installed in the air feed hole for the
back sweep when using the cone so air does not escape out the back sweep air feed port.

Cone Alignment Check and Adjust

1. Power the laser system ON and start the UCP.

2. Open the top door.

3. Position the focus carriage in the middle of the field.

4. Place a piece of paper (1) underneath the cone and observe the
position of the red beam (2) in relation to the center of the bottom of the
cone (3).

5. If the red beam is not centered, first make sure the cone is seated
correctly, then if necessary, slightly (1/4 turn) loosen the mounting
screws for the cone base and adjust the base (5) until the red diode
laser comes out of the center of the cone opening.

6. Tighten the base mounting screws (4) gently and re-check the
cone’s alignment.

ULS Computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit

The ULS Computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit provides a 50 PSI max pressure and 2.0 cfm free air flow (3.2
bar and 3.2 cubic meters/hour) source of clean, dry, oil free compressed air for air assisted laser material
processing. It can be used in conjunction with either the Air Assist Cone or Air Assist Back Sweep accessory. It
also supplied compressed air for optics protection. It contains a sound insulated air compressor. It contains a
sound insulated air compressor, water dryer and particulate filter.

Installation

1. Make sure the laser system is turned off.

2. Plug one end of a blue coiled hose into the compressor outlet fitting and the other end into the
laser system air inlet.

3. Plug the one end of the control cable into the control connector on the compressor and plug the
other end into the compressor control connector on the back of the machine.

4. Plug the compressor into a wall outlet. Please check the rating on your air compressor for power
requirements.

5. The compressor is automatically controlled by the laser system. If you have selected the Air or
Gas setting in the printer driver, the Air Compressor will automatically turn ON when a laser job is
running and OFF when the job is complete. (There is also a manual ON/OFF switch on the back
of the unit to verify operation).

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Controls:

The ULS Computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit functions automatically when connected the laser system
and no operator intervention is necessary. Controls and indicators on the unit are for diagnostics and provide
the following information:

Link light – blinks to indicate good communications link with the laser system

ON and OFF lights – indicate the state of the compressor. If the ON light is illuminated the compressor
should be running and supplying compressed air. If the OFF light is illuminated the compressor should be
off and no compressed air is being supplied.

Manual ON/OFF switch – turns compressor on or off manually to verify operation.

Computer Controlled
Air Assist

Compressor Gas

BLUE COILED HOSE

Air

CONTROL

BLUE COILED HOSE

FITTING

FILTER

WIRE

LINK

ON

MANUAL
ON/OFF

SWITCH

COMMUNICATION

PORT

INPUT

POWER

OFF

Maintenance

The particle filter should be inspected every 8 to 16 hours of use. Clean out the filter as necessary. The filter can
be inspected by unscrewing the lower bell shaped portion of the filter housing (1/8 turn) and removing the red
foam filter found inside. If it needs cleaning, wash it in water, dry it thoroughly and reassemble.

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Cutting Table

The cutting table is used to support material when cutting so that exhaust flow is redirected both above and below
the material for clean cuts. Without it, smoke and debris can build up underneath the material and cause the
surface of the material to be damaged. The cutting table also helps to reduce damage to the surface of the
material from laser back reflection which can occur when the laser reflects off of the table supporting the material
if you attempt to cut without the cutting table. The cutting table is installed directly on top of the engraving table.

Installation

1. Turn on your laser system.

2. Lower the table to the bottom of its travel.

3. Remove the strip(s) from the exhaust plenum(s) (1) with a screw driver.

4. Before installing the cutting table in the laser system, loosen the duct adjusting thumb screws on the side
of the cutting table just enough to allow the manifold to slide in and out. Extend the adjustable manifold
out as far as it can go.

5. Open the front door of the laser system and carefully insert the cutting table into the laser system, so that
the four feet on the bottom of the cutting table are resting on the engraving table in the laser system. Then
slide the table back and to the left until the two rear feet are up against the X axis ruler and the left rear
foot is up against the Y axis ruler. The feet of the cutting table must be aligned properly with the X and Y
rulers in the laser system in order to ensure that the rulers on the cutting table line up with the processing
field.

6. Make sure the adjustable manifold is squarely up against the exhaust plenum in the back of the machine
to ensure good exhaust flow below the material and tighten the four screws on the side of the cutting
table. Be careful not to move the cutting table while tightening the screws.

7. You can use the red pointer diode to ensure the cutting table is aligned to the processing field, by moving
the red pointer around the edge of the field using the manual motion keys. If the cutting table is not
aligned, check that the feet are properly pressed against the X Y rulers in the machine. If the feet are
properly positioned and the rulers are still not aligned, you can adjust them by loosening their mounting

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screws slightly (you may have to remove the cutting table to do this). Adjust the rulers and then retighten
the screws.

Cutting Table Focus Lens Calibration

CAUTION: To properly use the cutting table with the autofocus feature or the

auto Z feature in the printer driver, the Cutting table must be calibrated to the
lens you are using. This is done at the factory when the machine ships. You
can check calibration by using the manual focus tool to focus on the surface
of the cutting table. Make sure to use the manual focus tool included with the
lens installed in the laser system and that the lens selected in the system tab
matches the lens installed in the laser system. Once focused, the Z position
indicated in the UCP should be 0” +/-.020” (.508 mm). However, if you ever
have to recalibrate, there is a calibrate feature in the system tab of the UCP
which will walk you through the process.

Note: When calibrating the PLW6MW, the cutting table must be calibrated twice, once for each type of laser

source. Be sure to use a CO2 laser focus tool with a CO2 laser installed, and a fiber laser focus tool with a
fiber laser installed.

Maintenance

As you use the cutting table material from the cutting process may fall through the honeycomb surface and collect
in the bottom of the cutting table. Periodically check this area and remove any material that has collected there.

Caution: If left to build up in the bottom of the cutting table, this scrap material can be a fire hazard.

The honeycomb material that makes up the support surface for materials being cut will wear out over time and
can easily be replaced. New honeycomb can be purchased from the Customer Service Team at ULS. To replace
the material, remove the rulers and flanges that hold the honeycomb in place around its edges. Remove the old
honeycomb and replace it with a new one. Reinstall the edge flanges and rulers. Rulers should be installed
slightly loose and then adjusted to match the edges of the processing area by placing the cutting table back into
the machine and following step 7 of the installation instructions above.

Dual Head (CO2 only)

The Dual Head option adds a second carriage to the X axis with a laser beam splitter inside which splits the laser
beam into two beams with half the power each, allowing you to simultaneously engrave or cut two copies of an
image or pattern. The Dual Head option can significantly reduce your overall engraving time, however, there are
limitations involved when using this option. The Dual Head can only be used with a CO2 laser installed.

• It is not always “twice as fast” compared to engraving with a single head for two reasons. One reason

is that because the beam is split you only have half as much laser power per carriage and this may
require you to slow the laser processing speed down to achieve the desired results. The second
reason is that the motion system accelerations are automatically reduced due to the added weight of
the second carriage.

• The beam is not split EXACTLY 50/50; there is as much as +/- 5% variation between the power levels

of the two laser beams after splitting. Although it is close enough for most applications, the dual head
option may not be suitable for very power sensitive applications, such as cloth or vinyl cutting.

• Because of a shift in the beam caused by passing the beam through splitting optics in the Dual Head

carriage, the engraving field WILL NOT be split EXACTLY in half. The focus position of the laser
beam in the carriage furthest to the right will be shifted by about +/- 1/16th of an inch (1.59 mm).
Because of this shift, you should use the red alignment pointer beams to locate the new upper left
corners of the split engraving and cutting field on the X axis ruler and compensate when setting up
your graphics.

With the Dual Head option installed, the beam splitter optic inside of the Dual head carriage splits the laser
beam in half. It reflects one half of the laser beam down through the focus lens inside the Dual Head carriage

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and passes the other half of the laser beam through the beam splitter. The second half of the laser beam then
travels through the beam tube and is deflected by the primary carriage mirror and through the focus lens.

Installation

Note: The example below assumes that you have also purchased the Dual Head Air Assist option. If you
do not have the Dual Head Air Assist option, ignore the section on Dual Head Air Assist installation. Also
keep in mind that backsweep fittings are not compatible with the dual head option.

1. Examine the Dual Head carriage and note that single lower bearing assembly on the carriage is attached
to a spring loaded pivot arm.

2. Install the dual head carriage on the X axis rail to the left of the primary carriage by engaging the lower
wheel in the lower V groove of the rail as shown and pulling up on the carriage to rotate the spring loaded
pivot arm enough to slip the upper wheels over the top of the rail and into the upper V groove.

3. Verify that all three bearings are in their respective grooves in the X rail and gently roll the carriage back
and forth on the rail to ensure that it rolls smoothly.

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4. Locate the threaded mounting holes on the right side of the Dual Head carriage shown below and the
similar threaded mounting holes on the left side of the primary carriage.

5. Pick up the Dual Head tube and note the “L” (Left) and “R” (Right) markings. Install the tube using the
supplied mounting screws as shown below. Installation is now complete unless you have the Dual Head
Air Assist Option in which case you can proceed to optional steps below.

Dual Head Air Assist Installation

a. If you have the Dual Head Air Assist option, locate the two black thumbscrews on the left side of the

primary carriage and remove them.

b. Insert the brass tube with bracket into the hole (1) where the rear thumbscrew was removed. Use the

other thumbscrew (2) to secure the bracket in place.

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c. Attach the other end of the Air hose to the Dual Head carriage in the same way.
d. Install cones in both carriages as shown.

Operation

1. Start your graphics program and create new artwork or open existing artwork. Remember that the Dual

Head Option splits the engraving/cutting area in two halves in the X direction. Make sure your artwork fits
in half the engraving area.

2. Select “Print,” choose your printer (if the laser system is not set as your default) and select Printer

Properties to bring up the Printer Driver settings.

3. Select the Engraving Field sub-tab within the Manual Control Tab and then click the “Dual Head” option

box. A pop-up message will appear asking you to verify your page size in your graphics software because
the driver’s page “Width” will now be half of what it was. Make a note of the new dual head page size.

4. Adjust the page size and orientation in your graphics program to match the new dual head page size and

orientation in the driver.

Note: Some graphics programs do not allow your “Width” to be smaller than your “Height” when in the
Landscape mode and will force the page orientation in your graphics program to “Portrait” mode. If this is
the case and you cannot get the laser to engrave in the proper location using the full dimensions of the
dual head page size, you might need to reduce your “Height” to something slightly smaller than your
“Width” in both the Printer Driver and the graphics software program.

5. Position your graphic as required on the new page size.

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Removal

Remove the Dual Head Option by reversing the order of the steps used for installation. If you have the Air
Assist option, remember to put the black thumbscrews back into the original holes in the primary carriage to
prevent air leaks. Also, be sure to uncheck the “Dual Head” option in the printer driver.

HPDFO

High Power Density Focusing Optics (HPDFO) has a smaller focal spot size than a standard

2.0” inch lens. Depending on the type of material being processed, the effective spot size
produced by the HPDFO can be as small as 1/4th the size of a standard 2.0” focusing lens. .

With a smaller spot size (higher power density), depending on your material, you can engrave
smaller text, produce sharper graphics and photographs and vector mark and cut thinner lines
with the same laser power. With the HPDFO it is also possible to scribe and/or etch some
uncoated metals, such as stainless steel, directly with a CO2 laser without the assistance of
chemicals or coatings.

The HPDFO replaces the standard lens kit in the carriage and comes with its own calibrated focal tool which
should always be used when focusing with the HPDFO.

Installation

1. Turn off the laser system.

2. Bring the X-Arm forward by hand.

3. Remove the three thumbscrews that hold the lens kit in place and slide the lens kit out.

4. Replace the standard lens kit with the HPDFO lens kit.

5. Before running a file, select HPDFO from the lens size list on the UCP’s System Tab.

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Lens Kits

There are four Focus Lens Kits available for CO2-only laser systems: 2.0, 1.5, 2.5,

4.0, along with the High Power Density Focusing Optics (HPDFO). For the
PLS6MW, special multi-wavelength 2.0,4.0, and HPDFO Focus Lens Kits are
available in place of the standard CO2 only Focus Lens Kits. One calibrated focus
tool is included with each CO2-only kit, and two focus tools (one for CO2
wavelengths, one for fiber wavelengths) are included with each multi-wave kit.

Different lenses produce different spot sizes and have different focal ranges. For
example, the 1.5 lens produces a spot size of 0.003” (0.076 mm) and has an
effective focal range of +/- 0.075” (1.91 mm). This lens can engrave very fine detail,
but can only be used on very flat materials. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the 4.0 lens has a spot size of

0.013” (0.330 mm), but has an effective focal range of +/- 0.2” (5.08 mm) making it much less sensitive to flatness
of material and accuracy of focus but with the trade off of a larger spot size. Contact Universal Laser Systems
customer support for help in choosing the right lens for your application.

Automation Kit

The Automation Kit provides six inputs to initiate various laser system functions using signals from external
devices, such as PLCs and provides two outputs for polling laser system status. The automation kit is
automatically detected upon power-up, and is configured from the System Tab in the UCP. If the automation kit is
not present, the controls for the automation kit on the systems tab of the UCP will not be visible.

CAUTION: ULS does not authorize or support third party safety devices via the Automation Kit. Outputs are

intended to be used for informational purposes such as to indicate error conditions; they are not intended to
drive external devices.

Installation

1. Insure power is off to the engraver and any accessories such as the compressor.

2. Using the supplied patch cable, plug the round end into the laser system Computer Controlled Air Assist,

“COMPRESSOR” jack.

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3. Then connect the other end of the patch cable to the PWR/COM IN RJ9 connector at top of Automation

Kit.

4. (Optional) If you are using an ULS computer Controlled Compressed Air Unit for air assisted laser

processing, use the included RJ9-to-RJ9 cable to connect the compressor to the unused RJ9 PWR/COM
OUT jack on the automation kit.

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External Wiring

The automation kit connector J2 is used to wire external signals to six programmable inputs which can initiate
various laser functions. To trigger a function, supply between 5V DC to 24V DC to one of the input pins as
shown below. It is not necessary to limit current with a resistor to the input pins. The pulse on the input pins
should be held high longer than 5mS in order to register.

The automation kit connector J6 is used to poll the two programmable status outputs. It can be used in two
modes, selectable by the “PNP/NPN” switch on the top of the board. LED 5 indicates the position of this
switch, lighting up green for PNP or red for NPN mode. Two example diagrams are shown below to indicate
the difference between the modes. PNP (also known by the name “open-collector”) mode is recommended in
most cases. In both modes, the user must supply correct value resistors to limit the current to 25mA or less.
The voltage used should not exceed 32V DC.

Automation Kit I/O Connections

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Example Connection for PNP mode

Example Connection for NPN mode

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Available Automation Port Functions

Input and output events are configured in the systems tab of the UCP. The controls for automation Port setup
will only be visible if the automation board is plugged in and working properly.

You can configure the input functions to perform the following actions: Start Job, Pause Job, Resume Job,
Select Previous Job, Select Next Job, Initiate Autofocus, Display a Message, Z height and Quit the UCP
application. A delay can be programmed before each action occurs and messages can be assigned to each
action.

You can configure the Output Ports via the Output Events menu to supply information about the completion
and abortion of jobs. Jobs are aborted when any error or a pause occurs. The output ports will change state
when the event assigned to them occurs.

Automation Port Conguration Example

There are many ways to employ the automation port functions. In this example, we will use two functions -­“start job” and “pause job” -- to illustrate the Automation feature.

1. Verify that the Automation board is installed.

2. Wire signals from your control system to J2-1 and J2-2
and the return wires for each signal to J2-4 as indicated
in the schematics.

3. Print a job to the UCP.

4. Proceed to the UCP’s System Tab.

5. Set Input Function 1 to Start Job and add a 5 second
delay.

6. Set Input Function 2 to Pause Job and add a 5 second
delay.

7. Select Disabled for the remaining functions.

8. Using your control system, activate the signal to function 1 to start the selected job. The job should start
running.

9. Then using your control system, activate the signal to function 2 to pause the job. The job should pause.

Setting up messages to accompany input functions

The MESSAGE button allows the user to input a custom message that appears when a function is initiated
after a programmable delay. The message can also include a “Proceed” or “Cancel” button which the user
would have to select before the action took place. For example, you can add a message to the Start Job
command “Is the material loaded in the laser system?” and the message box can be set to display two
buttons -- “OK” or “CANCEL” -- which the user would have to press before the job can be initiated.

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