Universal Laser Systems ULS-25 Operation Manual

OPERATION MANUAL

ULS-25 LASER SYSTEM

Universal Laser Systems, Inc.

16008 North 81st Street

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Phone: 602-483-1214

Fax: 602-483-5620

Volume I, Rev. 6 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOTICE.......................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................5

SECTION 1 - SAFETY

1.1 LASER SAFETY............................................................................................................6

1.2 SAFETY LABELS..........................................................................................................7

1.3 THE SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM .........................................................................8

SECTION 2 - INSTALLATION

2.1 UNPACKING AND ASSEMBLING THE SYSTEM ....................................................9

2.2 OPERATING ENVIRONMENT....................................................................................11

2.3 EXHAUST SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.......................................................................12

2.4 COMPUTER RECOMMENDATIONS AND SETUP...................................................13

2.5 LASER SYSTEM INSTALLATION..............................................................................13

2.6 HOW TO INSTALL THE ULS WINDOWS PRINTER DRIVER .................................14

SECTION 3 - SOFTWARE SETUP AND OPERATION

3.1 USING WINDOWS GRAPHICS SOFTWARE ............................................................16

3.2 THE ULS WINDOWS PRINTER DRIVER...................................................................21

3.3 USING DOS BASED PROGRAMS ..............................................................................26

SECTION 4 - LASER SYSTEM OPERATION

4.1 GENERAL SYSTEM OVERVIEW................................................................................27

4.2 THE MAIN CONTROL PANEL ...................................................................................28

4.3 MOTION SYSTEM CONTROLS .................................................................................38

4.4 LOADING AND FOCUSING THE LASER SYSTEM..................................................39

4.5 RUNNING A SAMPLE.................................................................................................41

4.6 USING THE OPTIONAL ROTARY FIXTURE.............................................................42

4.7 THE RUBBER STAMP OPTION ..................................................................................48

4.8 START UP PARAMETERS FOR VARIOUS MATERIALS .........................................51

SECTION 5 - BASIC MAINTENANCE

5.1 GENERAL CLEANING OF THE SYSTEM..................................................................77

5.2 OPTICS CLEANING.....................................................................................................72

SECTION 6 - APPENDICES

APPENDIX A - WARRANTY..............................................................................................A

APPENDIX B - LASER SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................B

APPENDIX C - SERIAL PORT CABLE REQUIREMENTS ...............................................C

APPENDIX D - LASER.INI MODIFICATIONS.................................................................D

APPENDIX E - SOFTWARE ANOMALIES .......................................................................E

This publication and its contents are proprietary to Universal Laser Systems, Inc., and are intended solely for the contractual use of Universal Laser Systems, Inc. customers.

This publication and its contents may not be reproduced or distributed for any other purpose without the written permission of Universal Laser Systems, Inc.

NOTICE

Universal Laser Systems, Inc. does not assume any liability arising out of the application or use of any products, circuits or software described herein. Neither does it convey a license under its patent rights nor the patent rights of others. Universal Laser Systems, Inc. further reserves the right to make any changes in any products described herein without notice. This document is subject to change without notice.

INTRODUCTION

The ULS-25 Laser System is designed to combine flexibility and full featured performance with simplicity and ease of use. Using advanced engineering and design, the ULS -25 offers finer control, higher precision, more versatility, better resolution, and overall greater quality than any other laser system in its class. It combines the performance of high speed engraving and cutting capabilities with the ease of a user friendly, specially designed, Windows printer driver interface. Actually, the ULS -25 is such a breakthrough in technology that it is more than just a laser system, it is a precision engraving and cutting device used as a tool for the imagination.

To begin with, we highly recommend that this entire manual be read before attempting to use the laser system. The manual includes important information about the safety, assembly, use, and maintenance of the laser system. We cannot overemphasize the importance of reading the owner's manual

completely.

Where to get HELP:

If it is necessary to call for technical assistance, please call our technical support services at (602)483-

1214. Please be prepared to answer our questions by following the procedures below, as this will allow us to provide assistance in a prompt and efficient manner:

m Take a moment to write down all of the pertinent information about the computer

being used with the laser cutting and engraving system such as software, operating system and computer type.

m Try to recreate the problem and write down the circumstances in which the problem

occurred. This will help our technical staff tremendously.

m If possible call from a phone that is close to the laser engraving system so that the

system can be operated while talking with our technical support staff.

SECTION 1 - SAFETY

1.1 LASER SAFETY

This laser engraving system contains a sealed carbon dioxide laser produces intense and invisible laser radiation (at a wavelength of 10.6 microns in the infrared spectrum). The ULS laser engraving system is designed as a CLASS I device, meaning that the system is equipped with a protective housing and safety devices to completely contain the laser under normal use. Do not at any time attempt to modify or disassemble any part of the system and do not attempt to operate a system that has been modified or disassembled. Improper use of controls and adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified in this manual may invalidate the Class I rating and result in exposure to the laser beam.

Please remember the following safety precautions when operating this laser cutting and engraving system:

1. Exposure to laser radiation may produce physical burns and can cause severe eye damage. Proper use and care of this system is very important to the safety of all people in the surrounding area.

2. Exposure to the laser beam may cause ignition of combustible materials so a properly maintained

fire extinguisher should be kept on hand at all times.

3. Operation and care of this laser cutting and engraving system must be performed in accordance

with this manual.

4. Dangerous voltages are present within the electronics and laser enclosures of this system.

Although access to these areas is not necessary during normal use, if it becomes necessary to open one of these enclosures for service reasons please remember to UNPLUG THE MACHINE FIRST.

5. Never operate the laser system without properly exhausting the fumes generated by the cutting

and engraving process.

6. Please contact ULS with any questions concerning laser safety before operating this system.

Note: ULS systems are specifically designed to comply with CDRH performance requirements

under 21CFR 1040.10 and 1040.11. No guarantees of suitability or safety are provided for any use other than those specified by Universal Laser Systems, Inc.

1.2 SAFETY LABELS

According to CDRH standards, all interlocked and non-interlocked covers that allow access to a laser beam must have appropriate laser safety labels attached to them. These labels must be visible to personnel prior to the removal of the covers. Additional labels must be installed inside the machine and be visible if the covers are removed from the machine. Labels that provide the manufacturer's name, date of manufacture, description of product, model number, serial number and compliance statement must also be visible on the outside of the machine.

All CDRH required labels are properly affixed to the machine in the appropriate locations at the time of manufacture. These labels are not to be removed. If they become damaged or removed for any reason, please request additional labels from Universal Laser Systems (they will be provided free of charge). Below is a list of all the labels and their locations on the system.

Laser Processing System Manufactured By:

Scottsdale, Arizona

Model No: Serial No: Date of Manufacture:

Made in USA

Manufacturer's Label

Location: On the back of the machine in the lower left corner.

CDRH Compliance Label

Location: On the back of the machine below the Manufacturer's Label.

Warning Label for Interlocked Panels and Doors

Location: On the outside of the top door, on the inside of the top door

(visible when door is open), on the outside of the front door, on the

inside of the front door (visible when door is open) and next to the

defeat interlock tool receptacle.

Exposure Warning Label Location: Near the beam window inside the system where the laser beam enters the work area and next to the beam aperture inside the

second mirror housing.

Warning Label for Non-interlocked Panels Location: On the second mirror cover (visible when the electronics cover is open or removed) and on the floor of the second mirror housing (visible

when the second mirror cover is removed).

1.3 THE SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM

The laser cutting and engraving system incorporates a safety interlock circuit that automatically shuts off the power supplied to the laser whenever the front or top door is opened. This interlock system is connected in series with a switch and a red indicator light on the control panel of the system. The switch allows the power to the laser to be manually turned on and off. The red indicator light will light up when power is being supplied to the laser. If at any time the red indicator light remains on when the front or top door is open, immediately unplug the system and call Universal Laser Systems for service instructions.

WARNING:

Do not attempt to modify or defeat the safety interlock system for any reason as this could result in exposure to hazardous laser radiation.

WARNING:

When using the interlock defeat tool, wear appropriate laser safety goggles. Failure to wear appropriate goggles can result in severe eye damage.

SECTION 2 - INSTALLATION

2.1 UNPACKING AND ASSEMBLING THE SYSTEM

The laser engraving machine is shipped in one crate that contains the system, a cart with casters and various accessories. The following steps outline the unpacking and assembly of the system. Please follow these steps carefully.

IMPORTANT

Save the shipping crate. If the system must be returned for service, it will have to be packed in its original shipping crate.

1. Remove the top and four sides from the wooden shipping crate. Remember, after the laser engraving system is assembled, store the flattened crate in a dry place.

2. Remove the cart panel and accessories box from the crate. The cart panel is shipped between two pieces of foam in front of the laser engraving system and the accessories box is shipped behind the system underneath the enclosure with the four fans mounted on it.

3. Carefully remove the foam which protects the viewing window on the top of the system and remove the tape which holds the top door in place.

4. Remove the box containing the two cart legs. This box is shipped inside the laser engraving system. To remove the box, open the top lid of the system and raise the engraving table by turning the engraving table adjusting knob clockwise until the table is raised high enough to free the box underneath it. Then open the front door of the system and slide the box out through the front opening.

5. Open the accessories box and remove the four black casters and the bag of hardware. The hardware bag should contain the following:

(8) 10-32 Allen head screws (8) #10 lock washers (4) 1/4-20 Allen head screws (4) 1/4 " ID flat washers (1) 5/32 inch Allen wrench (1) 3/16 inch Allen wrench

A 3/4 inch wrench provided in the accessories box is needed to complete the stand assembly.

6. Using the smaller Allen wrench, attach the two legs to the center panel with the eight 10-32 Allen head screws and #10 lock washers as shown in the figure below.

7. Attach the four black casters to the cart by threading the casters into the nuts that are welded onto the bottom of each leg. Tighten each caster in place with the 3/4 inch wrench. There are two locking and two non-locking casters provided. Make sure when attaching the casters that the locking casters are installed on the front of the cart. To identify the front of the cart look at the center panel. The finished side of the center panel should face forward (see figure below).

Use 10-32 screws and lock washers

View is from the

back side of the cart

Assemble cart with lockable casters in front

Cart Assembly

8. When the cart is assembled, position it so that the finished side of the center panel is facing forward.

9. Lift the laser engraving system from the crate and place it on the cart. This will require two people as the machine weighs approximately 170 lbs.

10. Using the larger Allen wrench, attach the system to the cart using the four 1/4-20 Allen head screws and flat washers. The screws pass through the cart legs and into the bottom of the system as shown in the drawing below.

Attaching Cart to Laser System

2.2 OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

Before the system is installed, choose a suitable location. Follow the guidelines below:

m Avoid places where the system may be exposed to high temperatures,

dust, or high humidity (humidity exceeding 70% or where the

temperatu re is near the dewpoint). The laser system should be installed in an office type environment.

m Avoid places where the system may be exposed to high levels of vibration

or electrical noise. We recommend using a high quality surge protector (15 Amp capability) to protect the laser engraving system's electronics.

m Avoid small enclosed areas where ventilation is poor.

m Choose a place where the ambient operating temperature will remain

between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

m Choose a place which provides a short and direct path to the exhaust

duct work (not provided).

m If planning to connect the laser engraving system to a computer through

the parallel port, choose a location where the computer can be placed within 10 feet of the machine since this is the recommended maximum distance for a parallel cable.

2.3 EXHAUST SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

To properly exhaust fumes and smoke from the laser engraving system during operation, it is necessary to provide an exhaust unit moving a minimum of 235 CFM at 6 inches of static pressure. Many industrial supply companies carry blowers that should meet these requirements.

THROUGH OUR RESEARCH WE HAVE ESTABLISHED GUIDELINES ON THE PROPER CFM RATINGS REQUIRED FOR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THESE RATINGS ARE BASED ON THE MEASURED DISTANCE BETWEEN THE EXHAUST OUTLET ON THE LASER SYSTEM AND THE INLET OF THE EXHAUST BLOWER. WE HAVE FOUND A SUITABLE SUPPLIER FOR THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO USE THIS SUPPLIER, PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE BLOWER THAT YOU PURCHASE MEETS OR EXCEEDS THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATIONS.

DISTANCE BETWEEN

BLOWER AND LASER

6 INCHES STATIC PRESSURE

CFM RATING AT

UP TO 7 FEET 235 @ 6 INCHES STATIC PRESSURE

8 - 14 FEET 410 @ 6 INCHES STATIC PRESSURE 15 - 22 FEET 535 @ 6 INCHES STATIC PRESSURE 23 - 30 FEET 625 @ 6 INCHES STATIC PRESSURE

The blower must be mounted on the outside of the building either on the roof or on a cement pad next to the building. Rigid duct work should be used between the blower unit and the laser system. The exhaust tubing should be smooth walled and have as few bends as possible. Use duct work with a diameter that matches the blower unit and reduce the duct work to four inches just before the point where it attaches to the laser system. Also consider installing a gate to control air flow and to close off the exhaust from the outside environment when the laser is not in use. This is especially useful in colder climates where it is not good to have cold air coming into the laser from the outside. Do not connect the rigid duct work directly to the laser system. Use a short piece of industrial grade, wire reinforced rubber tubing to connect the end of the gate, or tubing, to the laser system. This will provide mobility and will dampen blower vibrations. Do not use a very long piece because it’s spiral construction reduces air flow. Install a hose clamp on both ends of the hose to prevent leaks and to prevent the hose from slipping off.

Having the blower wired to a wall switch in the same room will make it easy to turn it off and on.

WARNING

Do not attempt to operate the laser engraving system without a properly installed and operating exhaust system. Some materials when cut or engraved can produce fumes that are hazardous in concentrated amounts.

We recommend installation of the exhaust system by a licensed contractor to meet safety and local code requirements. Please contact a local air quality control specialist. Again, if there are any questions, please contact our technical support.

Sample Exhaust System Layouts

2.4 COMPUTER RECOMMENDATIONS AND SETUP

The following computer configuration is the minimum requirement necessary to operate in the Windows environment. Using a computer with more speed, memory, and storage capacity will enable the graphic images to be produced faster. A faster computer will perform calculations quicker and will shorten download time to the laser system. Remember, the following is the minimum requirement:

m 386 or higher PC compatible computer

m 4 MB of RAM

m 100 MB hard drive

m One floppy disk drive

m Color VGA monitor

m Mouse

m Microsoft Windows version 3.1

m Windows compatible graphics program

The same configuration can be used for CAD systems except Windows 3.1 and a Windows graphics program would not be necessary.

2.5 LASER SYSTEM INSTALLATION

CAUTION: Please make the following connections in the exact order described otherwise

static electricity can damage the computer and/or the laser system’s electronics.

1. Connect one end of the AC power cord into the receptacle on the right side of the laser system next to the on/off switch. Then connect the other end of the power cord to a 110 volt 60 Hz AC outlet through a good quality surge suppresser. Do the same for the computer system.

2. Make sure both the computer and laser engraving system are plugged in and turned OFF, then connect the laser engraving system to the computer using either a serial or parallel connection.. We recommend the use of a Parallel port connection because it normally provides the best performance. Refer to the following diagram.

Cabling Connections

2.6 HOW TO INSTALL THE ULS WINDOWS PRINTER DRIVER

Installation of the ULS Windows Driver will allow Microsoft Windows version 3.1 to interface with the laser engraving system. This driver is installed the same way as most other Windows printer drivers, and a simple step-by-step installation procedure is outlined below. Complete understanding of how Microsoft Windows works is essential to the operation of the laser system. Please consult the Windows owner's manual on its installation, use, and operation before continuing.

Installation Procedure for the ULS Windows Driver:

1. Start Microsoft Windows, open the Main group in the Program Manager and choose the Control Panel icon. The Control Panel window should open up.

2. Choose the Printers icon from inside the Control Panel window. The printers dialog box should appear.

3. Press the Add button. The dialog box should expand to include a list of printer drivers as shown

in the figure below.

Printers Dialogue Box

4. Select "Install Unlisted or Updated Printer" and press the Install button. The Install Driver dialogue box should appear as in the figure below asking for the location of the new driver.

Add Unlisted Printers Dialog Box

5. Insert the floppy disk containing the Universal Laser Systems Windows Driver into the

appropriate disk drive and type the letter of that drive in the Install Driver box.

6. Press the OK button. A new dialogue box called "Add Unlisted or Updated Printer" should

appear. Choose the appropriate laser system from the list and press the OK button. The driver should now install itself and the laser system should appear in the “Installed Printer” dialog box.

7. Highlight the laser system and click on “Connect”. Select the port the laser system is attached to.

NOTE: A check box named “Fast Printing Direct to Port” located on the bottom of the dialog box should NOT be checked, otherwise file transmission errors can occur. Select OK.

8. Now you MUST click on SETUP to initiate the installation of the driver. The driver settings

screen will now appear. Select OK in the lower right hand corner.

9. Setting the laser system as the default printer and using Print Manager are of personal preference.

At this point, exit the Printers dialogue box and the Control Panel window. Printer driver installation is now complete. Store the driver disk in a safe place.

SECTION 3 - SOFTWARE SETUP AND OPERATION

3.1 USING WINDOWS GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

Page Setup

To properly generate and position artwork, most graphics software will permit the customization of the page size and orientation. Set the page orientation, in the graphics software to Landscape, and the page size to a horizontal length of 17 inches and vertical length of 11.5 inches. The ULS driver’s orientation and page size MUST then be set to match these specifications, otherwise the artwork may not print correctly. When setting page orientation and driver orient ation to Landscape mode, the laser system will operate in the horizontal direction, left to right. If page orientation and driver orientation is set to Portrait mode, the laser system will operate in the vertical direction, forwards and backwards. The laser system is designed to operate best in the Landscape mode and this orientation is highly recommended. The page size may also be reduced to match the size of the engraving material, but remember to adjust the page size in the ULS Windows printer driver to correspond to the graphics software’s page size. Note that in production situations it is often more efficient to leave the page size at its maximum of 17 x 11.5 inches and engrave or cut more than one object at a time. This is accomplished by duplicating the image on screen as many times as necessary to fill up the entire page.

Ruler Setup

Usually the graphics software will provide on-screen rulers which can be configured to match the rulers in the laser system. Using rulers in the software and matching them with the ones provided in the laser system gives the ability to correctly align the graphic on the screen with the material in the laser system. The laser system’s origin is fixed in the upper left corner of the engraving area and cannot be altered. It is necessary to change the ruler position on screen to match the laser system with the origin (0,0) in the upper left corner.

It is also possible to use a page size smaller than the maximum engraving area. For example, if an 8 x 10 inch page size is desired, set this page size in the graphics software as well as the ULS Windows printer driver. The laser system will automatically move the engraving area to the origin so place the 8 x 10 inch object all the way up into the left hand corner against the rulers in the laser system.

Power Control Through Color Selection

The laser system allows the use of 8 different colors to access 8 different power settings when cutting and engraving. This feature is controlled by the ULS Windows printer driver if using Microsoft Windows. When using this power change feature with the ULS Windows printer

driver, the colors that are used MUST exactly match the colors listed in the driver. The colors are black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, and orange. Some programs will provide these basic colors pre-defined and other programs may require the creation of each of the colors by defining them in CMYK percentages. If the eight driver colors are not automatically provided in the software, use the chart below to create the eight driver colors by specifying the appropriate CMYK values:

COLOR CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

BLACK 0 % 0 % 0 % 100 %

RED 0 % 100 % 100 % 0 %

GREEN 100 % 0 % 100 % 0 %

YELLOW 0 % 0 % 100 % 0 %

BLUE 100 % 100 % 0 % 0 %

MAGENTA 0 % 100 % 0 % 0 %

CYAN 100 % 0 % 0 % 0 %

ORANGE 0 % 60 % 100 % 0 %

If using a color other than the exact colors listed above, the driver will attempt to match it to a color in the driver that it most closely resembles. The driver will then use that color’s power setting and apply a halftone pattern to represent the original color’s shade. For example, if using a color like pink to fill a rectangle, the driver takes a reading of the percentage of different colors used to create that color and will use the power setting assigned to one of the eight colors of the driver that it most closely resembles. It might be expected that the driver will use the power setting assigned to the color red but instead the driver may choose the magenta setting and halftone the rectangle as a representation of the pink color’s lighter shade. To prevent the incorrect assignment of laser power, be sure to use the right colors. If using graphics with colors other than the eight listed above or to simplify the assignment of power settings, try using the B/W Raster feature in the driver. This feature will cause the system to only use the power setting assigned to the color black and halftone all of the other colors.

Outlines and Fills

The ULS Windows drive r distinguishes between raster mode (engraving) and vector mode (cutting) by the type of graphic artwork being used. Basically all graphics other than outlines of very thin line widths will be interpreted as engraved images and the raster mode will be used for output. If laser cutting is desired, set the line thickness of the lines that are drawn in the graphics software to .001 inches or the smallest possible line thickness that is available. The printer driver will interpret these objects as vectors and will cut them out. The use of color fills or bitmaps will cause the laser system to engrave. The combination of engraving and cutting is available in most Windows graphics software. We suggest that when combining engraving and cutting objects, use different colors for the fills and outlines since engraving requires different power settings than cutting objects. One thing to keep in mind when creating cutting objects is that if the outline thickness is set too thick, the driver might interpret the outline as a filled object and will engrave the outline instead of cutting. At times this might be desirable if

engraving thick outlines is desired. The outline thickness at which the driver will interpret cut lines as filled objects is dependent on the software used. Usually, any line thickness .008 inches or greater will engrave. The only way to determine the cross over point for line thickness is to experiment with different line widths. Software programs that do not have outline capabilities will not have the ability to cut.

Image Processing Order

When cutting or engraving a graphic image, the laser system will perform all engraving first, then proceed to cutting. Engraving will proceed in the exact order of the colors listed in the driver. For example, all black filled objects will engrave first, then all red filled objects, then all green filled objects and so on. When all engraved objects have been completed, the laser system will proceed to cut any outlines present in the artwork. Unlike engraving, cutting will proceed in the order from which the outlines are drawn regardless of color. There are several different ways to control the order in which the outlines are cut. One way is to draw them in the exact order in which they need to be cut, but this is not always practical. Another way is to select the outline in the graphics software and “send it to the back," behind the other objects, to cause the outline to be cut first. Bringing the outline “to the front” will cause that outline to cut last. A final way is to cut and paste each outline in the cutting order desired. This effectively works the same way as the two previous suggestions.

Overlapping Fills

If the artwork created has overlapping filled areas, the driver will automatically filter these fills to prevent the overlapped area from being engraved twice. This is similar to color separation in the printing industry. The entire filled area of the object on top will be engraved and only the visible part of the underlying filled area will be engraved. The final result is a what-you -see-is-what-you-get output. In this way the color white can 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 filled regions and/or bitmaps.

Overlapping Outlines

The ULS Windows printer driver does not filter outlines that overlap each other. If placing one outline one on top of another, both outlines will be cut by the laser system. This is a useful feature that will allow deeper cutting by passing the laser over a single outline path twice or more. To take advantage of this feature, duplicate the outline on top of itself.

Hidden Vector Lines in Artwork

The ULS Windows printer driver does not automatically filter out outlines that are overlapped by engraved objects such as fills. If there are filled objects with some hidden outlines underneath the filled area, the laser system will then engrave out the fill and cut the hidden outline on top of the fill. This is a common occurrence when using pre-drawn ClipArt designed for laser printers. To prevent this from happening, turn on the B/W raster feature in the ULS Windows printer driver. This feature disables the cutting mode and converts all visible outlines to engraved objects and ignores all hidden outlines.

Optimizing Speed

It is advantageous to engrave an object in its longest direction because total engraving time will be reduced when the motion system has to make fewer stops and starts. If the engraving object is longer than it is tall, a greater engraving speed can be achieved by rotating the graphic 90 degrees and placing the material in the laser system sideways. Be aware that some graphics programs do not allow the rotation of bitmaps. In this case, it may be necessary to use bitmap image processing software to first rotate the bitmap before importing the bitmap into the graphics program.

If the artwork contains engraved objects of the same color with a great deal of space between them in the engraving direction, processing time can be longer since the laser must make long strokes to engrave both objects at the same time. To reduce engraving time in cases like these, use different colors for each of the objects but assign the same power setting to both colors. This will cause the laser to engrave one object at a time, skipping over all blank space, which in many cases will reduce engraving time.

Bitmaps

A Bitmap is a pattern of dots blended to form pictures much like the pictures in a newspaper. Most bitmaps are created by scanning artwork into a computer through a scanner. Others are created by drawing them in a bitmap image processing program. There are essentially two types of bitmaps that the laser system can utilize, monochrome and grayscale bitmaps. Monochrome bitmaps are one bit black and white images and grayscale bitmaps are 8 bit images. There is no advantage to scanning in or using color bitmaps because the ULS Windows Printer Driver converts color bitmaps into grayscale halftone patterns when printing. Color bitmaps consume a large amount of memory and are therefore NOT recommended. Monochrome bitmaps are used when scanning and engraving line art or camera ready black and white images. Grayscale bitmaps are used for scanning and engraving photographs.

When scanning black and white images, scan at the highest DPI that the scanner allows. The higher the DPI, the smoother the image will be. Scanning in at 300 DPI is the minimum recommended resolution for scanning line art (monochrome bitmaps), but 600 DPI provides a significant improvement in the image quality. Grayscale bitmaps usually should be scanned in at no more than 300 DPI. Scanning them in at a higher DPI does not effectively improve image quality and consumes large amounts of memory. As a rule of thumb, scan photographs at 300 DPI and line art images at 600 DPI. Feel free to experiment with different scanning resolutions and note the results.

There are several different bitmap formats available: TIF, BMP, PCX, and others. The format makes no difference to the laser system. The difference in formats involves how they are stored on the computer’s hard disk. Bitmaps cannot be edited in most graphics software. Some basic functions such as cropping, scaling, or mirroring might be possible but it is usually necessary to use an image processing software to perform a dot by dot editing or rotation of the bitmap.

Bitmap images cannot be cut by the laser system only engraved. The only way to have the laser system cut out a bitmap is to first convert it to a vector file format such as an EPS. Raster to vector conversion programs are available that trace the bitmap (this only works well with monochrome bitmaps) and creates a separate EPS vector file. These EPS files can then be imported into the graphics program and printed out from there. Since tracing programs have many adjustments, some practice with them is necessary to produce desirable results.

Postscript Files

The laser system does not support Encapsulated Post Script (EPS) printing directly. EPS files can only be edited and printed if they are first imported into a graphics program. However, since EPS files do support engraving and cutting objects, they are therefore useful for transferring artwork from one graphics program to another. Once an EPS file has been imported into a graphics program, the objects can be outlined, stretched, rotated, mirrored, filled with different colors, or anything else desired. Be careful when using EPS files in layout software as opposed to true graphics software. Layout software may allow the placement of EPS files in the artwork but may not actually import and convert the EPS file to a useful format for the ULS Windows printer driver. The ULS laser system is not a postscript device. This means that postscript fills, postscript textures, and postscript fonts will not be able to print to the laser system.

3.2 THE ULS WINDOWS PRINTER DRIVER

The ULS Windows Printer Driver

NOTE: When the following sections refer to turning a switch ON, this means putting an "X" in the box next to the driver selection desired. Turning a switch OFF signifies removing the "X" from the box. To change the POWER, SPEED, and PPI of a color, position the mouse arrow on the color and click once with the left mouse button. This will highlight the color and allow changing of the settings by using the scroll bars or highlighting out and typing in each setting. It is possible to set one color at a time or click on additional colors to set more than one at a time.

POWER SETTING

Laser power is controlled by assigning the percentage of power from 0 - 100% to each color used in the graphic drawing. Since the laser is proportionally pulsed, this percentage represents how long the laser remains on for each laser pulse fired. Basically, the power setting is directly related to how deep the engraving will be.

SPEED SETTING

This setting controls how fast the motion system moves in a percentage of the maximum speed of the system. For example, 100% SPEED is equivalent to 16.5 inches per second straight line velocity. Therefore, 10% SPEED is equal to 1.65 inches per second. When engraving, this is the rate in which the motion system moves back and forth. When cutting, this is the speed of the straight lines. If cutting curves or circles, the motion system automatically slows down. For example, there is no speed difference when cutting a circle at 50% or 100% SPEED because curves will run slower than straight lines even if it is set to 100%. Proportional pulsing of the laser will ensure 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 will be. Higher power settings and slower speeds will produce deeper engraving.

PPI

PPI stands for laser pulses per inch. This setting determines how many laser pulses, per linear inch,

the laser system will fire. Again, since the laser system is proportionally pulsed, all pulses will fire equally spaced from one to the next regardless of changes in SPEED, POWER, acceleration, deceleration, or the cutting of curves. For example, when setting the PPI to 500 and using a standard lens that has a laser spot size of seven thousandths of an inch, significant pulse overlap will occur. The laser system fires a laser pulse and moves over two thousandths of an inch (that is 1 inch divided by

500). It then fires the next pulse and so on, overlapping the pulses significantly. Lines are formed by

pulsing the laser pulses so close together and slightly overlapping each other that it appears to be a continuous line. Dot matrix printers work the same way except the laser system uses laser pulses instead of ink dots. When engraving, it is advisable to use a PPI setting of 500 or higher. If using less, the image resolution of the engraving is reduced. For cutting, a PPI of 150 and above can be used. Using less than 150 will result in the pulses being spread so far apart that they will not touch one another. This is a good example on how to perforate paper. Increasing or decreasing the PPI setting has absolutely no effect on engraving speed. The laser must either fire more quickly or slowly. Experiment with using different PPI settings on some scrap material when cutting or engraving and note the results.

SET

This button must be pressed after adjusting the POWER, SPEED, and PPI settings in order for these changes to take effect. If forgetting to click on SET, and clicking on the OK button instead, the settings will go back to the previous ones and will engrave the object with the incorrect settings.

ADVANCED

Turning this switch ON will permit the changing of the PPI settings. If the switch is turned OFF, the word AUTO will appear in the PPI column and will be colored gray. Since 500 PPI is the setting that is used most often, AUTO sets the PPI to 500 automatically and does not allow change unless the

ADVANCED switch is turned back ON.

RESOLUTION

This setting is the image resolution of the engraving in DPI or dots per inch. There are six DPI settings to choose from: 500, 250, 250 x 166, and DRAFT. The resolution can also be referred to as horizontal lines per inch or fill spacing. This is how many raster strokes per vertical inch of travel that the motion system steps down to produce an engraving. Higher resolutions will produce cleaner and deeper engraving but take longer to engrave. Lower resolutions produce a coarser and shallower image but are quicker to engrave. Experiment with the different settings and note the results.

COREL BITMAPS

This switch is for CorelDraw! users ONLY. Turn this switch ON only when there is an imported monochrome or grayscale bitmap in CorelDraw!. If printing any drawing that has a bitmap in it and forgetting to turn this switch ON, everything else except the bitmap will print. If the bitmap does not engrave, go back and turn the switch ON, select the bit map only, and print Selected Objects Only in the software. Make sure to leave this switch OFF if there is no bitmap present. This switch should remain OFF if using software other than CorelDraw!.

B/W RASTER

This switch simulates laser printer output and is very useful if using a drawing with many colors, shades of gray, or many outlines. It is recommended to turn this switch ON when using ClipArt because there may be some underlying cutting lines hiding behind some filled areas. Having this switch ON gives a what-you -see-is-what-you-get output very similar to laser printer output. The entire drawing will be engraved, including all outlines, and only one power level will be used which is black. The color change ability of the driver is essentially turned off and all colors are engraved as different shades of gray. The laser system represents different shades of gray by producing a halftone pattern when engraving. Since ClipArt images use a wide variety of colors, shades, and outlines, the only effective way of engraving these images is to have this switch turned ON. B/W raster mode also provides greater compatibility with Windows software that do not work well with vector devices such as the ULS laser system. Call or fax our technical support if there seems to be a compatibility problem with a particular software program.

In order to engrave photographs and ClipArt that use colors and greyscales for shading, a halftone pattern must be created. A halftone is a series of dots arranged in a specific pattern. By varying the size and intensity of these dots, shading can be simulated in a process that is similar to that used to generate newspaper photographs. This same process is also used by black and white laser printers. There are two ways in which a halftone pattern can be generated. If printing directly from an image processing software, the halftone pattern can be assigned to the photograph or greyscaled scanned image before printing to the laser system. Sometimes this is referred to as setting the screen for printing. The other way is to let the ULS printer driver apply the halftone screen. The ULS printer driver automatically uses a 90 line per inch, 45 degree, round shaped halftone pattern if the RESOLUTION is set to 500. A 45 line per inch, 45 degree, round shaped halftone pattern is automatically used if the RESOLUTION is set to 250. If the imaging software being used is capable of producing its own halftone patterns, the characteristics of the pattern will need to be specified. Refer to the imaging software for more details about the direct printing of halftone patterns.

SOFTWARE OVERRIDE

Leave this switch turned ON at all times if planning to control the power through the Windows driver. If the switch is turned OFF, the power settings must then be manually input at the laser system.

PAGE SETUP AND ORIENTATION

Input here lets the ULS Windows printer driver know what page size and orientation is being used in the graphics software. These settings MUST match the gr aphics software settings EXACTLY otherwise no output, partial output, or misalignment of the graphic will occur. It is up to the operator to enter in the correct settings. Not only must the page size be EXACT, but the orientation must be the same also. Maximum page size is 17 inch width by 11.5 inch height in the Landscape mode. Select the Metric box if metric units are desired.

ROTARY FIXTURE

It is only necessary to use this selection if the optional Rotary Fixture has been purchased. For full details on how to use this option, please refer to section 4.6. Do not skip over to that section until the rest of this manual, up to that section, has been read. There is important information about the operation of the laser system that must be read before being able to fully understand and operate the Rotary Fixture.

RUBBER STAMP and INVERT FILL

These two selections will only appear in the driver if the Rubber Stamp option has been purchased. For a full explanation on how to use this option, refer to section 4.7. Again, please read the rest of this manual up to that point before attempting to use this option. A full understanding of how the laser system works is essential to producing correct results.

FILE

A unique feature of the driver is being able to store the power settings that are currently on screen. By selecting FILE and then SAVE SETUP FILE, all settings will be stored in a file that can be named as desired. The file extension, however, must remain as .LAS for the driver to recognize this file as a setup file. These files can be stored in any directory and may be retrieved by selecting FILE and then LOAD SETUP FILE.

The LASER.INI file can be thought of as being a file that stores the current power settings when the OK button is pressed. This gives the driver the ability to restore these settings every time the driver is accessed. Without this file, The power settings would have to be entered in every time the graphic is sent to print. Selecting FILE then LOAD LASER.INI SETTINGS will restore the settings that were saved the last time the OK button in the driver was pressed. Once the OK button is selected, the current power settings will be stored in the LASER.INI file and the original ones will be erased.

HELP

Select this option to access HELP on the use of the ULS Windows printer driver. Selecting HELP and then ABOUT will display the current driver version number and our copyright notice.

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Universal Laser Systems ULS-25 Operation Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual