GCC Venus
Note: this equipment has failed and was replaced by the GlowForge
Link to Glowforge page: GlowForge
Venus LASER Engraver
The Venus Laser cutter/engraver works similar to a printer/plotter. This device has a dedicated Windows computer attached to it. This computer runs 32 bit Windows 7 because the driver for the Laser engraver does not support anything else. This computer also has Corel Draw 12 and Inkscape installed.
| Manufacturer/Make/Model | GCC Venus |
| Serial Number | Unk |
| Laser Type/Power | 35W air cooled co2 |
| Work Area | 11.8"x8.3" (300mm × 210mm) |
| Max. Working Piece | 14.2"x11.8"x2.8" (W×D×Thick) (360x300x70mm) |
| Table Size | 14.2"x11.8" (360x300mm) |
| Terms of Ownership | Permanent Loan |
| Owner | Rich Williams |
| Accessories | Spare laser tube, honeycomb bed, exhaust blower, small air compressor |
| User manual | User Manual |
Materials
DO NOT CUT
- Materials that contain a high proportion of glue (such as particle board)
- Plastics (or any other materials) that contain chlorine (such as all varieties of vinyl like PVC). A trace amount of chlorine, such as found in the glue in thin plywood or the resin of medium density fiberboard, is acceptable. Particle board has too much glue. You are responsible to know whether there is chlorine in your material before you try to cut it.
- "Plexiglass" - please be sure that it is acrylic and not polycarbonate. Look along the cut edge of the material, from the side. Polycarbonate is dark on this area; acrylic is light. Polycarbonate is one of the most dangerous materials you could try to laser. It instantly starts producing yellow, acrid, toxic fumes which will corrode your lungs, and the mechanisms and lens of the laser. When the lens clouds up with these fumes, it may reflect the laser back into the machine, which may melt the head and set the machine on fire. You may not be able to reach the fire extinguisher due to what is in your lungs. Both these outcomes will upset the community.
- PTFE (Teflon) will release Fluorine gas, which when inhaled by humans causes flu-like symptoms, and when mixed with hydrogen (in the atmosphere) will create hydrofluoric acid. This is corrosive and will fog up the optics of the laser.
- Above quoted from from i3's laser etcher wiki page
- Link: https://www.i3detroit.org/wiki/Category:Laser_Cutter
ACCEPTABLE
- 1/16" Basswood - vector cut speed 7.4, power 100% cut through, but speed may be increased. Speed of 10, power 100% was too fast to cut through
- 1/8" Birch plywood - vector cut speed 2.7, power 100% cuts through
- 1/8" (actual 3mm) Birch plywood - For a token, use these settings. 500 DPI. Black pen set to 50 % speed and 50% power. Red pen set to speed 2.0, power 99% so it cuts through the wood.
- Other materials can be found in the Material Safety spreadsheet
- Link here:
Notes
Routine Maintenance
- Clean the bed after use.
- Wipe it down with windex.
- Use a single edge razor blade if necessary to remove tar/sap after engraving wood.
Lowering DPI to 250 will improve speed and reduce burn marks. This setting is in the Properties dialog for the printer driver.
Reset Depth Probe
For the standard purple lens the depth probe should be at its deepest setting. There is also a blue anodized aluminum rod for setting the focus manually. The blue rod is kept in the box labeled LASER below the laser stand.
Using Inkscape
Save you work as EPS Encapsulated PostScript. Dialog box will pop-up for making EPS settings. Restrict PS Level should be set to PostScript Level 2.
Inside CorelDraw open the EPS file.
Duplicate lines in DXF file
Some lines in a DXF file appeared to be thicker than others. Selecting the line and right clicking gave the option to break apart curves. You could then manually select and delete the duplicated line. Found suggestions in prepping the file before exporting here: [[1]]
You can also remove duplicate lines globally using a macro File:RemoveUnderlyingDups.gms as described here: [[2]].
- Combine the shapes to a single object / curve
- Select the shape with the shape tool
- Break Curve (This will bread each curve at its node points)
- Now Break Curve Apart (Ctrl - K)
- Run Macro - Remove Underlying Dups (attached)
Install MACRO in CorelDraw
- Copy the macro file *.gms to the folder GMS.
- For Windows Vista or Windows7/8:
- if CoreDraw X4: C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Corel\CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4\User Draw\GMS\ - if CoreDraw X5/X6/X7: C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Corel\CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X5/X6/X7\ Draw\GMS\
- Start or restart CorelDRAW.
- Select in the Menu Bar: Tools-Customization...
- In the opening Options select: Customization - Commands.
- In the drop-down list select: Macros.
- In the list of installed macros, search for the macro
- In the Appearance tab:
− In the Caption field – you can adjust the name of the macros or to set it; − In the Image field – you can draw a button, or select from preinstalled, clicking on Import. − Button Files ... allows you to import a picture.
- Drag the macro you want from the list to the toolbar and click OK
Software: Inkscape
- use this to create shapes
Inkscape convert file make picture clean new > import pick JPG make trace bitmap copy > paste into corel draw
Corel Draw
use "new from template" usable print area: 8.5x11 File > Print Properties color: black 50% speed lower power to do a cut, make it a vector.
References
- Please see i3's very informative wiki page for additional information on the process of laser etching
- Link: https://www.i3detroit.org/wiki/Category:Laser_Cutter
