3d Deep Engraving Process with an .stl File
Created: 2023-February-5
By: Wayne Geiser
Click “3D”
Click “STL”
Select your .stl file
Click "Open"
Click the Move Mesh button (crossed double-sided arrows)
Check the top checkbox under "Z"
Check the round center radio button under "XY"
Change the numbers in all the checkboxes next to "X", "Y", and "Z" to 0
Click "OK"
Click the Zoom All button to inspect your imported mesh
Click the Slicing button (looks like the Star Wars Death Star, or, maybe, the AT&T logo)
Z values range from large to small checkbox should be checked
Click the two "<-Z" buttons
Set your layer thickness to the desired value. It will show you how many layers will be in the slicer. This value needs to be matched to the depth of material that will be removed by the laser on each pass. The harder the material, the smaller this number will be and the greater number of layers will be necessary.
Click "OK"
A dialog box will appear showing the progress of the program slicing your mesh.
Draw the shape you want to be around your mesh object. (I chose a circle).
A second object will appear under the "Slicing tangent" object in the "Object list" and should be selected.
Click the "Add contour" button
A new workspace will appear.
Click the Pick button (arrow pointing up and left) and select your object
Use the “Position” and “Size[MM]” text boxes to size and center the object on your mesh object (it should be centered from the move mesh step, above)
Click "Apply"
Click on the “Slicing tangent” object in the “Object list” (it should be “Serial number” 1 in the list).
Click on the "Add contour" button
Select the circle object in the workspace.
You should see it disappear in the “Object list” list. There will only be on “Slicing tangent” in the “Object list”.
Click the Hatch button (big “H” with red horizontal lines through it).
Select the hatch parameters you would like.
Note: I have saved the deep engrave parameters I use in the library. They all start with “WG”.
Use the “Load param” button to load my parameters into the hatch. DO NOT save over these parameters, please. If you want to change them, please change the name and use your own initials instead of “WG”.Click “OK”
Click the pen number that corresponds to the pen indicated in the hatch you created in the row of pen color squares.
Select the pen parameters you would like.
Note: I have saved the deep engrave parameters I use in the library. They all start with “WG”.
Use the “Param library…” button to load my parameters into the pen. DO NOT save over these parameters, please. If you want to change them, please change the name and use your own initials instead of “WG”.
The rest is the same as any other mark.
Set your “Fixture Offset”
“Find home”
“Mark Select” checkbox is checked
“Dynamic hatch” checked
“Red(F1)” to locate your piece under the laser
"Mark(F2)"
Have some patience. This takes a while to finish the mark!
