Raster engraving using Mach3-is it possible?

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John Murphy
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 678
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:08 am
Model of CNC Machine: AXYZ 5010
Location: Maryhill Ontario Canada
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Raster engraving using Mach3-is it possible?

Post by John Murphy »

Sorry if I'm kind of off topic, but I was reading the responses to the retina post discussion, and I was hoping for a little help.

My circuit board on my cheap Chinese laser finally gave up the ghost. I replaced it with one of Chriscircuits boards, and I've been using a demo version of Mach 3 to run my laser(I do plan to purchase the full version, as soon as I can sort out this raster problem). It seems to work fine, with the exception that I cannot figure out how to do raster engraving. A large part of my laser engraving was for pens and other promotional goods, that required engraving fonts and logos.

I've been doing allot of research, and tried a Mach3 plugin, but I kept getting a error code(art error 9991), and had little success getting any further along. My question is: Is it possible to perform raster engraving using Mach 3 and it's G-code output?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

John

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zeeway
Vectric Wizard
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Model of CNC Machine: Self-built
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Re: Raster engraving using Mach3-is it possible?

Post by zeeway »

Mach 3 has a limit on the number of lines you can run in a demo version...it may be 500, but I don't recall exactly. I use Mach3, and using the correct post, it will do whatever Aspire (or VCP) directs it to do, in my experence. I haven't found any limitations from Mach3 ( I have many limitations, however...).

Angie

John Murphy
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 678
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:08 am
Model of CNC Machine: AXYZ 5010
Location: Maryhill Ontario Canada
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Re: Raster engraving using Mach3-is it possible?

Post by John Murphy »

Thanks Angie.

At this point I'm not really worried about engraving a specific, I'll upgrade to full version if I can get the laser to cut in Raster movement.

I tried to use one of the laser plugins for Mach3, but it didn't like it, and shut down.

I know some others on the Vectric forum are running similar types of lasers, and I was hoping for some feedback from their experience.

I joined the Mach3 forum, and I'll see if I can sort through the posts for some more info.

John

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