How do you laser and cut

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woodtwister
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How do you laser and cut

Post by woodtwister »

How the heck do you laser then cut it out with out messing the-location up? Do you cut first then laser? I have figured out the offsit measure from spindle center to laser burn spot. From there it gets foggy .iam using the 1infinty and Jtech dual laser. Any help will be appreciated..

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Tex_Lawrence
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Re: How do you laser and cut

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

Here's a few ways:
  • Laser before cutout
  • Tabs in the cutout toolpath
  • Holding fixture for laser after cutout
With the offset between the laser and the bit, you do have to use a different post-processor for each. That post has to have the offset specified. (When you Save the toolpath, you select the post.)

The neat thing about the laser burn is that the "tool" doesn't touch the part! That makes it a lot easier to burn without clamps or tape.

If you can be more specific with your project, then we can get more specific with a solution.

It gets much easier after a few mess ups! :lol:
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.

wilkigr
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Re: How do you laser and cut

Post by wilkigr »

I don't use the Vectric laser module so maybe my process will not work for you, but here is how I do these "hybrid" projects.'

I do the router tool paths first, but that is only because, so far, I am more often than not using the laser to burn into a vcarve previously done with the router. If not for that, I could do either process first.

After finishing the router paths, I use a macro in my code sender to jog the CNC to a new 0 location. This ensures that the laser is now pointing to the same XY0 as the router was. Having run the macro, I then reset XY0 at the new location. Then, it's just a matter of running the laser toolpath. I use the Jtech post processor, which really only changes my usual grbl inch post by taking out the Z moves.

That post does not have the offset specified in it. It is a generic laser post that works in VCP. That's why I need to use the macros to do the offset.

woodtwister
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Re: How do you laser and cut

Post by woodtwister »

What do you mean different post proccessers I check procccessers box and all I find is in”or mm setting for 1infinty.

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Adrian
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Re: How do you laser and cut

Post by Adrian »

You either have to use two post processors one set for normal spindle and one with offset for the laser or you use one post processor and then set the offset on the machine. Either way works, depends on the capabilities of your control software and/or your preferred workflow.

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Tex_Lawrence
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Re: How do you laser and cut

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

woodtwister wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 1:39 pm
What do you mean different post proccessers I check procccessers box and all I find is in”or mm setting for 1infinty.
For more information about laser post processor, read other threads in this laser forum. There's a lot of info here.
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.

wilkigr
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Re: How do you laser and cut

Post by wilkigr »

I'm assuming that your question about posts was directed to me.

On the Jtech site that I referenced, there is a laser post processor that runs in VCarve. You can download it and add it to the list in VCP. From what I can see, the difference between it and the grbl inch that I run with my router is that the Jtech post has no Z moves, so the laser does not move up and down.

This post does not contain any offsets for the laser, since Jtech cannot know what those offsets would be for any specific machine. In my case, I simply wrote macros that I can run in my code sender that set the X and Y for the laser in the same position as it was for the router and vice versa.

skipknittle
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Re: How do you laser and cut

Post by skipknittle »

I am using VCarve Pro 11.015 and Laser Module 2.0. When I create a Laser Cut & Fill tool path and set the Number of Passes to any number other than 1, it always defaults back to 1 after I calculate and the path is only executed one time. Other people I have asked about this say they have no problem with their toolpaths running more than once and it doesn't reset like mine does. Any help is appreciated!

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