Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Laser Settings
The laser is instructed to make the engraving or cuts based on the color of the stroke given to the vector element, red is typically for cutting and black is for engraving. Stroke widths for cutting is kept to a .0001 pt width or hairline width. Two different laser types are used for the process depending on product (i.e., organic or metal/plastics).
CO₂ lasers (gas lasers)
CO2 laser are gas lasers that are based on a carbon dioxide gas mixture, which is stimulated electrically. With a wavelength of 10.6 micrometers, they are mainly suited for working on non-metallic materials and on most plastics. CO2 lasers have a relatively high efficiency and feature a very good beam quality. They are therefore the most widely used laser types. Suited for the following materials: Wood, acrylic, glass, paper, textiles, plastics, foils & films, leather, stone.
Fiber lasers
Fiber lasers belong to the solid state laser group. They generate a laser beam by means of the so-called seed laser and amplify it in specially designed glass fibers, which are supplied with energy via pump diodes. With a wavelength of 1.064 micrometers, fiber lasers produce an extremely small focal diameter; as a result their intensity is up to 100 times higher than that of CO2 lasers with the same emitted average power.
Fiber lasers are optimally suited for metal marking by way of annealing, for metal engraving, and for high-contrast plastic markings. Fiber lasers are generally maintenance-free and feature a long service life of at least 25,000 laser hours. Suited for the following materials: Metals, coated metals, plastics.
CO₂ lasers (gas lasers)
CO2 laser are gas lasers that are based on a carbon dioxide gas mixture, which is stimulated electrically. With a wavelength of 10.6 micrometers, they are mainly suited for working on non-metallic materials and on most plastics. CO2 lasers have a relatively high efficiency and feature a very good beam quality. They are therefore the most widely used laser types. Suited for the following materials: Wood, acrylic, glass, paper, textiles, plastics, foils & films, leather, stone.
Fiber lasers
Fiber lasers belong to the solid state laser group. They generate a laser beam by means of the so-called seed laser and amplify it in specially designed glass fibers, which are supplied with energy via pump diodes. With a wavelength of 1.064 micrometers, fiber lasers produce an extremely small focal diameter; as a result their intensity is up to 100 times higher than that of CO2 lasers with the same emitted average power.
Fiber lasers are optimally suited for metal marking by way of annealing, for metal engraving, and for high-contrast plastic markings. Fiber lasers are generally maintenance-free and feature a long service life of at least 25,000 laser hours. Suited for the following materials: Metals, coated metals, plastics.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Instructions
Step One:
Pick one of the three designs below.
Design 1: Dog Tag
(aluminum – engraving only)
Design 2: Medallion (stainless steel – engraving only)
Design 3: Cube
(presentation board – engraving and cutting)
Step Two:
Choose your option from the two below.
Option 1: Use a Pre-made Template
On each Design to choose from there are a series of pre-made
templates. Choose one of the templates from the download button to begin. Your
challenge will be to decide what your backside engraving will be (name,
initials, date, etc.). This is the only option for a two-sided engraving
(the cube design is one-sided only).
Option 2: Build Your Own
Use the Working Files and Design Templates to build your own design
for engraving. There will be demonstrations of how to build the documents
during the workshop.
Several reference clips are available under the Tips & Tricks section below for help with Illustrator.
Several reference clips are available under the Tips & Tricks section below for help with Illustrator.
*Every person has the option to abandon a design in favor of
a pre-made template.
Saturday, September 24, 2016
OPTION 1:
Use a Pre-made Template
Choose one of the templates from the download button to begin. Your challenge will be to decide what your engraving will be (name, initials, date, etc.) for the backside of the dog tags and medallions or which face your engraving will appear on the cube.
1. Choose one of the Pre-made Templates to build your own design for engraving.
2. Select and delete the unwanted templates.
3. Use the Illustrator Tips & Tricks to create your text.
4. Save the file ("Save As" in the File Menu) as an .eps file with your name as the file name such as FitzGerald_1.eps and notify your instructor.
The instructor will place the file into a master template to etch all the students work into groups for one print run for each design: tag, medallion, or cube, at the Trotec laser machine.
Choose one of the templates from the download button to begin. Your challenge will be to decide what your engraving will be (name, initials, date, etc.) for the backside of the dog tags and medallions or which face your engraving will appear on the cube.
1. Choose one of the Pre-made Templates to build your own design for engraving.
2. Select and delete the unwanted templates.
3. Use the Illustrator Tips & Tricks to create your text.
4. Save the file ("Save As" in the File Menu) as an .eps file with your name as the file name such as FitzGerald_1.eps and notify your instructor.
The instructor will place the file into a master template to etch all the students work into groups for one print run for each design: tag, medallion, or cube, at the Trotec laser machine.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Illustrator Tips & Tricks for Option 1
Please change your viewing option to HD settings when viewing:
How to Save the File:
How to Create Fonts to Outlines:
How to Create and Edit a Stroke from a Fill:
How to Save the File:
How to Create Fonts to Outlines:
How to Create and Edit a Stroke from a Fill:
Monday, September 19, 2016
OPTION 2:
Build Your Own
1. Choose from one of the Working Files and from one of the Design Templates below to build your own design for engraving.
2. Copy (key command: control + C) a working file and paste (key command: control + V) the working file into a design template.
3. Use the Illustrator Tips & Tricks to create a new design.
4. Save the file ("Save As" in the File Menu) as an .eps file with your name as the file name such as FitzGerald_1.eps and notify your instructor.
The instructor will place the file into a master template to etch all the students work into groups for one print run for each design (tag, medallion, or cube) at the Trotec laser machine.
1. Choose from one of the Working Files and from one of the Design Templates below to build your own design for engraving.
2. Copy (key command: control + C) a working file and paste (key command: control + V) the working file into a design template.
3. Use the Illustrator Tips & Tricks to create a new design.
4. Save the file ("Save As" in the File Menu) as an .eps file with your name as the file name such as FitzGerald_1.eps and notify your instructor.
The instructor will place the file into a master template to etch all the students work into groups for one print run for each design (tag, medallion, or cube) at the Trotec laser machine.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Illustrator Tips and Tricks for Option 2
Please change your viewing option to HD settings when viewing:
How to Copy and Paste:
Pathfinder - Intersect In Front:
Pathfinder - Intersect Behind:
Pathfinder - Exclude:
How to Copy and Paste:
Pathfinder - Intersect In Front:
Pathfinder - Intersect Behind:
Pathfinder - Exclude: