Starting out with Lasercad and LO X7 DSP

[TheSniper]

All I finally got my Laser operational. It is a swap version from a 50W 12x24 to LO's DSP.
I have never used Lasercad. any one have any pointers. I'll badger my way thru it but. the manual (if you want to call it that is horrible)

One issue I had outta the starting gate. when I hit run in the software . it just starts to print some hexigonal print. with out regard to my drawing.
very frustrating.


TIA
-S

[DonL]

All I finally got my Laser operational. It is a swap version from a 50W 12x24 to LO's DSP.
I have never used Lasercad. any one have any pointers. I'll badger my way thru it but. the manual (if you want to call it that is horrible)

One issue I had outta the starting gate. when I hit run in the software . it just starts to print some hexigonal print. with out regard to my drawing.
very frustrating.


TIA
-S

I found LaserCAD horrible at the start as well but after some time getting used to it, it is OK. They shouldn't call it Laser CAD because CAD inferrs Computer Aided Drawing and LaserCAD sucks at drawing so you need something like AutoCAD or CorelDraw and install the macros then you can do arched text and other basic stuff.

Having said that, Search the forum for my article on Understanding Origins, They are a pain until you get to know them and the manual is vauge on them like most everything...

So here is a typical engrave...

I open Corel, I have Corel page set to custom and is the size of my laser table
I draw a layout for an engrave onto a plaque, I have faded scanned images of my plaque stock I use to layout my plaques, makes layout easy, then when I am happy with the layout, I send it to LaserCAD using the Macro Button

I make sure all of my layers are set to engrave and the layout is good

and the scangap for each layer is set to the desired resolution, .1 for low res and fast engrave, ok for large objects, .4 for finer engrave and small objects or detailed logos, and .01 for tiny objects and very fine detail but takes 10 times longer to engrave than .1

scangap.JPG (96.76 KiB) Viewed 3013 times

When all is good I send to the laser DSP using Download, I hear a Beep, I place my stock in the laser, in this case a 5x7 black over copper with florentine edge engraviing plate, I check my Origins much easier since I added the red dot laser... (See understanding Origins) and when I am happy I hit BOX to make sure the graphic is where I want it and when stisfied I hit start and go finish my coffee. When I hear the next beep, it is done.

(Assuming all of ytour manufacturer parameters are correct and set)

Hope this helped.

Don

[TheSniper]

First @ DonL: Thanks for the info!

1:My lasercad ... Fonts/Text inserting does not work... Tried it on several machines.(PC's) any thoughts?

2: Was looking at RD Works. its like living color compared to lasercad. wonder if it can be made to work on these controllers.
I tred a simple install. the software works but does not communicate with the machine.
for those of you remotely interested it can be DL'd here. http://en.rd-acs.com/down_complex.aspx? ... ageindex=1
-Sam

Ill follow up if and when I get it running. (Okay so it seems RD Works is just a branded dist. LO Works is the same software.) And can be DL'd here in the forums Software section.
Still though having DL'd that version. still I have yet to get it to communicate with the X7 board.

@Marco. Any insights?

[TheSniper]

Inserting text dilemma fixed. (well not fixed but found)

1:My lasercad ... Fonts/Text inserting does not work... Tried it on several machines.(PC's) any thoughts?

When inserting text. select the Text button "looks like an "A"" the place pointer / cursor over work area. AND? wait for it...... wait... wait for it...
Double click. this brings up a dialog to insert the text. Geezh. took me a few days to stumble onto this one. Hope my find helps someone else!
-S

[DonL]

First @ DonL: Thanks for the info!

1:My lasercad ... Fonts/Text inserting does not work... Tried it on several machines.(PC's) any thoughts?

2: Was looking at RD Works. its like living color compared to lasercad. wonder if it can be made to work on these controllers.
I tred a simple install. the software works but does not communicate with the machine.
for those of you remotely interested it can be DL'd here. http://en.rd-acs.com/down_complex.aspx? ... ageindex=1
-Sam

Ill follow up if and when I get it running. (Okay so it seems RD Works is just a branded dist. LO Works is the same software.) And can be DL'd here in the forums Software section.
Still though having DL'd that version. still I have yet to get it to communicate with the X7 board.

@Marco. Any insights?

If using CorelDraw, Convert the text to curves before you export to LaserCAD

In LaserCAD to insert Text, Click the Text Button, go to where you want to insert text and double-click, a Text Dialog will appear with the word text and font selections. Modify the text and save, note that once you deselect, you need to draw a box around all the text to manipulate, if you click on one letter or part of one letter only that is manipulated because the text is drawn as curves not text.....

A bit archaic but I was told that LaserCAD is not really a CAD program but more of a Controller program for interfacing with the LO-X7 or whatever controller you have...

[DonL]

Inserting text dilemma fixed. (well not fixed but found)

1:My lasercad ... Fonts/Text inserting does not work... Tried it on several machines.(PC's) any thoughts?

When inserting text. select the Text button "looks like an "A"" the place pointer / cursor over work area. AND? wait for it...... wait... wait for it...
Double click. this brings up a dialog to insert the text. Geezh. took me a few days to stumble onto this one. Hope my find helps someone else!
-S

Ha ha... It took me 3 days to figure out how to import more than one graphic without wipping the entire screen first
There is a manual but it is poorly translated so have patience
If you have a question, let me know as I am getting fairly up to speed on the program.

If you don't have Corel Draw, Don't waste your money on the Home and Student version because it does not work with LaserCAD, You need the expensive CorelDraw X7 Graphics Suite.
HOME AND STUDENT DOES NOT SUPPORT VISUAL BASIC NEEDED TO LINK UP TO LASER CAD

You can export the drawings in a format that LaserCAD supports such as DRX then import the drawing but that is a pain at the very least.

It would be nice if they worked on the drawing features, with Moshidraw I could fit text to path, circular text, edit text as text not lines, and many more features, LaserCAD (CAD stands for Computer Aided Drawing or Drafting )
LaserCAD has only the very basic drawing features not much better than windows paint and if you want any of the features found in other laser programs you need to spend 3 or 400 dollars on Corel or Adobe or AutoCAD...

[DonL]

Also note that when you import the drawing from Corel, you end up with many layers, some set to cut and some set to engrave... Since I am usually just engraving I discovered that if you select the entire graphic by drawing a box around everything - then click on one color at the bottom, All of the separate layers merge and you get one layer that is easy to manage.

ALSO!!!

If you have any bitmaps in CorelDRAW X7 - They do not export to LaserCAD You need to Trace the Bitmaps first and convert to curves then delete the origional bitmap before exporting, say you have a Logo, Trace it first then delete the jpg out of Corel and then you can export the layout and everything will be there....