What is the difference between AWC-608B / X7 DSP / R5 DSP ?

[DonL]

I tried the GRADE engrave into wood, with the LO-X7 and it was not a very good result.

The Vertical sections of text had a nice ramp, the horizontal had none so the engrave looked very weird/ I don't have a photo handy but here is a simulated drawing

This is a crude drawing but gives you an idea of what I got, The slope was good, just only on the horizontal... Now in fairness, I have not played with it and maybe I need to enable Grade on both X and Y ??? Maybe my grade was too wide and because the letters are close the vertical canceled??? Not sure, but the slope it did cut was smooth and looked good.

Also, for stamp making, a short focal length would be better, I used a 2" focal length lens which should give a more gradual slope compared to a shorter focal lens...

As far as I know, The Small Chinese 35W laser is actually referred to a a stamp making laser in some circles. So that makes me think my settings were incorrect,

If anyone else has used Slope of the X7 or 608, Please share your experience...

Hope this helps...

[Tech_Marco]

Hello Don:

I tried it and saw the issue. I already sent the programmer a "To do List" that included the issue to be fixed. Hopefully it could get it done in a timely manner.

Here is list of things need to do in prioritize sequence:

1) Grey scale engraving feature. Note, it may not help on a regular CO2 laser tube RF tube
2) Convert the "U" drive for the rotary so that we don't need to disconnect the Y axis
3) Ramp engraving. This is a great feature for Stamp maker (I don't know why ramp is important for stamp making)
4) Text bugs. Some fonts can be picked but it won't show up once in place
5) Add a ruler to assist object positioning
6) Layer order. Current the engraving layer will cover cutting layer so that we can't see the layer behind it
7) Print Driver. This one will take longer to finish.
8) Enable "Shit + Stop" feature in the LaserCad menu
9) Add camera capture feature. By toggling the LaserCad screen, it will see the object from the camera. It is a great feature to be used to 'repair' cutting that being cut through and rework is necessary
10) Library. Add a data base so that a user can save cutting/engraving speed/power level per material.
11) English. Fix some grammatical issue or wrong term being used on LaserCad
12) Rename LaserCad. The "CAD" caused some confuse to some customer. Better rename it to better fit the control software.
13) Delete layer. Currently a layer on the drawing can't be deleted.


Above is the the 'to do list' for now. I will work with you folks and the programmer to make the DSP controller, as well as the LaserCad to be more user friendly and be more powerful.


Regards,
Marco

[TheSniper]

Hello Don:

I tried it and saw the issue. I already sent the programmer a "To do List" that included the issue to be fixed. Hopefully it could get it done in a timely manner.

Here is list of things need to do in prioritize sequence:

1) Grey scale engraving feature. Note, it may not help on a regular CO2 laser tube RF tube
2) Convert the "U" drive for the rotary so that we don't need to disconnect the Y axis
3) Ramp engraving. This is a great feature for Stamp maker (I don't know why ramp is important for stamp making)
4) Text bugs. Some fonts can be picked but it won't show up once in place
5) Add a ruler to assist object positioning
6) Layer order. Current the engraving layer will cover cutting layer so that we can't see the layer behind it
7) Print Driver. This one will take longer to finish.
8) Enable "Shit + Stop" feature in the LaserCad menu
9) Add camera capture feature. By toggling the LaserCad screen, it will see the object from the camera. It is a great feature to be used to 'repair' cutting that being cut through and rework is necessary
10) Library. Add a data base so that a user can save cutting/engraving speed/power level per material.
11) English. Fix some grammatical issue or wrong term being used on LaserCad
12) Rename LaserCad. The "CAD" caused some confuse to some customer. Better rename it to better fit the control software.
13) Delete layer. Currently a layer on the drawing can't be deleted.


Above is the the 'to do list' for now. I will work with you folks and the programmer to make the DSP controller, as well as the LaserCad to be more user friendly and be more powerful.


Regards,
Marco

What? No line editing features? like break or join? what use are the grips in the current version if you cannot edit them? For me this is number one complaint.
very disappointed. these features are the very essence of any cad /drawing program.

Anyone out feel like chiming in on such a feature.
-Sam

[Tech_Marco]

Sam, there is already line break feature built in on current version
I don't know if there is line joining feature.

But, as I said, LaserCad is not a drawing program by all mean. It is just a laser control application. That's why I have another post to ask help to find a new name and better name for LaserCad.

Marco

[TheSniper]

Marco,
Yes, their is a break feature. ( not to usefull )
And NO their is not a join feature. at least not that I have found.
this area certainly could use some improvements. If not a simple revamp.
-Sam

[andyseubert]

Marco,
The reason we want "grade engrave" to work for rubber stamps is that if there are fine line details in a drawing (in text, for example, there are lots of fine lines) when you make a stamp, the lines have only the support directly below the line. Adding ramps (grades) to the sides of the lines adds support that does not appear on the stamped image the ink gets applied only to the very top edge of the rubber and only that is what is desired to transfer onto the stamped material.
- that's my best attempt to explain it.

As for my opinion on the drawing features folks are asking about, I have gotten used to not using LaserCad for any but the very minor adjustments to my designs. It has a very nice feature where it deletes duplicate lines, and will join lines together for the purpose of improving runtime speed, and those features are very excellent. If the software could focus on being just the laser controller, then I think the programmer could focus on the items that would make an excellent machine operating program and not try to be a cad software. I think the "U" drive feature would be excellent, and as I have said before, the grade engrave feature would step the controller up to the level of the other "professional" laser cutters such as the epilog.

I don't know if this exists yet, but if there is a chart for the colors (like the RGB values) that lasercad uses by default indicating the processes it has as defaults (blue for cut, black engrave, red cut at 20% strength and 50mm/sec, etc.,..) that would be useful. A coreldraw template that defaults to using only those colors would be pretty handy.

[Tech_Marco]

Andy:

Thank you for the explanation. I kind of caught the idea what you said. For the case of making stamp, I think we use "Ramp" rather than "Grey scale" as the a term to be used. Grey scale is a feature that allow a laser to change power according to the image's color (black and white only). A black color mean full power, grey color is kind of the mid-tone, and white means no power at all. A ramp engraving, however, will change laser power at the ramp area and the length of the ramp is controlled by a fixed number; 0~2mm. It seem working properly on the horizontal side but it didn't work right on the vertical side. I already discussed it with the programmer (Li) and he said that he would take care it. Currently he is busy because the end of Chinese New Year (2 weeks holiday).

I will ask him to a few unique drawing feature on the 'LaserCad' but only limited for the laser engraving/cutting related. So many folks confused with the LaserCad with other drawing program. People should get better idea when they look at the price of the DSP controller. We're selling from $285 to $410 with LaserCad. But, a full version of CorelDraw cost over $400. So, they shouldn't expect a controller (hardware) can come up a drawing application for less than $500 seems not a reasonable. Let's make a simple example. Samsung smart TV. Some model built in browser and Internet so that it allow to watch TV posted from NetFex, YouTube, and other Internet TV program. Then, if you ask Samsung: why not let me to do Microsoft Excel, Words, or play Internet Game ...etc because it is just like a computer. It may not be a very good example but hope you folks got an idea.

Regardless, I'll try my best to make the 'LaserCad' more user friendly. Remember that I'm not a laser machine 'user' but a tech person. Sometimes I don't even know the terms you guys are using for the laser. I'm still learning. Remember that the controller card major market is in China. Over there, people don't need so many fancy tools but cutting the most. They don't know what is PPI, they don't care grey scale, and they don't care ramping. There are some good idea I heard from some folks but it wasn't really practical being used in China? If a feature will benefit users in majority, I will not hesitate to bother Li asap!

And help me. When you folks come up a good idea; either hardware or software, please let me know . But, please be patience with me and Li. It take times to design a new tool even though it looks 'simple' to some folks. But it may not be the true in reality.


Thank you for all you support

Regards,
Marco

[Tech_Marco]

Marco,
Yes, their is a break feature. ( not to usefull )
And NO their is not a join feature. at least not that I have found.
this area certainly could use some improvements. If not a simple revamp.
-Sam

Why not useful??

File->Manual notch->set the length of the break size-> click an object->point the mouse at the point to break
This feature is mainly focus on cutting where you want to leave a ‘pivot' to hold on the cut object not falling off.

Marco

[H.J.G.]

Hi Marco,
I have Lasercad ver 6.88 installed , with the 608 controller board. Does the line break function appear on later versions of Lasercad or is it on the "wishlist" .
Is there a summary of what the version increments do somewhere on the forum please, as I appear to be behind and not sure if updating would benefit me?.

Cheers,
Henry

[Tech_Marco]

The break feature is already implemented and I don't know when was it happened(included). Just download the the latest LaserCad version which is v7.78 and you should be OK.

Marco

[DonL]

I find the line break and Join Lines very usefull, Sometimes in Corel, everything looks great, but when I export, there are all kinds of lines joining letters and graphics and it causes a big isse, Using Break and join I can clean things up

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[Tech_Marco]

Update: the programmer is working on the 'ramp' engraving issue. He is also working on the grey scale feature as well. Should have those feature completed in about a week (hopefully )

Marco

[DonL]

Marco,
Yes, their is a break feature. ( not to usefull )
And NO their is not a join feature. at least not that I have found.
this area certainly could use some improvements. If not a simple revamp.
-Sam

There is a Join and a Break feature, Used it a lot the other day

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[DonL]

Hello Don:


3) Ramp engraving. This is a great feature for Stamp maker (I don't know why ramp is important for stamp making)


Marco

Ramp engrave is important because rubber is flexible and thin lines if not ramped, will fold over when you press down on the stamp, By ramp engraving you get a triangle shape to the line so it has support, If you make the engrave not deep so the lines don't fold, then the paper hits the back and you get a smudged stamp. The taper does not smudge because the paper indents on a taper too so it works, hard to explain...

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[Tech_Marco]

Update: Ramp feature has been completed. But, I will not release it until a few more features completed. Plus, I have to launch the software in a new name other than 'LaserCad'. A few new features will be add-on and is free for customers who purchased from us within a year. For customer with who purchase 1 year or longer, the software will cost $30 an extra.

Marco