Instructions:Little Blue Laser (Epilog Helix 8000)

for all

Photos needed: Debris tray Illustration showing lens/mirror surfaces to be cleaned wrapped Q-tip single small workpiece vs multiple small workpieces in a row focus tool touching material

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Safety

Fire

In case of fire:

1. Briefly open the lid to cut off the power. See if the fire continues on its own or if the laser beam is fuelling it.
2. If the fire does not continue on its with the laser off, press the stop button on the control panel and adjust your settings
3. If the fire does continue on its own:
   1. If it is safe to do so, remove any burning workpieces and extinguish them outside of the laser (smothering, water, fire extinguisher)
   2. If it is not safe to remove the workpiece, use the fire extinguisher in the laser.

Things that can cause fires:

• Passing over the same spot in vector mode when cutting certain materials (eg wood)
• Improper work surface (always use vector tray or pin grid when cutting)
• Trying to cut multiple layers of fabric or paper at the same time
• Debris in the debris tray
• Cutting non-suitable materials
• Laser is out of focus

Materials

Certain materials can increase the risk of fire or emit fumes that can harm users or damage the equipment. Please refer to the list in the blue book in the laser room until the appropriate information is uploaded to the Wiki. Generally, anything that contains chlorine (PVC, vinyl) is not allowed.

Note that PETG sheets are not included in the table but are approved for cutting at North Forge. Non-chromium-tanned leather is also okay.

If you do not know the chemical information of the material you want to use, do not use it. If you do know what it is but it is not on the list, please post in the laser channel on Slack to request approval. The SDS is often useful for deciding whether a material is okay to cut because it can contain information about the fumes released when the material is burned.

Equipment Damage

Thin Materials

Thin materials can greatly increase the risk of fire or equipment damage. Do not cut multiple layers of paper or fabric due to increased risk of fire. When cutting thin materials, be careful of small cutout areas - when fully cut out, the material can be blown by the air support and contact the lens, causing a blowout.

Autofocus Disabled

DO NOT ENABLE AUTOFOCUS - MANUAL FOCUS ONLY. Enabling auto focus in software will damage the lasers! If autofocus is enabled, the bed will rise and crash into the X axis gantry.

Raster Speed Problems

When using raster mode, high speeds will cause the motors to wear out prematurely. North Forge policy is to keep speed below 80%. Note that the existing tables may suggest speeds above 80%; in that case you will need to adjust them manually:

1. Find the recommended values in the speed/power table
2. If the suggested raster speed is greater than 80%, set the speed to 80%.
3. Subtract the same percentage from the power as you did for the speed. For example, if the recommended speed/power is 100/80, subtract 20 points from the speed to get to 80 and 20 points from the power to get 60. The adjusted speed/power is 80/60.
4. If the suggested power is already less than 20 points, set the power to 5 and the speed as close to 80% as possible. For example, if the recommended speed/power is 100/15, the adjusted speed/power is 90/5

Housekeeping

Members must break down their materials before discarding them. Blunt sharp edges that may puncture the bag. TIP: Use the laser to break down any waste materials. Empty the garbage when it is more than 3/4 full and put the bags in the bin near the elevator/paint booth.

When done, always check the debris tray for small pieces and empty if needed. Small pieces can be ignited by the laser during vector cutting.

Consumables

Several consumables are available for purchase. To buy a material, fill out the form in the laser room. You will receive an invoice according to the price listed on the sheet.

Operations

Overview of the Helix control panel

1. Job start, stop, and reset
2. Information screen
3. Homing and axis release
4. Red dot pointer
5. Focus options (up and down arrows also used for selecting jobs and menu items)
6. Job options
7. Speed and power adjust (typically not used)
8. Maintenance controls - do not touch

Overview

1. Check the debris tray and empty if needed (open the front panel, flip the locking levers so they are perpendicular to the tray, then pull out).
2. Turn on the laser.
3. Clean the lens (at the beginning of your session).
4. Load the material.
5. Set the laser focus and home point.
6. Assign appropriate speed and power settings for the material type and thickness.
7. Send the print job to the laser.
8. Verify that the blast gates are open and air support is turned on.
9. Turn on the exhaust vacuum.
10. Close the lid.
11. Press GO to begin the job.
12. Monitor the job carefully, especially during vector operations.
13. Check the lens every 1-2 hours and clean if needed.

Moving the laser head

Move the laser manually:

1. Press X/Y OFF, then GO.
2. Manually move the head to the desired position. When touching the head, do not touch the lens or mirror (only touch the metal surfaces).

Cleaning the Lens

Note that Q-tips are abrasive and will wear away the coating on the lens. Always use a lens tissue.

1. Wrap a Q-Tip with half a sheet of lens tissue
2. Spray lens cleaner on half of the Q tip (block with your hand to keep the other half dry). Do not use Windex or anything other than lens cleaner.
3. Clean the top and the bottom of the lens. Do not press hard/scrub; treat the lens like you would an eyeball.
4. Dry the top and bottom of the lens using the dry side of the Q-tip.
5. Clean the mirror.
6. Dry the mirror using the dry side of the Q-tip.

Setting Home

1. Turn on the red dot pointer.
2. Press X/Y OFF, then GO.
3. Manually move the head to the home position. When touching the head, do not touch the lens or mirror (only touch the metal surfaces).
4. Press SET HOME.

Setting Focus

1. Hang the focus tool on the arms protruding from the head, lining the holes in the tool up with the pins on the arm.
2. Press X/Y OFF, then GO.
3. Manually move the head over top of the material
4. Press ▲ or ▼ to move the bed up or down until the top of the material just touches the bottom of the focus tool.

Running a Job

1. Select File → Print or press Ctrl+P.
2. Choose “Little Blue” from the printer dropdown menu.
3. Press the Gear icon/Settings button to the right of the printer dropdown menu.
4. Verify that Auto Focus is not selected.
5. Ensure Center-Engraving is not selected if Center-Engraving is not being used.
6. Ensure the Piece Size is the same as the workspace size in CorelDraw.
7. If using raster mode, set the DPI (typically 600 for wood).
8. Choose the operation type (Raster, Vector, or Combined)
9. If using raster mode, set the raster settings according to the provided tables.
   1. Reduce the speed to less than 80% to avoid wear on the belts and motors
10. If using vector mode, set the speed, power, and frequency according to the table.

• Ensure autofocus is NOT checked off in software

1. Press “Okay.”
2. Select the Layout tab in the Print menu.
3. Ensure “As in Document” is selected.
4. Press “Apply” then “Print.” The job will be sent to the laser. The laser will not start until “GO” is pressed on the control panel.

Final Checklists

• Cut lines are red hairlines, vector etches are either a fill or a line thicker than 0.12mm
• Piece size in Epilog driver matches page size in CorelDRAW
• Speed, power, resolution are set per the manual
• Aufocus is NOT checked off in the laser driver
• In layout tab, “As In Document” is selected
• Laser is focused
• X/Y Home is set
• Lens has been cleaned
• Debris tray has been checked for debris
• Vents are open (default position is OPEN)
• Air support is turned on (default position is ON/handle parallel to pipe)
• Hearing protection/PPE is worn
• Vacuum/blower is on
• User is prepared to monitor the job continuously

Running the Job

1. Press the JOB button.
2. Make sure the correct file name is shown on screen. If it is not, press ▲ or ▼ until the correct file is showing.
3. Verify that all pre-use conditions are correct (see checklist).
4. Press GO to start the laser.

Troubleshooting

• Artwork isn't engraving in the right spot:
  • Check that the page size in CorelDraw is the same as the piece size in the Epilog software.
  • Check the layout tab and make sure that the position is set to "As in document."