How to enable Framing on Monport GM Pro and text font sizes

LightBurn Software Questions
1

Hi,
I was using Omtech laser and I could see engraving area highlighted whenever object was selected for framing to give user assurance that article is placed correctly and then start engraving. However engraving area is not highlighted when framing with monport GM Pro (just bought it) though engraving works.
Another thing I noted that same file printed with both lasers have different output e.g. monport text engraving is smaller and there is background in text as well. Omtech output is approved so wish to engrave same from monport as well.
Thanks in advance for your kind advice as could not find any monport forums to seek help.

Thanks and Regards,
AASRZ

2

All these are just settings issues. If the sizes are incorrect, you need to change the laser settings (or you selected incorrect units in LB).
I don’t know what you mean by “highlighted”, but you might need to select “cut selected graphics only”, then only selected objects will be sent to the laser.

3

Thank you @misken as usual for your response as it kept me going to ponder further and try other things as well. Really appreciate.
Apologies for using confusing terms like highlighting. What I meant was the projecting red lights on the object to indicate engraving area before actually engraving when we click start.
As you pointed out, it could be related to settings so I tried another config file LmcPar.cfg instead of BslCAD.cfg and I could see that it indicates engraving area when clicked on Framing.
However, for font sizes, I manually adjusted that WxH is almost twice in monport as compared to engraving using omtech so I guess I have to update all projects similarly for monport.

Thanks,
AASRZ

4

That should not be necessary, at least. It’s a settings issue, the same project file should lead to the same output on both lasers. The project file gives actual dimensions, the settings will define how those values are translated to laser movements. If those are not correct, the settings are wrong. But it’s hard to judge what is happening here, you would need to provide pictures of all your settings and results to get a better idea.

5

For a quick test, create a 100mm square and send it to both lasers then measure the results. Both squares should measure exactly 100mm on both machines. If either one is not 100mm, that is the machine whose calibration is off. You may find both machines out of calibration.

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6

Thank you @thelmuth for your suggestion. It is very simple test and helpful. It was obvious that distance between lens and surface was different. GM Pro is autofocus so did not require to change it but focus for omtech is manually adjusted. I wonder if there are any specifications suggesting how far should be this distance or is it subject to iterations to find same? Thanks AASRZ

7

That should be one of the first things you find in the manual :slight_smile: They might also have a setup video. Better read the documentation before starting to make it explode :slight_smile:

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Ensuring we’re on the same page. Optics are pretty well known. It’s the same for any lens from my ir co2 to a uv and probably beyond.

depth-of-focus
depth-of-focus1281Ă—720 82.7 KB

Most of the information, such as M2 (beam quality) can be found in your laser source manual. You can then compute these values and have a good idea of what you should be capable of attaining.

If they are the same focal length they will focus at the same spot. One manufacturer may put the lens slightly up or down in it’s mount or more commonly, the protective ring around the lens is slightly different.

Either way, the distance from the material to the lens determines image, so if it’s a 1mm higher, the object size will be different.

A longer lens, like an F420mm has a depth of focus (dof) of about 13mm. I can be off that much an maintain the same spot size. Adding +/-5mm to the height will change the image size and not the spot size.

We generally think about gantry machines where everything is digital and so many steps here or there. With a galvo, you loose digital control when it get translated to a galvometric current/voltage motor. This means no two are exactly the same. One of the reasons there are so many adjustments.

How accurate you want to make repeatable object between two machines will likely determine how close they need to be.

Laser Everything has numerous videos on basic fiber operations such as focus. As far as I know, the only real way is to listen to it. You can make measuring sticks, but I always double check the focus. I put little brass arrows near focus points for each lens.

I have four lenses, my focus is the pair of leds convergence point. They are very difficult to adjust with a lens change, so I don’t use them.

Ensure you’ve selected one of the framing option in the frame gui.

Sing out if you have other issues.

:grinning_cat:

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