I am running a Mira 9, I am doing the print and cut. I am creating the art in illustrator inporting the cut file (pdf) into lightburn, running the print and cut wizard. Its not lining up. I have done some testing, when I do the 2nd target, when I use Jog its not perfectly in the center, I have manually used the ruida controller and made it center and tested. Cut is off. I have also keep it the same when I use Jog, cut is still off. Not sure what else to do. I have checked to make sure the files line up and they do.
Why don’t you use layers for the various phases instead of print and cut?
There will certainly be an explanation for why it isn’t centered, but I think using layer would make it easier.
Layers on lightburn?
Yes. Print and Cut is for larger-than-machine items. surprised you even had a process for those earrings because they are so small.
Put your design to etch on one layer (color). then follow that with another layer for the cutout. Just do the cutout last.
How are you putting the color on those things?
I was using a different process, and not even using the print and cut. But others were asking me when I wasn’t using the print and cut feature on lightburn for the earrings, so I was trying to get it to work and its not working… thinking I should go back to the way i was doing before.
Just for clarification. Are you printing the graphics using another machine (UV Printer or other) and the moving the sheet to your laser to cut with Lightburn?
OR, Are you engraving and cutting both on your laser using Lightburn?
From the picture it looks like the first option.
Just for clarification - are you printing the color parts first, then trying to cut them out? I think that is what the Print&Cut functionality was built to do (hence the name). But lots of us use it to cut / engrave items that are larger than the work area - thus all of the above comments.
I personally use the P&C funtionality to cut large items on almost every cut I do. I get “good” results this way, but it’s taken quite a bit of practice to get a working process, and I don’t in truth get perfect accuracy - probably +/- .5mm which might not be accurate enough for your use.
I am printing on a UV Mimaki with the register marks, then cutting on the laser. I did cut something bigger like 8" x 8" and it worked great. These smaller things not so much.
OK, my first bit of advice would be make sure your targets are as far apart from each other as possible. If your targets are close together it increases the possibility of error. Ideally they should be diagonally from each other on a large sheet of material. Like this.
The other issue may be one of scaling. Try choosing not scaled, then scaled and see which, if either works for you. I recommend running tests on cardboard to get it dialed in before going back to your acrylic.
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Are you adding your cut lines in Lightburn then?
I’d like to see how they come out of your acrylic. The pic of your cut pieces have 2 off left and 2 off right, but the cut file you showed have 2 upright and 2 upside down. Which tells me thet your entire cut is probably shifted in the same direction. From your original pic, I assumed that was the orientation they were cut in.
the picture is just a pic of the final product. I just threw the on the table and took a pic
I checked your graphics over each other and they align properly, which you already knew. I can slide the cut over and replicate your results. It’s not a scaling issue, it’s shifted by what appears to be approx. 1.5mm on the Y axis and .5mm on the X axis. Did you set your alignment to the targets by firing your laser or with your red dot pointer?
Is it possible your acrylic shifted after alignment?
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I set using the red dot in the registration. Should I maybe pulse the laser and see where its hitting? No way its shifted after alignment.
Yes, I think that might be your issue. At least you will know if it’s the issue after you pulse it.
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so I did a test and it does look like its not firing in the midde of the registration, if off maybe 1 mm. But my cut is showing way more than 1mm off.