Multiple Faces engraving for batch production (cube engraving)

[Echamps]

Hi everyone !
I would like to engrave wood cube in a professional way or for batch production.

I currently have a Ortur Laser master 2 machine and I’m about to buy a galvo C02 laser.

I would like to understand how to program lightburn in a way to achieve this result :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgdUL-HJYyU&t=105s

To be able to quickly rotate my wood piece without changing parameters for every face. Like having one program for 6faces of my cube and I just have to press start to run the next face.
Start engraving 1 → Rotate piece → Start engraving face 2 → Rotate piece etc…

Thank you for your help !

[ednisley]

@Echamps

quickly rotate my wood piece

Perhaps these discussions will provide some ideas:

Burning a single letter on each of the six sides of a one inch cube of wood

I’m afraid of getting over my head here. Currently using LaserPecker to burn letters on a once inch cube of wood. Each cube takes about 25 minutes to burn. At my age (70), I feel like I’ll be 80 before I can see my idea come alive (which I won’t be anymore!) So… I’m considering the purchase of a diode laser (Emblaser 2) with the hope to be able to lay about ten of these one inch wooden cubes side by side and burning in ten letters in about 2 minutes. The hope is that I can use LightBurn and…

Perfect Alignment Producing Unaligned Cuts

I am cutting relief engraving into each face of cubes. I am having issues with Lightburn messing up the alignment. I was running into this issue with a jig I made previously, so in the process of trying to debug the issue I have created a new jig. To do this, I created alignment marks in each corner and verified the position was as expected. I then used print-and-cut alignment with the marks in order to align the board. Once aligned, I cut all of the jig positions. Without resetting any settin…

Placing a single different font in 56 one inch squares which can each be moved if needed

Seeing all kinds of tutorials on spreading out the fonts of a sentence or putting it on a curve, etc. But I’m wanting to engrave a single font on a one inch cube (with 56 one inch cubes total having different letters on each cube). Because of the font style I may need to adjust just that one letter up a tad or down… So is it possible (I’m 72 years old) to create a layout for 56 cubes (7 across 8 down) that I can come back to and enter different fonts in each cube with the freedom to make a sl…

The key to all of those processes is having the machine set up so that it homes correctly and has stable positioning.

[Echamps]

Thank you for your answer but it’s not helping me, let me share extra info of my need :

I would like to engrave on some faces of my cube a number that match a Code Qr.

To do this I have an excel file matching number and url like this :
1 | URL 1
2 | URL 2
3 | URL 3
…

Has anyone tried this method before?

[thelmuth (Tim Helmuth)]

So are you wanting 1 cube with different QR codes on each side or multiple, identical cubes with different QR codes on each side, or something completely different?

[Echamps]

Sorry, my English isn’t very good.
Maybe it’ll be easier with a simpler example. Here’s a product I made for friends’ bars.
On one side is the number, in this case 12
On the other side is a url in qrcode format linked to this number (here number 12).
To be as efficient as possible in linking the number and the URL, I use an excel file with this configuration:
Column 1 | Column 2
Table 1 | URL 1
Table 2 | URL 2
Table 3 | URL 3

And I have this result.
I’m currently using flat engraving machine.
The thing is I want to upgrade this process by buying a new galvo C02 machine
And do this same work by doing this :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgdUL-HJYyU&t=105s

[jkwilborn (Jack Wilborn)]

@Echamps

buying a new galvo C02 machine

Is this going to be an RF excited co2?

I ask because, I can outrun the lps/tube combination in my gantry machine. Once you get around 300 to 400mm/s the delay can be noticeable.

IMHO, for a co2 machine to really be usable with the galvo, it needs to be RF excited, not DC.

[thelmuth (Tim Helmuth)]

I think I understand now. Thank you.

This is what I would try. Start by making a jig for your laser where 2 cubes sit side by side and work in absolute coordinates. This ensures that your cubes are always engraved in the same location. I would add a blank row in your spreadsheet above Table 1, this is only needed for the first cube.

Once that is established set your variable text on the left cube and variable QR on the right cube. Start with only the left cube, nothing in the right position. You will set an offset of 1 to the left side and use auto increment. Burn that one, it will want to burn a QR on the right side, but it will not have usable data, only the placeholder. You can put a scrap block in there so the laser doesnt inadvertantly mark something it shouldnt.

Next, move the left block to the right position and flip it over and put a new block in the left position and burn again. Because you set auto advance it should have the correct QR on the right block and the next table on the left. Keep repeating until complete. When you get to the last one you can put your scrap block in the left side, or leave it empty.

I hope this makes sense.

[ktxn]

Thank you again. Medical issues and going to doctor again tomorrow. But I thought I’d send you a few photos of what I was doing with my old LaserPecker. Trying to get to this point in LightBurn with my Roly. So… I will just slide all the cubes into the slot and then engrave the different letters (same font). Then I’d rotate all the squares, go to a different font and engrave a different set of letters… and so on for six sides using six different fonts. I do have a zoom coming up with LB Friday, so hopefully I can get there. I’m close. When I got out there and tried again today I produced the black and white image you see and just wanted to practice on some scrap cubes and try engraving those top 7 letters. When I hit, “start” the laser began just outside the bottom of the picture. (I did do an update overlay first and it all looked good). But it began at the bottom instead of the top and was even a tad further down so much so that it wasn’t even going to engrave on that bottom set of cubes. (Maybe I’m supposed to choose some kind of ‘reverse’ option or something). Thank you though, again and again for tips. I’ll get there. I’m sure of it.