Hi All, is there any reason NOT to use offset fill with a Rotary device? It seems to me it would drive the rotary bonkers maybe? I have been doing slate coasters and went from 3.5 hrs to do 12 to under 1 hour by switching to Offset Fill … I will be moving over to doing Glen Cairn Glasses with the same logo and wondered if it might save me time on the Rotary as well … any experience using offset with rotary?
I’m curious, just following along. Probably drive it bonkers.
With a galvo, If the art is made out of smaller objects or non connected text, selecting “Fill shapes individually” in the parameters and “Run whole shapes if possible” and “Run shapes in order” in the rotary framing window, and I don’t remember exactly but I think in optimization there is a reduce travel or something like that. Found this out by trying to see if it would drive my rotary bonkers. Worked great with scrollwork and lettering. big increase in speed.
From what I could determine while trying to drive my rotary bonkers the “Run Whole Shapes if Possible” has nothing limiting the “…if Possible” that’s up to you. Just a matter of how big an area you can run without distortion or focus issues. It will happily run a whole shape wider then the diameter.
Video I didn’t have the minimize travel set right, or the “Run shapes in order” actually follows the editing process to determine order.
Thank You for the reply, that looks interesting …I guess I will TEST TEST TEST and TEST some more 
I will look at the optimization settings to see if I can find reduce travel … It is a circular image I am burning so every little bit counts!
1 Like
Post back results, even bad ones.
I have long been an advocate for using OFFSET - particularly on text. I had to block my Otur LMP2 up 4" to use the rotary. Doing so, I lost a huge amount of stability compared to when I had it bolted down to the plywood waste board. I could run at 4000-5000 mm/m and had no problem with alignment. On my patented flexi-brand ™ legs… I do not get good results over 2000 mm/m - on the flat or on the rotary. I have the rollers and a chuck set up. The rollers were a waste of money for me.
For the rotary, I get the best results with FILL at 90 scan angle. When I run it at 00 scan angle, I get grooves in the finish. On 90 degree, the finish is mirror smooth. The OFFSET does not play well for me with the rotary.
There is a lot of mass to be accelerating and decelerating - so I double or tripple the overscan. It adds a small amount of time - but I am usually around 10 mins per tumbler.
FTR - 10w laser, 30-50% power 3000-5000 mm/m, depending on the thickness of the coating. For Stainless, it is 100% power at 1100 mm/m.
1 Like
In a nutshell, read the documentation… it’s short and exact.
I don’t think the intent was it’s use with a rotary. It was to save time when doing certain types of objects… this isn’t happening when using a rotary… most of the time is waiting for the rotary to move…
It should work better on a chuck type over a roller, I wouldn’t suggest it for any rotary…
1 Like
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.