RDWorks Learning Lab 25 Convert photos for engraving
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- If you own a Chinese laser cutter this little series of videos about me learning how to use the free software provided, may solve the problem of trying to learn from a virtually unreadable manual.
I am nothing to do with RD Works, I am not an instructor and I am no expert. This series will document the essential bits of many hours of trial and error - Věda a technologie
Thank you. This Chinese translation to English is killing me. I appreciate what you have done here
I recently acquired a similar laser machine as yours. These videos have been incredibly valuable for me, thank you for taking the time to share your process on how to use both the machine and the RDWorks software!
+EDphysics Thanks for your appreciative feedback. As I tell many people, this is not a structured training course, so don't lose sight of the fact that I am learning not teaching. Most of my footage is live first time stuff that has been edited down. I rarely do "practice runs" Hence you could sometimes be following my mistakes as well. If you look far enough ahead you will often find better ways that I have discovered. After revisiting this process, I have concluded that for proper photographic work on glass, wood marble or slate, you need to do all your preparation in Photoshop (or whatever you use) and then import the finished file into RDWorks for one-step programming. There are still some "black magic" tricks that I have yet to acquire but lots of trial and error should eventually get me there.
nice videos and thanks for sharing of your experience knowledge.
Good job Russ!
You've got a new subscriber👏🏻
The Chinglish is good for some chuckles but headache inducing when looking for actual information. I love this approach of converting to a line drawing. It looks so much better than many of the other approaches. Also, thanks for the tips on the rotary tool. The software sure lead me down a bad path. You saved me.
+Event Rental Systems
For someone who has just got their machine you are really crashing on!!....or are you spending all your time watching the videos?? It's good to know that my hours of effort are helping others through the jungle.
Yes I've seen just about all of your videos. I used the rotary tool yesterday for the first time. I've tried glass (the cracking noises are a bit unsettling lol) and I've cut some small wooden signs. Like you, all for fun. No clue what I'll do next.
Hi Rob
Investigate where the preionization zone is for your tube and do glass engraving toward the upper end of that zone at maybe 200mm/s
see czcams.com/video/nZuatc3eIgU/video.html from 24 minutes on
Best wishes
Russ
how to engrave photo according to the picture shape not just square ? i mean it will engrave according to the dog's head, not all of it (square)
I'm still working my way through your excellent series and trying to work out what all the different icons are on the design software supplied with my machine.I am not a patient man and software is not my forte.What is the padlock symbol for?When I click it nothing seems to happen.
+Keith Bickley
Hi Keith
When you click the padlock it should open and close The full use is described in czcams.com/video/SlUFg42u5xQ/video.html about half way through
Hope this helps. Thanks for your kind words
Russ
Awesome - do you have tutorials on Acrylic engrave? Thanks
Thank you for your time and effort! I'm thinking of purchasing a 50W laser and you have answered a lot of my questions
Following your post on making coasters with bitmap images. Doesn't photoshop have a bitmap to vector conversation. This would give you lines to delete or group as you see fit.
Thanks again!!!
Art
Hi Art
Later versions may but my CS2 does not. I have to go to Illustrator to find a trace function
Best regards
Russ
Thanks for all of your time and efforts in creating these videos. I recently purchased a Chinese 50W laser and you've saved me a significant amount of trial and error learning. One question for you about the RDWorks software. Whenever I etch from a photo, the image at the laser is reversed (mirrored). Do you mirror all of your work in RDWorks or, is there a setting that I'm missing? As you well know, the manual is all but useless.
you may have to reverse the screen so 0.0 is in the top left instead of the top right where the software is defaulted. watch Lab 1 or 2. it explains how to change the orientation. it also shows how to size the screen for your size laser bed.
Hi Bill
I apologize for missing you request for help. It was only when sfkillar answered you question did You Tube inform me. His answer is correct. In RDWorks go to Config, System Setting and you will see axis setting. You will find that by default that both X and Y mirrors are ticked. If your head zeros at back left of machine then you need to untick the X mirror to solve your problem and while you are there set the head radio button to top left
You might like to watch
czcams.com/video/CWZvQXxbR_E/video.html
for a more complete explanation.
Best regards
Russ
sfkiller - I set 0.0 to the top left as noted and all is good now. I appreciate the help.
Russ, Thanks - I appreciate the help your videos have provided.
I've stepped away from the laser for a while. life got in the way this summer. now I'm back. I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to import an image for cutting instead of scanning. here's what I'm trying to do. I want to make a template out of Plexiglas for spray painting pumpkin faces onto old refrigerant cylinders. I copied the image (png file) onto my computer and imported in into RDWorks but it shows as a scan only and I cant figure out how to separate the individual lines for cutting. I've tried importing into CS6 Photoshop and erase the background. and have also tried a bunch of different vector files with no luck. I haven't found a video yet to show the process for what I'm trying to do. I've spent hours and hours trying to figure this out.
Hi
This is not an uncommon problem that many experience. I haven't tackled this as a video yet but it seems like it may be necessary. I have answered this question before and done a private video to demonstrate how I go about the solving it. If you like to private message me with your email address I will send the information to you
Best regards
Russ
my email is schanker@hotmail.com I've been battling this for many many hours. and just watched another 2 hrs of your very informative videos. #79 on the copper mirrors. why not have them machined flat? or would it lose the mirror-ing on the surface?
Another great tutorial! Thanks for sharing. I wondered if you have yet tried engraving such an image purely with vectors? I believe there's a way of filling/hatching with them, but not sure how.
+mathew t
Hi Mathew
As far as I am aware there are just 4 ways that these machines can operate
1)Vector drawing ....which can be engraved lines or cut through lines, depending on power and speed.
2) Vector dotting... which can be a dotted engraved line or a pierced through series of dots which may be used for stitching/lacing matching leather parts together
3) bit map engraving.....which is series of scan lines with variable spaced dots(all of the same power) representing various densities of grey in the picture
4)Scan.....which is if you have the max and min power set the same you will get a fixed depth engraving like the picture in this video
OR if you set a max and a min power level you will produce a greyscale 3D wood carving if you choose values correctly .......see czcams.com/video/3xO1hiBQzBg/video.html
The only way to fill lines is to produce a drawing with several linear images where each image is say 0.5mm bigger than the last and make sure your focus point is out of focus to produces a wider line. A multi-line thick line is much quicker to produce than a scanned image but takes a lot more time to prepare.
If you do come across some other method I will be pleased to learn about it.
Best regards
Russ
+SarbarMultimedia thanks Russ for taking the time to provide such a detailed reply. I'll let you know if I find anything else but doubt I will of you haven't! I look forward to watching more of your tutorials. keep up the great work.
Hi Mathew
I have since discovered what you are looking for.
There is a feature in RDWorks that you will be able to employ. Here's a simple example to test it with.
Draw 2 concentric circles in RDWorks.
Put a marquee round the whole.
Select Handle and choose Graphic Hatch. A bmp resolution window appears. Set 100 say. and press OK. The outer area is now a bitmapped area and a BMP layer appears in the parameters list.
DONT put a marquee round the whole, that will select BOTH layers. Just click in the grey bitmap area and handles will appear on the bit map layer only.
Select Handle menu and click on Bitmap Handle
NOW its all down to your taste.
Tick output resolution. Tick Dither. Tick Dot Graphic and click Aply to view to see what you will get. Change the resolution to 50 and click apply to view
When you get the look you want then click Apply to source and and OK
Check with Preview to see an idea of the cut order and what you will get.
Hope this helps
Best regards
Russ
+SarbarMultimedia Hi Russ, thankyou for sharing this information. I will definitely give this a go as soon as I get my laser tuned in. I'm doing the dreaded mirror alignment at the moment. think my frame might not be square. bah! cheers, Mat.
Hello, thank you for your very informative videos. Unfortunately, I speak very bad English, and I can not understand how you proceed so that the white background (behind the dog's head) does not graze. Me, when I have a silhouette, it makes me a gray background in the simulation that gets worse, and that even if I have a white background in my image ... Can you help me?
Hello Sylvie
First of all, it may be easier to talk about this subject by email. Click on the Sarbar red square and information will be put into your address bar. Add ?about to the end of that address and press enter. You should now see a message button at the top right of the page that appears. You can now send me a private message with your email address and I will try to help you.
When you write your email, use your own language and feel comfortable, I will let Google translate convert it for me.
Best wishes
Russ
Voilà je vous ai envoyé un mail... normalement. Cordialement.
Hello Russ, what computer and programming would you suggest to set up with??? I have a brand new 60 watt machine coming next week
Hi
First of all you will need a Windows machine to run RDWorks ( the free and essential interface program) The program will be on a CD but I advise aginst working from the CD as many have claimed it is not virus-free. Load issue 18 from the top of this page
en.rd-acs.com/down_complex.aspx?FId=n14:14:14&pageindex=2
You can download it and get started without the machine.
When your machine arrives let me know and also tell me if the tube is labeled K H Laser and I will explain further
Best wishes
Russ
PS these attempts at photo engraving were early on in my learning journey as I was exploring the capabilities of the RDWorks software. It only took about 18 months before I was forced to figure out how to do it properly from absolute basics. There's a lot more to it than pressing a few buttons as # 106, 107, 108, 109, 112, 114 and 115 will demonstrate
Best wishes
Russ
Russ,
So, I purchased a new computer today with the intent of downloading the software you suggest. now trying to figure out which download to choose from the long list that shows from the list that comes from the link. Could you please suggest the proper title to download?
Thank you,
Brian
Also if it helps, my email is Heirloomgamecalls@yahoo.com
It may be easier to communicate that way in the long run. thank you again for your valuble time.
Brian
Mainboard is Moshidraw m2 nano?
Hi Barbara.
You have a K40 machine which is not able to do many of the things that a digitally controlled machine can do. You do not have control of power during your program, you have to set it manually. This series documents the learning journey with the next size machine up from your K40. At this stage of learning I was very naive and this was my first set of explorations into trying to work out how photo engraving could be done with a laser machine. I did not possess sufficient knowledge about many aspects of the technology or the machine to be anywhere near successful and It was another 2 years before I really understood what photo engraving was all about and had mastered the key elements of controlling the laser to achieve very good results. The K40 has many elements that allow it to be good at photo engraving but the inability to fit a compound lens does set a quality limit.. Take a look at this video and most of it you will be able to achieve with your machine .
czcams.com/video/jwo9hrVhpIw/video.html
You need to watch this also to see just what is possible
czcams.com/video/ATu-7EGZGMA/video.html
Best wishes
Russ
how to cut from import files? this program RDWorks support only scan
I think you have to press the BMP button after you select your image in RDworks to produce the lines for cutting.
What does "not enough extended space" mean?
Hi
It probably means you are trying to run an engraving program from machine 0.0 The scanning action requires a few millimeters at the end of each sweep to decelerate turn round and accelerate back to speed before starting the engraving again. Move your program origin into the work area by 5,5
Best regards
Russ
yep. that's exactly what it was. I was thinking the file size was too big but in reality I had it too close to the edge. thanks.
Awesome! How many watts is this machine? : ))
I was very new to lasers at this time. I had just replaced the junk tube that was supplied with the machine for another fromEbay that was almost a bad. This supposed 50 watt tube was just about delivering 30watts, Fortunately you do not need many watts for photo engraving so I was abl;e to get away with a 2nd junk tube. Later on I buy a proper A grade 70 watt tube and it is now about 5 years old and performing like new.
Also I am afraid I did not really understand what photo engraving was all about at this time I was just doing it in the simplest way possible. I still had a lot to learn. Eventually I worked out exactly what must be done and you will see that in
czcams.com/video/jwo9hrVhpIw/video.html
If you want this data pack then add your disguised email addresss to another comment and I will send you all the informatiom. I will then delete your comment.
Best wishes
Russ
Russ
I keep getting the error "no enough extend space". Can you share your wisdom on this annoying error? Thank you!
When you start your machine, the head moves to one corner and that sets machine zero zero. Within the Vendor settings the working size for your table has been set so that the head does not crash into any extremities. You move your head to a start position and press the ORIGIN button and at that point the controller checks the max dimensions of your program and adds those dimensions to the distance you have set YOUR origin to the machine 0,0. If either of those dimensions exceeds the total allowable X or Y work area then you will get this error displayed when you try to run the program. It's NOT a machine error, it's just that part of your program exceeds the working area of the table Another puzzling error often occurs and is called SLOP. It is actually the same error but for a different reason. Say you have a 500 mm wide table and you wish to scan and big image 490mm wide. It will certainly not run the program and report this slop error. When you scan, you have defined a speed of say 400mm/s. The head needs a certain distance to get to 400mm/s before the beam will switch on, lets say 25mm. It will also require the same distance at the other end of the stroke to decelerate and stop. That means you must set your program origin in at least 25mm from 0,0 and make your program no bigger than 450mm. otherwise the machine knows that the head will need to travel outside the allowable work area and will prevent you running the program. The faster you run the bigger that run up and run down distance will be.
Hope that makes sense.
Best wishes
Russ
Thanks very much for the response. I have so much to learn!
thank you! that is very interesting and useful as always! I made this video while ago, where I explain my process, I use photoshop though. czcams.com/video/IJYELhfUwjs/video.html