Etching Vs. Cutting

• Etching is the process of removing a small layer of material from the top of the workpiece.

• Cutting goes all the way through the materialCutting goes all the way through the material

Vector Vs. Raster

• Vector artwork is a collection of straight or curved lines. Illustrator files and DXF files are examples of vectors. The laser software will follow a vector line and cut or etch, depending on power settings.

• Bitmap or raster artwork is a collection of individual points. JPG, GIF, PNG and Photoshop are examples of bitmap files. The laser software will interpret raster lines as instructions to etch, not cut. The laser will hit each dot or pixel with a short blast of light to burn an image into the material.

Selecting Vectors In Design Software

Adobe Illustrator

• In Illustrator, lines with a 0.001" stroke will be a vector. Adobe Illustrator will be a vector.

CorelDRAW

• In CorelDRAW, lines with a width of hairline will be vectore. All other lines will be interpreted as a raster.

Specifications

Display

The display shows valuable information associated with the highlighted Functional Menu items.

We will explain the different information that will be displayed as we go through the description of each menu item.

Status Indicator

In the bottom left corner of the screen you will see text displaying the current status of the machine.

• Homing: This indicates the machine is still powering on. None of the functions are available until powering on is completed.

• Idle: The machine is inactive and ready to run or resume a job.

• Running: A job is in progress when this is displayed.

• Parking: The axis is returning to Home position.

• Jogging: Jog mode is active.

Symbols

Go/Stop Button

Press the Go/Stop button to start and pause a job.

LED Status

The ring around the Go/Stop button will change certain colors depending on the Fusion Pro’s status.

• White: The machine is booting.

• Purple: The machine is waiting for the touch screen configuration to load.

• Multi-colored: The machine is Homing.

• Alternating Light Blue to Green: Machine is Idle and ready to run a job.

• Green: Machine is actively running or tracing a job.

• Red: A drive has failed. The number of flashes determines the drive number that failed. If more than one drive has failed, it flashes for the first sequential drive

1. X Axis

2. Y Left Axis

3. Y Right Axis

Reset Key

• Press the Reset key to return the carriage to Home Position after moving it in Jog mode.

• Press this key to restart a paused job. The Reset button stops the engraving and returns the carriage to Home Position without erasing the job from memory.

Focus

The Focus function lets you manually adjust the table height for engraving using the Focus Gauge. With Focus highlighted, use the Joystick to move the table up or down; the display shows the table position. Press once to enable Focus (icon turns green) and press again to exit.

Pointer

The Pointer key toggles the laser system’s Red Dot Pointer.

Jog

• The Jog function lets you move the laser head using the Joystick.

• Enable the Red Dot Pointer for a visual guide.

• The carriage moves in X, Y, or diagonally, with its position shown on the display.

• This helps focus the laser on any object on the table.

Trace

The Trace function is a new feature that will be added soon. For now this key will be inactive.

Job Menu

• The Job Menu lets you view jobs sent to the laser system. The job names match the file names you printed to the laser.

• When the job you want has been selected, it will be highlighted in blue. Press the Go/Stop button to start the job.

• After the job starts, settings and a timer will appear at the bottom. Saved jobs, indicated by a save icon, will always be visible at the top of the list.

Speed

Power

DPI

Frequency

Delete Button

To delete a job, select it in the Job Menu and click the Delete Button.

A dialog will pop up to confirm that you want to delete the file. Select “Yes” and the file will be removed from the Job Menu.

Jog Menu

• Access the Jog Menu by pressing the Jog key, which will turn green when active.

• The Jog Menu allows you to adjust the current X and Y axis positions of the laser head.

• You may change the current position of the laser head either using the Joystick, or by entering precise coordinates.

• The Nudge arrows allow you to fine-tune the position down to a thousandth of an inch.

• Once you are finished using the Jog Menu, press the Jog key again to return to the main Job Menu.

• Press the Reset key to return the laser back to its home position.

Auto Focus

Position the lens carriage above the material, press Auto Focus to engage the plunger. The table will lift until the material touches the plunger, setting it to the right height. Your job is now in focus.

Focus Menu

• To adjust the table height, press the Focus key (turns green when active).

• Use the Focus Menu to raise/lower the table for precise laser focusing with the Focus Gauge.

• Adjust the height using the joystick or Nudge arrows (down to a thousandth of an inch).

• Press the Focus key again to return to the main Job menu.

Always Follow these rules while using the Laser Machine:

A fire can start in a laser at any time; stay next to the machine at all times

Some materials release poisonous gasses or burn when heated. Always consult the chart (on the wall and computers) for materials before using the laser

• Turn on the Vacuum Switch

• Use the power switch to turn on the machine.

• To initiate the machine, begin by carefully inserting the Epilog key into the designated keyhole. Ensure that the key is fully inserted and properly aligned.

• Once the key is secured in place, proceed by turning the prominent red button. This action will activate the machine and commence its operational sequence.

The Machine is ready to use once the below screen appears

Using the Epilog Job Manager

• The first time you open the Job Manager you’ll see a tab for each of the machine models. Begin by selecting the correct model, naming your machine, setting the IP Address, and selecting the correct CO2 and fiber laser wattage (if you have a dual-source machine) then click Save.

• Your new laser has been activated in the Job Manager and now appears in the left panel. It is now ready to accept jobs from the print driver. Use the Add or Delete buttons to add or remove additional machines.

Printing to the Epilog Job Manager

• Create a file in your graphic software and select Print.

• When the print dialog opens up, make sure you select Epilog Engraver as your printer and set the Page to Match Orientation and Size.

• Once your desired settings are selected, click Print again.

• The file will open in the Epilog Dashboard first. To send it to the Job Manager, click the “Send to JM” button.

• The Job Manager window will open and the Dashboard window will close.

Organizing Your Print Jobs

• Remember that job you ran three months ago for T-Maze or Pinball Game? No?

• With this Job Manager you can pull up the job and the settings you used to get the perfect engraving!

Send Jobs Directly from the Job Manager

• Send jobs again by pulling up any job, adjusting the settings directly from the Job Manager software, and printing.

• You can also still send the jobs directly from your favorite design software.

Organize Your Print Jobs in Folders

• Setup custom folders for your most common customers to easily access their jobs.

• Create subfolders by month, year, or any other category that is most helpful to you.

Import Your Material Settings

• Material settings based on your wattage of laser will be automatically loaded into the system so you can import them into any laser job.

• You can also setup your own custom settings based on the specific materials you use most often.

Preview Your Jobs

• Zoom in and preview every pixel of every job.

• Double click the preview window to review and edit laser parameters and print from the preview screen.

Find Your Job History

Look back at every time that a job has been sent to a laser.

• You can also see the different settings you used for each engraving.

• This is especially helpful when trying to find the perfect setting you used for a previous job.

Search for your Jobs

• Type in part of a file name and press enter to find all files related to that name.

• You can organize files by category, creation date, print date, or alphabetically to find a specific file.

Keep Your Projects Organized

• We’ve even made it easy for you to keep your files organized.

• Any uncategorized files that you don’t want to keep in the database can be cleared from the database memory at the touch of a button!

Reduce Fire Risk with a Clean Laser

• Cleaning the Fusion Pro is an excellent way to prevent fire with the laser.

• A buildup of cutting and engraving residue and debris is dangerous and can create a fire hazard in its own right.

• Keep your laser system clean and free of debris.

• Regularly remove the Vector Cutting Table to clean any small pieces that have fallen through the grid.

Cleaning the Optics

• Clean your laser optics periodically or if you notice dust buildup.

• Accumulated contaminants like smoke or resin can reduce laser power and damage the lens.

Cleaning the Lens

• The focus lens is contained within the lens tube.

• The lens tube is a single assembly and is fairly easy to clean.

• Remove the lens tube from the machine for cleaning by unscrewing the captive screw on the front lens clamp using a screwdriver.

• Hold the lens tube from the bottom while unscrewing the captive screw, as the tube may come out easily.

• Remove the captive screw, then the lens tube. Twist off the bottom cone piece to reveal the lens.

• To clean the lens, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully.

• Allow the optics to dry, then twist the cone piece securely back on to the bottom of the lens tube.

• Align the hole near the bottom of the lens tube with the air assist hole.

• Ensure the top notch of the tube matches the insert on the assembly.

• The tube should slightly shift when twisted. Wrap the clamp around the tube and tighten the screw.

Cleaning the Mirror

• The mirror is located on the back side of the assembly and also has a simple cleaning process.

• Start by opening the door latched onto the back of the assembly. The door will rotate counterclockwise to open.

• Next, twist the knob on the right side of the assembly counterclockwise to loosen the mirror, preparing it

  for removal

• Now remove the mirror from the assembly by sliding it out towards the back of the machine.

• To clean the mirror, use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner supplied in the accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully.

• Tighten the securing knob and close the back door. Once the mirror is cleaned and dry, place it back into the assembly angled down towards the table.

Replacing the Lens

• Replace the old lens with a new one by removing the lens tube from the machine.

• Unscrew the captive screw on the front lens clamp using a screwdriver while holding the tube from the bottom.

• Insert the new lens tube and secure it properly.

• Insert the new tube into the assembly, aligning the hole at the bottom with the air assist hole, and the notch at the top with the insert.

• The tube should only shift slightly when twisted. Wrap the clamp around the tube and tighten the screw.

Cleaning the Exhaust Plenum

• Keep your exhaust blower in good shape. Clean the duct system often to get rid of debris.

• If you notice odors or smoke near the lens carriage, check the exhaust system for loose connections or blockages.

• Occasionally check the blower and duct work as shown in the following photos.

Cleaning the Vents

Clean the vents inside the machine with a flexible or wire brush.

1. Certification/Identification Plate: This engraved plate is located on the right side of the machine’s cabinet.

2. Warning Logotype: Indicates that invisible and visible laser danger is present if the cover is opened or removed.

1. Descriptive Label: This label identifies the classification of the Model 16000 & 17000 in accordance with 21 CFR 1040.10 and IEC 60825-1.

1. Non-interlocked Protective Housing Safety Labels

1. Defeatably-interlocked Protective Housing Safety Labels

1. Electrical Safety Label: Potentially dangerous electrical exposure is present if the cover is removed.

1. Main Breaker Label

1. Mechanical Safety Label: Dangerous rotating moving parts are accessible if this cover is opened or removed.

1. Consult Manual Label: There is additional information in the manual.

1. Aperture Safety Label

1. Power Labels: Indicates the correct input power of the main electrical connection.

1. Fire Warning Label: Indicates potential fire risk.

Opening the File in CorelDRAW or any Graphic Software

• Prepare your artwork in the graphics software of your choice, such as Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Canva, and Inkscape, for example.

• Sending a laser project to an Epilog Laser machine is quicker and less painful than printing to your standard paper printer.

• To cut, set the line width to "Hairline". Any width beyond "Hairline" will be engraved by default.

Select "File" and Select "Print" as per below.

• To start the engraving process, first, select the Epilog Engraver from the list of available devices.

• Once you have chosen the correct engraver, click on the Print button to initiate the printing procedure.

Cutting through the Epilog Laser Dashboard

Once you give Print in your software, it will open your design in the Epilog Laser Dashboard

Select import to select the material and their relative Speed and Power required

Select the material that you are cutting from the pre-loaded Material Library which has pre-defined Power and Speed for each material. then, select Import

Check material, power, and speed settings, and adjust if needed. When ready, click Print.

This will send the design from the Dashboard to the Epilog Laser Machine to execute the Job

Check The Bed For Potential Fire Sources

• Open the Lid

• Look through the honeycomb.

  • If there are more than a few pieces of paper or combustibles under the bed, it will need to be cleaned.

• Press the down arrow to lower the bed.

• The button is located on the left side, towards the front, inside the machine.

• Flip up the three ruler guides.

• Remove the honeycomb.

• Take care to not hit the laser optics.

• Use a vacuum to clean the lower tray.

• Reinstall the honeycomb.

• The extended aluminum sides go down.

• Flip down the ruler guides.

Area And Machine Preparation

• Look up your settings.

• Turn on the ventilation.

• Check under the honeycomb for debris.

• Vacuum if needed.

• Focus the laser.

• Adjust the settings in the Printing Preferences dialog.

• Load your material.

• Send the job to the laser.

Load The Material

• Open the door.

• Check the tray and ruler guides before placing your material on the bed.

• The ruler guides should be flipped down flat, on top of the tray.

• Place your material flat on the honeycomb, taking care to not hit the optics.

• If using weights to hold down warped material, make sure the laser will not hit them.

Making The Cut!

• Make an air pass before cutting.

  • Lift the lid to keep the cutting laser from turning on.

• Press the GO button.

• When the job is complete, you can run it again by pressing GO.

  • Close the lid if the air pass was successful.

Cleanup

• Lower the table.

• Remove the honeycomb.

• Vacuum the lower tray.

• Replace the honeycomb.

• Flip down the rulers.

• Turn off the ventilation if needed.

• Put usable material in the scrap bin.

• Put trash and recyclables in the correct bins.

• Clean up near the computer and the laser.

• Remove your USB drive from the computer.

Troubleshooting the Job Manager

1. In the Windows search bar, search for “Device Manager”.

2. Once the Device Manager opens, click on “Display Adapters” to reveal your graphics card. Right click on the graphics card and select “Update driver”.

1. Choose which way you want to search for an update for your driver and then update the driver.

4. Restart your computer and open the Job Manager. If the problem persists, contact Staff Manager for Technical Support

Lift the Lid

• This will turn off the cutting laser and stop adding heat to the flame.

• When the flame is out, adjust your cut settings, then continue or restart the job.

Blow Out the Flame

• If the operator feels safe, attempt to blow out the flame.

• When the fire is out, check with Shop Staff.

Power Down

• Close the blast gate to stop air circulation within the machine.

• Shut off the ventilation if no other lasers are in use.

• Press the E-Stop – this will turn off the laser and disengage the gantry motors.

• Move the gantry out of the way to protect the machine optics.

• When fire is out, see Shop Staff and do not resume work until cleared by a Staff member

Cover with a Damp Towel

• Use the spray bottle of water to soak a shop towel kept near the laser cutter.

• Place the damp towel on the flames.

• When fire is out, see Shop Staff and do not resume work until cleared by a Staff member.

Use the Fire Extinguisher

• Close the lid.

• Confirm that the ventilation blast gate is closed.

• Get a fire extinguisher from the wall by the nearest exit door.

• Push the Emergency Alert Button, or have somebody else push it.

• Keep the lid closed, and discharge the extinguisher into the front grill.

• The entire extinguisher does not have to be discharged all at once. Aim, shoot, and evaluate.

• When fire is out, see Shop Staff and do not resume work until cleared by a Staff member.

Pull the Fire Alarm

• Evacuate the room and the building.

• Get yourself and any coworkers to the safety master location.

The Epilog Fusion Pro 48 is a powerful and versatile laser cutting and engraving machine designed to meet the needs of both professional users and enthusiasts who require high-quality results and the ability to work on larger-scale projects. Equipped with high-quality CO2 lasers, it ensures accurate cuts and intricate engraving details.

The Machine can be configured to cut & engrave:

• Wood

• Acrylic

• Glass

• Metal (Only Engraving)

• Plastic*

• Paper

• Leather and many more!

Here is a short video that you can refer to for better understanding:

Understanding Material Compatibility:

Before embarking on any laser cutting or engraving project, it’s crucial to understand the compatibility of materials with the Epilog machine. Different materials react differently to laser processing due to variations in composition, density, and other factors. This guide categorizes materials based on their compatibility with the Epilog system, outlining which materials are safe for laser cutting and engraving and which ones should be avoided.

Please find the below table to know more about material and its compatibility:

3D Engraving

• In 3D mode, we can adjust the laser power (wattage) for each dot individually.

• In basic raster engraving mode, every dot gets the same laser output.

• n 3D mode, the laser fires continuously between most dots, ensuring a gradual change in engraving depth when transitioning between shades of gray.

• This excludes transitions from 100% black to 100% white (or vice versa).

• Because of this laser behavior, adjustments to the artwork are necessary, making 3D engraving more challenging.

In this sample, the black background would be engraved away. Using this technique, the leaf stands up away from the background, with the edges of the leaf being the highest points and the stems being engraved the deepest.

This image would engrave deepest around the edges of the leaf and less deep in the body.

Engraving of Diffferent Materials

Acrylic

Acrylic -in all its different forms - has been shown to be especially flammable when cut with the laser.

Choosing the Right Type of Acrylic

There are two types of acrylics and each is suitable for different applications.

• Cast acrylic sheets and objects are made from a liquid acrylic that is poured into molds that can be set into various shapes and sizes. This is the type of acrylic used for the awards you see on the market. Cast acrylic is ideal for engraving because it turns a frosty white color when engraved. While it can be cut with a laser, it will not give you flame-polished edges.

Extruded acrylic: Will form into sheets once used with laser. It is formed through a higher-volume manufacturing technique, so it is typically less expensive than cast, and it reacts very differently with the laser. Extruded acrylic will cut cleanly and smoothly and will have a flame-polished edge when laser cut. But when it is engraved, instead of a frosted look you will have a clear engraving.

Acrylic Engraving Techniques

• Most acrylic is engraved on the backside to produce a look-through effect from the front surface.

• Remove the protective adhesive paper from the back of the acrylic before engraving. Since you are engraving the backside of the acrylic, you will need to reverse or mirror your artwork before sending the job to the laser.

• Engrave the acrylic at a high speed and low power. A small amount of power is all it takes to mark acrylic and high-power levels tend to distort the acrylic when engraving.

Anodized Aluminum

Anodized aluminum is a coated aluminum that comes in a variety of colors and can usually be easily engraved with a CO2 laser.

• Black anodized aluminum is great to work with because it turns white when engraved and provides the best contrast of all of the colors of anodized aluminum.

• Some colors of anodized – red for instance – will not turn completely white when laser engraved.

• Red anodized will produce a light pink color.

• Performing a second pass can result in some improvement, but usually a slight shadow of color will remain.

• Engrave anodized aluminum at high speeds and low powers for crisp, clean results.

• Too much power applied to the anodized coating will distort the engraving and tends to over-burn the image.

Brass - Painted

• Since the frequency of the CO2 laser is not compatible with bare metals, uncoated brass cannot be laser engraved.

• In order to engrave brass with a CO2 laser you need to use brass that has some sort of coating – typically paint.

• The laser removes the paint and exposes the brass substrate.

Painted Brass Engraving Techniques

• Engrave painted brass with a high speed and low power setting.

• It takes very little power to remove the paint coating and too much power will melt the paint and distort the image.

Glass

• When a laser strikes glass it fractures the surface, but it will not engrave deeply or remove material.

• The fracturing of the glass surface will produce a frosted appearance but can cause roughness and chipping depending on the type of glass being engraved.

• While the frosted appearance is desired, the roughness and chipping are not.

Glass Engraving Techniques

To produce a smooth frosted finish, here are some tips:

• 300 DPI: Using a lower resolution, around 300 DPI, produces a better result on glass as you separate the dots you are engraving.

• Masking: Some people find that applying a thin, wet sheet of newspaper or paper towel a little larger than the engraving area also helps with heat dissipation and improves the engraving. Just be sure that there are no wrinkles in the paper after it is applied.

• Dish Soap: Using your finger or a paper towel, apply a thin coat of liquid dish soap – any kind will do – over the area to be engraved. This will dissipate the heat when engraving.

• Polish: If there are small shards of glass, you can polish the area with a ScotchBrite pad or something similar.

Notary Seals: Delrin

• Notary seals can be easily manufactured using 1/16-inch (1.5 mm) thick delrin plastic.

• A seal consists of two pieces - a male die and a female die, both shown below.

• The male die consists of white lettering on a black background and the female die is an inverted and mirrored image of the male.

• Inverting and mirroring are easily accomplished in most graphics software packages. Simply duplicate the male die, invert the black and white colors, and then mirror the image.

The male image should be produced without the use of outlines around the text or graphics. Add a .007 to .010 inch (0.178 mm to 0.254 mm) outline to the text and graphics of the female die. This outline creates a large enough void between the male and female dies to emboss paper without tearing.

Apply a .001 outline around the seal to define the outside edge of the seal. Use the Combined Mode to first raster engrave the seal and then vector cut out the seal.

Plastic Engraving

There are two types of available engraving plastics:

Rotary plastics:

• Rotary plastics are designed for rotary engraving systems that use a mechanical spinning bit to remove material.

• Therefore, the depth of the top layer or “cap sheet” was designed to make it easy to rotary engrave.

• Cap sheet thickness was approximately .010 inches (0.254 mm) thick and laser engraving was nearly impossible because by the time you applied enough power to get through the cap sheet the laser melted and deformed the plastic.

Laserable plastics

• Laserable plastics have been developed with a thinner cap sheet that is .002” to .003” (0.051 mm to 0.076 mm) thick, providing much better engraving and cutting characteristics.

• These plastics are commonly referred to as micro laminates; micro-surfaced, or simply laser engraveable plastics.

• These plastics are generally very easy to engrave with a laser since they all have similar characteristics.

Choose the Right Plastic

• Because there is such a broad range of plastics it is necessary to experiment to determine if a particular type of plastic is laser compatible.

• Different color plastics, even if they are from the same manufacturer, will have unique speed and power settings.

• If you do not get acceptable initial results with the recommended speed and power settings, start experimenting by first changing only the power setting.

• If adjusting the power setting does not work, start over and adjust only the speed setting.

• Once you have acceptable results, record those settings for that particular plastic so that you do not have to repeat the experimentation process.

Plastic Engraving Techniques

• Always remove the clear protective cover layer before engraving.

• Once you have the correct speed and power settings you can improve your engraving results even more by taking the focus lens out of focus (lower the table) by about 1/16 (1.5 mm) of an inch.

• This technique enlarges the focus beam a little bit and provides more beam overlap on each pass of the laser.

• The greater overlap produces a smoother engraved surface on the plastic and eliminates the grooves that you sometimes see when engraving plastic.

• With some plastics it is best to engrave using two passes. The first pass cuts through the cap layer and the second pass cleans away the residue that some plastics leave behind.

• Another technique that can be useful is to mask the plastic before engraving with transfer or masking tape.

• This will prevent a buildup of residue on the plastic surface. Misting the transfer tape with water will reduce heat buildup and melting on sensitive plastics.

Rubber Stamps

• The Dashboard includes settings for producing rubber stamps. Unique stamp attributes – shoulders, widening and more – are controlled in the Advanced tab of the Dashboard after setting the engrave type to “Stamp”.

Creating Your Layout for Stamps

• Set up your artwork in Corel so that your computer image looks like the image that you want to stamp.

• Areas to be stamped (the raised areas on the stamp) should be black, with the area to be removed white.

• The artwork for a stamp file needs to be set up so that the background of the image will be engraved away and the words and letters remain standing.

• The two ways of setting up a stamp file are determined by the method you use to define the area that is to be engraved away:

Outside Vector Method:

• When a job is sent to the Dashboard, hairlines are separated into a vector process to determine the fence.

• This method saves time and material by precisely controlling background engraving.

• The outside vector must be 0.003” or less thick and can be any closed shape.

• Multiple stamps can fit within one vector.

• This method uses a closed outline to define the engraved area.

• The laser removes only the background within the Fence, leaving the logo intact.

Bounding Box Method:

• Creating Perforated Cuts: Set the vector frequency to 1 or 2 in the print driver.This allows easy removal while keeping the stamp attached for cleaning.

Example 1: Single stamp (will not be cut out)

Example 2: Single circular stamp to be cut out

Example 3: Multiple stamps to be cut

Example 4: The file contains multiple fence lines that will be cut out.

Sending a Stamp File to the Laser

Once you have successfully setup your stamp artwork, you are ready to print your design. In the Dashboard go to the Advanced tab. Under “Engrave Type” select “Stamp”.

Shoulder Settings

The Shoulder setting in the Dashboard adjusts the character shoulder angle. Higher numbers give a wider angle and more support. Users often prefer the default setting of 0.020”.

Widening Settings

The Widening setting in the Dashboard adjusts the character width at its top. A higher value makes the character bolder. The default setting of 0 is often ideal.

Fence

Choose between "Outside Vector" and "Bounding Area." Use Outside Vector with a vector line around the artwork. Use Bounding Area to create a box-shaped fence around the artwork.

Wood Solid Wood

• Wood is very laser-friendly because it can be easily engraved or cut.

• Lighter woods like Cherry or Maple show great contrast when engraved, making them popular for laser work.

• Many wood products are designed for laser use, with more to discover.

• Epilog recommends that when working with wood other than the ones listed in this section that you investigate the engraving and cutting characteristics before committing to use.

• The most common woods used with the laser are Cherry, Walnut, Maple, Alder, & Oak.

• These woods are considered hard woods, and have grains that work well with lasers.

• Cherry and alder are the most popular woods for engraving. The light, red color of these two woods provides an excellent contrast when engraved.

• MDF is an engineered wood product with glued together wood fibers.

• Since there are not layers of wood glued together, like in the plywood, the engraving and cutting is much better.

• You will produce some charring on the edge of MDF when cut, so you may need to sand the edges after cutting.

Wood Engraving Techniques

• To create a quality image on wood, contrast and depth are usually desired. The higher the power levels, the higher the contrast and depth will be.

• Speed and Power Settings: The downside is that it takes a lot of power to deeply engrave wood at high speeds.

• Most wood can be engraved using full power no matter whether you are using a 30-watt laser or a 120-watt laser.

• Depending on the wattage of your laser, the best approach is to set the laser power at 100% and adjust the speed to obtain the desired depth.

• Resolution Settings: Wood is a very easy material to work with and you can produce very nice detail with as little as 300 DPI engraving. 600 DPI engraving into wood produces fabulous results, especially on photos

• Gray Scales: Gray scales look wonderful when engraved into wood, offering great contrast due to varying reactions at different gray levels. Experiment with clipart by ungrouping it and changing colors from dark red to light yellow before engraving. This creates a shading effect that appears almost 3