Jinan JC4060 Corel Problem

[CBJB]

I just purchased the Chinese JC4060 80w laser and it came with Lasercut 5.1 with a USB Flash Drive "Soft Dog". Well, it works but it seems very antiquated so we installed Corel Draw 12 but I can't get Corel Draw to "see" the laser. Is there another driver I need to install? The owners manual is extremely limited and I'm stuck. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[king9558]

Hi CBJB:
I think you need contact the laser machine manufacturer who you purchased your machine. As i know, most laser control system support Coreldraw12, and what you need is the manufacturer's plug-in file. then it will work.

[kewlkiwi]

Originally Posted by CBJB ...it came with Lasercut 5.1 ... can't get Corel Draw to "see" the laser. .

When you install LaserCut, it should ask if you want to install for a stand-alone, Corel Draw, or Autocad. (Should be able to install any/all if needed).

Did you get this choice, and did you choose Corel?

Bob

[CBJB]

Yes, we went back and re-installed Laser Cut, got that option and selected Corel. So now we see the laser"operating tools" in Corel, but off to the left in the drop down box, theres not a "laser" option, it says Letter, custom, etc. I'm trying to go thru the Jinan manuel for start up in Corel, but again its limited. I guess next we'll set up the machine parameters to see if Corel will operate the laser. Thanks, for everyones help. I'll let you know if works.

[kewlkiwi]

Originally Posted by CBJB ... but off to the left in the drop down box, theres not a "laser" option, it says Letter, custom, etc.

That sounds like the paper sizes. My suggestion would be to choose 'custom' and enter the size of your laser's working area, then save that as 'laser'.

At that point, in Corel you will have a work sheet the size of your laser, so go ahead and design something, then use the 'Laser operating tools' to send to Lasercut and from there to the laser.

Note that Corel wont run the laser itself (you need a printer driver like LinkMotion to do that).

With the setup you have, you first design in Corel, then - using the plug-in - it's transferred to Lasercut, which sends it to the laser.

Does your version of Lasercut have an "Immediate" button on the right-hand panel?

Bob

[CBJB]

Yes, there's an Immediate box that's checked. I did figure a problem out, not necessarly "the" problem. In Corel I realized that for the Laser Out Put "graph" to see anything, the files have to be saved as bitmap, no more than 2 bits. So I saved the text as a bitmap and it worked. Corel actually operated the laser as well. It worked on scanned art work to. By doing this, I dont know if Corel is letting the laser use its full potential, but at least its working. To save custom set parameters in the paper select area, do you right click that highlited area, edit, then save as Laser? Thanks, for all the help.

[kewlkiwi]

Originally Posted by CBJB Yes, there's an Immediate box that's checked. I did figure a problem out, not necessarly "the" problem. In Corel I realized that for the Laser Out Put "graph" to see anything, the files have to be saved as bitmap, no more than 2 bits. So I saved the text as a bitmap and it worked. Corel actually operated the laser as well. It worked on scanned art work to. By doing this, I dont know if Corel is letting the laser use its full potential, but at least its working. To save custom set parameters in the paper select area, do you right click that highlited area, edit, then save as Laser? Thanks, for all the help.

I've found (as others have said) it's much better to save from Corel as an .AI file and import that into Lasercut rather than using the plug-in.

When you export to AI, choose:
Destination: PC
Export Text as: Curves
and untick 'Include placed images' and Include v7 preview image'

I always use Compatibility: AI 7.0
Other versions may work [shrug]
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Lasercut is pretty crappy, but you can work around most of that.
The Immediate box means the laser will take it's current position as being the origin of your drawing. So your page size doesn't have to be the same as the laser's 'page'. Just put your work in, jog the head to the corner you've set (in Lasercut) as the origin, and away you go.

(If you do this, and the laser refuses to do anything, it could be that the current position, combined with the size of the drawing, would take it over the boundaries of the laser - something to check when it's being contrary!)
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To save a custom page size in Corel: (I'm using v12)
Click on Tools/Options/Document/Page/Size and enter your page size. The 'Paper:' will change to 'Custom' and a 'Save Custom Page' button will show - click here and enter a name. At any time in the future, you can re-enter this section and 'delete' the custom page too.

Stick with it, you're getting there!

Bob

[CBJB]

So far so good. Anyone know the best route to purchase a rotary attachment for a Jinan JCUT 4060 80w laser? I contacted the folks I bought it from and shipping alone was $300 on top of the $300 purchase. I tried ebay and couldnt get a bite on the search. I was hoping for a company in the US for ease of shipping, but I cant find a US Dealer for Chinese Lasers. I have a secondary question about etching glass. Some parts come out prefectly "frosted" while on the same peice it comes out with some flaking areas that I have to take the end of a nail and scrape out. So it loses its cohesiveness. Is there a proper wattage,speed and distance thats more preferable for glass. I currently have the laser set at 45 watts, about 2" from the glass at 400 speed. Somebody told me to tape the area being lasered so it takes the brunt of the heat? Thanks for all the info.