Reply with QuoteHi Jacqui, post some photos of the software screen and mark the icons you want to know what are for, maybe i could tell .
Luis
Software questions for "NewlyDraw"
If anyone out there has a laser running on NewlyDraw perhaps we can share experiences and questions. I am slowly figuring out how to use parts of the program but there are areas that stay greyed out that seem like they should work. I have only done some simple engraving and tried cutting thin wood but I am still not sure what I am doing. First wood piece I cut was 1/8" basswood and I set the beam close to the bottom of the wood (was later told this was wrong - set to top surface and adjust speed and power). The little circle I cut out was very nice though. I next tried to cut some other little pieces from same size basswood and it didn't cut all the way through so I set the power higher and tried other wood (didn't realize it was a bit thicker) and it only cut half way through. I know this is just a matter of settings but not sure just what adjustments to make.
Perhaps others can share and we can learn together.
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos, gsolfot
Rabbit HX3040
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Hi Jacqui, post some photos of the software screen and mark the icons you want to know what are for, maybe i could tell .
Luis
Luis - I have not been able to get a good photo because of the contrast - just not clear enough. I can figure out the icons and I have since yesterday found out where some screens were that I couldn't access before. I am still not totally clear on using this program but am able to do quite a bit with it anyway. Now I shall just continue to experiment with different settings and materials and will keep a notebook with what I did and the settings I used - I am sure I will become an expert LOL!Originally Posted by lamicron
Jacqui, try this: get a piece of 15mm MDF set the power at 90% ( try not to use the 100% power , that will be more life for the laser tube..) then set different speeds to cut 10, 20 and so on , you can see the deep of the cut , this way you can choose the speed depending on the thickness of the material, make the same test wit all the materials you are going to work
And , Yes thats the only way to become an expert. !!
Luis
Thank you for that little test idea. It is somewhat like I have been doing but I have been reluctant to crank up the power that far because I didn't think it was safe but I do have a "panic" button on the panel and that will stop everything. Also hitting the red laser button turns off the beam and I have had to do that a couple of times when the machine didn't do what I planned. I have started a notebook and have also been playing with learning the program. Biggest problem was that the graphics did not insert themselves into my first trial at saving them and I spent a good deal of time today getting a working set of instructions to my laptop in the form of a PDF with all the graphics. It now makes a lot more sense and I might be able to figure how to actually draw simple forms within the program! But it is much easier to just import.
If anyone else reads the instructions in NewlyDraw I can add that the files supported also include PNG which is portable network graphics and is very useful. In fact DXF did work but not nearly as well and I am much more comfortable doing graphics with Illustrator.
One other question and that is about raster vs. vector. I believe Photoshop is raster and Illustrator is vector? Is this correct? One is better for cutting and the other for engraving? I have tried to follow some of those threads but at the moment my brain is a bit soggy! Hilo rain and all! LOL
I am very sad that I will have to leave my new baby home while I travel for a month! It is quite addicting!
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaosl, gsolfot
Jacqui, I dont know that Newly draw software you are working on, but for me the best to cut is corel 12, Try not to convert files from ilustrator to corel, some times the machine stops or get confused with that. I also use to raster from corel saving as .AI .
Isn't it sad that you cant put the machine in your car , so you could play with it while traveling?
Luis
Luis - NewlyDraw came with the laser and is a program written in China. It is the interface with the laser machine but it works very well with Adobe files. I don't have Corel and am used to working in Illustrator. I would have to take the machine on the plane across the ocean and across country and it is only slightly overweight for the baggage allowance. I will surely miss my new baby!
BTW I posted some photos in a different thread but here is the URL here as well - http://www.cnczone.com/gallery/showp...0/ppuser/64583
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos, gsolfot
Hi Jacqui,
Is there any help file or PDF with the software? if yes, attach it then I can give you some help
also is there any web sight for the software?
Osama
I have a pdf file for NewlyDraw and yesterday I clicked on every button I could and tried out every setting I could with the result that I learned a lot and there is still a lot that isn't covered in the instructions that came with the program but I posted the URL for the photos I took of yesterday's efforts and will repeat it here:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...j&x=1&y=hbvk4c
I am finding this little machine truly amazing! Hope I can still feel this way 3-4 months from now!
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos, gsolfot
I can't seem to copy the NewlyDraw program to a PDF file to post here. I tried to set up the program to cut and engrave in the same set (engrave words first, then cut around the piece) Whenever I go to the cut part it changes the position of the laser head and it doesn't cut where I expect it to. And I understand Frank has left for his vacation to cHina already! Now I am just hoping to find someone who has used this program and knows what to do. I revised the laser manual for Frank and hope to do the NewlyDraw manual once I figure it all out!
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos,GSOLFOT
(who was well shaken yesterday and now awaits the rain from the edge of the hurricane!)
Can you run the program as demo without the dongle, if it runs you can Zip it(right click on the setup folder then select send to compressed zipped folder) and attach it here
I will have to try and see if it can be zipped on the PC and then transferred to my Mac to send. I try not to connect the PC to the internet and don't have a good mail program associated with it. I am not sure what has happened but neither of 2 printers or scanners is working on my Mac at the moment and I haven't had time to trouble shoot why. It is surely a pain in the rear end!
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos, GSOLFOT
Hi,
Now I get your software manual, I can see some of its screens, I think you can apply deferent modes to your shapes (Cutting and engraving), select and send all the shapes and change the engraving and cutting parameters from the machine properties.
Q. Did the machine return to home or job 0,0 after engraving or stops at last position?
I thought I had done that but I have no idea how to set multiple parameters. It seemed the machine returned to "home" but when starting the cut it moved way off the position of the engraving. I have no idea at all of what many of those settings do or how to calibrate the start position to the same spot each time. The head always returns to a position at the back of the machine and off the engraving field. If I want to start an engraving at a particular point on my material I am not able to do it except by trial and error.
And most important, If I want to stop the engraving because it is not at the right point "stop" doesn't do anything and the only way I can cancel is to either let the machine run with the laser beam off, or hit the emergency stop button which doesn't seem to be a good idea.
I'm afraid I have very many questions about all of the settings because the software details don't cover them.
I will truly appreciate any help you can give me - probably best to work on one setting at a time! LOL
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos, GSOLFOT
I am currently trying to work out settings that I can repeat with the Newly Draw software. I check things out by starting the engrave head without the laser until I see that it is placing itself correctly. Problem is that when it is wrong I have found no way to cancel or discontinue the movement. Cancel in the program doesn't turn it off, and the panic button turns it off, but when it is turned on the head continues its movement.
Because it often starts over the metal framework I don't want to start engraving until I know it is lined up properly. I am hoping someone here who uses this particular software can provide an answer.
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos, GSOLFOT
Hi Goddess,
Do a search for MWSnap3. It is a small program for capturing screen shots of anything that is displayed on the screen and is very powerful and very easy to use. You can capture the whole desktop, a window, a toolbar, a dropdown menu, etc. It may help you to show people what you are doing.
I have used it before when I had setup problems with LinkMotion and because of the pictures the creators of the program were able to show me that there wasn't any problem with the software but it was a hardware fault.
Try it, you will like it.
Regards Richard.
I am not completely useless.......I can always serve as a BAD example.
I can actually do screen shots on my Mac and I have the NewlyDraw program on my Mac as well since I hope to eventually add more instructions once I learn how to bend it to my will! I may have come up with a work around for getting the machine to start where I expect it to start. I should be able to do it with the program and I know it can be done, I just haven't quite worked it out yet and I have been flitting back and forth between Hawaii and the mainland (too much!) so haven't had much play time! I spent the past couple of days installing an exhaust fan in the window next to my laser and cutting a vent hole in the wall so the laser should be properly vented. I wanted to do that before doing any heavy duty cutting. Seems to be working decently but acrylic will be the telling point. And I am off again Thursday so again there will be no follow up! Once I am home I should have clear sailing though!
I have so much appreciated this forum and how helpful everyone has been!
Jacqui, Goddess of Chaos, GSOLFOT
Hi Jacqui,
There is another way that you can use
1- Power up the machine then the head will return to its home position (assume that it is on top left).
2-try to measure the distance between the home position and the table effective X & Y position that you can put the material on it and you can start engraving or cutting on it
3- when you prepare your design just draw a rectangle with that X & Y measurements and put it in the top left of your design then put your design at the bottom right corner of that rectangle.
4- open the design in the machine software then select your design and give it the parameters for cutting or engraving then send it, it should be in place with that offset of the X & Y
Last edited by fractaledge3; 10-10-2007 at 10:36 AM.
Hi,
You can see the attached drawing I hope it can help, also if the software change the offset when you dos not select the offset rectangle, you may replace that rectangle with small two dots one at the top left corner and the other in the bottom right corner and give it some effect (engrave) and send it with your design just to keep the correct offset.
Hi, I'm a teacher, my school has just purchased a HX3040, that runs the newlydraw program. We are having so me issues, can someone help.
The situation:
We start newlydraw no worries, we import a dxf and set up the parameters, when we test run, the preview shows the cuts from inside to out that the laser should follow. But when we hit the Engrave button nothing happens.
As far as laser firing goes, we can test fire, we can burn the border / outline of the object (a rectangle). The head moves to where ever we manually tell it to move. It simply will not burn the dxf shape.
Anyone got any ideas to get it going. May be someone could provide a screen capture of parameters they use and a newlydraw file that they know works fine for us to give a try.
When this works its going to be awesome - but right now its being a pain in the butt.
