Section 7: Quick Start Guide; Artwork Setup - Epilog Laser FusionPro 32 Original Instructions Manual

SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE

Artwork Setup

Create your job in the graphics software of your choice, such as CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. There are
three different modes of operation for the laser and the way you setup your artwork will determine if you
raster engrave, vector cut, or use combined mode.
Raster Engraving
Raster engraving can best be described as
very high resolution dot matrix "printing"
with a laser. Raster engraving is used to
create highly detailed graphic images. The
laser head scans back and forth, left to
right, engraving a series of dots one line at
a time. As the laser head moves down line
by line, the dot pattern forms the image
that was printed from your computer. You
can raster engrave scanned images, text,
clipart, photographs, or line drawings.
This artwork is a good representation of a raster file. The photograph of the leopard will raster engrave,
as will the text that has been placed on the page. For more information on engraving photographs, see
"PhotoLaser Plus" on page 104.
Vector Cutting
When you are vector cutting, the laser is
following a continuous path that follows
the outline or profile of an image. Vector
cutting is normally used to cut completely
through materials such as wood, acrylic,
paper, etc. It can also be used for quick
marking of characters and geometric
patterns. You can vector cut with the laser
by setting objects and text to be unfilled
and drawn with a 0.003" (0.0762 mm) or
less outline. The thin outline will produce a
vector cut.
This graphic shows a vector image made up of lines. You can tell it is a vector image because you can
individually select any of the points on the lines and manipulate that part of the graphic.
When vector cutting, we always suggest that you use the Vector Cutting Table or the Slat Table to protect
the back of your material as well as your table from laser marking. For more info, see "Vector Cutting
Table" on page 97.
Note: If your raster artwork contains thin lines between .001" (.025 mm) and .003" (.177 mm)
depending on resolution, and you are using Vector or Combined mode, those thin lines will all
vector cut. The most common setup where this occurs is when you have a clipart image with
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