Omtech SH-F50 User Manual page 17

Step 9. Replace the test material with the actual material. Use the foot pad or press Mark or hit F2 in EZCad to
engrave your pattern. Again, do not stare at the laser in operation even with protective eyewear. Watch for
possible issues like sparks or fires, however, and be prepared to quickly extinguish a fire if necessary.
Step 10. Examine the quality of your first run and adjust the laser parameters in EZCad as necessary to create your
desired effect. The foot pedal is particularly useful for continuous or repeated operation of the laser once
you've settled on your design and its ideal parameter settings. You can also achieve more control of the
marking process by reducing the laser's speed and using the foot pad.
Step 11. When you have finished engraving your design, close EZCad and then turn off the laser marking machine
by pressing the power buttons from right to left in order:
1. Laser
2. Scanner
3. Mainboard
Step 12. Cover the galvonometer lens and fully clean the workbed. For best results, disconnect your fibre marking
machine from its power supply between uses. Unplug it or turn off its intermediary surge protector.
4.3 Instructions for Specific Materials
When engraving a new material, it can be helpful to engrave a test matrix of small boxes produced with various speed,
power, and frequency settings to home in on the exact effect that you are looking for. To speed the process, here are
some general guidelines for commonly engraved materials. Again, however, these are only guidelines for your conve-
nience and it is the responsibility of the user to consult material safety data sheets and other sources to ensure the safety
of working with various materials and setups. Some of the materials listed will require additional workspace and
personal protective equipment in addition to this engraver:
Metals
When engraving metals, generally use high power, a low frequency, and low to medium speed settings. To avoid
using your marker at greater than 80% power for extended periods, you can also get similar effects by reducing
the power somewhat while also increasing the number of passes or decreasing the engraving speed. Be mindful
that some metals will produce conducting, reflective, and/or toxic dust. Softer metals naturally produce more
dust during engraving, while harder metals can require higher power settings that also produce more dust. In
addition to the risk to the user's skin and eyes, there may be enough dust produced (especially for repetitive
industrial applications) that a full ventilation system is required to address the problem. Similarly, operators and
others in the work area may need to use breathing PPE such as masks and respirators.
Aluminium: Bare aluminum requires a somewhat higher frequency than other metals and will never produce a strong
black mark similar to those created by engraving steel. When darker marking is required, consider employing anodisation
or producing a deep engraving that can be darkened by using black epoxy or other filler. Anodised aluminium requires
a little more speed but a very low frequency.
Powder Coated Metals: Metals with a powder coating usually require a very high frequency and, for best results, at
least 3 passes to remove the coating and polish the bare lower layer.
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