Omtech SH-H1060 User Manual page 24

4. Operation
4.1 Operation Overview
Operate this laser marking machine only in accordance with all the instructions provided in this manual.
Failure to follow the proper guidelines detailed here can result in property damage and personal injury.
This section will address only some of the options and features provided by the operation software. Before
beginning to use the machine, make sure that you have read this entire manual (particularly the Safety Information
above), the separate software manual, and any and all warnings provided on the machine itself.
4.2 General Operation Instructions
Step 1. Create your design that you'd like to engrave. You can do this directly in your engraving software or use
any other graphics program, saving or converting the file to a format compatible with the engraver. See the
full list of acceptable file types in the Technical Specifications section above.
Step 2. Check that your water tank is full of clean and cool but not cold distilled water. Replace the water if it is
not clean or cool. Add more water if it is not completely covering the water pump. Turn on the water pump
by plugging it in or (if it's plugged into the cabinet directly) by turning the main power switch on the side
of the machine to its ON position. Visually confirm that the water is flowing through the whole system
either by opening the top rear door to look at the laser tube itself or by observing that water is entering the
machine and returning to the tank through the outlet tube. If the laser tube is examined directly, remember
to close its access door before continuing. Add more distilled water if the pump is no longer well covered
after filling the engraver's water tubing.
Step 3. Turn on your fume extractor or ventilation system, if any. (The engraver's own exhaust fan will turn on
with the machine.)
Step 4. If you have not already done so, turn on the control panel by turning the main power switch on the side of
the machine to its ON position. Load your chosen design directly from a USB flash disk or through your
computer's connection with the engraver.
Step 5. Open the engraver's cover, check that the air assist is working properly, and adjust the workbed if necessary.
The honeycomb bed is recommended for most applications. The bed can be raised or lowered using the
control panel to accommodate different thicknesses of various materials. Alternatively, the honeycomb bed
can be removed to expose the aluminium knife bed and provide a little more space for thicker projects. For
heavier substrates, be careful to distribute the weight as evenly as possible across the reinforced aluminium
supports.
Step 6. Place a sample piece of your material on the workbed. The standard location is in the top left corner of the
workbed. This can be changed by moving either your design or the location of the engraver's origin using
either the control panel or your engraving software.
Step 7. Focus the laser by using the control panel's autofocus feature or by placing the acrylic focus tool on top of
the material and carefully raising the workbed. The laser head should barely touch the top of the acrylic
tool without applying any pressure, ensuring the engraving distance is correct. (Again, never attempt to
focus the laser either way without some material on the workbed.) Close the cover.
Step 8. Customise your design's contrast and engraving depth by adjusting the parameters in your engraving
software or directly through the control panel. If your engraving instructions detail the power setting in
milliamperes, use the following conversion chart to find the appropriate power setting:
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