Download
Share
Print this page
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Epilog Laser Manuals
  4. Engraver
  5. ZING 16
  6. Original instructions manual

Epilog Laser ZING 16 Original Instructions Manual

Laser system
Hide thumbs

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual
Register your system now for driver
updates and access to our Training Suite!
TRAINING.EPILOGLASER.COM/REGISTER
ZING 16 / 24
Laser System Manual | Model 10000
Original Instructions
Technical Support: +1 (303) 215-9171
Knowledge Base: support.epiloglaser.com
System Registration: training.epiloglaser.com/register
Driver/Firmware: epiloglaser.com/zing-drivers
UPDATED JULY 2019 |
EPILOGLASER.COM/MANUALS

Advertisement

loading
Need help?

Need help?

Do you have a question about the ZING 16 and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Related Manuals for Epilog Laser ZING 16

Summary of Contents for Epilog Laser ZING 16

  • Page 1 ZING 16 / 24 Laser System Manual | Model 10000 Original Instructions Technical Support: +1 (303) 215-9171 Register your system now for driver Knowledge Base: support.epiloglaser.com updates and access to our Training Suite! System Registration: training.epiloglaser.com/register TRAINING.EPILOGLASER.COM/REGISTER Driver/Firmware: epiloglaser.com/zing-drivers UPDATED JULY 2019 |...
  • Page 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Fire Warning Introduction How to Use This Owner’s Manual ..............................2 Icons Used in this Manual .................................2 Section 1: Safety Laser Safety ....................................3 Electrical Safety ..................................4 Lifting Warning ..................................4 Fire Warning ....................................5 Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance ..........................6 CE Certification ..................................8 Do’s and Don’ts ..................................10 Section 2: Getting Started...
  • Page 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Setting a Vector Cutting Line ..............................66 Landscape or Portrait ................................69 Piece and Page Size ................................70 Section 8: Cleaning & Maintenance Spare Parts and Wear Parts ..............................73 Cleaning the Optics .................................73 Cleaning the Bearings and X-Beam ............................74 Exhaust Cleaning ..................................75 Section 9: System Features Air Assist Curtain ..................................77 Red Dot Pointer ..................................77...
  • Page 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 15: Technical Support Contacting Technical Support ..............................133 Frequently Asked Questions ..............................134 Section 16: Material Suppliers Industry Material Supplier List ..............................137 Appendix A: Warranty Statement Warranty Statement for the Epilog Zing Laser ........................141 Appendix B: Material Settings Epilog Zing Suggested Material Settings ..........................143 Index - iii -...
  • Page 6 - iv -...
  • Page 7 FIRE WARNING Fire Warning Your laser system uses a high intensity beam of light that can generate extremely high temperatures when it comes into contact with the material being engraved, marked or cut. Some materials are extremely flammable and can easily ignite and burst into open flame setting the machine afire. This open flame is very dangerous and has the potential to destroy not only the machine, but the building in which it is housed.
  • Page 8 You will be ready to use the Epilog Laser system as soon as you read the first few sections. Then you can refer to topics in the remaining sections, as you work.
  • Page 9 SECTION 1: SAFETY Laser Safety Laser Safety The Epilog Model 10000 Laser System is a Class 2 laser product, as defined in International Standard IEC 60825-1. The Epilog Model 10000 complies with 21 CFR 1040.10 and 1040.11, the Federal Performance Standards for Light- Emitting Products, except for deviations pursuant to Laser Notice No.
  • Page 10 DO NOT make or break any electrical connections to the system while the unit is turned on. Lifting Warning The Zing 16 weighs 95 lbs (43 kg) and the Zing 24 weighs 140 lbs (64 kg). One personal should not attempt to lift either machine. Always use two people for lifting.
  • Page 11 SECTION 1: SAFETY Fire Warning Fire Warning Didn’t you see this already? Yes! That’s how important we think it is for you to read this information. Your laser system uses a high intensity beam of light that can generate extremely high temperatures when it comes into contact with the material being engraved, marked or cut.
  • Page 12 SECTION 1: SAFETY Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance Epilog has incorporated specific safety features into the Model 10000 Laser System in order to meet the requirements of 21 CFR 1040 and the International Standard IEC 60825-1. These safety features include: •...
  • Page 13 SECTION 1: SAFETY Safety Features and Regulatory Compliance Descriptive Label: This label identifies the classification of the Model 10000 in accordance with 21 CFR 1040.10 and IEC 60825-1. It is located on the rear of the machine’s cabinet. Non-interlocked Protective Housing Safety Labels (4): Two of these labels are located on the rear of the machine;...
  • Page 14 SECTION 1: SAFETY CE Certification CE Certification - 8 -...
  • Page 15 CE Certification Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity 47 CFR Paragraph 2.1077 Compliance Information Laser Materials Processing System Model 10000 Epilog Laser Corporation 16371 Table Mountain Parkway Golden, CO 80403 Telephone: (303) 277-1188 This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is...
  • Page 16 SECTION 1: SAFETY Do’s and Don’ts Do’s and Don’ts Don’ts Do Not Run the Laser Unvented: Never operate the machine without a properly operating vent to the outside or to a filtration unit! Most material will only produce an irritating smoke when engraved. Some materials, including but not limited to paint, varnish, composition board and plastics, produce compounds that can be harmful if concentrated.
  • Page 19 1. Unpacking the Laser System Setting up your Epilog Laser System is easy to do! If you’ve ever installed a paper printer, this is only slightly more difficult. The following information will help you understand the entire system and how it works.
  • Page 20 Cooling Requirements and Operating Temperatures All Epilog Laser systems use air-cooled laser tubes. Laser technology is such that the laser tubes generate a lot of excess heat and the tubes must be cooled for proper operation. There are cooling fans located on the bottom left side of the system and cooling vents that are located all along the left side.
  • Page 21 Please note that this is also a recommendation and not a requirement because factors such as length and type of tubing from the Epilog laser to the exhaust fan and from the exhaust fan to the outside of the building can produce significant losses on the true amount of air that is drawn from the Epilog laser.
  • Page 22 SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED 3. Connecting the Exhaust Check your exhaust system for leaks. Most small leaks can be remedied with duct tape. DO NOT OPERATE your laser with inadequate or leaking exhaust. The drawings show the typical exhaust setup. The left drawing shows the exhaust near the machine and the right drawing shows the exhaust fan on the roof.
  • Page 23 Ethernet cable or a USB cable. For your The Ethernet Port is a standard 10BaseT connection. Your Epilog Laser has all of the versatility of a network capable convenience Epilog includes both an Ethernet crossover peripheral. As such, there are many different ways that the cable and a USB cable in the Accessories kit.
  • Page 24 SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED 6. Set the Epilog Zing IP Address 6. Set the Epilog Zing IP 5. If you want to change the IP address, follow these instructions: Address • The numbers are treated as groups of three. If you want to change the first number to 4, press the corresponding number on the keypad (the Down Arrow key).
  • Page 25 SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED 7. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your System 7. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your System Go to www.epiloglaser.com/register and register your system. You can also sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, quarterly customer printed newsletter, and sign up for driver update notifications.
  • Page 26 SECTION 2: GETTING STARTED 7. Sign Up for Driver Updates and Register Your System - 20 -...
  • Page 27 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 7: Ethernet Installation Next we’ll be installing the print driver. Choose your 3. Right click Local Area Connection, then click operating system. We demonstrate Windows 7, 8, and Properties. 10 installations. Windows 7: Ethernet Installation Set Up TCP/IP Address in the Computer In this step we’ll be setting the IP address in...
  • Page 28 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 7: Ethernet Installation 6. Type in a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0, then click You can also download the latest driver from epiloglaser.com/tech-support/epilog-drivers. htm. Go to Devices and Printers on your computer and click Add a Printer to start the process.
  • Page 29 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 7: Ethernet Installation 6. Select Custom and then Settings. 9. Click Have Disk. 10. Click Browse and go to the folder where you saved the driver and click Open. (The default location is c:/ 7. Set Protocol to LPR. This is a very important step. zing_driver.) Your download time will increase significantly if LPR is not selected.
  • Page 30 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 7: Ethernet Installation 13. Click Next. 16. If you see this screen, click Install. 17. Click Next. 14. Click Replace the current driver if requested, then click Next. 18. Click Finish and your driver is installed. 15.
  • Page 31 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 7: USB Installation Windows 7: USB Installation 4. A small window will appear in the lower right corner of your computer screen that indicates installation was successful. This is only partially true. Please follow these instructions closely! Using a different process to install the Dashboard driver is likely to fail if you 5.
  • Page 32 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 7: USB Installation 7. Right click on the Zing Laser icon. Then click 10. Click Change Settings. Properties. 11. Click the Driver tab. 8. Select the Hardware tab. 9. Select the device EpilogEngraver then click 12.
  • Page 33 19. Your Epilog Laser Dashboard print driver has been successfully installed on the USB port. Click Close. 15. For this document we show the DVD RW drive as the drive where the disc is located.
  • Page 34 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet 3. Right click Local Area Connection, then click Properties. Installation Set Up TCP/IP Address in the Computer In this step we’ll be setting the IP address in the computer to a number different than the laser’s IP address.
  • Page 35 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation 6. Type in a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0, then click You can also download the latest driver from epiloglaser.com/tech-support/epilog-drivers. htm. Go to Devices and Printers on your computer and click Add a Printer to start the process.
  • Page 36 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation 4. Select Create a new port, then Standard TCP/IP 7. Set Protocol to LPR. This is a very important step. Port. Click Next. Your download time will be greatly increased if LPR is not selected.
  • Page 37 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: Ethernet Installation 10. Click Browse, browse to the folder where you saved 14. Click Replace the current driver if requested and the download. The default location is c:\zing_driver. click Next. 11. Click EpilogWinALL file and click Open. 15.
  • Page 38 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation Windows 8 and 10: USB 16. If you see this page, click Always trust software from “Epilog Corporation” then Install. Installation Windows 8 will not automatically walk you through the installation process so it is important to follow the instructions below.
  • Page 39 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation 6. In Windows 8, open the Charms Bar and click on the 9. In the Unspecified section of Devices and Printers, Search charm. To access the Charms Bar move your right click on the laser’s icon, then click Properties.
  • Page 40 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation 12. Click Change Settings. 15. Click Browse my Computer for driver software. 13. Click the Driver tab. 16. Use the Browse key to direct your computer to your disc drive that contains the Epilog driver disc that you inserted earlier in this process.
  • Page 41 SECTION 3: DRIVER INSTALLATION Windows 8 and 10: USB Installation 18. Once you have the proper disc drive showing click 20. Your Epilog Laser Print Dashboard has been the Next key. successfully installed on the USB port. Click Close. 21. In the next window, click Cancel.
  • Page 43 It’s a great addition to 4. Click Run Anyway. the Epilog Laser product features, and we look forward to seeing how our customers use this software! • Windows 7/8/10 is required to use the Epilog Job Manager.
  • Page 44 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Trouble Shooting Job Manager Installation 7. Click Next. 11. The installation will take a few moments. 8. Accept the license, then click Next. 12. Click Finish and the Job Manager is installed. 9. Click Next. 13.
  • Page 45 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Trouble Shooting Job Manager Installation Trouble Shooting Job Manager Installation If you were unable to install the Job Manager it’s possible that your Anti-Virus software is blocking installation. To disable Symantec Anti-Virus software, choose Options.
  • Page 46 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Important Epilog Job Manager Notes Important Epilog Job Manager Notes • Warning: Before activating your laser, install the newest version of the driver to properly associate the correct machine with the Job Manager. • We suggest a minimum of 1 GB of free RAM space when managing very large raster and vector jobs. Using the Epilog Job Manager Activate a Laser 1.
  • Page 47 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Using the Epilog Job Manager Printing to the Epilog Job Manager Create and Delete Job Folders Click the Add Job Folders icon to add folders. We added Create a file in your graphic software and set your laser folders for this customer’s three largest customers.
  • Page 48 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Using the Epilog Job Manager Move an Uncategorized File to a Using the Material Setting Subfolder Configurations When you highlight a subfolder you will see From The Material Settings tab stores all of the suggested laser Uncategorized on the right side of the folder.
  • Page 49 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Using the Epilog Job Manager Navigate to the material setting you need. We have In the Preview mode you can preview just the raster highlighted 1/8” Cherry/Alder/Walnut 500 DPI. Click OK. components of your job, or just the vector components. We have selected vector to show only the vector components of this job.
  • Page 50 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Using the Epilog Job Manager Notice that the jobs are displayed differently if you You can now modify, print or save from this window change the search category to Alphabetical. Your jobs using the listed settings or with new setting. The new are now displayed in alphabetical order.
  • Page 51 SECTION 4: THE EPILOG JOB MANAGER Using the Epilog Job Manager • Restore Database: Reload settings from a previous You can modify the settings, save as a new job, save backup. as the same job, print, preview, etc. from this window. •...
  • Page 53 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ Changing Laser Dashboard Defaults The Epilog Dashboard is the print driver that sends your artwork and laser parameters from the computer to the laser. The Dashboard can be installed from the driver CD that came in your accessories kit. It can also be downloaded from the Epilog website.
  • Page 54 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ General Tab General Tab The General Tab is where you will find 90% of the features you will utilize when sending jobs to the laser. Everything from resolution to speed and power settings are all located on this one page. Resolution Set your print resolution from 100 to 1000 DPI.
  • Page 55 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ General Tab Job Type Choose between the three modes of operation. • Raster Mode: Used for engraving or marking materials. Typical applications include engraving clipart, scanned images, photos, text and graphic images. Vector lines that you want to engrave rather than cut should be set 0.006” (0.152 mm) or greater line thickness.
  • Page 56 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ Advanced Tab Dithering: This setting defines how the dot patterns will be engraved in raster images that contain grayscale images, blends, or color. The Dashboard offers six different dithering patterns to enhance your engraving projects. The default mode is Standard.
  • Page 57 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ Advanced Tab Advanced Tab The advanced tab contains advanced features including 3D, stamp mode and configurations. Raster Type Basic Mode: This is the mode you will use for most engraving projects. The laser will use a uniform engraving speed and power for the graphic, providing a consistent engraving.
  • Page 58 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ Advanced Tab Stamp Settings The stamp option automatically converts your artwork into to a format that will produce a laser engraved stamp. This function automatically inverts your artwork so that the background is engraved away while your text and graphic images are left standing.
  • Page 59 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ Color Mapping Tab The Driver Disc has a number of preset configuration files available. When you unzip your selected wattage’s configuration files, they will save to c:/epilog/engraving setting. This is the default folder that the Laser Dashboard will look in to load files available for your laser.
  • Page 60 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features Enable Color Mapping When this check box is selected, the laser will use the settings assigned to each color. For any colors that are in your artwork, but not in the color mapping settings, the General settings will be used. Adjust Settings Use the slider bars to create any RGB color and set the laser parameters.
  • Page 61 SECTION 5: USING THE LASER DASHBOARD™ Additional CorelDRAW Laser Dashboard Features When a multiple page job is printed to the laser, each of the pages will transfer to the Control Panel with the first file coming across as Job:1. File Name, then Job:2. Page 2, Job: 3.Page 3. Remember, the last page of the job will be the current file when you go to the laser’s control panel, so scroll back to Job 1: File Name to run that one first.
  • Page 63 SECTION 6: EPILOG ZING CONTROL PANEL Display The Control Panel on the Epilog Mini and Helix provides a multitude of features that are all accessible from this one, handy tool. Below we will discuss the different areas of the control panel and what each one does. Display The display on the Epilog Zing shows valuable information associated with the highlighted Functional Menu items.
  • Page 64 SECTION 6: EPILOG ZING CONTROL PANEL Display Pause • Pressing the Pause key will pause the lens carriage and the laser beam will be shut off. If the Pause key is pressed during raster engraving mode the lens carriage will stop on either the far left or far right of the engraving line that is in process.
  • Page 65 SECTION 6: EPILOG ZING CONTROL PANEL Display Power During an engraving job or when the laser is idle at Home Position, the power of the job can be viewed on the control panel by pressing the Power key. In raster mode you can change the power on the fly, but you cannot change the power on the fly during vector cutting.
  • Page 66 SECTION 6: EPILOG ZING CONTROL PANEL Display Pointer The Pointer key is a toggle switch that turns the laser system’s Red Dot Pointer on and off. When the Red Dot Pointer is on, the indicator light directly to the left of the pointer key will be illuminated. For more information visit “Red Dot Pointer” on page 84.
  • Page 67 SECTION 6: EPILOG ZING CONTROL PANEL Two-Key Configuration Menu Items Data This light will illuminate when data is being passed to the laser. This is a handy tool when you are checking to see if your laser is connected to your computer. Setting a Temporary Home Position / Resetting Home Position 1.
  • Page 68 SECTION 6: EPILOG ZING CONTROL PANEL Job Storage: Temporary Memory Job Storage: Temporary Memory While there is no key for this, the laser has the capability to store multiple jobs in temporary memory. The machine will store any and all jobs sent until there is no free temporary memory left. For all practical purposes, there is no limit to the number of jobs you can send to the laser.
  • Page 69 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE First Test Job First Test Job When you have your laser and print driver installed, you are ready to start engraving! To get started quickly and run a sample piece of material on your new laser, the following is a quick setup guide outlining the general steps for running a first job.
  • Page 70 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Artwork Setup Artwork Setup When setting up artwork for the laser, you can use most graphic software package 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.
  • Page 71 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Setting a Vector Cutting Line Note: If your raster artwork contains thin lines between .001” (.025 mm) and .007” (.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 hidden lines that you send to the laser using Combined mode.
  • Page 72 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Setting a Vector Cutting Line Setting a Vector Cutting Line The laser determines which lines to engrave or cut based on the width (stroke) of each line. If you’re using CorelDRAW, any line set to hairline width will cut. But in other software what width should you set a line to? Different line weights will engrave and cut at different widths and resolutions.
  • Page 73 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Setting a Vector Cutting Line Resolution Print quality is commonly referred to as Resolution and is one of the variables that determine image quality. Resolution is expressed in dots per inch (DPI) and is determined by the number of lines or dots that are engraved for every inch of movement.
  • Page 74 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Setting a Vector Cutting Line Helpful Hints • There are four times as many dots engraved at 500 DPI as there are at 250 DPI. Twice as many horizontally and twice as many vertically. • The gap between the dots is very small at 500 DPI. At 250 DPI the lesser overlap is responsible for the jagged edges that are visible when engraving at lower resolutions.
  • Page 75 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Landscape or Portrait Landscape or Portrait You can engrave using either landscape or portrait modes. Depending on the artwork, you can increase your efficiency and decrease the time it takes to engrave an image by changing the orientation of your file. Many users set up their artwork in portrait mode and then rotate the artwork 90 degrees if they are going to print from landscape mode.
  • Page 76 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Piece and Page Size A third consideration for landscape or portrait art setup is material specific. Some materials, such as wood or plastics that have a grain or brushed look, will look better when engraved if the grain of the material runs parallel with the X-stroke of the carriage.
  • Page 77 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Piece and Page Size Manual Focus In order to engrave or cut a crisp clean image, your material must be the correct distance from the bottom of the focus lens. Setting the distance from the bottom of the focus lens to the top of your material is the process of focusing, and is accomplished by placing your material on the table and moving the table up or down.
  • Page 78 SECTION 7: QUICK START GUIDE Piece and Page Size - 72 -...
  • Page 79 SECTION 8: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE Spare Parts and Wear Parts Spare Parts and Wear Parts Use of spare parts or wear parts produced by third-party manufacturers involves unforeseeable risks not covered by the manufacturer. Use only original parts or parts recommended by the Epilog Corporation. Reduce Fire Risk with a Clean Laser Cleaning the laser is an excellent way to prevent fire with the laser.
  • Page 80 SECTION 8: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE Cleaning the Bearings and X-Beam Avoid any hard “scrubbing” of the surface, especially while there are visible particles on it, and try not to use repetitive circular motions. When you are done, be careful to remove any cotton threads that may have snagged on the mountings.
  • Page 81 SECTION 8: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE Exhaust Cleaning Exhaust Cleaning Cleaning the Vents Make sure the exhaust blower you are using receives proper maintenance. Periodically clean the exhaust blower and duct system to remove built-up debris. If you detect odor while engraving, or if the smoke in the cabinet is visible in the area off the lens carriage, inspect the exhaust system.
  • Page 82 SECTION 8: CLEANING & MAINTENANCE Exhaust Cleaning Laser Tube The laser tube used in your system does have a maximum service life, and there is very little maintenance that is required. At some point in the life of the laser you will need to replace it for gas recharge, electrical repair or mechanical repair. Replacing laser tubes is common practice and Epilog has made the process of changing tubes extremely easy for users to perform with a minimum amount of effort.
  • Page 83 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Air Assist Curtain Air Assist Curtain The Air Curtain feature on the laser system is used to keep combustible gases away from the cutting surface and to reduce flare-ups of more flammable materials - such as wood and acrylic - as you cut through it. The Air Assist directs a constant stream of compressed air across the material surface removing the heat and combustible gases from the work surface.
  • Page 84 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Image Dithering the correct positioning before running any job. (Setting the power to 0% will also protect you in case you forget to leave the door open). 3. Now you can reposition the artwork, or the piece you area engraving, so you have a perfectly placed engraving project.
  • Page 85 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Color Mapping Clipart Modes • Standard: This mode is the default mode and will be used for most engraving jobs that include text and clipart at 500 DPI. • Brighten: This lightens the clipart, and some users also find this mode good for engraving photographs onto wood or marble at 500 DPI.
  • Page 86 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Color Mapping Using Color Mapping Enable Color Mapping When this check box is selected, the laser will use the settings assigned to each color. For any colors that are in your artwork, but not in the color mapping settings, the General settings will be used. Adjust Settings Use the slider bars to set any RGB color and create the laser parameters.
  • Page 87 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Color Mapping 4. Once the laser values have been adjusted, press the Modify key in the Settings area. The available keys are: Move Color Down in List Modify a Color Add a Color Delete a Color Move Color Up in List 5.
  • Page 88 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Color Mapping The graphic shows a simple architectural drawing. The drawing is set up so that when we use Color Mapping, we will assign one speed and power setting to first lightly engrave the window frames and a different speed and power setting to then cut out the individual window panes.
  • Page 89 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Color Mapping 2. In our example we want to mark the green window frames first, so green must be the first color at the top of the list. Normally the color green is the second color down in the list. In order to move it we just select it and press the Up key to move it up one position.
  • Page 90 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Reset Home Position • There’s one important distinction to recognize about how colors are raster engraved in standard engraving mode vs. Color Mapping mode. In standard engraving mode different colors are interpreted as different shades of gray that will produce different fill patterns when engraved.
  • Page 91 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Movable Home Position Set a New Home Position Use the Red Dot Pointer to set a new Home Position by pressing the X/Y Off key, then Go. Move the laser to the new Home Position by hand and set a new Home Position by pressing the Go key. Position Your Artwork This is a popular use for the Red Dot Pointer and is one of the easiest ways to make sure each project you run is going to engrave or cut in the correct position.
  • Page 92 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Center Engraving Center Engraving The Center Engraving feature allows you to define the center of your artwork as the primary reference point (Home Position) of your engraving or cutting. The Center Engraving feature has been designed to be used in conjunction with the Set Home feature of the laser.
  • Page 93 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Center Engraving 5. In the drop-down box, select Center-Center. 6. Set the page size to match the page size in the Laser Dashboard (4” x 4” or 101 x 101 mm). 7. Select Vector as your job type. 8.
  • Page 94 SECTION 9: SYSTEM FEATURES Front Access Door (Zing 24 Only) Page-Center When you are engraving an unbalanced image (not equal left to right or top to bottom), you will want to use the Page- Center feature. For this example, if we engrave the image with Center-Center settings, the graphic will not look centered on the object because the actual center point is to the right of the point we want to center in the logo.
  • Page 95 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Pin Table Pin Table The Pin Table option offers an easy way for users to keep all back reflections of the laser beam from marking the sides or back of the material being cut. The Pin Table lifts the cutting material completely off the table and provides a means to eliminate the tick marks that can be created when the laser beam comes into contact with the grid material.
  • Page 96 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Pin Table ● The pins are held in place with plastic supports and need to be pressed firmly into place to be fully seated. You may need to use a wooden block to press them in fully. ●...
  • Page 97 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Pin Table Set up your artwork on the grid so that the vector lines do not cross the path of any of the pins. The small black circles within the letter “B” show the location of the pins. Notice that you do not need to place pins in every available space, they just need to be placed where they will support the work piece.
  • Page 98 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment The optional Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment allows you to mark and engrave on cylindrical objects, including glasses, wine bottles, and much more. The Rotary Attachment is only available on the Epilog Zing 24. Epilog Zing Preparation If you are adding the Rotary Attachment to your existing Epilog Zing, find the bracket that arrived with your attachment...
  • Page 99 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment 5. Route the connector cable through the connector bracket and plug it into the connector. This prevents the cable from being pinched by the X-beam when it travels tot eh back of the machine during the initialization sequence at power up. 6.
  • Page 100 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment 3. First we’ll move the Red Dot Pointer to the south (adjusting the Y-axis Rotary Home). Press the Machine Settings key, then the left or right cursor until you see Y R Home. 4.
  • Page 101 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment Using the clamp to hold the glass in place is optional. Some oddly shaped glasses rotate better if they are clamped to the drive wheels, but most glasses and other cylindrical objects do not require clamping. This photo shows the clamp holding a glass against the drive wheels.
  • Page 102 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment Setting Focus with the Rotary Attachment To manually focus your item, place your cylinder on the Rotary Attachment. Press the Focus key and the X-beam will move away from its Home Position toward the back of the machine so the focus gauge is directly over your part. Lower the focus gauge and focus on your cylinder.
  • Page 103 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment Artwork Layout Because the Rotary Attachment automatically compensates for the diameter of the glass, artwork setup is relatively easy. The most important thing to remember when working with the rotary is that your artwork needs to be rotated 90 degrees to the way it would normally be setup for flat work.
  • Page 104 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment In another example, we’ve set up this file so the bottom of the logo will engrave 4” (100 mm) up from the bottom of the bottle. The outline of the bottle is just a visual representation of where the logo will appear on the bottle. Stretching or Shrinking Your Artwork for Objects with Multiple Circumferences These instructions show you how to shrink or expand your artwork to accommodate a...
  • Page 105 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Rim-Drive Rotary Attachment Determining whether you use diameter or circumference is a matter of which one is easier to measure. If you want to measure circumference, use a flexible ruler and wrap it around the glass. To calculate circumference, measure the diameter and multiply by Pi (3.1416): Middle Section Circumference = Diameter x 3.1416.
  • Page 106 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table Vector Grid / Vacuum Table The Vector Grid is the ideal tool for vector cutting. The Vector Grid reduces backside burning by lifting the material off the table and supporting it on an aluminum grid. A precise cut and crisp edges are achieved when the laser beam passes cleanly through the material into the air space created below.
  • Page 107 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table To install the Vector Grid, place it inside the cabinet and move it so that the back of the grid is almost touching the back of the machine. There will only be about .125” (3 mm) gap between the Vector Grid and back wall of the machine.
  • Page 108 PLP. Open the software and click the OK key on the The PhotoLaser Plus software package (PLP) is an optional pop-up screen. addition to your Epilog Laser system. Created by CadLink, PLP features an easy method of transforming photographs for your laser engraver, as well as incorporating variable badge making features.
  • Page 109 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table 8. Close PLP and then reopen it. Now you are ready to 2. If the file looks bit-mapped after the import, select use PLP! View then Show Reduced Bitmaps to see the higher resolution version of the image.
  • Page 110 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table 5. Set the Resolution: This number must match the 8. Choose the material you are going to engrave. If you resolution at which you will be engraving the photo. don’t see the Epilog settings, they can be Select Image then Image Size from the menu.
  • Page 111 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table other design software along with the photo transformation 4. Convert to Bitmap: With the photo selected click capabilities of PLP. Bitmaps, then Convert to Bitmap. 1. Start by setting up your file in CorelDRAW. We’ve designed an 8”...
  • Page 112 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table 3. For the variable name, go to the Text tool and select 10. In CorelDRAW select File then Import and select the second option, the Text Compose tool (this tool your transformed file. Place the photo in the allows you to auto condense long names).
  • Page 113 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table 6. We’re now ready to create the badges. First, select everything on the badge. If you don’t select everything, the unselected objects will not be repeated on the badges. 7. Select the Badges icon in the tool bar. 8.
  • Page 114 SECTION 10: OPTIONAL FEATURES Vector Grid / Vacuum Table 10. After clicking OK, you will be taken back to your drawing page and badges will be properly laid out and populated. You can see that we have ten badges. One was left blank intentionally because we had ten badges and only nine names.
  • Page 115 SECTION 11: UPGRADING THE OPERATIONAL FIRMWARE How to Upgrade Your Firmware How to Upgrade Your When you download the firmware it comes as a compressed file in the following format: 1.0.X.X.zip. The X’s designate Firmware the actual version of the firmware. Once downloaded, unzip the file by double-clicking the file.
  • Page 116 SECTION 11: UPGRADING THE OPERATIONAL FIRMWARE How to Upgrade Your Firmware The next step is to Print, select your laser in the printer The .hex will show in the Update Firmware File box. Click drop-down box and click Preferences (or Properties). Go to the Advanced tab, check the Update Firmware box and then click on the Load key.
  • Page 117 SECTION 12: PRINTING FROM AUTOCAD How to Print from AutoCAD to the Laser How to Print from AutoCAD an object based on its color allowing you to both cut and mark in a single setup. For a detailed description of how to the Laser Color Mapping works, refer to “Color Mapping”...
  • Page 118 SECTION 12: PRINTING FROM AUTOCAD How to Print from AutoCAD to the Laser Set the Piece Size to match your AutoCAD page size. Setting your AutoCAD page and Other useful settings in the AutoCAD print window are: the Dashboard print driver settings to a •...
  • Page 119 Laser Materials/Techniques Laser Materials/Techniques Your Epilog Laser system is very versatile. It can mark and cut many different materials. The following section contains information regarding some of the materials the laser will mark and cut. Check the Epilog website (www.epiloglaser.com) periodically for new laser applications, tips and techniques to use with your laser.
  • Page 120 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES Laser Materials/Techniques it. What it doesn’t describe is the difficulty that most users will have in creating acceptable 3D artwork. Creating a 3D image that will look good after engraving can be very difficult to achieve because most software packages do not provide the necessary tools to take complex objects and blend them in more than one direction from dark to light (or visa versa).
  • Page 121 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES Laser Materials/Techniques • Engrave the acrylic at a high speed and low power. A small amount of power is all it takes to mark acrylic and high power levels tend to distort the acrylic when engraving. •...
  • Page 122 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES • Some colors of anodized – red for instance – will not turn completely white when laser engraved. Red anodized will produce a light pink color. Performing a second pass can result in some improvement, but usually a slight shadow of color will remain.
  • Page 123 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES • Note: Use caution when trying to engrave brass coated pens. Many pens have a very hard epoxy paint that is completely unacceptable for CO2 laser engraving. You should only use pens that you have experimented with or that are specifically designed for CO2 laser engraving.
  • Page 124 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES • Masking: Some people find that applying a thin, wet sheet of newspaper or paper towel a little larger than the engraving area also helps with heat dissipation and improves the engraving. Just be sure that there are no wrinkles in the paper after it is applied.
  • Page 125 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES The male image should be produced without the use of outlines around the text or graphics. Add a .007 to .010 inch (0.178 mm to 0.254 mm) outline to the text and graphics of the female die. This outline creates a large enough void between the male and female dies to emboss paper without tearing.
  • Page 126 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES • Another technique that can be useful is to mask the plastic before engraving with transfer or masking tape. This will prevent a buildup of residue on the plastic surface. Misting the transfer tape with water will reduce heat buildup and melting on sensitive plastics.
  • Page 127 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES Fence Method: This technique uses a closed outline to define the area to be engraved away. This image shows the stair-step outline of a Fence enclosing the logo to be stamped. The laser will engrave away only the background area outlined by the Fence, leaving the logo standing.
  • Page 128 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES Examples of stamp layouts using Fence Method: Example 2: Single circular stamp to be cut out: Example 1: Single stamp (will not be cut out): Fence Line 0.001” (.025mm) Fence Line 0.001” (.025mm) Cut Line 0.001”...
  • Page 129 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES Sending a Stamp File to the Laser Select Stamp as your Raster Type. With Stamp mode selected, you can change the shoulder and widening settings (explained below). The mirror function mirrors everything except the lines to be cut. Only use if not cutting out the stamps with the laser.
  • Page 130 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES Stamp Match The last setting that you may need to make is made from the laser’s control panel. The Stamp Match setting is defaulted to 0, which is ideal for most stamp applications. If you notice that there is a little jaggedness at the edges of your stamp letters, adjust the Stamp Match by one or two digits (either up to 1 or 2, or down to -1 or -2 etc).
  • Page 131 Wood Vector Cutting Techniques Epilog Laser systems are ideal for cutting through solid wood material. The thickness of the wood that you can cut varies with the wattage of the laser and the hardness of the wood, but in general you can cut approximately ¼ inch (6.35 mm) wood with a 30-watt laser and up to ½...
  • Page 132 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES • Air assist greatly reduces flaming that may occur if too much laser power is applied to the wood piece being cut. • Depending on the type of wood being vector cut, it is sometimes advantageous to apply a cover of masking or transfer tape to the surface before cutting.
  • Page 133 SECTION 13: MATERIAL ENGRAVING TECHNIQUES 2. Engrave through the paste wax into the wood. Do not wipe off excess paste or residue after engraving. 3. Fill the engraved voids with Turtlewax “Color Core” black liquid car polish. The car polish will absorb into the engraved wood grain, but will not absorb into the wood grain that is covered with paste wax.
  • Page 135 SECTION 14: SPECIFICATIONS Epilog Zing Laser Technical Specifications Epilog Zing Laser Technical Specifications Epilog Zing 16 Epilog Zing 24 Maximum Engraving Area 16” x 12” (406 x 305 mm) 24” x 12” (610 x 305 mm) Max Material Thickness 4.5” (114 mm) 7.75”...
  • Page 136 SECTION 14: SPECIFICATIONS Compatibility Compatibility Your Epilog Laser has been designed as an “open architecture” product that can be run from almost any Windows based software. Epilog provides both Windows 32-bit and 64-bit print drivers. Recommended PC For Optimum Computer Performance Investing in a new computer is a great way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your new laser equipment.
  • Page 137 Your Epilog CO2 laser system uses the latest in laser technology to provide a powerful tool that is simple and safe to setup and operate. The Epilog Laser can mark, engrave, and cut a variety of non-metallic materials. The CO2 laser beam itself is invisible and operates at a wavelength of 10.6 microns. The beam is about half the diameter of a #2 pencil.
  • Page 138 SECTION 14: SPECIFICATIONS Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Notice Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Notice This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
  • Page 139 SECTION 15: TECHNICAL SUPPORT Contacting Technical Support Contacting Technical Support The technical support department at Epilog is available to assist with solving problems you may encounter using your Epilog. Please review first the common problems and solutions as noted below, then if you are still in need of assistance you may contact Epilog’s technical support department at the number or website listed below.
  • Page 140 SECTION 15: TECHNICAL SUPPORT Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions Engraver Will Not Vector (Cut) 1. Verify that the print driver is set to Vector or Combined mode. 2. Verify that the lines that you want to vector are set to .001” (0.025 mm). 3.
  • Page 141 SECTION 15: TECHNICAL SUPPORT Frequently Asked Questions The Engraving Quality is Poor/Blurry/Double Image 1. If you feel you are not getting quality you once were, this is probably a maintenance issue. See the “Section : Cleaning & Maintenance” on page 73. 2.
  • Page 142 SECTION 15: TECHNICAL SUPPORT Frequently Asked Questions How to Shorten Your Engraving/Cutting Time • Lower the Resolution: How important is the highest resolution image? Processing jobs at 400 DPI vs. 500 DPI can reduce cycle times by up to 20%, and processing at 250 DPI could mean half the cycle time. •...
  • Page 143 SECTION 16: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS Industry Material Supplier List Industry Material Supplier List The following list contains supplier information for materials typically used with your Epilog Laser. Additional suppliers and links can be found on our website at http://www.epiloglaser.com/industry_links.htm. Gantry Company (3D Graphics)
  • Page 144 SECTION 16: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS Industry Material Supplier List 800-569-1980 LaserSketch www.discountmugs.com Romeoville, IL R.S. Owens & Company 630-243-6360 Chicago, IL Sioux Falls, SD www.lasersketch.com 800-282-6200 800-843-8853 Marble Max www.rsowens.com www.jdsindustries.com www.max.com Victory Max Gift International Medals (Engraveable) Chicago, IL Beaverton, OR 800-327-5578 503-579-9804 Catania...
  • Page 145 SECTION 16: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS Industry Material Supplier List Mother of Pearl Rowmark Findlay, OH Sioux Falls, SD Duke of Pearl 800-243-3339 800-843-8853 Lusby, MD www.rowmark.com www.jdsindustries.com 410-231-2641 www.dukeofpearl.com Southeast Plastics Polyonics 866-491-9044 Westmoreland, NH Aqua Blue Maui, LLC www.southeastplastics.com 603-352-1415 Kula, HI www.polyonics.com 808-876-0217...
  • Page 146 SECTION 16: MATERIAL SUPPLIERS Industry Material Supplier List Lee’s Wood Products Rocky Mount, VA 800-552-5337 www.leeswoodproducts.com Stanton Mfg. Co. Inc. Lake Ozark, MO 573-365-2441 www.stantonmfg.com/ Totally Bamboo San Marcos, CA 760-471-6600 www.totallybamboo.com WDI Custom Wood Products Forest Lake, MN 800-899-4265 www.wdicustomwood.com •...
  • Page 147 APPENDIX A: WARRANTY STATEMENT Warranty Statement for the Epilog Zing Laser Warranty Statement for the Epilog Zing Laser Epilog Corporation warrants to the original purchaser of Epilog Model 10000 that this product will be free from defects in material or workmanship when purchased, and under proper, normal use within one (1) year from the original date of purchase, with the exception of the laser tube which is warranted for two (2) years from the original date of purchase.
  • Page 149 APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS Epilog Zing Suggested Material Settings Epilog Zing Suggested Material Settings Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 40 watt 50 watt 60 watt Acrylic Photo Engraving 500 DPI 90s 45p 90s 35p 90s 25p 90s 15p Text/Clipart Engraving 400 DPI 90s 60p 90s 50p 90s 40p...
  • Page 150 APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS Epilog Zing Suggested Material Settings Epilog Zing Suggested Material Settings Material DPI/Freq. 30 watt 40 watt 50 watt 60 watt Mat Board Engraving 400 DPI 90s 70p 90s 60p 90s 50p 90s 40p Cutting 500 f 30s 60p 30s 50p 30s 40p...
  • Page 151 APPENDIX B: MATERIAL SETTINGS Epilog Zing Suggested Material Settings • Test your material: If you have a small area of the material you won’t be using, or an extra of the item, take advantage of this area to test out your settings by engraving a small square or cutting a small circle.
  • Page 153 INDEX Index Center Engraving 86–88 Center-Center 86 Center-Left 87 Symbols Center-Top 87 3D Engraving 51, 113 Page-Center 87 3-Jaw Chuck. Rotary Attachment Cermark 144 10/100 Network Interface Card 130 Cherry 124 21 CFR 1040 6 Class A 132 21 CFR 1040.10 3 Cleaning and Maintenance 21 CFR 1040.11 3 Optics 73...
  • Page 154 INDEX Bottom-Top 49 Engraving Techniques 113–127 IEC 60825-1 6 Epilog Job Manager Installing Firmware 109. Firmware How to Use 40 Interlock Safety 6 Installation 37 IP Address Job Preview 43 Setting in the Laser 18, 61 Location in the Driver 48 Material Setting Configurations 42 Organizing Your Print Jobs 41 Program Settings 45...
  • Page 155 INDEX Polish 118 MDF 125 Medals (Engraveable) Suppliers 137 Polyvinyl Chloride. Memory Buffer 129 Portrait vs Landscape 69 Mirror 52 Power 111, 125, 129 Mirrors. Optics Connection 17 Motion Control System 129 Laser Dashboard 49 Movable Home Position 85 Power Button 59 Multiple Pages 54 Print Driver.
  • Page 156 INDEX Speed and Power Control 129 CO2 Laser Source 131 Speed Button 58 Weight 129 Sports Material Suppliers 139 Widening 52 Stainless Steel 144 Windows 7 Stamp Ethernet Installation 21 Settings 52 USB Installation 28 Stamp Match 60 Windows 8 Stamp Mode 51 Ethernet Installation 25 Standard Features 129...

This manual is also suitable for:

Zing 2410000