Editing Quickstartguide:Laser Cutter (section)

== Basic operations (cutting and engraving) ==
=== On the machine ===
*Open the lid and put your material in the upper left corner of the work field.
** '''ATTENTION:''' Make sure your material is as flat as possible,  and if it can fly away (like paper) that it is taped down or weighed down.
[[File:Lasercutter corner.jpeg|300px]]
*Close the lid and use the 'Z'-button (click both arrows at the same time) to autofocus the laser. 
[[File:Lasercutter af.jpeg|300px]]
*The machine will now attempt to autofocus on the material. If it has done so, you should hear a beep.

=== On the computer ===
*Unlike the previous lasercutter, this one does not necessarily require specific thickness of line or specific colors, because the operating system for the lasercutter can assign different colors to vector elements depending on the intended operation. 
**For ease of use however, it is advisable to use RGB red (255, 0, 0) for cutting and black (0, 0, 0) for engraving, and other colors (such as blue or green) for different degrees of engraving (if needed). 
*Save your Illustrator (.ai) file and get it on the lasercutter's computer.
*Open up the operating system for the lasercutter. It's the Chrome shortcut named '''[S3-9228] Trotec Ruby''' on the desktop.
*If the website asks you for a username and password, use the following.
**Username: wdka.publicationstation@hr.nl
**Password: ask a staff member to fill this in
*Drag and drop the file into the queue.
[[File:Lasercutter20260423-01.png|The queue]]
*In the queue double-click your file.

====Design tab====
*The system now opens up your .ai-file. It might start protesting about an unrecognised color space. Click on 'OK' to move on.
[[File:Lasercutter20260423-02.png]]
*In this screen you can select what lines need which color (and therefore what function should later on be associated with it). If you've used the colors suggested above, it should assign the right color to the right vector elements automatically. 
**If not you'll have to redefine 'em. To do so select the elements you want to cut, and click on the red swatch. Select the elements you want engraved and select the black swatch, and so forth.
**'''ATTENTION!''' If anything goes awry later on, or the machine outright refuses to work with you, this is often the place where things went south. Usually because vector elements do not have the right color and are therefore not linked to a specific operation (ie. cutting or engraving)
*If you're happy with your design (size-wise) and all elements have their correct color, you can click on '''CREATE JOB''' in the upper right corner and move on to the next phase.

====Preparation tab====
*In this screen you see the entire work field of the laser cutter, with your design superimposed. 
[[File:Lasercutter20260423-05.png]]
*Decide where your design needs to be cut on the material and drag it there (if needed). 
**The system shows a '''[+]''' on the screen to indicate where the laser is relative to the work field. You can use this to precisely outline where your design needs to go on your material.
**To move the laser, you can use the arrows on the machine itself.
*Now select the material you're going to work with, on the right.
**There's a number of presets in the list, but maybe not specifically your material. If your material is not there, ask an instructor what to choose instead.
[[File:Lasercutter20260423-06.png]]
*Once selected, you can see what colors are assigned to what action and with which properties.
*If you double-click on the material you can adjust the settings (if need be) and you can assign extra colors to different actions (ie. deeper engraving or lighter engraving).
[[File:Lasercutter20260423-07.png]]
*A few pointers as to the variables that can be adjusted: 
**Power, from 0% to 100%, and indicates the strength of the laser.
**Speed, from 0% to 100%, and indicates the speed with which the machine will cut or engrave.
**'''The faster the machine goes, the less heavy the impact is on the material (and, obviously, the other way around).''' 
*Click on '''SAVE''' if you're set.
*Once you're satisfied with the result, click ''''PUSH TO LASER'''' in the upper right corner. If the system prompts that the settings were changed, click on '''NO''' (otherwise your previously specified settings will be wiped).

=== Back to the machine ===
[[File:Lasercutter letsgo2.jpg|300px]]
*Click on the 'play'-button that blinks green. 
*The lasercutter will now sound like a Boeing 747 taking off: as annoying as it is, this is normal.
*Cut and/or engrave.
*Once done, the machine will beep and you can open the lid to take out your stuff.
**'''ATTENTION!''' Please click the power button to silence the machine once you're done so the Printmaking Studio becomes an oasis of tranquility again. Or even better, turn the key.