Epilog Laser Mini Series - User Manual

American Art Space
Epilog Laser Mini
Essential Rules
•
Never touch the prism or the lens on the printer head
•
Never run the machine unattended
•
Never place any highly flammable materials in the machine without first
researching the laser settings - the laser should vaporize materials, not burn
them.
•
Be prepared and understand how to use the fire extinguisher
•
Never run the machine with the Top door open
•
Never run the machine without the exhaust fan running
•
Never use any surface whose texture or height changes by more than 1mm
across the job area
•
When vector cutting, always use the honeycomb table
•
If you are unsure how to do something, use the manual or ask someone
•
If the laser fills up with excess smoke resulting in no visibility in the machine,
stop the laser and check your settings
Starting the LASER
1. Turn on the exhaust fan using the switch at the wall outlet
2. Turn on the laser using the switch on the lower left side of the laser machine
Starting the COMPUTER
1. Power on (button on lower left side of monitor)
2. Hold down the Option key as the computer boots to choose the Operating
System
3. Three hard drives will appear, choose Windows
4. Once windows is started, open Inkscape
5. Create or import your design but remember:
5.1. vectors or paths are used for cutting
5.2. raster or bitmap images are for engraving
5.3. you can engrave with vectors, but you can never cut with raster
5.4. in Inkscape adjust your art board size, and hide everything that you do
not want to cut or engraved.
6. You now need to choose to Cut or Etch
6.1. To Etch

Epilog Laser Mini Series Specifications

General

Laser Type	CO2
Resolution	Up to 1200 dpi
Cooling	Air-cooled
Laser Wattage Options	30, 40, 50, 60 watts
Connectivity	USB
Operating System Compatibility	Windows, Mac
Software Compatibility	CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD
Operating Modes	Raster, Vector, Combined
Software	Epilog Dashboard
Supported File Formats	AI, CDR, DXF, EPS, JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP
Work Area	12 x 24 inches (305 x 610 mm)
Drive System	High-speed, continuous-loop, DC servomotors

Summary

Essential Rules for Epilog Laser Mini

General Safety Precautions

Never touch prism/lens, never run unattended, no flammable materials, keep top door closed, ensure exhaust fan is running.

Operation Guidelines

Understand fire extinguisher use, use honeycomb table for vector cutting, and ask for help if unsure.

Smoke Handling

If smoke causes low visibility, stop the laser and check settings.

Operating the Laser and Computer

Starting the Laser Machine

Turn on the exhaust fan and then the laser machine using its side switch.

Starting the Computer and Software

Power on the computer, select Windows, open Inkscape, import/create design, and choose Cut or Etch.

Etching Process

Initiating Etch Job

Go to File > Print, select Epilog Laser printer, adjust preferences, load material settings, and print.

Settings for Etching

Choose material, select DPI (400 or 600), load settings, and confirm print job.

Cutting Process

Preparing Design for Cutting

Select vectors, set fill to 'none', stroke to black, .001 inch width, and save as PDF.

Initiating Cut Job

Open PDF in Adobe Reader, Print, select Epilog Laser, adjust properties, load material, and print.

Settings for Cutting

Choose material and thickness, load settings, confirm print job, and use honeycomb table.

Finalizing and Troubleshooting

Starting and Monitoring Job

Press Go to start, Stop to halt, and remove material when finished and head returns.

Focusing the Laser

Use the Manual Focus Guide to set the laser head height so the guide barely touches the material.

Connection Troubleshooting

Resolve connection issues by checking 'Devices and Printers', ensuring Epilog Engraver is opaque, and reconnecting USB.