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1.Set the fill parameters
The vector image uses a path (a point composed of straight lines and curves) to represent the image.
A bitmap (or raster image) is an image composed of an array of pixels, each pixel has a specific color and position.
Therefore, a bitmap cannot be filled, but a vector image can be filled.
1.1 Set Fill 1 and Fill 2: Vector graphic fill refers to the process of filling the internal area of a vector graphic with color or pattern.
Figure 1: Turning on Fill 1 to show the 30° lines.
Figure 2: Turning on Fill 2 to show the 90° lines.
Figure 3: The direction of the 30° and 90° fill lines.
1.2 Fill Spacing and Trans angle
The fill spacing refers to the distance between fill elements during the filling process. In laser marking, the fill spacing is particularly important because it directly affects the density and depth of the marking.
Tight filling: When the fill spacing is set to a smaller value, the laser marking will be denser, and a deeper marking effect and a fuller filling appearance can be obtained.(See Figure 4)
Sparse filling: When the fill spacing is set to a larger value, the laser marking will be sparse, the marking effect may be lighter, and the filled area may look more transparent or less full.(See Figure 5)
When the height is set to 100 mm, 1 pitch ≈ 0.45 mm.
Trans angle: Rotate the pattern clockwise.
rotated 30°（Figure 6 ）
rotated 90° （Figure 7）
1.3 Reverse and Reverse Space
The Invert function will swap the black and white parts and invert the color of the pattern or text.
Invert White Space is a specific function in laser marking, which involves changing the way the marking area is defined. Usually, laser marking is based on the closed path in the design to define the marking area, that is, the area inside the path is marked. Reverse space reverses this process, so that the area outside the path is marked, while the area inside the path remains unchanged.
Before Reverse - After Reverse（See Figure 8）
Reverse space (10%-30%-90%) (See Figure 9)
Note: You need to turn on reverse to set reverse space.
1.4 KeepOutline 、FirstOutline、Three Fill Directions
KeepOutline: Keep the edge of the graphics visible and clear during the marking process.（see Figure 10）
FirstOutline: Mark the graphics boundary first before other marking operations to ensure the accuracy and clarity of the overall marking.（See Figure 11）
2.Printing parameters:
2.1 OffsetX OffsetY
"OffsetX" and "OffsetY" refer to the horizontal and vertical offsets that fine-tune the marking position on a plane. These parameters are particularly important because they help ensure that the mark, text or pattern is placed precisely in the correct position on the target object.
"OffsetX" 和 "OffsetY"
Figure 1: 10mm shift on the X axis（See Figure 12）
Figure 2: 10mm shift on the Y axis（See Figure 13）
Figure 3: 30mm shift on both the X and Y axes（See Figure 14）
2.2 Width and Height
The width and height parameters can be used to unfix the parameters.
Set the parameters you want, and note that these values should be within the range of the selected field lens size.
2.3 Speed and Power
Speed:（See Figure 15）
How fast the marking head moves, in mm.
Fast speed: short marking time, shallow depth.
Slow speed: long marking time, deep depth.
Influencing factors: material type, required depth.
Power:（See Figure 16）
The energy level of laser output.
High power: strong processing capability, deep depth, fast speed.
Low power: suitable for delicate or sensitive materials to prevent excessive ablation.
Influencing factors: material hardness, precision requirements, marking effect.
3.Other parameters:
3.1 On Delay and Off Delay
On Delay:Default -10 (no need to change)
On Delay refers to the time delay from when the laser receives the marking signal to when the laser actually emits the laser. This parameter is mainly used to adjust the accuracy of the starting position of the laser marking. If the on-delay is set improperly, the starting position of the marking may be offset, affecting the marking quality.
Off Delay:Default 180 (no need to change)
Off Delay refers to the time delay from when the laser stops receiving the marking signal to when the laser actually stops emitting the laser. This parameter also affects the accuracy of the end position of the marking. Proper adjustment of the off-delay can ensure the accuracy of the end position of the marking and avoid unnecessary additional marking due to too long a delay.
Laser Off Delay：The delay before the laser off.
If the delay is too long: the burn-in effect will be at the end point.
If the delay is too short: the last part of the vector will not be marked.
3.2 Jump Delay and Jump Speed
Jump Delay：Because of the inertia of the mirrors, a lag occurs between the set position and the real position when the light point jumps to the set position, so a jump delay need to be added.
If the jump delay is too long: no more effect, but the total mark time will be more.
If the jump delay is too short: the mirror will be not stable to the set position, and then the mark will start as following graph.
Jump Speed:
Jump speed refers to the speed at which the laser head moves from one marking position to another, and the unit is usually mm/s.
Fast jump speed: can reduce idle time and improve marking efficiency.
Slow jump speed: suitable for position adjustment that requires higher precision to avoid overshoot or inaccurate positioning.
Adjustment factors: make appropriate adjustments based on the complexity of the marking pattern, material properties and marking requirements.
3.3 Duty Ratio、Area、Frequency、MinPower、External trigger
Duty Ratio：
Duty ratio refers to the ratio of the time the laser emits laser light in one cycle to the total cycle time.
For example, if the laser emits laser light for 0.5 seconds per second, the duty ratio is 50%.
The duty ratio affects the average power of the laser and the marking effect. Too high a duty ratio may cause the material to overheat or be damaged.
Area：
The marking area is not set arbitrarily, but is defined according to the field lens used. Different field lens focal lengths can provide marking areas of different sizes, so when choosing a marking machine, you must choose a suitable marking area based on your actual needs.
Frequency：
Frequency refers to the number of times a laser pulse per second, usually measured in Hertz (Hz).
Higher frequencies provide more continuous laser output and are suitable for applications that require fine marking.
Adjusting the frequency affects the speed and quality of marking.
MinPower:
Minimum power refers to the lowest power level that the laser can output.
This parameter is used to set the minimum energy output during laser marking to meet the needs of different materials and marking depths.
Adjusting the minimum power can optimize the marking effect and avoid material damage caused by excessive power.
The following are the effects of four different powers: (see Figure 17)
External trigger：
In the operation interface of the laser marking machine, the "Batch Engraving" button is usually used to start the automated marking process. In this process, the marking machine can perform multiple engraving operations in succession. To effectively use this function, it is usually necessary to activate the "External Trigger" button first.
4.Rotate Parameters：
4.1 RotateMark and Rotate Equipment
RotateMark:
The RotateMark function is used to rotate the workpiece during marking to achieve complex patterns or uniform circumferential marking.
1. To use this function, you need to install accessories such as chuck rotary and roller rotary slide extensions to ensure stable rotation of the workpiece.
2. Before marking, make sure the vector image is filled to avoid discontinuous marking. Unfilled vector images may cause discontinuous or uneven marking, affecting the final marking quality.
3. Set the marking parameters such as speed, power and focal length to optimize the marking effect and efficiency.
Rotate Equipment:RollerRotary including （Roller Rotary 、Chuck Rotary）and SlideExtension.
4.2 Product Diameter 、Motor Subdivision and Gearspeed
The marking machine needs to adjust its marking position and parameters according to the diameter of the product to ensure that the mark can be accurately printed on the specified position of the product.
In the marking machine, the Motor Subdivision stepper motor can achieve more precise movement control through subdivision technology, which is crucial to ensure marking accuracy.
The following three accessories require you to set these two parameters.
1.Roller Rotary (Fixed parameters)
Product Diameter: 32 mm
Motor Subdivision: 128 multiple
2.Chuck Rotary
Product Diameter: Value based on the diameter of the object being marked (errors within 3mm can be ignored)
Fixed parameters: Motor Subdivision: 128 multiple (Fixed parameters)
3.Silde Extension (Fixed parameters)
Product Diameter: 1mm
Motor Subdivision: 100 multiple
By adjusting the Gearspeed to different multiples, the efficiency and quality of the marking process can be optimized according to the material type.
Gearspeed:
Gearspeed 1x: Normal marking speed. This is the base speed, used for standard operations and quality requirements.
Gearspeed 2x: Double speed. The marking speed is twice as fast as the normal speed, suitable for situations where the marking accuracy is not very high, but the speed needs to be increased.
Gearspeed 4x: Quadruple speed. The marking speed is four times the normal speed, used for large-scale production, where the requirements for marking quality can be appropriately reduced to improve efficiency.
5.Correction Parameters
5.1 Turn XY Turn X Turn Y
In marking machines, "Turn XY", "Turn X", and "Turn Y" usually refer to different operating modes that control the movement of the marking machine table or marking head.
Turn XY can be abbreviated to XY, which means that both the X-axis and Y-axis are controlled.
Turn X can be abbreviated to X, which means that only the X-axis is controlled.
Turn Y can be abbreviated to Y, which means that only the Y-axis is controlled.
The following are the effects of five different operations: (see Figure 18 )
5.2 Pincushion、Trapezoid、Paral、Ratio
Pincushion：
Pincushion is a typical lens distortion where the edges of the image bend inward, making the image appear to be compressed in the center and pulled inward at the edges. It is the opposite of barrel distortion, where the edges bend outward. Pincushion distortion is often seen in images from long focal length lenses, especially when shooting with a telephoto lens.
Trapezoid：
Trapezoid distortion refers to the image not being perfectly parallel vertically or horizontally, resulting in the image shape looking like a trapezoid, which often occurs in projectors and certain types of display devices. This distortion occurs when the projector is not facing the screen directly, or when the projection angle is tilted. Most modern projectors offer a keystone correction feature that allows the user to correct this distortion by adjusting the device's settings so that the image edges remain parallel.
Paral：
This word may be an abbreviation of "Parallel". In display technology, it is important to maintain the parallelism of the image edges, especially when performing geometric corrections. Improper parallel alignment will cause image distortion and affect the viewing experience.
Ratio：
Ratio usually refers to the aspect ratio of an image, that is, the ratio of the width to the height of the image. Common aspect ratios include 16:9 and 4:3. This is a very important concept in the film and television and display industries. The correct aspect ratio ensures that the image is not stretched or compressed and maintains the original visual proportion. When processing images and videos, maintaining the correct ratio is critical to avoid distortion and provide the best viewing experience.
