¶ Differences between Auto Mode and Manual Mode
In auto mode, the machine automatically adjusts the height of the Laser Module based on the measured focal length and the input material thickness, so as to ensure the best focusing result. In manual mode, you must manually adjust the height of the Laser Module to make the laser beam best focus on the material surface. Therefore, manual mode differs from auto mode in the following aspects:
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Manual mode does not involve the Auto Focus or Manual Focus procedure to measure the focal length.
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Materials with unknown thickness can be engraved and cut.
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The height of the Laser Module can be adjusted. The height of the Laser Module is not automatically calculated by the machine. Thus, if you find the engraving and cutting effect unsatisfying, you can stop the job and choose Manual Mode again to modify the height of the Laser Module.
¶ How to use Manual Mode
When using manual mode, you do not need to measure the focal length or measure the thickness of the material. After the machine, material, and G-code file are ready, you can use Manual Mode to start engraving and cutting. The operating console can be Luban or the Touchscreen.
- On the Touchscreen, tap Start.
- Choose the G-code file you have prepared from Local or USB.
- On the Preview screen, you can preview the image for engraving and cutting. Laser Power, Work Speed, and Estimated Time are also displayed on the screen. You can tap Adjust Settings to modify Laser Power and Work Speed. Check if the image is right and the laser power and the work speed are proper, and then tap Ready.
- On the Select Mode screen, select Manual Mode.
- Put on the Laser Safety Goggles and tap Next.
- Tap X-, X+, Y-, or Y+ to move the laser dot above the material. Then, tap Z- or Z+ to adjust the height of the Laser Module until the laser beam is focused down to the smallest spot.
The smallest laser spot means the best focusing result. To reach the best focusing result, first lower the Laser Module until the Lens Hood has slightly touched the surface of the material. Then, gradually move the Laser Module up. The laser spot will first become smaller before becoming larger. Find the smallest laser spot in this process by tapping Z- or Z+.
- Tap X-, X+, Y-, or Y+ to move the laser dot to where the work origin will be, and then tap Set Work Origin. Next, tap Run Boundary to check if the work origin is proper. If not, reset the Work Origin and run boundary again. After you set a proper work origin, tap Start.
- Laser engraving and cutting starts.
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Connect your machine to Luban.
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Load G-code to Workspace.
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If you generate G-code in Luban, click Load G-code to Workspace to load the generated G-code to Workspace.
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If you want to use a G-code file stored in your computer, click Open G-code. Select a G-code file (NC file) from your computer and click Open.
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Unselect Auto Mode.
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Put on the Laser Safety Goggles. Adjust the Laser Power to a small value and turn on Laser Power.
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Click X-, X+, Y-, or Y+ to move the laser dot above the material. Then, click Z- or Z+ to adjust the height of the Laser Module until the laser beam is focused down to the smallest spot.
The smallest laser spot means the best focusing result. To reach the best focusing result, first lower the Laser Module until the Lens Hood has slightly touched the surface of the material. Then, gradually move the Laser Module up. The laser spot will first become smaller before becoming larger. Find the smallest laser spot in this process by tapping Z- or Z+.
- Click X-, X+, Y-, or Y+ to move the laser dot to where the work origin will be, and then click Set Work Origin. Next, click Run Boundary to check if the work origin is proper. If not, reset the work origin and run boundary again. Repeat this step until you set a proper work origin.
If you use the camera capture method to determine the position of the image, skip this step to continue the following operations.
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You can also modify Laser Power and Work Speed in Luban.
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On the top-left corner of the Workspace, click the Run button to start engraving and cutting.