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Feeder Setup

Auto-feeders are conveyers that feed materials such as fabric or leather into a laser in stepped increments. The laser runs repetitions of the same engraving or cutting job between each increment.

Go to Laser Tools → Feeder Setup (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+F) to open the Auto-feed settings window, where you can set the parameters by which your auto-feeder will feed material into your laser, and the laser will run repeat jobs.

Note

Feeder Setup is only available for DSP lasers with Ruida or Trocen controllers.

Auto-Feed Settings

Auto-feed settings window for Ruida controllers

  • Enable Auto-Feed turns on Auto-Feed mode. This setting must be enabled in order to operate your auto-feeder.

  • Feed before cutting commands the feeder to move material into the laser before the laser performs its first run of the job.

  • Pause after feed move tells the laser to pause after a feed move, before cutting. This option is not available on all controllers.

  • There are three options for feed distance in the drop-down menu. Feed distance controls the amount that the feeder will advance your material with each repetition.

    • Job Height: the feeder will advance the same distance as the height of the job you send to the laser.

      Tip

      You can see your job's height in the Numeric Edits Toolbar after selecting all graphics you'll be outputting to the laser.

    • Y axis length: the feeder will advance the same distance as the length of your laser's bed in the Y dimension.

    • Manual: the feeder will advance by the amount you specify in the field next to the drop-down menu.

  • Distance Adjust offsets the feed distance by the amount entered. For example, with Job Height selected, and a project height of 50 mm, entering 5 mm in the Distance Adjust field will command the feeder to advance 55 mm with each repetition. Offsets can also be negative.

  • Repeat Count determines the number of times the laser will run the job and the feeder will advance.

  • Press OK to save Auto-feed settings or Cancel to discard any settings changes made and restore to previous settings.

    Warning

    Be sure to click OK to save settings after enabling or disabling Auto-Feed mode, or adjusting any settings. Cancelling or "X-ing" out of the Auto-feed settings window will not apply the changes you've made.

Auto-feed settings window for Trocen controllers

  • Enable Auto-Feed turns on Auto-Feed mode. This setting must be enabled in order to operate your auto-feeder.

  • There are three options for feed distance in the drop-down menu. Feed distance controls the amount that the feeder will advance your material with each repetition.

    • Job Height: the feeder will advance the same distance as the height of the job you send to the laser.

      Tip

      You can see your job's height in the Numeric Edits Toolbar after selecting all graphics you'll be outputting to the laser.

    • Y axis length: the feeder will advance the same distance as the length of your laser's bed in the Y dimension.

    • Manual: the feeder will advance by the amount you specify in the field next to the drop-down menu.

  • Distance Adjust offsets the feed distance by the amount entered. For example, with Job Height selected, and a project height of 50 mm, entering 5 mm in the Distance Adjust field will command the feeder to advance 55 mm with each repetition. Offsets can also be negative.

  • Repeat Count determines the number of times the laser will run the job and the feeder will advance.

  • Delay after feed (secs) tells the laser to pause for the specified amount of time after each feed.

  • Press OK to save Auto-feed settings or Cancel to discard any settings changes made and restore to previous settings.

    Warning

    Be sure to click OK to save settings after enabling or disabling Auto-Feed mode, or adjusting any settings. Cancelling or "X-ing" out of the Auto-feed settings window will not apply the changes you've made.

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