[LuAn]

I've recently obtained a Rabbit HX40A from China. I've read the manual and have filled in some of the gaps by experimenting. However there is one screen full of stuff that simply eludes me:

The screen is accessed by clicking the "Optimum Cutting" button on the "Engrave" window, however the window title when it pops up is "Sort Cutting Order".

It offers a choice of "Neg" or "Pos" cutting, various settings relating to "Cut In / Cut Out" (whatever the heck that is), and a bunch of other stuff. It also shows a drawing of the thing to be cut with lots of little triangles. Moving the mouse over it causes a blue and yellow arc to appeal (cut in / cut out ?).

Hopefully somebody with a full understanding NewlyDRAW can give me some insight but then again, perhaps these are terms that any machinist who is not a total newbie (as I am) can explain?

[zax15uk]

Hi,

I have almost the same equipment, so if you have any questions I'd be happy to help.

The cut in/out or more commonly called a lead in/out allows you to start off the material, cut the contour and then exit.

When the laser starts, it can initially create a burn mark before it penetrates and begins moving. This can result in a larger hole at the stop / start locations.

This technique is used on CNC routers too, and is very common with plasma cutting.

You can also set cut order from this screen although it is easier to set in the main design/drawing screen. The program does a good job at automatically selecting internal cuts before cutting the outer shape but on occasion you will want something other than the default so manually setting the order can be useful.

Pos/Neg cutting changes the direction of cut. I am not sure how this would be used for a laser cutter but on a CNC router it is called 'milling' or 'climb milling'.

Zax.

[LuAn]

Thanks for that Zax. I've been doing a bit more experimenting today and I think I now know what pretty much everything does. Yay!