I watched the Avid CNC Laser setup & use on EX Control on you tube. In it there is a portion where Eric talks through setting up the laser in the Vectric tool database. The latest version of Aspire (12.504) has a cutting parameter that isn’t shown in the video. Its labeled “pass depth” and is zero by default. My question would be, is this correct? Or should it have a value? Additionally, is 0.007 the right value for the Kerf setting?
Thanks in advance.
Rob
Yes
I assume you’re talking about this new setting 
If so, that’s a new one they just introduced. Basically it treats lasering a little more like a machining toolpath.
The laser beam comes out in a cone. When you calibrate your laser height you’re getting the tip of that cone right on top of your material. This is what you want most of the time because lasers are mostly used for working on top of the material. Focusing the tip of the cone on top of the material focused the most power in the smallest spot.
This means that you can engrave fine lines and do it as fast as possible.
The new “pass depth” feature allows you to lower the tip of that cone in the material if you want. This would be useful if you were cutting through material as you might want to move the “tip” of that focused power below the surface of the material as you cut.
You can ignore this if you’re only engraving on the surface of the material.
Yes, that setting. Thanks Eric.
That new setting works like it does for an end mill I think, I conjunction with the cut depth in the toolpath. Vectric will then give you No. Passes based on the previous two parameters. You can also just tell it how many passes you want with the new parameter No. Repeats.
I did a bunch of characterization for this laser on cutting performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJmp82eRzIE&t=1s
When cutting material <= 0.25" (6mm), I got the best cutting performance when the focus was set on the top surface, and I cut in one pass if at all possible.
When cutting depths >0.25", then it worked best to set the focus about 0.200" (5mm) below the top surface, for ALL passes.
For wood, don’t cut slower than 15ipm, it will just make a mess or start fires. Go to multiple passes rather than <15ipm.
So what I do with these new settings is set the pass depth for the tool to >0.750" (this is realistically the thickest you’ll want to cut wood) so that it doesn’t try to automatically create muliple passes for me. Then I use the “No Repeats” in the tool path to say if I want more passes, and I use the cut depth set to either 0.0, or 0.200, depending on how thick the material is.
Thanks! I’ve watched a lot of your videos. Great job. You to Eric! I’ve watched all yours as well. Both very informative.
