Status area

The status area shows the condition of the laser, the pilot laser and the laser marking system. This area is divided into three sections.

1

2 3

System status Fig. 3-9

The top section (1) of "System status" displays the condition of the following parameters:

• Speed of the laser in mm/s

• Power of the laser in percentage of the maximum power

• Cycle time, i.e. the duration of a cycle in seconds (in the cycle time with a TruMark Station, for example, the time for closing the doors is also included)

• Pulse repetition frequency of the laser in Hz

• Defocus, i.e. the current displacement of the focus position of the laser beam in relation to the focusing distance of the employed optics in millimeters (refer to Chapter 4, "Laser menu" > "Laser parameters" > "Defocusing").

• Marking time, i.e. the duration of the actual marking operation in seconds.

Ready indicators (2) are located on the lower left of the display field which light up in green when the different functions are ready.

The right-hand part of the status section (3) contains red warning and error indicators which light up to point out possible problems.

Note

When the indicators "Safety circuit open", "Emergency circuit open" or "Error" light up, the laser is not ready and marking is not possible.

System status

The display in the lower section of the marking interface is variable and can be selected in the "Extras" menu (also refer to Section 7.7

"Extras menu").

Proceed as follows to select a setting:

Click the "Extras" menu in the menu bar or

Press the keys <Alt + 5>.

The following displays can be selected:

• IO status: Shows the status of the digital interface of the laser marking system or the laser unit.

IO status Fig. 3-10

Status display

• Mark preview: The display field shows the marking program on which the current marking operation is based in a minimized version of the CAD. Various buttons are provided on the left-hand side for changing the view (refer to Section "View menu"

in Chapter 4 for a more detailed description).

• Print: Via the print icon you will have access to the print dialog of your printer (refer to Section "File menu" in Chapter 4 for a more detailed description).

Mark preview Fig. 3-11

• Laser parameters: Shows the status of the internal laser parameters. The current delays when the laser is switched on and off, at the ends of polygons and for laser jumps are displayed in microseconds. In addition, the current step and pulse width (in microseconds) and the jump speed (in millimeters per second) as well as the following offsets are shown: of the power (in percent), of the frequency (in hertz), of the speed (in millimeters per second) and of the defocus (in millimeters). It is also displayed whether the suppression of the first pulse is active. Please refer to Chapter 4 "Laser menu" >

"Laser parameters" for more information on these parameters.

Status laser parameters Fig. 3-12

• Error, warning history: This field shows a list of the errors and warnings which occurred last. The list contains the date and the time at which the respective error occurred, the error code and a short text in which the type of occurring error is described. Double-clicking on the message opens the detailed display.

Error, warning history Fig. 3-13

• RTC status: The type, the mode and the installed options of the scanner card (RTC) are displayed at the top. In the lower half of the status display, the exact marking time and the list commands (microvectors) of the marking last started are shown. "Restart_mark" shows the number of markings which have been activated using the digital input Restart_mark. (Also see interface description.) When operating with marking on the fly (MOF) and an encoder, the number of pulses of the connected encoder are shown in the X counter and Y counter.

The REI inputs and outputs are displayed: when selecting the entry field the assignment is shown.

RTC status Fig. 3-14

3.3 Starting the marking program

Proceed as follows to load a marking program:

• With the mouse click the "F11 Marking file" button or press the

<F11> function key or select the menu item "File" > "Open".

• The "Load CAD file" dialog window appears on the screen. The marking program can be selected in this window.

"Load CAD file" dialog window Fig. 3-15

• When the dialog box has been closed, the name of the marking program is displayed in the "Marking file" line.

Check that the correct program has been selected:

• In the "Extras" menu select the "Mark preview" option; the marking program on which the current marking operation is based is then displayed in a minimized version of the CAD.

• The CAD can also be started with the "F10 CAD" button or the

<F10> function key. The interface of the CAD with the graphic of the selected marking program appears in the drawing field.

Selection of the marking program

To execute a marking operation with the laser marking system certain prerequisites must be met:

• activated laser marking system

• started TruTops Mark^® program

• correctly set optics (refer to Section 8.3 "> 7 Configuration" >

"Machine")

• selected marking program

WARNING

When the laser exit opening and the marking field of the laser marking system are not accommodated inside a protective cover in accordance with laser protection class 1, direct or indirect exposure of the eyes to laser radiation is possible!

Laser radiation can burn your skin and cause permanent damage to your eyes.

If the laser protection cover is either open or missing, wear laser protection goggles with glasses which are suitable for the wavelength of the laser radiation.

Proceed as follows:

• Place the workpiece into the marking field of the laser marking system (if necessary and fitted, use the pilot laser for alignment).

• Ensure that the laser has the correct focus to the workpiece.

• Close the protective cover if it is fitted.

• Ensure that the marking surface is in the "Marking program"

mode (also refer to the section "Buttons", "Marking program". If necessary click the "F7 Marking program" button or press the

<F7> function key. (Only in conjunction with a TruMark Station).

• Click the "^F2 Laser" button or press <F2> while holding down the <Shift> key. The color of the icon on the "^F2 Laser" button changes from black to yellow.

Execution

• Click the "^F3 Shutter" button or press <F3> while holding down the <Shift> key. The laser is run with the set power and the shutter is opened. The color of the icon on the "^F2 Laser"

button changes from black to yellow.

• Click the "F12 Marking" button or press the <F12> function key. On a TruMark Station alternatively the start key can be pressed. The laser marking system then performs the marking operation. During this operation high-power laser radiation is emitted and marks the workpiece in accordance with the set program. With a TruMark Station the door closes when the program is started and opens when it has been completed.

3.4 Menus

A menu bar with the following menus is provided on the screen of the marking interface:

• File

The menus contain functions which can only be activated with the respective pull-down menu.

The menu functions are activated either with the mouse or with the keyboard.

Activation with the mouse:

• Click the respective menu in the menu bar.

– The corresponding pull-down menu opens.

• Select the respective function in the pull-down menu.

Activation with the keyboard:

• Press the keys <Alt + Hotkey>.

– The corresponding pull-down menu appears on the screen.

Note

<Hotkey> is the key with the number in front of the respective menu.

Example: 1 File: <Hotkey> is key 1.

• Press the Hotkey of the required function in the pull-down menu

or

• move the highlighting bar to the correct position in the menu with the arrow keys.