PART I GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction I. INTRO GravoStyle 5 Laser is designed is a component of GravoStyle5 for use with the Gravograph/New Hermes and other manufacturer Laser Engravers. Combined with GravoStyle Rotary, it provides a single platform for your entire rotary and laser engraving software needs. GravoStyle5-Laser has many new benefits that make designing jobs for your Gravograph Laser much easier. One of the most beneficial features is the capability to save your power and speed settings with the job (Gravograph lasers only). No longer will you have to remember the settings the last time you engraved the Job. The purpose of this section is to familiarize you with the layout of the GravoStyle 5 Laser Software. From the beginning you will notice that the software looks different than anything you have seen in the past, in the Engraving world. GravoStyle 5 Laser is a true 32 bit engraving program that uses larger full color Icons and toolbars. It also allows you to select your defaults in the program to optimize your setup time for a job. It also has many useful interfaces to reduce your frustration with designing laser engraving jobs such as changing line weight, filling vector artwork, lasering bitmaps, stamps and barcodes.
II. SCREEN LAYOUT The first screen that you will see will be the default screen. In order to make GravoStyle5-Laser easier to use you can place the toolbars anywhere on your screen to make them easier to get at. Windows Standard Toolbar Dropdown Menus Pinwheel (Text) Toolbar Rulers Graphic Tools Pointer Display Layer Toolbar Work Area Status Bar DEFAULT LAYOUT Page 2 of 33
Pinwheel Icon Left Click on the Pinwheel Icon to dock the Pinwheel Toolbar to the bottom of the screen. This will allow you access all the different views of the Pinwheel. Pinwheel Docked Page 3 of 33
III. Dropdown Menus GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction Many of these Dropdown Menus have Icons that do the same thing. Here we will review the menus that don t have Icons. A. FILE Left Click on the word File to open the File Menu. 1. New Starts a new job from scratch. 2. Open Opens a job that has been saved to disk. 3. Save Saves the current job. 4. Save As Allows you to save a job under a different name. 5. Open Model Opens a Model (Template). 6. Save Model Saves a job as a Model (Template). Page 4 of 33
7. Find Built in search engine for GravoStyle5-Laser Jobs. You can also Open, Copy, Move and Delete Job files from this Window. You can search by Name, Creation Date, Modification Date, Creator and Customer. 8. Information Enter Job data to the Job save. You can enter who the Creator of the Job is and also the Customer. More importantly you can enter Comments about the Job. Things such as if you paint filled or oxidized your piece after it was engraved. You will also notice the Working Time. This Window keeps track of your setup time for the Job. Page 5 of 33
9. Import Allows you to bring in Non-GravoStyle5 file formats. You can Import many different file formats including both Vector and Raster type. 10. Export Allows you to save file formats other than GravoStyle5 Jobs. The Export feature will be limited to Vector formats only. Page 6 of 33
11. Vectorize Takes a raster type graphic and will vector trace it. The Raster Image has to be selected or the software will open the scanner software to bring one in. 12. Vectorize Parameters Access to the Vectorizing filters. These Filters determine how accurate you are with your tracing. 13. Scan Opens the scanner Twain software. 14. Select Scanner If more than one scanner is installed on your computer, you can select which one you wish to scan with. 15. Print Opens the Printer interface Window so you can print your Job screen to a standard printer. 16. Print Preview A visual of what you are going to print. 17. Print Setup To select your printer if more than one is installed. 18. Recent File Will list the last 4 Jobs that you had open. 19. Exit Will Exit the program. Page 7 of 33
B. EDIT - 1. Undo Will Undo 1 level at a time, up to the option setting. 2. Redo If you Undo then you can Redo if you go too far. 3. Cut Will remove a selected item from your screen. 4. Copy Will copy a selected item to the clipboard. 5. Paste Will paste an item that has either been Cut or Copied. 6. Delete Will Delete a selected item. 7. Select All Will select all items on your screens. 8. Cursor Position Whatever action you are performing this will allow you to do it more accurately. Below is just a sample. Rotation Cursor Position Positioning Page 8 of 33
9. Snap Mode Access to all the Snap Tools. 10. Preview Live update mode. Will let you actually see the object that you are moving, rotating, sizing etc. 11. Clear Undo Stack Will clear the Undo memory. 12. Options Allows you to set the defaults to the program. Page 9 of 33
C. VIEW - 1. Zoom Uses a little magnifying glass to define the area you want to Zoom in on. 2. Last Zoom An Undo for your Zoom function. Will only Undo one time. 3. Max All Zooms out to let you see everything on your Job, even if it is outside of your material definition. 4. Zoom Material Zooms in or out to the material definition. 5. Zoom Selection Zoom to have the Item you have selected fill the screen. 6. Redraw Refresh your screen. 7. Fast Redraw Refresh to clean the garbage off your screen. 8. Wire Sens Senses contour direction. 9. Wire Color Shows color assignment to the contour. 10. Graphic Shows fill in the closed contours. 11. Arrow Direction Shows contour direction. Page 10 of 33
D. MODIFY 1. Text Access to the Text Tools. 2. Shapes Access to the Shape Tools. Page 11 of 33
3. Alignment Access to the Alignment Tools. 4. Effects Access to the Special Effects Tools. 5. Duplication Access to the Duplication Tools. 6. Transformation Access to the Transformation Tools. 7. Advanced Access to the Advanced Tools. 8. Material Will open the Material Definition Window. Page 12 of 33
9. Guidelines Will Open the Guidelines Window to modify your Guidelines if they are being used. 10. Symbol Opens the Symbols Library. 11. Photostyle Opens the Photostyle option. 12. Bitmap Editor Opens the Bitmap Editor. 13. Wysiwire Opens Wysiwire. (What You See Is What Is Really Engraving) Page 13 of 33
E. MACHINING GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction 1. Setup Machines Opens the Machines Window. This will allow you to install the Machine Driver to the program. 2. Lasering Opens the Laser Engraving Window. Page 14 of 33
F. HELP GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction Left Click on the little black question mark to open the Help Menu. Left Click on the Contents to open the GravoStyle5-Laser Help Window. Page 15 of 33
IV. Windows Standard Toolbar GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction New Open Save Undo Redo Cut Copy Paste Zoom Previous Zoom Zoom Max Zoom on Material Zoom on Selection Print Lasering Note Pad Internet Link Page 16 of 33
V. Pinwheel Toolbar GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction A. GREEN PINWHEEL Font Style Window Justification Docking Button Font Size Condensing Italics Button Italics Degree Character List B. YELLOW PINWHEEL Rotation Intercharacter Spacing Underline Button Underline Position Text Right to Left Superscript Subscript Text Below Auto Kerning Text Case the Baseline Buttons Text Above Text Position the Baseline from Baseline Docking Button C. RED PINWHEEL Style Window Style Brush To Delete a Style To Save a Style To Apply a Style Docking Button Page 17 of 33
D. BLUE PINWHEEL Baseline X Position Baseline Y Position Baseline Width Condensing Constant Line Spacing Proportional Line Spacing Typographical Line Spacing Position Window Condense by Line Condense by Paragraph Docking Button VI. Graphics Toolbar Select Mode Material Definition Text Mode Shape Tools Text Tools Point Edit Mode Link Split Scanner Vectorize Symbols Library Wysiwire Alignment Tools Duplication Tools Special Effects Tools Measurement Tools Transformation Tools Special Effects Tools PhotoStyle Bitmap Editor Laser Colors Page 18 of 33
A. SELECT MODE Basic graphic mode of the program. When in the Select Mode you can Import, Scan and modify Graphics. B. MATERIAL DIFINITION Used to Define your material size and the margins that you wish to use on your piece. Laser Size Orientation Location Margins Cylinder Thickness C. TEXT MODE The Text Mode allows you to enter text into your work. You also can do all the modification to the text. The Text Mode is also where you do special things like Matrix, Braille and Columns. Page 19 of 33
D. TEXT TOOLS Free Text Text on a Curve (Typed) Text in a Rectangle Text on a Curve (Projected) Text on an Arc Vertical Text Convert to Curves Text on a Slant Columns Font Editor Spell Check E. SHAPE TOOLS Markers Rounded Rectangle Star Rectangle Polygon Arrow Curved Line Double Line Circle Arc Arc 2 Points and a Distance Arc Tangent Line Oval 3 Point Circle 3 Point Arc Line Tangent Trim Page 20 of 33
F. POINT EDIT MODE GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction Add Point Continuous Point Align Vertically Rounded Angle Delete Point Start Point Align Horizontal Chamfered Corner Connect 2 Points Disconnect Point Auto Connect Refine Curve Curve Simplification Explode a Curve Cut Cut and Delete Delete Move Convert to Line Convert to Angle Convert to Arc Convert to Curve Vertical Projection Horizontal Projection Diagonal Projection G. LINK Links selected objects together as one. H. SPLIT Splits selected linked objects apart. Page 21 of 33
I. SCANNER Opens the Scanner Twain Software. This interface will look different depending on what scanner you have installed. J. SYMBOLS LIBRARY Opens the Symbols Library. Page 22 of 33
K. VECTORIZE BITMAP GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction With a bitmap already scanned or imported into you work, and selected Left Click on the Vectorize Bitmap Icon. L. WYSIWIRE M. ALIGNMENT TOOLS Left Align Top Align Vertical Align Horizontal Center Horizontal Alignment Vertical Spacing Vertical Boxing Boxing Bring to Front Bring Forward Right Align Bottom Align Horizontal Align Vertical Center Vertical Alignment Horizontal Spacing Horizontal Boxing Vertical Positioning Bring to Back Bring Backwards Page 23 of 33
N. MEASUREMENT TOOLS GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction Distance Angle Size Bounding Box Dimension Perimeter Area O. DUPLICATION TOOLS Duplicate Linear Duplication Circular Duplication Duplication on a Curve Homothetic Duplication on a Curve P. TRANSFORMATION TOOLS Move Proportional Scale Rotation Vertical Mirror Mirror Along an Axis Stretch Horizontal Mirror Flip Plan Page 24 of 33
Q. SPECIAL EFFECTS TOOLS GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction Union Subtraction Offset Convert to Square/Circle/Oval Vectorize in Arc and Segments Intersection Section Envelope Segmentation Reverse Contour Direction Self-intersection Curves R. SPECIAL TOOLS Dials and Scales Edit Variables Drilling Variables Matrix?????????? Nesting Nesting Light Barcode Braille Stamp Page 25 of 33
S. PHOTOSTYLE (Option) GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction With a picture scanned or imported into your work and selected, Left Click on the PhotoStyle Icon. T. BITMAP EDITOR Page 26 of 33
U. LASER COLORS Raster Filled Outline Line Width Vector Vector Dot Page 27 of 33
VII. Status Bar GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction Current Display Area Lock Cursor Position View Resources Number Lock VIII. Layer Bar Add a Layer Layer Tabs Delete a Layer Display All Window IX. Guidelines Point your cursor at the rulers (Top or Left) Left Click and Drag the Guideline into your work. To Position it precisely Double Left Click on the Guideline to open the Guideline Window. Page 28 of 33
X. Lasering A. LASER AND WATTAGE Laser Print to Port or File Wattage File to Print to B. OPTIONS Page 29 of 33
1. Orientation 2. Image Type Automatic Grayscale Halftone Photo Mode 8-Bit Grayscale Negative Bitmap Brightness Scale 3. Auto Focus Turns the Auto Focus ON or OFF in the software. 4. Exhaust Amount of time the Exhaust will stay ON after lasering. 5. Cylindrical Diameter of the piece you are lasering. Page 30 of 33
6. Z Up Position How far you want the Laser to drop before it moves, then Auto Z, then move down before it goes home. C. SETTINGS POWER SPEED PASSES FOCUS AIR ASSIST LASERING MODE COLORS BEFORE AFTER D. LOAD and SAVE PRESETS NAME SAVE DELETE Page 31 of 33
E. DPI (Dots Per Inch) How many times the Laser fires in 1 inch on the X axis. Recalculates the Y axis to engrave faster with less quality. How many lines per 1 inch in the Y axis. F. PIECE ORIGIN Position of piece on the X and Y axis. G. PLATE SIZE H. LAYERS Page 32 of 33
1. Selection GravoStyle5-Laser Introduction Layer Window You can select the layers you wish to send to the Laser. Delay between layers being sent to the Laser. No need to adjust. 2. Collate I. COMMANDS Sends Job to Laser. Allows access to the printer Spooler Saves Laser Settings to the Job file when saved to a disk. Access to the Laser Machine Driver. Closes Laser Engraving Window. Page 33 of 33