Instructions for Importing and Offsetting Parts

Example Files/Template

Take your solidworks drawings saved as DXFs and control-c control-v paste the parts into this template.

Select the parts and under the top “home” tab under the properties block select color to “by layer”, line thickness to “by layer”, and line type to “by layer”. (these are the three drop down menus in properties.)

To offset Objects: type command “pedit”, hit enter

1. type “m” for multiple, hit enter
2. type “y” to accept convert to polylines
3. select your objects in a window, hit enter
4. type “j” for join
5. type ”.01” for fuzz distance, hit enter
6. hit enter

Your objects should now be joined contours. Type command “offset”, hit enter

1. enter in the radius of the laser, hit enter
2. click a contour and click outside to offset outwards
3. repeat clicking contours and clicking outside

You should then put the original parts on the “will not cut” layer and the offset parts on the “parts to cut” layer. The parts you want to cut should be red.

Put raster graphics on the “parts to raster” layer. Parts to raster should be white. Position your parts in the rectangle that represents the laser bed. On the bottom tab switch to “Laser_Layout_in” (assuming your parts were drawn so that 1 unit=1 inch) and verify your parts are displayed on the paper. (You can compare this to the example under the “Example_in_Layout” tab.) This paper represents the laser bed. By changing the positioning of the parts within the rectangle you change where they are cut on the bed. This paper layout is then plotted to the vls 6.60 printer to cut the parts.