Roland EGX-20 manual

Thank you very much for purchasing the EGX-20. • T o ensure correct and safe usage with a full understanding of this product's performance, please be sure to read through this manual completely and store it in a safe location. • Unauthorized copying or transferral, in whole or in part, of this manual is prohibited. • The contents of this[...]

For the USA FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENT This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commer[...]

1 How to Use This Manual Be sure to read through this manual when using the EGX-20 for the first time. This manual explains mainly the following information. • Connecting to a computer installing a blade, mounting an engraving workpiece, and the like • Installing the driver software on the computer • The procedure for creating a nameplate usi[...]

2 Copyright © 2002 Roland DG Corporation T able of Contents http://www.rolanddg.com Windows ® and W indows NT ® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft ® Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Pentium is registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in t[...]

3 Used for instructions intended to alert the user to the risk of death or severe injury should the unit be used improperly . About and Notices Used for instructions intended to alert the user to the risk of injury or material damage should the unit be used improperly . * Material damage refers to damage or other adverse effects caused with respect[...]

4 When not in use for several hours, unplug the power-cord plug from the electrical outlet. Failure to do so may result in danger of shock, electrocution, or fire due to deterioration of the electrical insulation. When unplugging the electrical power cord from the power outlet, grasp the plug, not the cord. Unplugging by pulling the cord may damage[...]

5 About the Labels Affixed to the AC Adapter and Unit These labels are affixed to the body of this product and the AC adapter . The following figure describes the location. : Indicates information to prevent machine breakdown or malfunction and ensure correct use. : Indicates a handy tip or advice regarding use. In addition to the and symbols, the [...]

6 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Check the Included Items AC adapter: 1 Power cord: 1 User's Manual: 1 cutter: 1 (with cutter holder) Hexagonal screw driver : 1 Adhesive sheet : 1 1 Getting Ready What Y ou Can Do with the EGX-20 • Y ou can engrave a plate with text or shapes to create a nameplate or the like. Using Dr . Engrave, the included 2D e[...]

7 1 Getting Ready Names and Functions The names of the parts of the EGX-20 are as follows. Switch Panel Front Rear Carriage Parallel connector Depth regulator unit T able Z-axis light Power light View light Origin Set light Movement button Speed control Spindle Speed control Power button View button Origin Set button Cover Spindle motor Spindle uni[...]

8 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Setting Up and Connection Use within a temperature range of 5 to 40 ° C (41 to 104 ° F) and within a humidity range of 35 to 80%. Securely connect the power cord, computer I/O cable and so on so that they will not be unplugged and cause failure during operation. Doing so may lead to faulty operation or breakdown. NOTIC[...]

9 1 Getting Ready Connecting the AC Adapter and Power Cord Connect in the order of the numbers shown in the figure. Connecting to the Computer T o connect the machine and the computer , you can use either a parallel cable (IEEE 1284-compliant) . The parallel cable is sold separately . Use a cable suited to the configuration of the printer port on y[...]

10 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL EG X-20 Attaching the Adhesive Sheet Y ou use the included adhesive sheet to secure material to engrave to the table on the EGX-20. First you need to install the included adhesive sheet on the table. EG X-20 NOTICE Be sure the unit is in V iew status when attaching the adhesive sheet. There are holes at the four corners[...]

11 1 Getting Ready The cutter holder is reverse-threaded. Turn it counterclockwise to tighten. Installing the Cutter Holder Before you install a cutter , you need to install the included cutter holder on the spindle unit. Cutter Cutter holder Open the cover for the carriage. 1 A cutter holder is attached to the included cutter . Remove the cutter f[...]

12 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL 2 Installing and Setting Up the Software T o use the EGX-20, you need to install the driver on the computer connected to the EGX-20. The EGX-20 also comes with a number of programs for creating engraving and cutting data, which you can use to match the target task. T o use these programs, you need to install and set the[...]

13 2 Getting Ready the Software Insert the included CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The setup menu appears automatically . Click the drop-down arrow for [Click here], then from the menu that appears, select [EGX-20]. The programs you can install and set up with the EGX- 20 appear . Y ou can view a description for each program by clicking the button n[...]

14 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Y ou can choose to install and set up a program by selecting its corresponding check box. If you do not want to install a particular program, than clear the corresponding check box. Normally you should select all check boxes. Click the [Install] button. The setup screen ([W elcome] dialog box) appears for the program wh[...]

15 2 Getting Ready the Software The setup screen ([W elcome] dialog box) appears for the next program to install. Carry out steps through on the previous page. Install Dr . Engrave and 3D Engrave. When installation of 3D Engrave finishes, the [EGX-20 Driver Installation] dialog box appears. Choose the port for connecting the EGX-20. The EGX-20 conn[...]

16 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Place the plate on the adhesive sheet, then press down on it from above to anchor it securely . Y ou can place the item anywhere on the adhesive sheet. However , if the plate is placed at an angle with respect to the table, the engraving will not be straight. Place it so that it is aligned straight with the corners and [...]

17 3 Creating a Nameplate (Operations in the Engraving Mode) If the V iew light on the switch panel is lit (showing the machine is in V iew status), press the V iew button. The spindle unit and table move, and the spindle unit moves to above the origin point on the table. When movement ends, the V iew light goes dark. Use the movement button on the[...]

18 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Insert the cutter into the hole in the cutter holder , then slowly lower the cutter . Lower until the cutter touches the plate. Use the included hexagonal screwdriver to tighten the retaining screw for the cutter holder . T ighten secure so that the cutter does not come loose during engraving. Press the Origin Set butto[...]

19 3 Creating a Nameplate (Operations in the Engraving Mode) Setting the Origin Point When loading material, be sure to set the origin point. The origin point is the reference point for engraving. Y ou set it individually for each piece of material you load. Omitting this operation may result in locations other than the material being engraved. Bas[...]

20 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Creating Data with Dr . Engrave This section describes the basic steps for engraving a nameplate using Dr . Engrave. The following explanation is for W indows 95/98/Me. For an explanation for W indows NT 4.0/2000, or for a more detailed explanation, see the help for Dr . Engrave or refer to the Dr . Engrave User's [...]

21 3 Creating a Nameplate (Operations in the Engraving Mode) Entering T ext Enter the text to engrave on the plate. At the toolbar , click . Click the location in the engraving area where you want to type in text, then enter the text using the keyboard. Engraving area Selecting the Font Specify a font for the text string you entered. At the toolbar[...]

22 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL W orking with T ext Strings Y ou can resize and deform a text string by manipulating the points displayed around the string. Resizing and Moving At the toolbar , click , then click the text string. Points appear around the text string. Y ou can change the size of the text string by lining up the pointer with a point and[...]

23 3 Creating a Nameplate (Operations in the Engraving Mode) T ext-string Settings Y ou can specify numerical value for rotation, slanting, character pitch, and so on in a dialog box. At the toolbar , click , then click the text string. The character cursor appears in the text string. Alternatively , at the toolbar click , then click the text strin[...]

24 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Stroke Fonts Y ou can change text to stroke fonts and carry out engraving. Line width when engraving varies according to the cutter width and engraving depth. At the toolbar , click , then click the text string. The character cursor appears in the text string. Alternatively , at the toolbar click , then click the text s[...]

25 3 Creating a Nameplate (Operations in the Engraving Mode) Saving Data Save the data you have created to a hard disk or the like. At the toolbar , click . Alternatively , go to the [File] menu and select [Save As]. The [Save As] dialog box appears. Specify the information for [Save in] and [File Name], then click [Save]. Setting the Cutting Param[...]

26 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Adjusting the Driver Settings Follow the steps below to set the cutting parameters for the driver . In Dr . Engrave, from the [File] menu, select [Print Setup]. The [Print Setup] dialog box appears. Make sure the printer name is set to [Roland EGX-20] (if the printer name is not [Roland EGX-20], then click the drop-down[...]

27 3 Creating a Nameplate (Operations in the Engraving Mode) Performing Engraving Now Let's try engraving a name on a plate. If the V iew light on the EGX-20 is illuminated, press the V iew button to make the V iew light go dark. At the toolbar , click . Alternatively , go to the [File] menu and select [Print]. The [Print Setup] dialog box app[...]

28 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL 4 The 3D Cutting mode T o cut thick material and produce a relief or the like, the EGX-20 must be in the 3D Cutting mode. T o enable the 3D Cutting mode, first detach the depth regulator unit from the spindle unit. Removing the Cutter If a cutter is installed, then remove the cutter first. The screw is attached to the c[...]

29 4 The 3D Cutting mode The depth regulator unit is secured in place by two screws. Use the included small hexagonal wrench to loosen the two screws. When you do this, support the depth regulator unit with your hand to keep it from falling. After loosening the two screws, move the depth regulator unit downward and detach it from the spindle unit. [...]

30 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Installing a Cutter In the 3D Cutting mode, you install a cutter before you load material. The spindle unit stops, leaving a small gap. Press up, down, or to the left or right. Press. Press. 1 2 3 4 5 Press the power button to turn on the power . The carriage moves to the right edge and the table moves to the front, the[...]

31 4 The 3D Cutting mode Loading Material Y ou use the included adhesive sheet to secure material to engrave to the table on the EGX-20. NOTICE Before you load material, attach the included adhesive sheet. See --> p. 10 "Attaching the Adhesive Sheet" Be sure the unit is in V iew status when loading material. Place the plate on the adhe[...]

32 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Setting the Origin Point When loading material or installing a cutter , be sure to set the origin point. The origin point is the reference point for engraving. Y ou set it individually for each piece of material you load. In the 3D Cutting mode, you separately set the origin point for the vertical and horizontal positio[...]

33 4 The 3D Cutting mode Setting the Origin Point for the V ertical and Horizontal Position Y ou can set the origin point for the vertical and horizontal position by pressing the Origin Set button when the Z- axis light is dark. material Move the cutter to this location. 1 2 Refer to "Basic Steps for Moving the Spindle Unit" on page 19 an[...]

34 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL In 3D Engrave, go to the [Cut] menu and choose [Machines]. The [Model Selection] dialog box appears. Select [EGX-20], then click [OK]. In 3D Engrave, go to the [File] menu and select [Output Device Setup]. The [Print Setup] dialog box appears. Make sure the printer name is set to [Roland EGX-20] (if the printer name is [...]

35 4 The 3D Cutting mode In 3D Engrave, go to the [Relief] menu and select [Relief Size]. The [Relief Size] dialog box appears. For Size, type in the size values for the relief in the [V ertical] and [Horizontal] entry boxes, and in [Resolution], enter the degree of detail. Then click [OK]. Click the shape or text string you want for adding thickne[...]

36 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL From the [File] menu, choose [Output Preview]. V irtual MODELA starts. The 3D Engrave cutting data is imported into V irtual MODELA. An animated display of tool movement appears, and the shape after cutting is gradually produced. Click the button. When the tool path is created, it appears in pink on the 3D screen. Gener[...]

37 4 The 3D Cutting mode At the toolbar , click . Alternatively , go to the [File] menu and select [Save As]. The [Save As] dialog box appears. Specify the information for [Save in] and [File Name], then click [Save]. Saving Data Save the data you have created to a hard disk or the like. Adjusting Cutting Before you carry out engraving, adjust the [...]

38 EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL Press the power button on the switch panel. If there is a printer icon on the taskbar in W indows, double-click the icon. The progress of printing is displayed. Delete the document. At the toolbar , click . Alternatively , go to the [File] menu and select [Output]. A dialog box with the prompt "Start cutting."[...]

39 5 Important Notes, Limitations, and Other Information Important Notes and Limitations The depth regulator nose cannot overcome a difference in level. • When you load more than one plate at a time, make sure there are no gaps between them. • Plates that are not quadrilateral or are of irregular shape may not be suitable for engraving with the[...]

40 The depth regulator unit is affected by changes in temperature. • A sensor on the depth regulator unit detects the surface of the plate being engraved, but large changes in temperature may alter the depth. Use care when using near an air conditioner or heater . In cases like this, reinstall the cutter (thereby realigning it with the reference [...]

41 6 Other Information Replacement Cutters and Consumable Parts The following replacement blades and consumable parts are available. Replacement Cutters (Diameter 3.175 mm and Length 1 14 mm) General-purpose (general-purpose cutters suitable for engraving acrylic and plastic plates) No. Blade width • ZEC-A2013 0.127 mm • ZEC-A2025 0.254 mm (* T[...]

42 What to Do If... The power switch doesn't turn on the power. - - > Disconnect the AC adapter from the machine, reconnect it, then turn on the power . The power switch doesn't turn off the power. - - > Disconnect the AC adapter from the machine. The power light flashes every 0.25 seconds, and the machine operations strangely or no[...]

43 - - > The spindle motor may have reached the end of its service life. The spindle motor is a consumable part. As a general guide, we recommend replacing it after every 1,000 hours. Part of the carriage strikes the material while in the 3D Cutting mode. - - > The maximum cutting depth when in the 3D Cutting mode is 7 mm. Check whether you a[...]

44 Rating Compliant with IEEE 1284: Nibble mode Input signals STROBE (1 bit), DA T A (8 bits), SLCT IN, AUTO FEED, and INIT Output signals BUSY (1 bit), ACK (1 bit), F AUL T , SLCT , and PERROR Input/output signal level TTL level T ransmission method Asynchronous Interface Specifications Parallel EGX-20 USER'S MANUAL[...]

R1-020118 Please read this agreement carefully before opening the sealed package or the sealed disk package Roland License Agreement Roland DG Corporation ("Roland") grants you a non-assignable and non-exclusive right to use the COMPUTER PROGRAMS in this package ("Software") under this agreement with the following terms and cond[...]