"Crutch" for the Chinese laser
Hello.
I work as a laser marker operator. I put images on metal nameplates. In this article I want to share a little trick, as they say now - “life hacking”.
I'll start a few from afar. I put in charge of a small technological installation, a Unilaser solid-state fiber laser produced in the PRC. The machine is controlled by specialized software, EzCad2 [Unilaser] . The program provides a number of possibilities for drawing pictures for drawing, management of cutting modes. However, it is very difficult to precisely position the text in it, therefore an additional vector editor is used. Until recently, Corel Draw X8 was used as such.
In general, the label marking algorithm looks something like this:
From the diagram, it is clear that at the stage of preparing the image for application, previously approved templates are used and modified, or an image is created from scratch for specific requirements. Depending on the number and complexity of images, EzCad2 can be used directly during creation, or a vector editor. In my case - Corel Draw X8. It is also often the situation when a certain template is created in a vector, and the text is adjusted to the template and changed already in EzCad2.
The peculiarity is that EzCad2 doesn’t understand so many vector formats. If more precisely, the following file types:
Until recently, we have adopted * .svg as the predominant type of file exported from the vector editor.
However, in complex layouts, when importing core-shaped svg to EzCad2, the output was unintelligible porridge. Or conditionally applicable, requiring serious fine-tuning file. Below I will show examples.
At this stage, I made an attempt to apply Inkscape, as the editor that best uses the capabilities of the svg format. However, EzCad2 absolutely did not want to work with SVG from Inkscape. At this test stopped, and continued to work in Corel. Also, experimentally found that the DXF files exported from Corel Draw are accepted by the EzCad2 program without problems. Thus, the need to use SVG in the workflow has been minimized.
All splendor quite regularly functioned before the beginning of this week, when Corel Draw at the start insistently asked to gild the pen by $ 245.
Began to look for a working way to continue working without losing the file archive format CDR v.18.
As a result of a series of experiments, the following method was identified. The method is not optimal, clearly requiring optimization and automation of the process. However, I have not been trained in automation kung-fu, and I have to work. Therefore, I will postpone for later.
In the search for a fast and working way to open a CDR, I returned to Inkscape. The latest version quite correctly opened the layout files. However, the problem of the inability of SVG files from Inkscape has not gone away. Also, the DXF, PLT, PS, AI files obtained from Inkscape did not work. EzCad2 all vectors threw in a handful. When testing SVG to PLT conversion, the program asked to install Uniconverter. Carried out this operation, but the output received a file-porridge and a bunch of errors.
In a series of unsuccessful experiments, Uniconverter was launched separately, outside Inkscape. Harass it on the desired file. And unexpectedly I got a plt-file working in EzCad2!
I tried to repeat. It did not work out right away.
Here it is necessary to note the following point:
Inkscape allows you to save the following file types. For clarity, green highlighted the formats that EzCad2 allegedly perceives. However, as noted above, not all files actually open. From the selected files, the only working option is “Optimized SVG”. I will
illustrate the above.
1) Run Inkscape
2) Run Uniconverter
3) open the required file in Inkscape.
4) Be sure to (!) Copy the fragment to be exported
5) create a new file, paste the contents of the buffer.
6) convert to curves
7) Save the document as “Optimized SVG”. Click on the buttons in the save dialog.
8) Open Uniconverter, select the required file in the upper dialog, select the * .plt file type in the lower one
. Convert.
9) go to EzCad2, import the vector file (Ctrl + B), select the resulting PLT file.
Prepare a layout for printing.
10) work further :-)
For comparison, what happens when you directly export the same SVG from Inkscape and import the file into EzCad2:
I agree that the "crutch". I agree that it requires extra gestures. However, it works !!!
Now it would be like automating a little bit. Type selected fragment in inkskape, it is all “figax” - and counted. But so far not a few.
Thank you for your attention, I hope it was interesting and / or useful.
UPDATE
Drew some simple SVG files. Saved in different formats. I will compare that as.
sK1 RC3 did not work, swears at the impossibility of importing. I'll try RC4 nightlight.
UPDATE 2
Compared “Svg Inkscape” (in the screenshots on the left) and “Optimized SVG”
EzCad2 shows the following:
when importing the Inkscape SVG file converted by UniConverter
when importing a converted UniConverter file Optimized SVG
There will be time, look at the difference in the PLT files
I work as a laser marker operator. I put images on metal nameplates. In this article I want to share a little trick, as they say now - “life hacking”.
Introductory
I'll start a few from afar. I put in charge of a small technological installation, a Unilaser solid-state fiber laser produced in the PRC. The machine is controlled by specialized software, EzCad2 [Unilaser] . The program provides a number of possibilities for drawing pictures for drawing, management of cutting modes. However, it is very difficult to precisely position the text in it, therefore an additional vector editor is used. Until recently, Corel Draw X8 was used as such.
In general, the label marking algorithm looks something like this:
From the diagram, it is clear that at the stage of preparing the image for application, previously approved templates are used and modified, or an image is created from scratch for specific requirements. Depending on the number and complexity of images, EzCad2 can be used directly during creation, or a vector editor. In my case - Corel Draw X8. It is also often the situation when a certain template is created in a vector, and the text is adjusted to the template and changed already in EzCad2.
The peculiarity is that EzCad2 doesn’t understand so many vector formats. If more precisely, the following file types:
Until recently, we have adopted * .svg as the predominant type of file exported from the vector editor.
However, in complex layouts, when importing core-shaped svg to EzCad2, the output was unintelligible porridge. Or conditionally applicable, requiring serious fine-tuning file. Below I will show examples.
At this stage, I made an attempt to apply Inkscape, as the editor that best uses the capabilities of the svg format. However, EzCad2 absolutely did not want to work with SVG from Inkscape. At this test stopped, and continued to work in Corel. Also, experimentally found that the DXF files exported from Corel Draw are accepted by the EzCad2 program without problems. Thus, the need to use SVG in the workflow has been minimized.
All splendor quite regularly functioned before the beginning of this week, when Corel Draw at the start insistently asked to gild the pen by $ 245.
Began to look for a working way to continue working without losing the file archive format CDR v.18.
As a result of a series of experiments, the following method was identified. The method is not optimal, clearly requiring optimization and automation of the process. However, I have not been trained in automation kung-fu, and I have to work. Therefore, I will postpone for later.
Decision
In the search for a fast and working way to open a CDR, I returned to Inkscape. The latest version quite correctly opened the layout files. However, the problem of the inability of SVG files from Inkscape has not gone away. Also, the DXF, PLT, PS, AI files obtained from Inkscape did not work. EzCad2 all vectors threw in a handful. When testing SVG to PLT conversion, the program asked to install Uniconverter. Carried out this operation, but the output received a file-porridge and a bunch of errors.
In a series of unsuccessful experiments, Uniconverter was launched separately, outside Inkscape. Harass it on the desired file. And unexpectedly I got a plt-file working in EzCad2!
I tried to repeat. It did not work out right away.
Here it is necessary to note the following point:
Inkscape allows you to save the following file types. For clarity, green highlighted the formats that EzCad2 allegedly perceives. However, as noted above, not all files actually open. From the selected files, the only working option is “Optimized SVG”. I will
illustrate the above.
Practice:
1) Run Inkscape
2) Run Uniconverter
3) open the required file in Inkscape.
4) Be sure to (!) Copy the fragment to be exported
5) create a new file, paste the contents of the buffer.
6) convert to curves
7) Save the document as “Optimized SVG”. Click on the buttons in the save dialog.
8) Open Uniconverter, select the required file in the upper dialog, select the * .plt file type in the lower one
. Convert.
9) go to EzCad2, import the vector file (Ctrl + B), select the resulting PLT file.
Prepare a layout for printing.
10) work further :-)
For comparison, what happens when you directly export the same SVG from Inkscape and import the file into EzCad2:
Conclusion
I agree that the "crutch". I agree that it requires extra gestures. However, it works !!!
Now it would be like automating a little bit. Type selected fragment in inkskape, it is all “figax” - and counted. But so far not a few.
Thank you for your attention, I hope it was interesting and / or useful.
UPDATE
Drew some simple SVG files. Saved in different formats. I will compare that as.
sK1 RC3 did not work, swears at the impossibility of importing. I'll try RC4 nightlight.
UPDATE 2
Compared “Svg Inkscape” (in the screenshots on the left) and “Optimized SVG”
EzCad2 shows the following:
when importing the Inkscape SVG file converted by UniConverter
when importing a converted UniConverter file Optimized SVG
There will be time, look at the difference in the PLT files