Lightobject Ranger3 User manual

LASER MACHINE
Operation Manual
Model: Ranger3
Address: 21 Blue Sky Court, Sacramento CA 95828
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

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Read and understand the operation
manual before using this machine.
Failure to follow operating instructions
could result in death or serious injury.

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Contents
CO₂Laser Safety & Policies........................................................................................................... 4
Accessories ..................................................................................................................................... 6
First Time Laser Setup.................................................................................................................... 7
Installing Other Accessories ......................................................................................................... 12
Connecting Laser Machine to Computer...................................................................................... 14
Sending Files to Laser Machine.................................................................................................... 17
Control Panel Keypad................................................................................................................... 18
Laser Current Control................................................................................................................... 19
Z-table Usage................................................................................................................................ 19
Rotary Usage................................................................................................................................. 19
Focusing/replacing the Lens ......................................................................................................... 21
Engraving Adjustment:................................................................................................................. 21
Maintenance.................................................................................................................................. 22
Troubleshooting............................................................................................................................ 23

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CO₂Laser Safety & Policies
WARNING: The safety precautions below are mandatory guidelines that must be
followed. LightObject will not be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting
from improper use of the laser machine.
DO NOT operate the laser machine until you have been properly trained.
DO NOT make contact with any exposed wires on the machine.
DO NOT use any unapproved or unsafe materials such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) which emits
noxious gases that can harm your central nervous system.
DO NOT operate the laser near flammable/explosive substances.
DO NOT engrave on shiny metal or mirror as the laser beam can be reflected and deviate that
may result in blindness or burn.
NEVER look directly at the laser while in operation and avoid exposure to laser.
NEVER set anything on top of the laser and/or on the worktable when not in use.
NEVER leave the laser machine running while unattended. Monitor the machine when it is running
at all times to be able to hear and observe abnormalities and potential hazards.
NEVER push or pull on the laser head housing or gantry while the laser is running.
NEVER dismantle the laser machine as there are laser and high voltage parts that could harm or
result in injury.
NEVER open the upper cover of the laser machine while it is running.
ALWAYS wear proper goggles during machine operation.
ALWAYS unplug the machine before making any further adjustments.
ALWAYS keep hands away from machine while operating and stand clear from laser tube area.
In Case of an Emergency:
TURN OFF the POWER SWITCH of the machine OR
Press the EMERGENCYSTOP button
Fire & Hazardous Materials
WARNING: Leaving the machine unattended while in use can result in a fire and substantial
damage to the machine and the building it resides in. Any damage caused by fire that is not due
to defects in workmanship or the machine itself will NOT be covered by the LightObject warranty.
Hazardous Materials: Any materials considered hazardous are NOT recommended to etch, cut or
engrave. These materials can produce toxic fumes or cause the machine to not function properly.
Materials that should NOT be used on the machine:
Polycarbonate
PVC Compounds

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Vinyl
Fumes produced by above materials can cause irritation to eyes, skin and the respiratory tract.
This material should not be exposed to elevated temperatures.
Laser Safe Materials:
Acrylic, Wood, Leather, Plastics (ABS, POM, Polyimide, PP, Styrene), Fabric, MDF, Cardboard,
Paper, Foam, Fiberglass, rubber

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Accessories
Air Exhaust Fan
(optional)
Air Pump
(optional)
Air Exhaust Hose
Exhaust Hose
Clamps
Tubing for Water
Chiller
Laser Tube
Water Chiller
(sold separately)
Air compressor
regulator pressure
gauge moisture
filter(optional)
Other accessories
1) Spare tubing
2) USB cable
3) Other tools for adjustment
4) CD (software)
NOTE: Optional software LightBurn is sold separately

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First Time Laser Setup
The following components are required for operating the laser machine:
Air Assist: to blow smoke away from the beam, preventing damage to the lens and preventing
burning the material.
Water Chiller: to circulate cool water into the laser tube to prevent the tube from overheating. The
laser tube needs to be at a cool temperature of 15C - 25C or else the laser tube may overheat
and potentially crack.
Silicone Tubing for Water Chiller and Air Pump: 2 hoses to transfer water for cooling of the laser
tube and 1 hose to blow air around the laser head.
Air Exhaust Hose and Air Exhaust Fan: to provide ventilation removing fumes from laser machine.
Unpacking and Setting Up the Machine
1) Uncrate/unwrap the laser machine
2) Open up the laser machine and retrieve all accessories that may be inside the machine when
shipped.
3) Once all of the accessories have been removed, you are now ready to begin setting up the
machine.
4) Depending on the size of your laser tube, you may need to remove the side panel and install
the laser tube extension case. If laser tube is short, it can be installed before we ship it.

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5) Place the laser tube on the laser tube mounts.
6) Connect the water tubing to the laser tube.

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7) Be sure to connect the silicone tubing on both sides of the laser tube. Connect water tubing
between chiller and machine. Chiller’s outlet goes to machine’s inlet. Machine’s outlet goes to
Chiller’s inlet. The correct direction of water flow is from high voltage side (red wire) of the
laser tube to the low voltage side.
(Chiller’s back side for reference only)
Note: The water temperature should always be between 59-77 degrees Fahrenheit when
running the machine. (15-25 Degrees Celsius).
8) Fill up the water chiller with distilled water and power up, observe the water flow direction.
Switch the inlet/outlet if it is wrong.
9) Check air bubble trapped in the laser tube. Squeeze the water tubing or tilt the laser tube
carefully to get rid of the big bubble. Small bubbles are acceptable.

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IMPORTANT: if large bubbles are present when the laser is firing, the tube can crack.
Check for bubble every time the water chiller is turned on.
10) Secure the laser tube on the laser tube mounts. For laser beam alignment, paper can be
placed between the tube mount and laser tube to adjust the position.
11) For screw type connection, clamp the wire under the screw. Put the rubber cap back on the
tube on the high voltage side.

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For wire type connection, make a secure twist. Then shield it with a piece of silicone tubing to
prevent arcing. Make sure there is no moving parts around which could loosen the twist.
For pin type connection: Wrap the wire around the tube’s metal pin. Fix the connection by
proper soldering OR applying silicon glue. Make sure to shield it with a piece of silicone
tubing to prevent arcing.
12) Hookup the power cord of the machine and power up the machine. Turn on the control power
before turning on the laser power.
Twist

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Installing Other Accessories
Exhaust Fan Installation
Some materials such as leather or wood generate larger amounts of smoke than other materials.
An exhaust is necessary to remove harmful fumes and smoke. The exhaust must be ducted to the
outside and away from any area where animals or humans congregate.
Connect the air exhaust hose by using the hose ring clamps provided, connecting the exhaust
hose is done in the rear or underneath (varies based on machine). See picture below.
Turn the exhaust fan on when doing any cutting and engraving to remove the smoke and fumes.
If you are only using the built-in small exhaust, you can get better air flow by removing the
exhaust duct connector. The grid on it is restricting the DC fan’s air flow.
Note: Avoid excessive length, kinks and turns when installing the exhaust duct/hose.
Air Assist
Connect the air pump to the laser machine air input. Turn on the air before doing any cutting or
engraving to prevent any clouding on the lens and to prevent the material from burning.
Some CO2 cutter models come with high pressure tubing to enable easy upgrades for larger air
compressor. An air pressure regulator is used along with an air compressor to adjust the air flow
from your compressor to the laser machine.
Pull up the knob then rotate clockwise to increase the pressure.
air out
blows air out
**
*

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Air Pump / Air Compressor
The Air Compressor (sold separately) are used to blow air through the laser head. This will blow
away debris and smoke from the laser beam while allowing for a cleaner cut and protecting the
lens.
The air compressor on/off switch should be close by and preferably on the same circuit as the
water chiller and exhaust fan to ensure it is in operation while running the laser machine.

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Connecting Laser Machine to Computer
The laser machine controller works with these software
a) AutoLaser for Topwisdom, LaserCAD for Trocen, RDWorks for Ruida (for Windows only)
b) LightBurn (for Mac and Windows)
Example:Set up with RDworks
1) Download and install the software RDWorks from http://www.rd-acs.com/
2) Connect the USB cable.
3) Click on “Setting” in Device. It should show the device is connected.
Set up with LightBurn (For USB, Install USB driver using LaserCAD first)
1) Download and install the software LightBurn from https://lightburnsoftware.com/
2) Connect the USB cable.

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3) Follow the instruction from the screen, and it will guide you connecting the computer to the
laser machine.
If machine origin is not set correctly, the job file sent to the controller could be mirrored.
Ranger uses rear right.

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NOTE: Please refer LightBurn instruction manual and tutorials in their site for configuration
and usage. Some controllers need to be set to USB instead of Serial/USB.
If you are using LAN connection, input the same IP address set on the laser controller.
NOTE: Please make sure LAN cable is connected between computer and laser machine.
4) Press Menu on the controller panel
5) Select “System config”
6) Select “Read”
7) IP address should be shown e.g.169.254.164.041 (depends your network)
8) Click “Devices”
9) Click “Create Manually”
10) Select “Trocen” in New Device Wizard”, click “Next”
11) Choose “Ethernet/UDP”
12) Input the IP address you have seen in the DSP control panel e.g.169.254.169.041
13) Input the Name you would like to call it
14) Input the dimensions of the work area e.g. 600mm for the width, 380mm for the height
15) Select the origin, then click “Next”
16) It will show the setting, then click “Finish”

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Sending Files to Laser Machine
Once you have established the connection between the computer and the laser machine, job files
can be transferred.
To do this, click on the “Send” button(LightBurn) OR “Download”button (LaserCAD) located on the
right side of the laser software.
Alternatively, save the file as UFile and put in a USB stick. Then download the file from the USB
stick on the laser control panel.

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Control Panel Keypad
Note: Since the laser cutter can be connected to different controllers (e.g. Ruida RDC644XG),
please always refer to the controller manuals for details.
Functions of typical keypad:
Reset: Reset the gantry;
Origin: Set the relative origin;
Laser: Fire the Laser temporary;
Box/Frame: To track by the current job working area;
File: The management of the memory and U disc files;
Speed: Set the speed of the current running layer, or set the direction keys’ move speed;
Max. Power: Set the laser power of the current running layer, or set the “Laser” Key power.
Min. Power: Set the min laser power of the current running layer;
Start/Pause: To start or pause the work;
Left and right arrow: To move the X axis or the left/right cursor;
Up and down arrow: To move the Y axis or the up/down cursor;
Z/U: The Z/U key can be pressed when the system is idle or the work is finished. On pressing this
key, it will show some entries in the interface, each entry includes some functions, Z axis move, U
axis move, each axis to go home
Esc: To stop work, or to exit menu;
Enter: Validate the change;

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Laser Current Control
It is important that the laser tube does not run with over current as it could damage the laser tube.
Normally, we will limit the maximum current output by using software or laser power supply’s
potentiometer before it is shipped.
On some machine models, there is a Manual/Auto switch. User may switch on the Manual/Auto
switch, so that the current can be adjusted manually by turning the knob to increase or decrease
the laser power. When it is in Auto mode, the power will solely follow the output set by the DSP
controller.
Running the laser tube at low mA can make it last longer.
Here is a general guideline of the max mA allowed:
35~45W: 16mA
50W: 18mA
60W: 20mA
80W: 26mA
100~130W: 28mA
150W: 30mA
Rotary Usage
To wire up a two phase stepper motor for
rotary, check the connection and pair up the
wiring to EFGH in the picture. After
connecting the rotary plug to the Ranger, turn
on the rotary button to disable y axis motor
and enable the output for rotary. Under
common parameter of the 7813 controller
menu, enable the rotary. Press Reset on the
7813 controller. After x axis is homed, you
will need to press Stop during homing because
there is no limit switch for the rotary homing.
E F
G H

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To change back to Y axis mode, turn off the rotary button on machine and unplug the rotary.
Disable rotary under 7813 menu, then reset.
Z-table Usage
Ranger3 has dual motors sharing one driver for z axis. Do not put anything heavy on the work
bed when machine power is off, otherwise the bed can move down by itself.
To level the z bed left and right side, turn off the
machine. If left side is lower than right side, rotate
the left side screw drive to move up the left table.
If the machine is equipped with a powered z-table,
it is recommended to disable the auto z homing
for safety. During manual z homing, please make
sure the laser head or gantry will not hit anything
when the z table moves up. You may disconnect
the air tube on the laser head and unscrew the
nozzle to avoid crash during homing. Do not
extend out the nozzle barrel too much.
There is no need to home the z axis if you do not
need to read the absolute z position.
You may press stop during the z homing. Be careful
when lowering z table, as it may the bottom and
stall the z motor. Do not put any object on the work
table when homing z axis; the z limit sensor shown
in picture needs to detect the table to set the z=0 for
homing.