User Guide for ILS 9.75 & 12.75 www.ulsinc.com
Overview Camera Registration allows the laser system to automate the alignment of a vector path with the material for the purpose of tightening process control and improving the quality of a cut or scribe. Vector patterns are precisely aligned to registration marks on the material by using a camera and pattern recognition software locating the X/Y coordinates of the material s registration marks. During which, the difference between the X/Y coordinates of the registration marks on the material and the X/Y coordinates of the registration marks on the art work are calculated to translate, rotate and stretch the vector pattern before the laser begins to cut or scribe the material. Important Note: It is critical that the printed artwork and artwork on the material used to create the vector pattern are dimensionally matched. In other words, the registration marks in the printing artwork must be in the same location with respect to the print features as the registration marks in the vector artwork are to the vector pattern. A recommended practice is to put all information in one artwork file and use one common set of registration marks with the printing artwork and the vector pattern superimposed but on different printing layers. Most graphics layout software supports layers. 2
Installation The camera registration software is integrated with the Universal Control Panel (UCP). However, it has a separate installer that must be run after the UCP has been installed on the computer connected to the laser system. IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR WINDOWS XP/VISTA/7.0 USERS:.NET FRAMEWORK 4.0 OR HIGHER MUST BE INSTALLED BEFORE INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE..NET framework can be downloaded and installed from the Microsoft website: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17851 Installation Steps: Note: It is recommended that you install all software before plugging USB cable from your laser system into the computer for the first time. 1. Install the UCP software. Refer to the installation guide for further instructions on this step. 2. Install the camera registration software by running the camera registration software installer located on the CD. During the installation process you may be asked if it is ok to install the I-Net Stream video camera drivers. Make sure to allow install for these drivers. 3. Connect the laser system to the computer via USB cable. Calibration In order for the registration process to work, the camera must be calibrated to the lens. During the calibration process, the system learns the distance between the laser focal spot and the center of the camera view. Calibration is normally performed at the factory, but recalibration may be necessary if service is performed on the machine or if a lens is replaced. The registration system is calibrated at five locations on the field and the calibration numbers are interpolated between these locations for better accuracy. Steps to calibrate: 1. Select the camera calibrate button from the system tab in the UCP to launch the calibration dialog. 3
2. Select the target location in the field. The motion system will move to this location. 3. Place a piece of anodized aluminum under the focal lens and make sure the system is focused on the material using the focus tool. 4. Press the calibrate button. The system will engrave a cross-hair on the anodized aluminum, then move the camera over the mark, perform a seek routine to center the camera on the mark and store the X/Y offset for that location. 5. Repeat for each location and save before exiting the calibration dialog. 4
Preparing the Artwork (Registration Marks): Registration marks are identified in the artwork by color. If using the materials database tab of the ULS printer driver, and the registration marks are Magenta then recognition is automatic. If using the manual tab, registration marks can be any supported color in the color table, and the color must be set to registration mark mode by selecting Reg Mark in the Rast/Vect selector. Standard registration marks supported are hollow circles, solid circles, cross hairs and combined crosshair/circles: It is recommended that registration marks be 0.25 (6mm). A teach mode will also allow the camera to recognize other types of registration marks [maximum size 0.45 (11 mm) / minimum size 0.05 (1.3 mm)]. Registration marks must be identified as hair line vectors (0.01 pt.) in the drawing package. Important Notes: It is recommended that no other objects, raster or vector, in the artwork for the vector pattern be in the same color as the registration marks. Camera Registration only works with vector outlines. Raster objects in the artwork will not be sized or shifted during the camera registration process. It is recommended that registration artwork for the laser system only contain registration marks and vector patterns. Because the camera is mounted on the right side of the focus carriage, the camera cannot see the left most 1.5 of the laser processing field. Registration marks cannot be placed in this area of the field. It is ok, however, for the vector pattern itself to extend into this area. 5
Printing/Importing to the UCP Artwork that contains registration marks and vector patterns that follow the registration mark setup rules listed above can be printed to the UCP using the ULS printer driver or can be exported to DXF or PDF format and imported into the UCP. (See Direct Import section of ILS Installation & Setup Guide) Using the registration process When the camera registration software is properly installed in the UCP, an additional view mode button called registration view will appear in the viewer tab of the UCP. This button allows the user to enter the camera registration process. Camera Registration Icon in UCP 6
Steps to enter the registration process: 1. Select a laser processing file containing registration marks from the queue in the viewer tab. 2. Select the registration mark view button from the viewer modes. All registration marks in the artwork will be highlighted. A greyed out registration button will appear to launch the registration process once registration marks are chosen. 3. Select at least 2 and no more than 3 registration marks from those registration marks present in the artwork. To select registration marks click on each with the mouse pointer in the seek order desired. A number will appear next to each to illustrate the selected order. Once registration marks are selected the registration button will become accessible. A clear button is provided just above the registration button that clears the seek order so a new order can be selected. 4. Select the registration button to launch the registration dialog. Important Notes: Selecting two registration marks will allow the system to translate and rotate the vector path. Selecting three will also allow the system to stretch the vector path. 7
Functions of the Universal Camera Registration dialog: The registration dialog contains a camera view with crosshairs allowing the user to observe the seek process and a preview window showing the artwork and registration marks along with various controls. Steps to laser process material using automatic seek routine: 1. Setup the registration mark information in the setup dialog. Select the registration mark type from the list of standard registration marks supported or teach non-standard registration marks. The type selected must match the type present in the artwork. If the registration mark in the artwork is not well matched to a standard type then an optional teach method can be used to teach the non-standard registration mark to the system (see Registration Mark setup dialog window below). Select an illumination percentage when registration marks are in areas of the field that are not well lit like the corners of the engraving field (optional). Once the registration mark information is selected the system will use the stored information during run. 8
2. Insert material containing pre-existing registration marks and artwork into the laser system for laser processing. For efficiency it is recommended that a rough alignment guide such as a template or a fixture be used to ensure that the registration marks are within +/-0.25 (6mm) of the nominal positions in the artwork. It is also possible to use the focus view in the UCP by moving the carriage to the first registration marks coordinates, placing the artwork on the stage and aligning the first registration mark with the red dot. This will ensure the registration mark on the material falls within the 0.5 (12 mm) window of the camera s view at each seek location. If the registration marks do not fall within the camera s view the system will begin to seek for the registration mark by moving one camera view width to the right and continuing around the nominal location counterclockwise until it finds the registration mark. This will add extra time to the overall completion time. 3. (Optional) Select either the pause mode or the test mode buttons next to the play button to perform a dry run of the registration process (this will not initiate laser processing). 4. Press play to begin the registration process. The motion system will automatically move to the nominal position of each registration mark in the artwork in the order specified and the camera will recognize and then center on the registration mark at these locations. If a dry run was selected in step 3, the system will return home after the seek routine has completed, otherwise the system will proceed to laser process the material. 5. Remove material when the job has ended. 6. Repeat steps 2-5 to process additional material. Important Notes: If the registration system fails to find a registration mark in the nominal location and fails to find it after performing a one camera width search around the nominal location, the automatic seek process will be aborted, and an error message will pop up requiring user intervention. 9
Additional controls in the Registration Dialog: Run Mode radio button: This button initiates the seek process. The camera will locate each registration mark, after which the laser will scribe or cut the material. Pause Mode radio button: This button forces the seek process to pause after centering on each registration mark. This mode is useful for checking the accuracy of each registration mark seek before moving on to the next registration mark. After locating the registration mark, the cross hairs overlaid on the camera view should be centered on the registration mark. Any error in the centering will translate into an error in the alignment of the vector pattern with the material. If the alignment is good, press play to move to the next registration mark, this mode is useful for troubleshooting. Test Mode radio button: This button forces the seek process to pause after all of the registration marks are located just before cutting or marking materials. This mode is useful for troubleshooting. 10
Registration Mark Setup dialog: Launched from the main dialogue; it allows the user to change to the registration mark type and setup parameters. Relocate Registration Mark dialog: Launched from the main dialogue; it is used to reduce conversion time between materials because the system is taught the actual locations of the registration marks. Use this dialog to position the camera over each registration mark and identify their location on the material. The arrow keys will allow the user to move the motion system to the desired teach location. The capture location button teaches the new location once the camera is manually positioned over the new desired location. Once the new locations are taught, these locations will override the stored registration mark locations in the material processing file. The registration system will use the new locations in the automatic seek process during engraving. The go to registration mark button toggles between all of the registration marks in the predefined seek order. A restore defaults button will clear the taught locations and use the locations is the original material processing file. Registration Mark Teach dialog: Launched from the registration mark setup dialogue, the dialog shows a camera view. To teach a non-standard registration mark, move the motion system (using the manual motion keys) until the registration mark is centered in the camera s view. Press the capture and crop button to freeze the camera view and place a crop box on the registration mark. Move and size the crop box as closely as possible around the registration mark and press the teach button to teach the registration mark. Once the registration mark is taught, exit the screen. 11
2012 Universal Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Universal Laser Systems logo and name are registered trademarks of Universal Laser Systems, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Universal s laser systems are protected under one or more of U.S. Patents: 5,661,746; 5,754,575; 5,867,517; 5,881,087; 5,894,493; 5,901,167; 5,982,803; 6,181,719; 6,313,433; 6,342,687; 6,423,925; 6,424,670; 6,983,001; 7,060,934; 7,415,051; 7,469,000; 7,715,454; 7,723,638; 7,947,919; 8,101,883. Other U.S. and international patents pending. The VLS Desktop system has been awarded U.S. Design Patent No. D517,474 for the unique design of its external cabinet, which also functions as a Class 1 laser safety enclosure. www.ulsinc.com 050-3253-00-A REV2012.10-1 CO072-100112