• Introduction
• Specifications
• Safety
• Basic Operation
• Powering on or off
• Cutting
• Best practices with files
• Tutorials
• How do you pause or cancel a print?
• Cleaning and Maintenance
• Storage and Tools
• Cleaning
• Troubleshooting
• Machine is too loud
• PROBLEM
• Parts Ordering
• Glowforge
• Other tools
• Glowforge Info
• Official Manual
• Signage/Label Files
• Other

Want to start Glowforging? Head over to the Skill Check to see what you need to demonstrate to operate the machine independently!

Introduction

Desktop laser cutters for cutting, scoring, and etching a variety of materials. We have four in the building.

Specifications

Safety

This documentation is not a substitute for proper training and sign-off. If you don't know how to do something, don't guess! Ask someone who is trained and cleared for use on the machine for help.

• NEVER LEAVE THE LASER CUTTER UNATTENDED. If you see the material begin to catch fire, pause the job and the fire should go out. If it does not, open the lid and use the fire blanket (located on wall next to the machine).
• Red button is the emergency stop.
• Use both vents when laser cutting EVEN if you are only using one machine. If you do not use both, exhaust will enter the room!

Switches for the vents (May look different)

Fire blanket

Emergency stop

Basic Operation

Powering on or off

Press green button to turn on

Power switch in the back should stay on

Cutting

Once you have a completed design, you are ready for fabrication! Get an educator / S-team member to review your file with you.

• File > Save As > Save on your computer > Name File: FirstName_Laser_YourClass
• Save it as a .SVG file
• Have your file downloaded as an SVG with Minify and Responsive unchecked. Make sure that the font dropdown reads Convert To Outlines.

• Open the Glowforge lid and put the piece of material you’re using into the Glowforge with the QR code facing up and the material oriented on the bottom of the bed. Then close the lid.

• Go to app.glowforge.com and log in with your TPZ credentials.
• In the top right corner of the Glowforge site, select the correct Glowforge you are using according to which design lab you are in. Each machine should be labeled.

• On the left, click Create New Design and then Upload a File and upload the file you want to cut.

• In the top left of the create screen which you should automatically be taken to, the material should already be there. If there is no auto-detected material or the bed seems very dusty and not clear, the Glowforge needs to be cleaned.

• All your objects should be displayed to the left of the create screen. Glowforge tries to guess the correct operation for each object, but double check and select whether each object should be cut, engraved, scored or if you don’t want it, ignored.
• The laser will perform the operations in the sidebar in order starting from the top. Cutting should always be the last operation of a job so drag all the cut objects to the bottom of the sidebar.
• Select your design and move it to where on the material you want it to be cut

• Click Print in the top right corner, it should show how long the print will take. If you cannot be standing at the Glowforge for that amount of time, Do Not Print and instead simplify the design, find another time to cut or make it on the Trotec instead.
• Turn on both vents next to the Glowforge, then click the blinking white button on the top right of the Glowforge.

• Make sure to watch the print happen the entire time and if there looks to be a lot of fire, stop the print by hitting the big red Off button to the right of the Glowforge. If that doesn’t put out the fire, open the Glowforge throw the fire blanket which should be close to the Glowforge over the fire (This has never had to happen). If that doesn’t put out the fire, throw the fire alarm and evacuate the building.
• If you must leave the laser, hit the white button to pause. When you return, hit the white button again to resume.
• When your print is done, turn off the vents, take your creation out of the Glowforge, and if no one else is using the Glowforge, click the big red Off button to the right of the Glowforge.
• After you take out your creation, there will be a layer of sticky paper on top of your material, peel it off to get your final design.

Best practices with files

• Have files in RGB color mode.
• Make all lines you want to cut the same color (check with the select same tool in illustrator)
• Check for invisible objects with white fill. Glowforge will interpret these as objects you want to etch!
• Don’t use clipping masks
• All vectors must be "aligned to center.”
• Always check your digital proof for spelling and grammar!

Tutorials

Illustrator Glowforge Keychain Tutorial

Glowforge Tutorial: Going from Sketch to Cut

How do you pause or cancel a print?

Press white button on machine to pause or restart job.

Click “Cancel Print” in upper right side of software to cancel print.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Storage and Tools

There are critical tools that should never leave the cabinet under the Glowforge, since they are used for regular machine operations and maintenance.

Pegboard

Toolkit under machine

Contents of toolkit

Cleaning

Troubleshooting

Machine is too loud

• Since we have inline blowers attached to the machines we do not want the internal fan on. Select "Glowforge air filter attached" from the "three dot" drop down menu.
• The language here is confusing. We don’t actually have the Glowforge filters attached to the machines. We have an inline ventilation system. Both are valid for turning the internal fan off which this setting does.

Support

Support Page

YouTube

Contact

PROBLEM

• SOLUTION

Parts Ordering

Glowforge

Glowforge Spare Parts

Glowforge Materials

Other tools

Glowforge Info

Official Manual

Signage/Label Files

Drive Files

Other

Filter!

Pass through (Tutorial?)

Wish list:

Open machine without canceling job? Laser preview? Boundaries. What are they and can you see them? Does autofocus work on large jobs? Does it take multiple readings? Move the head manually? Repeat previous job without having to resend it?