RDWorks

RDWorks (sometimes also known as LaserWorks) is a free software tool from Boss Lasers that will allow one to either import and then modify, or prepare from basic RDWorks building blocks, the files necessary for the Boss Lasers to cut or etch your materials. You can download the software here.

A variety of import formats are supported including .dxf, .png, jpg, .bmp, and .ai to name a few. Whenever possible, import vectorized graphics instead of rasterized graphics.

Popular software package for creating importable files for RDWorks include: Photoshop, Gimp, Inkscape, and Illustrator.

Proper RDWorks usage does require workarounds and special tricks in some circumstances. When I learn of specific issues, and the possibly non-intuitive ways to resolve them in RDWorks, I will post helpful those tips to this blog.

Scan intervals and Preview Mode

I spoke with Boss Laser tech support and they recommend a value of 0.065 mm for the Interval setting in the Layer Parameters dialog popup box when setting up your Layer when scanning. They say anything less than 0.050 takes too long without added benefit, and more than about 0.1 may sacrifice quality. To avoid evenly spaced horizontal black lines in the preview, numbers around 0.065 work well.

Cut Optimize Handle

Go to the Handle menu item and then choose "Cut Optimize" from the submenu choices.

Seth is recommending the following settings for wood:

1. the "order" box is checked.
2. The "inside to outside" box is checked with he drop drop set to "single inner to outer"
3. The "start point optimize" box is checked with the drop down set to "up to bottom".
4. Set the Block Handle height to 600.

You should also lay down your wood board so that the scanning is perpendicular to the wood grain as much as possible.

Default color/power/rep rate/priority/speed settings

If you can standardize your RDWorks layer property combinations, then RDWorks will remember those combinations for the next time you launch the RDWorks program. In that way, for future designs, if you have, for example, small circles that you always want a customized combination of parameters for any extruded plexiglass, those values will be auto-populated in the Layer properties windows. This is huge time saver for a design with many layers. These defaults are only good for the machine where RDWorks is installed.

Problematic DXF imports

Important: If you are experiencing incorrect geometries from imports of DXF files into RDWorks, make sure you go to Main Menu: Config -> File Para Setting and fill in the check boxes for "Import DXF text info" and "Import dxf point". Otherwise, you may get independent arcs getting connected into closed shapes and/or scaling down issues. You may also try exporting out of VCarve Pro as an .ai file, which RDWorks can import dependably.


RDWorks: Config -> File Para Setting: check both DXF boxes

Matching the Origin and Framing start points

Use the Config -> System Settings -> General Settings: Laser Head 3 by 3 radio dot position grid to establish the design Origin. This is where the laser head will go when you press the Origin Button of the on-board laser control panel on the Boss Laser. When you press the Frame Button of the on-board laser control panel on the Boss Laser, it will go to the farthest extent of your design and start tracing the frame boundary from there.

RDWorks Config -> System Setting Menu option

Notice the Laser Head parameter is set to the middle.

Note that if your design has an irregular outside shape and/or you set the origin to the center, there will be significant movement of the laser head from the system origin to the framing start point. Depending on where the laser head is currently located, this may generate a "X Slop Over" or "Y Slop Over" error message for the on-board view screen. The RDWorks design canvas will give you a visual clue of the Origin point of the file with a small green square marking the spot (see examples below).

Green box shows Origin at Upper right corner of Design

Green box shows Origin at Center of Design

Assigning Layer parameters: If you have a lot of layers, start at the top and make it a Scan layer and then Preview. The scan layer will show up as darkened and filled. That way you know which part that color layer does and can assign parameters. Repeat for the other layers. By starting at the top, you avoid RDWorks reshuffling the priority numbers on you randomly as it fishes for layers downstream to sequence. If you set "Output" to "Yes" and "Hidden" to "No" in an attempt to organize your layers, remember to rest them when done.