Cutting & engraving not aligned with preview image

[kj1]

I have a fairly new Glowforge Pro (had it for a couple of months) and recently the image preview isn’t showing where the final cut & engrave is happening.

You can see in the image below where the preview is saying it’s going to cut, but where it actually cut meant the tops of the items were cut off.

Any advice on what I need to do would be appreciated - am I’m new to this I don’t even know what terminology to use when searching for a fix

[evansd2]

Hey, welcome!

Here’s a post that explains camera alignment: how to get best results, limits in terms of accuracy, and advice about what’s realistic when aligning with the camera.

15: What can I do to improve my camera alignment accuracy?

Return to the common questions index First it’s important to know that the Glowforge camera is only guaranteed to within 1/4” (~6mm). While it’s possible to get better performance (sometimes much better) the camera is always an approximation to some degree. With that in mind, there are three main things you can do to get the best results with your camera. Try to place your cut/engrave items in the center of the bed. Generally visual alignment is best directly below the lid camera. Use …

Since you are new, you might also want to look at the list of FAQs that I have here:

Common problems/questions

Hello! You’ve been referred to this post because you have a common problem or question. Check out the list below to see what this post can do for you. Just click on a topic that interests you. • 1: I’m new to Glowforge and really have no idea where to start • 1a: What other tools/materials should I buy to go with my Glowforge? • 1b: What are the overall best practices for my laser designs? • 2: All about masking/protecting your materials • 3: I want to design/make a box • 4: What materi…

It’ll answer questions you haven’t thought to ask yet — it can give you a great head start.

[kj1]

Thanks @evansd2

I already have the ply pushed back from the edge, as I had realised that it didn’t cut so well close to the edge. I am also finding that it’s not cutting through the wood properly - I am using glowforge proofgrade while I’m learning, so I had thought that the settings would all work perfectly every time. Would a camera realignment fix that too?

[evansd2]

Possibly? Generally the camera that handles alignment doesn’t affect cut performance*. I’d suggest reading #5, and possibly #21.

#5 addresses common troubleshooting for cut issues and #21 gets into the slightly more complex issue of cut performance that changes across the width of the work area.

* So there’s a part of the alignment camera process called set focus. Not only does it help get better visual alignment but it also tells the Glowforge exactly how far away the material is so it can focus the laser for maximum cutting performance. Technically the focus depth and the alignment camera image are separate things but they’re definitely related in that they are adjusted in a single step.

[dklgood]

Welcome to the forum.

It is not at all normal for a new Glowforge to fail to cut through Proofgrade materials using Proofgrade settings. In fact, Glowforge will reimburse the cost of materials if it is shown that their products didn’t work as warranted.

The lid camera is a tool for placing your design, but does not influence the performance of the machine. In your photo, it appears that the material did, in fact, cut through, but the cut is higher than expected. Is it possible that the printhead or laser arm was moved with the machine on? Does this happen with every cut? Are you using the set focus tool prior to placing your design?

I am confident that this issue can be resolved with a bit more information.

[kj1]

@dklgood yes, the cut did happen in that picture - my previous cuts didn’t work though, I just didn’t think to take a screenshot at the time.

I have made a few changes that seem to have made a difference. Firstly, I did a camera realignment, as I had wondered if something had been moved by mistake. And I cut some honeycomb pins to hold down the board. Finally, I’ve also split my 12x20 board in half, so that it’s not sitting against the edges (so I can use every bit of wood).

I am cutting the items again now, as it seems to be working as planned

I’ll come back if I come across issues again.

Thanks to both you and @evansd2 for your help