I have read the various topics/FAQs about this topic and still my projects are not printing in the exact place I see on the screen!! I’ve already blown through two of the large hardwood maple sheets trying to finish a project ordered by a customer. I’ve turned off and unplugged the GF 3 times and it still is off with its alignment! I even put two small tiles directly underneath the camera and the engrave line starts OFF the tile when I have placed it well within the tile edges. This is so frustrating when on a deadline.
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Pictures here would help. How far off is it using Proofgrade? For tiles, did you enter an exact measured material height?
And it’s not going to print in the exact place more than likely. The current spec calls for up to a 1/4”. Some machines are very, very, close but not sure what you’re looking for when you say exact.
If you haven’t tried it yet, create a jig for the tile. Perfect alignment.
No where near 1/4” off…more like 1/2”. Wish I had taken pictures but it was late and I was frustrated. Yes, was using large sheet of Hardwood Maple. Yes, put in height of my item, measured with electronic calipers. Very precise.
The good news is that if it is an alignment problem it will still be there the next time you try. It doesn’t change unless the head gets bumped. We’ll wait.
The camera is nice, but Jigs are the way to go for alignment. You can tape cardboard to the bed and cut it to make cheap jigs.
Thank you everyone for your help. @mmullen501, I’m sorry you ran into trouble. Thank you for letting us know the troubleshooting that you’ve done so far.
Most alignment problems come from the material being closer or farther from the camera than expected. The lid camera uses a wide angle lens to take a photo of the entire bed. The software uses the height of the material above the crumb tray to correct the image so what you see in the Workspace matches the print placement on the actual material. That said, it is important for the height of the material above the crumb tray to be correct and accurate. While the software is improving, you may see an alignment offset of up to 1/4".
We’d like to have you try a few more steps for us - I know some will be things you may have already done, but running through them all will help us diagnose the problem.
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Turn off your Glowforge.
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Check for small pieces of debris or dust.
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- Check the lower door to make sure it closes all the way. It may require some force to open, but open it, wipe any dust off the edges, and close it all the way.
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- Remove the tray and clean any dust or debris from the surface underneath. Pay careful attention to remove all debris from the four dimples where the tray rests.
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- Check the lid to make sure it closes all the way. Small particles of material, such as dust or debris, can prevent it from closing completely.
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Check the surface your Glowforge is on to make sure it’s flat. Ensure it is not twisted slightly and that there is no debris propping up one side of the machine.
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Turn your Glowforge back on.
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We included an extra piece of Proofgrade Draftboard with your materials shipment for troubleshooting. Place the Proofgrade Draftboard in the center of the bed and print the Gift of Good Measure using the default settings.
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When the print finishes, leave the lid closed and wait until the fans stop and the picture updates. Without moving your artwork or your material, take a screenshot of the Workspace to show us the difference between the artwork placement and the actual print placement. Make sure to include the rulers in your screenshot and show as much of the bed as possible.
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- Mac: Press Shift-Command-4 and click and drag a box around your image. You’ll find the screenshot file saved on your desktop.
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- Windows: Click on the Start Menu and type “snipping tool”. Open the Snipping Tool > New then click and drag a box around your image. Click the Save icon and name and save your file.
- Send us the screenshot along with the date and time of the print, and we’ll investigate.
Thank you in advance!
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I see you already emailed us about this and we’re working on it there, so I’m going to close this topic.