I was in the middle of a design cut and engraving ornaments, when the laser head started glitching and getting stuck. It was still firing and making mess of the print. I immediately cancelled the print when I realized what was happening and turned off the machine. The laser head is mostly back to the left side now but not completely like normal. Please advise ASAP.
If it was firing while being stuck in one place, you will need to check several things before trying to turn it back on again, so don’t do that until you have checked things over thoroughly. (Might not be a bad idea to unplug it too.)
To check for mechanical problems with the machine…with it off and unplugged, examine the tracks underneath the laser arm and the belts at the sides of the machines…all the way to the pulleys, to see if there is any debris or anything that might cause the arm or head to hang up. You will need to examine underneath the laser arm with a mirror on the bed and a small flashlight.
Check the tension on all three belts, make sure they are not loose or broken.
Then check the condition of the wheels on the carriage plate…you can see them if you lift off the head. Look for cracks or breaks.
If everything looks okay, and you can move the laser arm forward and back by hand without it hanging up, and move the laser head side-to side without feeling any resistance, then you will need to examine the file itself.
If you have cut the file previously without issue, it definitely points to something mechanical. If it’s a new file, examine it for stray points or double lines, or anything that might cause the machine to hang around in one spot for a long period of time. (If you want to post the file, someone can take a look at it for problems.)
Note: One of the common file related problems, particularly with some of the Text based snowflakes that everyone seems to love right now, is that tight switchbacks common in text and small swirls and flourishes are really difficult to “cut” with any plotter…with a laser, the motion path followed by the laser beam can cause issues because it’s concentrating a flame into a tight area.
If you don’t find a problem after checking all of these items, you can try a simple file, (like a rectangle that spans the area), where the issue happened. But don’t take your eyes off it while it cuts, and be prepared to stop the print by lifting the lid for a second.
And if you find anything, shoot a picture or two for support to take a look at. Or tell them what happened here.
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Thank you so much for all the advice. I will check all of these in the morning and try a simple design. I was engraving some lettering onto an ornament but I have done this design already so I’m not sure it has to do with design. I’ll let you know what I find. Thank you again!
Good luck! 
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I can see that you’ve also reached out via email and that our support team has contacted you there. To avoid duplicate communication and expedite your process, I’m going to go ahead and close this topic.
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