Ok so how many of Ya'll use proofgrade all the time but get this message?

I rarely use PG, so see this message all the time–just means the GF can’t read the QR code (for some reason appears to be cut off on yours). Be sure to clean the camera lens frequently–especially using draft board, since that creates a huge mess, and your cleaning frequency needs to be a lot more often than just every 40 hours…

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My concern is because gf will void warranty if proofgrade isn’t used. That’s my only issue because although I am careful, it even said it on my very first cut :joy:. Other than that, I ignore it because the one or two times I didn’t use proofgrade… I did not get that message.

Dan has said a few times using non-proofgrade only voids your warranty if it damages your glowforge and even then it only voids the part it damaged. Also, what dan says is legal precedent in the US. So if you cut PVC or something else with chlorine in it and the inside of your machine dissolves - not covered. If you laser copper and it reflects the beam back into the lens and wrecks the laser head. The laser head would not be covered, but if your tube developed a leak at the same time it would be covered.

And that happens to me every once in a while even after I clean the head camera lens. Then there is the case of having cut out half of the QR code, or cutting on proofgrade scraps without a code.

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As stated, using other materials does not void your warranty.

There is an extensive page of information about non-PG materials: https://glowforge.com/support/topic/safety/safety-overview#materials-safety

The key is (as stated, again) that any damage caused by incorrect settings or unsuitable materials would not be covered under warranty.

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Cool! Thanks! Let’s forge on
BDFFB945-9FB9-4849-B053-D7070390F187.png

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I’m pretty sure it’s the combo of not reading the qr code - but using the drop down to select PG settings. If you just input settings you won’t get it - but when the PG settings works so well, why wouldn’t you use the dropdown!

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Haha, look at the crazy crap in the Glowforge battles @jules and I had back in the PRU days. I lasered guacamole, peeps and matzah for gods sake. -ratty ,UCB anything that isn’t chlorine based us gone in mine. I even cut down a cedar tree at a friend’s farm and made coasters and engraved those. Not to mention all the slate I’ve done. Heck in the original video, @dan lasered Nori.

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Nice memoji!

I’m sorry that your Glowforge is having trouble recognizing proofgrade material. Could you please do the following for me?

  1. Turn off your Glowforge.

  2. Using a Zeiss wipe, gently wipe the lens of the wide-angle camera on the unit’s lid.

  1. Take a photo of the wide angle lens.

  2. Place Proofgrade material in the bed with the QR code facing up.

  3. Close the lid and turn your Glowforge back on.

  4. Open any design in the Glowforge app. Wait for the lid image to update in the workspace.

If your unit still isn’t able to recognize the material, please send us the photo you took in step 3, along with the date and time of the updated lid image, and we’ll take a closer look. Thank you!

I have done that. I follow the cleaning guide often, as well. Will try it again and remember that if the we is face down, flip the board so it’s up . Also all the proofgrade I had bought from y’all that was in the pic I posted, the QR code’s were smeared and the draft board had a few damp boards from humidity and rain during transit. The rest of the boards, same thing. It won’t read a smeared code.

I also have an error message when I go to print, but mine dose not print. It will also not read the QR code for the proofgade material. I just set it up, so it has never been used before.

@toastietoez and @unlikelypair73:

The error message is just a reminder to check your settings when you prepare to cut anything that is non-Proofgrade material, and if the code isn’t able to be seen by the lid camera (for whatever reason…smeared code, sticker placed too far over to the right on the sheet, dirty lens, etc.) then you will also see that warning. If it is Proofgrade though you can safely ignore it and continue with the print.

@unlikelypair73 and @toastietoez - if you enlarge the size of the screen that is showing on your browser, you should see a “Continue Anyway” button or something like that underneath the warning after you hit the Print button up at the top.

And just to make sure everyone is aware of it…if the camera has trouble reading the QR sticker for whatever reason…you can set the Proofgrade settings for it by clicking on the Material identifier button at the top of the left column and just search or click on the different materials shown there to load the correct settings information. Just click on the one for whatever material you are cutting on.

Looks like yours is stuck on “uploading” (see next to PRINT button?)

If so, it could indicate a wifi issue. Regardless, it’s not the material warning causing it not to print - that can be ignored.

Correct. I’ve worked with reading barcodes for the devices my company makes. Depending on the barcode symbology and then depending on choices the person who makes the barcode makes there are varying levels of error correction/redundancy built in. (We don’t do much with QR - ask me about data matrix.) To summarize, a barcode is just like a printed document for a computer. Smear writing on your term paper and your professor won’t be able to read it. Smear the barcode and the computer can’t read it.

@toastietoez, thank you for the additional information. Were the boards with smeared QR codes all part of the same shipment? Will you please send me photos of the codes which are smeared so I can take a closer look? Thank you!

@unlikelypair73, we try to keep to one topic per post in the Problems and Support section. Can you please create a new post with this question?

IVAN… I already blew through that whole order of sheets… I will if it happens next time. A glowforge is too addictive to let the wood sit a month… pfft!!

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Thank you for the additional information. I’m glad to hear that you’re already using your Glowforge a lot! I’m going to close this thread for now. If you receive Proofgrade with smeared QR codes again, or if your unit won’t recognize normal Proofgrade QR codes, please start a new topic here on the forum or email us at support@glowforge.com and we’ll be glad to help.

Happy printing!