Problems with trace feature

I just got my glowforge in today and wanted to test out all the features. Everything seemed to wok except the trace feature. I could select my drawing just fine but when I tried to cut the screen would just get stuck on a page that said rendering design. Didnt matter how long I waited it just sat there, I went to get dinner and after two hours it was still like that. Then when I finally did get it to cut something it didnt even cut on the lines I drew

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That looks like it might be off by more than a quarter of an inch, which means that support should probably work with you on it a bit. (Hard to tell from the photo.)

When a file hangs up for a long period of time during the rendering, it can either be because there is something in the file that the interface doesn’t recognize and it’s having trouble processing it, or the file might be too large and needs to be reduced, or there might be a communication problem. In any case, you can cancel the print before waiting that long.

If that trace of a B was what got hung up, it might have been a communication problem, because something like that wouldn’t take long.

You can reboot the machine to re-establish communication by holding down the Start Print button (big white glowing one) on the machine for ten seconds until it turns teal, then turning off the machine for a minute or so, and turning it back on and letting it run through the calibration routine again.

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Thanks I’ll try restarting it next time. The drawing I did first was even less complex than the B. It was just a rectangle.

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Yeah a rectangle wouldn’t take any time at all, you must have just had a blip. (They happen sometimes, but never in the middle of a job that I’ve ever had happen.) :slightly_smiling_face:

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FWIW, the traces I have done so far all seem to engrave exactly 1/8" up and to the right.

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It’s posdible Glowforge added a “drop dhadow” feature. They’re always improving the software. If that feature exists, did you forget to deselect it?

Use your eyes to look at the UI. If you see something that says “drop shadow” or “offset by random amount” or “create misalinement” (I don’t have my machine yet, even though I should, so I can’t check it with my own eyes). If you find it, there should be a way to deactivate it, by unchecking it or by entering a password (try “password1”).

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Thank you so much for posting this.

We’re still improving our layout and alignment, so your print may appear offset from where you put it by up to a quarter inch. For the most accurate alignment results:

  • Use material that is not warped or tilted
  • Place your design near the center of the bed
  • Reboot the machine if you see the alignment drifting (like @Jules mentioned)

It looks like your print may be offset by more than 1/4." Could you do the following to help us investigate:

  1. Print a design
  2. After it finishes, wait for the bed image to refresh without opening the lid or moving the material
  3. Take a screenshot of the UI that captures the design, the print, and the built-in rulers
    Mac: Press Shift-Command-4 and click and drag a box around your image. You’ll find the screenshot file saved on your desktop.
    Windows: Click on the Start Menu and search for the 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.
  4. Send us the screenshot

We’ll also look into why the design was taking so long to render.

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Windows also has a PrtScn button on the keyboard. Press it and then it can be pasted (Ctrl-V) into an email :smiling_face: Less steps.

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