Nano/Micro Fabrication Facility

ROFIN FIBER LASER SYSTEM

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Revision Date Description Curator

0 7/30/2014 New Document Sam Brannon
1 12/18/2014 Updated fume extractor and code procedure Sam Brannon
Contents
1 System Overview 3

2 Safety 5

3 System Startup Procedure 6

4 System Shut Down Procedure 16

5 Laser Cutting Procedure 17

6 Welding Process Procedures 25

6.1 Welding Setup Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.2 Galvo Welding Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.3 Fixed Welding Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
6.3.1 Process Development Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
6.3.2 Fixed Welding Setup and Program Execution . . . . . . . . . . 32
6.4 Shielding Gas Installation and Use Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

7 Laser Source Pendent Operation 38

7.1 The Menu Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
7.2 Status Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
7.3 Program Modification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
7.4 Changing Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
7.5 Clearing an Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
7.6 Manual Mode Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

8 NView Basics 49
8.1 Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.2 Run Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
8.3 Manual Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
8.4 File Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
8.5 Workstation Reset Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

9 Visual Laser Marker Basics 59

9.1 VLM Basic Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
9.2 VLM Drawing Element Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

10 Rofin Specific SmartCAM Instructions 63

10.1 File Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
10.2 Importing the File into SmartCAM Advanced Fabrication v19 . . . . . 64
10.3 Saving a .pm5 File in SmartCAMv19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
10.4 Creating a Tool Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
10.5 Deleting Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
10.6 Changing the Cutting Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
10.7 Creating the G-Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
10.8 Viewing and Editing the G-Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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 10.9 Transferring the G-Code to the Rofin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

11 Program Templates 68
11.1 Cutting Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
11.2 Fixed Mode Welding Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

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1 System Overview

Figure 1: System Overview

The 1000 Watt Rofin laser system (class 3 laser) can operate as either a laser cutter
or a laser welder/marker. When you approach the system, the operating mode can
be easily identified by the lens system attached to the z-axis within the workstation
compartment. Figure 2 shows the two different optical packages used on the system.
Additional training sessions (beyond operator training) are required before
a user can change the operating mode of the system.

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Figure 2: Cutting(Left) and Welding(Right) Optics installed on workstation z-axis.
1. Cutting optics, 2. Cutting box, 3. Welding optics.

There are 3 main system components:

1. Workstation

2. Laser Source

3. Cooling Unit (Located inside the fab floor by the west entry)

There are 4 pieces of support equipment connected to the

workstation:
1. Fume Extractor (rear connection)

2. Process Nitrogen (rear connection)

3. Process Air (rear connection)

4. Process Assist Gas (right side connection)

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2 Safety
• Consistent with fabrication floor policy, safety glasses MUST be warn when
operating the Rofin laser system.

• The Rofin requires pressurized gas to function properly. Care must be taken
when turning on and off support gasses.

• Additional training is required for assist gas use.

• The system has many safety interlocks that prevent leakage of laser radiation
while the beam is on. These interlocks are present on the laser source, the
workstation, and within the operating software.

!!DO NOT DEFEAT ANY SAFETY INTERLOCKS AT ANY TIME.

DOING SO CAN CAUSE BOTH PERSONAL INJURY AND SYSTEM
DAMAGE!!

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3 System Startup Procedure
The following is the sequence required to start up the laser system, regardless of the
current or desired operating mode. Mode-specific instructions follow in subsequent
sections.

1. (Figure 3) Go to the chiller located on left of workstation and around corner.

Switch the chiller to local.

Figure 3: Rofin system chiller (left) and control switch (right).

2. (Figure 4) Turn on the gas valves at the rear of the laser (Air, Nitrogen).

(a) Air pressure regulator setting is full open. Typical reading is about 90psi.
(b) Nitrogen pressure regulator set to 120psi.

Figure 4: Rofin process Air and Nitrogen on/off valves.

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3. (Figure 5) Turn on the exhaust vacuum by pressing the power button on the fume
extractor. If desired, the fume extractor can remain off until prior to the start
of laser processing without any error messages occuring, including performing a
dry run, however attempting to run a weld program in NView without turning
on the fume extractor will result in an error message.

Figure 5: Rofin system fume extractor (left) and control panel (right).

4. (Figure 6) Locate and turn on the workstation at the main power disconnect
located at the rear of the workstation.

Figure 6: Workstation main power disconnect.

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5. (Figure 7) Locate and turn on the laser source at the main power disconnect
located on the right side of the laser source.

Figure 7: Laser source main power disconnect.

6. (Figure 8) Move to the front of the workstation and verify that the workstation
and laser source E-STOP buttons are pulled out by turning the workstation
E-STOP button counterclockwise and the laser source E-STOP button clock-
wise.

7. Press the blue E-STOP button on the control panel.

8. (Figure 8) Press the white POWER ON button.

(a) The button will light up and the white status light on the top of the work-
station will turn on.

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 Figure 8: Workstation front control panel.

9. (Figure 9) Log into the Laser Source Pendent control software. This is done
by using the stylus to enter the user name operator and password operator.
The software will load and the laser source home screen will be shown.

10. Verify or change the Program Mode of the laser source to the appropriate
mode for your process. There are three modes, but only two that are used at
the MBI. These are:

(a) VLM (used for galvo welding, marking, and metal ablation)
(b) PRC server (not used)
(c) internal programs (used for cutting and fixed welding)

The program mode can be seen by either opening the Program page and seeing
which option has been selected in the top left corner under Operation mode
or by observing the color of the box next to the Program Mode line and the
color of the box on the lower left side on the Menu page. These will be green
if the program mode is set to VLM Mode, and yellow if it is set to Internal
Programs. Figure 10 shows the difference in Menu screen appearance. Refer
to Section 7 for details on how to navigate and modify settings/programs on the
laser source.

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Figure 9: Laser source pendent log in screen. 1. Laser source control key, 2. Laser
source E-Stop button.

Figure 10: Menu screen for VLM (left) and Internal Programs (right) operating
modes.

11. Upon workstation computer start-up, type in the user administrator with pass-
word admin for the windows log in.

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 Figure 11: NView startup page and first prompt.

12. (Figure 11) The NView software will automatically open to the RUN page and
prompts will be displayed asking for user input. Follow the prompts to initialize
the workstation:
The first prompt selects the operating mode from three choices:

(a) Galvo Welding (For this process Continue on to step 13.)

(b) Cutting (For this process skip to step 14.)
(c) Fixed Welding (For this process skip to step 15.)

13. For Galvo Welding Mode initialization, do the following:

In the first prompt type 1 and press OK (F2).

Check to ensure the galvo head is properly installed by checking for the presence of a
data cable attached to the top of the galvo head. If it is installed click YES, otherwise
shut down the system, install the galvo head data cable, and then select YES.
.

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The third prompt will request to initialize and home the three axes. Open the
workstation door and inspect for/remove any obstructions that will impede
axes motion. The x-y axes home in the far left corner of the work area. If
no obstructions present, close the door and select YES to home the axes. The Z-axis
will home first, followed by the Y-axis and finally the X-axis.

14. For Cutting Mode initialization, do the following:

In the first prompt type 2 and press OK (F2).

Check to ensure the cutting box is installed. If it is installed click YES, otherwise
install the cutting box and then select YES.

The third prompt will request to initialize and home the three axes. Open the
workstation door and inspect for/remove any obstructions that will impede
axes motion. The x-y axes home in the far left corner of the work area. If
no obstructions present, close the door and select YES to home the axes. The Z-axis
will home first, followed by the Y-axis and finally the X-axis.

15. For Fixed Welding Mode initialization, do the following:

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 In the first prompt type 3 and press OK (F2).

The third prompt will request to initialize and home the three axes. Open the
workstation door and inspect for/remove any obstructions that will impede
axes motion. The x-y axes home in the far left corner of the work area. If
no obstructions present, close the door and select YES to home the axes. The Z-axis
will home first, followed by the Y-axis and finally the X-axis.

Once the axes are homed, the message display in NView will read Please select
a part program on Task 1. This indicates proper system initialization. To
prepare the laser for operation, steps 16 through 20 are used to enable the fiber
laser. This means that the laser will fire when a program requests it.

16. (Figure 9) Turn the control key on the laser source pendent COUNTER-
CLOCKWISE to put the source in automatic mode. The lower message
display on the pendent screen will read Mains Enabled.

17. (Figure 20) Turn the LASER MAIN ON switch located on the workstation
front control panel CLOCKWISE. The lower message display on the laser
source pendent screen will change to read Cooling Start. This message will
remain for 30 seconds.

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Figure 20: Lower portion of the workstation front control panel. These but-
tons/switches control the laser status.

18. (Figure 20) After 30 seconds the lower message display will read Standby En-
abled. When this is displayed, press the LASER STANDBY ON button on
the workstation front control panel. If everything has been done properly up to
this point, an audible CLICK will be heard coming from the laser source and
the red status light on both the laser source and the workstation will turn on
and stay on. If no click is heard and the lights do not stay on, consult a lab tech
to troubleshoot.

19. (Figure 21) While the NView software is still on the RUN page, navigate to
the second options menu on the F7 options panel and select the F10 System
OK button. The button will turn green.

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 Figure 21: Additional options menus on the F7 options menu.

20. (Figure 20) The last physical step to enabling the laser is to turn the LASER
key on the front control panel to ENABLE. The lower message display on the
laser source pendent will now read Laser Enabled and the laser can now be
fired.

NOTE: It is typical to leave this key unturned until before the final cut/weld
program is ran to prevent any accidental laser firing during attempts at dry runs
in all three operating modes. This key has no software error associated with it
being in the OFF position, so it will not cause issues with program execution.
Doing this prevents accidental scrapping of raw material and parts.

21. continue to Sections 5 and 6 to find additional instructions for each specific
operating mode. Section 4 provides the procedure to shut down the Rofin system.

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4 System Shut Down Procedure
The Rofin system is shut down in the reverse order that it is started up. Follow these
simple steps to turn off the Rofin system

1. Remove all parts, trash, excess material, tools, etc. from the workstation.

2. If you were welding, remove any workholding from the x-axis stage.

3. If used, turn off and remove any assist gas or process gas setups.

4. Home the axes (Home button on the manual motion page in NView.)

5. (Figure 8) Turn the LASER key switch counterclockwise from ENABLE to

OFF.

6. (Figure 8) Turn off the LASER MAIN ON switch counterclockwise. An

audible ’click’ will be heard and the red status light will turn off.

7. (Figure 9) Lock the laser source by turning the laser source control key ONE
click clockwise, leaving the key oriented vertically.

8. Shut down Nview and all remaining open software.

9. (Figure 8) Press the POWER OFF button on the workstation main control
panel.

10. Shut down the computer.

11. (Figure 7) If 30 seconds has passed since the laser source control key was
switched to locked, then turn the laser source off at the main power disconnect.
If 30 seconds has not passed, wait it out.

12. (Figure 6) After the computer has shut down, turn off the workstation at the
main power disconnect.

13. (Figure 5) Turn off the fume extractor.

14. (Figure 4) Turn off the process gasses Air and Nitrogen.

15. (Figure 3) Turn the system chiller to STAND-BY.

The system is now shutdown and ready for the next user.

Please be sure to clean up the work table and area around the Rofin
before leaving the area.

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5 Laser Cutting Procedure
This section outlines the basic procedure the Rofin laser, work pieces, and code for
metal cutting. This procedure assumes that the cutting optics and cutting box are
installed within the workstation and the workstation is classified as “IN CUTTING
MODE.” The motion of the laser is controlled by the motion table through G-code.
G-code can be generated in SmartCAM with the Rofin specific post processor. This
procedure assumes a basic proficiency with the NWview motion control software. This
procedure references the following manual sections and external documents:

• System Startup Procedure (Section 3)

• NView Basics (Section 8)

• Generating G-Code (Section 10)

• Laser Source Pendent Operation (Section 7)

• System Shutdown Procedure (Section 4)

• Laser_Program_Tracker (External Excel file)

Figure 22 explains the important features of the cutting box to note.

Figure 22: Cutting Box Parts.

1. Turn on the Rofin Fiber Laser system as per the startup procedure outlined in
Section 3.

2. Produce G-code and transfer it to the workstation.

• SmartCAM instructions for converting a .dxf file from Solidworks to g-code

can be found in Section 10.

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 • The code generated in SmartCAM is assumed the system is in incrimental
mode and does not commence machining from a set origin. This means
that the first command in the g-code generated in SmartCAM is a laser on
command. Unless the g-code is modified, the alignment location (position
of laser when the program is started) is where the first cut called for in the
code is started. Be aware of this and designate a cutting program
origin accordingly. Typically a G00 move from an origin placed
at the corner of the drawing is added to the start of the program
to make things easier.

3. Figures 23, 24) Using the Manual Motion Page in Nview, move the cutting
box up front by the workstation door and load the raw material onto the cutting
box using either magnetic or pneumatic workholding:

• Pneumatic Workholding

Figure 23: For pneumatic workholding, move the pneumatic clamp bars to
fit the raw material size, ensuring there is sufficient overlap for the clamps to grip
the material. add material support bars in the middle of the material to prevent
excessive deflection from the assist gas pressure. Use as few as possible to prevent
excessive wear on these consumable parts.

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Figure 24: Next move the pneumatic clamps and secure them over the ends of the
material by tightening the screw knobs located at either end of each clamp, ensuring
they make contact with the pneumatic clamp bars. In NView, navigate to the
second options menu on the F7 options panel and select the Left Box Clamp and
Right Box Clamp buttons. The button will turn green and the pneumatic clamps
will close, securing the material. Give the material a few taps to be sure it is secured
with minimal deflection.

• Magnetic Workholding

Figure 25: Move the pneumatic clamps to the end of their travel and secure them.
Install the magnetic metal cross bars in the cutting box so that the raw material
ends rest upon them. Using the Neodymium magnets located on the cabinet adjacent
to the workstation on the right, secure the raw material edges. Add material support
bars as needed to provide support interior to the material edges.

Once the material is installed, resume the cutting procedure as follows:

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 4. Mark an origin on the raw material with a marker. This location should corre-
spond to the starting location of the cutting program. If using an edge of the
material for alignment, skip this step as this process is described in step 6 below.

5. (Figures 26, 27) Lower the cutting head (Z-axis) so that the height sensing tip
is between 0.3 and 0.45[mm] above the material surface.

(a) select the Z-axis jog type on the Manual Motion Page to free run
and move the head down within 1[cm] of the material surface.

Figure 26: Initial step of cutting head height setting process.

(b) Change the jog type to distance and use decreasing distance increments
from 1[mm] to 0.1[mm] to lower the cutting head until the Precitec height
Sensor control Box display reads a value between 0.30[mm] and 0.45[mm].

Figure 27: Cutting height properly set showing Precitec readout(left) and op-
tics(right).

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 6. (Figure 28) Using either the HeNe alignment beam or the camera feature and
a slow table motion speed, align the cutting head to the selected origin. The
camera is best used to find material edges. To find an edge move the head in
small increments near the edge until it can be seen in the camera viewer.

Figure 28: Cutting height properly set showing Precitec readout(left) and op-
tics(right).

7. If it is desired to have a consistant starting location for this program (i.e. multi-
ple setups), record the X, Y, and Z positions to add them to the cutting program
preamble. Otherwise, using the default position commands in the template will
start the program from the current X-Y position.

8. Load the blank cutting program template into NView. Refer to Section
11.1 to learn about the different program section requirements and to view a
program example.

9. Save the program under a new name within your user folder within the Current
Users folder on the computer desktop.
!!DO NOT SAVE OVER THE TEMPLATE DOCUMENT!!!
NOTE: All program names are automatically converted to ALL CAPS.

10. (Figure 29) Modify the program preamble variable values:

Figure 29: Variable Preamble section of a cutting program.

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 (a) Modify the value of laserpower to correspond to a desired laser power for
your cutting program. This line is only used if the laser program on the
laser source has the Pulse scaling set to A1, otherwise laser power is set
within the laser source program and should be modified there. See Section
7 for details on this procedure.
(b) Modify the value of $zFocusPos to correspond to the recorded Z-position
from step 7.
(c) If desired, modify the value of $initXpos to correspond to the recorded X-
position from step 7. Otherwise the default value ($STATUS[_PositionUnits].X)
will start the program from the current location.
(d) If desired, modify the value of $initYpos to correspond to the recorded Y-
position from step 7. Otherwise the default value ($STATUS[_PositionUnits].Y)
will start the program from the current location.
(e) Modify the value of Spd to correspond to the required cutting speed
given by your cutting recipe (Reference the excel spreadsheet laser_ pro-
gram_tracker for validated recipe options).
(f) Modify the value of $cutPres to correspond to the required pressure given
by the cutting recipe. NOTE: A fault will occur if the pressure specified is
higher than what the house air can provide. Typical cut pressure is around
100[psi].
(g) Modify the value of $piercePrgmNum to correspond to the required
pierce program given by your cutting recipe.
(h) Modify the value of PrgmNum to correspond to the required cutting
program given by your cutting recipe.

11. Open the G-code generated for the part in Notepad and copy the code into
the program in NView within the MOTION CONTROL program section.
NOTE: The template includes repeat loops and sub-routine callouts to use if
needed. SmartCAM does not use these, so if desired you must incorporate them
into your code now.

12. Load the program into TASK 1 by doing the following:

(a) Select SAVE.

(b) Select Error Check. This will compile your program and display any
errors or warnings encountered in the messages window above the F2
option bar. Fix any errors if present. Some warnings can be ignored.
(c) Select RUN. This will load your program under TASK 1 and automati-
cally navigate you to the RUN page in NView.

13. Modify the laser source internal programs according to your cutting recipe.

14. Validate program motion through a DRY-RUN by doing the following:

(a) Move the cutting head (Z-axis) away from the cutting material by at least
50[mm]. This will prevent any crashes of the head into the pneumatic
clamps.

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 (b) Navigate to the second options menu on the F7 options panel and select
F̂10 Dryrun Mode, which will turn yellow after selection.
(c) Select TASK 1 from the tabs on the left side of the run screen. verify that
the appropriate program has been loaded and verify the starting position
in the code preamble matches the current position readout on the top of
the screen. If they mismatch, the machine will automatically move to the
specified coordinates in the program when the program is started.
(d) Check for any obstructions within the workstation that could hinder correct
table motion or that could crash into the cutting head. Fix any suspected
issues.
(e) Select F2 Cycle Start from the F2 Options Panel. The table position
will now adjust to match the starting position called out in the program.
(f) The code line M0 ;Wait for cycle start button will be highlighted and
acts as a prompt to select F2 Cycle Start to start the cutting program. At
this point it is important to pay full attention to the workstation
and be ready to stop the program if issues arise.
(g) The program will now execute. Monitor table motion and ensure proper
code execution. If unexpected table motion occurs select the F4 ABORT
button. The F4 button will change to be a Reset button. Press this
to reset the program. After an abort, all gasses and clamps remain ac-
tivated and must be turned off manually or by restarting the program.
IF ANY ISSUES OTHER THAN TABLE MOTION OCCUR
PRESS THE E-STOP BUTTON IMMEDIATELY AND CON-
TACT MBI STAFF TO RESET THE SYSTEM.

15. Based on the results of the dry run, make modifications to the program code
and perform a second dry run if needed. If table motion was good, proceed to
the next step. NOTE: After any program is fully executed, the three axes will
need to be initialized if any manual table motion is performed by clicking the
axes label next to the position read out on the top of the screen. See Section
8.3 for further details. There is no need to re-initialize if the program will just
be re-ran without any manual motion performed.

16. Turn on the fume extractor (Section 3 Item 3) if it is not currently running. An
error will occur if the extractor is not turned on during final laser firing.

17. Run the validated program by following the following steps:

(a) reinitialize the Z-axis and lower the head back to the material surface fol-
lowing the process laid out in step 5 above. See Section 8.3 for instructions
on axis initialization.
(b) Deselect the Dryrun Mode button. The button color should return to
grey.
(c) turn the LASER key on the workstation front control panel to the EN-
ABLE position if it has not already been done.
!!THE LASER IS NOW ENABLED AND WILL FIRE DURING
THE NEXT PROGRAM RUN!!

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 (d) Select F2 Cycle Start from the F2 Options Panel. The table position
will now adjust to match the starting position called out in the program.
(e) The code line M0 ;Wait for cycle start button will be highlighted and
acts as a prompt to select F2 Cycle Start to start the cutting program. At
this point it is important to pay full attention to the workstation
and be ready to stop the program if issues arise. NOTE: After the
program starts, the messages screen will be displayed ad will provide any
warnings or fault messages during execution. Typically the only messages
displayed during proper program execution are Laser Ready and Laser
On. If any minor faults occur, typically the laser will not fire and the
table motion will pause. If this happens, it is often possible to resolve the
issue and clear the fault without restarting the program, at which point the
program execution will resume.

18. After program completion, move the cutting head (Z-axis) up from the mate-
rial surface and remove the cut part from the box. Repeat the alignment and
execution steps as needed for additional runs/parts.
After all cutting is completed:

19. Remove any spare raw material from the cutting box, including any large debris
that was left in the bottom of the cutting box. Small debris/particulate/slag is
fine and will be cleaned routinely by a lab technician. Scrap metal can be placed
in the scrap box under the table across from the workstation.

20. Home all axes.

21. Return the pulse and cutting programs back to their standard values on the
laser source pendent. These values are listed in the Excel spreadsheet titled
Laser_Program_Tracker.

22. If no user is waiting to use the tool, shut down the system following the shutdown
procedure found in Section 4. If a user is waiting to use the tool, reset the system
in NView.

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6 Welding Process Procedures
There are two welding operating modes on the Rofin laser system. These are:

• Galvo Welding Mode: In this mode, x-y motion stage is stationary and the
laser beam motion is controlled by two servo-driven mirrors within the galvo
optics housing. This mode can operate at much higher beam travel speeds (in
excess of 1[m/s]) but is restricted to a small working window of 120x120[mm].
Galvo welding is controlled by separate software than NView, called Visual
Laser Marker which is a CAD-like software package. Information on the basic
use of this software can be found below in Subsection 6.2.

• Fixed Welding: In this mode, the servo mirrors inside the galvo optics housing
are stationary and motion is delivered by the x-y stage. This mode has a much
larger operating window ≈450x450[mm] but is restricted to travel speeds of less
than 150[mm/s]. Like laser cutting, all fixed mode welding is controlled by G-
code and programs made and executed in NView. Unlike laser cutting, there
are a few differences in how the machine controls motion which will be discussed
in Subsection 6.3.

As the majority of the tool setup for both welding modes is the same, the next two
subsections are dedicated to these similarities. The first describes how to set the focal
distance and the second covers how to setup any required shielding gas. Subsequent
subsections cover process specifics. The galvo-welding process described in Subsection
6.2 also applies to laser marking and metal ablation, although these processes are not
discussed in detail in this manual.

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6.1 Welding Setup Procedure
Workstation and laser source setup for welding includes ensuring proper operating
mode of the laser source and setting the proper focal distance for the galvo optics.
As discussed in the start-up procedure, the proper operating modes for the two welding
modes are:

• VLM for galvo welding, marking, and ablating

• Internal Programs for fixed welding

Regardless of mode, the welding optics have a focal distance from the reference
surface to the beam focal plane of 304.5[mm]. Most welding requires the beam to
be focused on the top surface of the top layer to be welded, however the optics on the
Rofin at the MBI have a working distance of ±0.60[mm]. To set the focal distance for
the galvo head, do the following:
1. Install all process-specific workholding onto the x-y stage and locate the stage
below the galvo head.

2. (Figure 30) Locate the height setting standard, a square aluminum bar cut down
to 304.5[mm]. Install on your datum surface in a location that is aligned with
the reference surface.

Figure 30: Focal distance setting procedure.

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 3. Using Free Run, manually lower the galvo head to within a centimeter of the
height standard, and stop.

4. Switch to Distance Hold and use increments of 0.5[mm] until the galvo head
is within 1[mm] of the height standard.

5. (Figure 31) switch the distance to 0.050[mm] and lower the galvo head onto the
height standard until a light contact occurs. The height standard should be in
contact with the reference surface, but not rigidly in place and should wiggle.

Figure 31: Focal distance setting procedure showing a loose fit between the height
standard and the reference surface.

6. Increase the distance increment to 10[mm] and change the motion control to
distance and raise the galvo head.

7. Remove the height standard and lower the head again 10[mm].

The proper focal distance is now set to your datum surface.

Adjust the height of the galvo head accordingly to match your
process setup.

27
6.2 Galvo Welding Procedure
Once the focal distance for the galvo head is properly set and applicable shielding
gas is setup, the following steps will finalize the workstation setup for galvo weld-
ing. Once these steps are completed, Section 9 will cover how to setup and execute
welds/marks within the VLM software. !!BEFORE FIRING THE LASER EN-
SURE THAT THE FUME EXTRACTOR IS TURNED ON! NO ERROR
WILL OCCUR IF IT IS NOT ON DURING GALVO WELDING!!

1. (Figure 21) On the F7 options menu enable the following options from the
various menus:

(a) System OK
(b) Cross Jet (when enabled, button text will change to Cross Jet is
On and button will turn yellow)
(c) FIBER SELECT
(d) HeNe LASER

The laser source pendent should now read laser enabled.

2. Move your workholding into position by aligning the HeNe alignment laser
with the center of your marking area. In the VLM software, the HeNe laser
corresponds to the center of the 120x120[mm] marking area.

NOTE: If the laser mains have not been enabled, the mirrors in the
galvo head are in a relaxed position and the HeNe does not accurately
relate to functional space.
3. (Figure 32) Open the Visual Laser Marker software and initialize
the hardware by pressing the Enable Hardware button on the top
toolbar.

Figure 32: Top toolbar of the VLM software showing the Enable Hardware and
Execute buttons.

28
4. (Figure 32) Using Section 9, Load/draw your tool path and prepare
your laser parameters. Execute the program by pressing the execute
button located on the top toolbar.

29
6.3 Fixed Welding Procedure
Fixed welding mode on the Rofin laser is similar process to cutting with regards to
setup and execution of a program. There are differences in programing and program
execution by the software, which are discussed below. Key setup differences include
no use of the cutting box and there is only one internal program reserved for fixed
mode welding. This is program 7 (Fixed Welding). Because there is table motion
during the welding program execution, workholding must be ridged and not allow for
material movement. Figure 33 shows an example of initial workholding for a large
part welded in fixed mode.

Figure 33: An example of fixed mode workholding for a large, 9x7[in] multilayered
device. This setup includes a base plate datum, welding clamps, welding plate, and
bar clamps to provide pressure.

This section will cover some important process development notes, accurate as of
the current revision of this document and will be followed by the setup and execution
instructions for a typical fixed mode welding program.

6.3.1 Process Development Notes

Due to current software limits, current fixed mode welding designs incorporate the
following notes to help improve weld quality:

• Narrow (1-2[mm] max) grooves are machinated into a weld plate

where welds are to occur on the work piece. These grooves should
taper from wide to narrow, how much so will depend on weld plate
thickness. Weld plates should also be a material with a higher ther-
mal conductivity than the material to be welded.

30
 Uniform clamping pressure close to the welding on both sides prevents gaps from
forming during welding, and maintains good inter-layer contact. Narrow grooves
provide this support best. Workholding close to the weld line also acts as a heat
sync and helps to remove heat from the material during welding, which reduces
potential defects caused by temperature. The grooves should be tapered in order
to allow for the conical shape of the laser beam close to the focal plane. Deep,
narrow grooves can interfere with the laser beam and reduce the power density at
the focal plane. Any tall clamping mechanisms also need to be installed a short
distance from the grove to prevent the same issue. A plate with a higher thermal
conductivity will reduce the likelihood of welding the plate to your parts. An
example would be an Aluminum weld plate for welding stainless steel.

• Weld lines are typically straight and performed one at a time, over-
lapping to produce hermetic corners.

Currently fixed welding allows for splines and corners by utilizing a power ramp
function that controls the laser power as a function of table speed. The two pa-
rameters that control the power ramp are the variables specified in the preamble:
laserPower and minPowerRampPerc. Laser power controls the welding laser
power at full (specified) speed, and minPowerRampPerc controls the minimum
allowable percentage of laser power that the machine will output. The power
ramp is a linear function. As this is new programing function as of October
2014, there has not yet been a thurough study of a proper minimum percentage,
nor has there been any exploration of using a non-linear power ramp function
to improve weld quality.

• Oversized weld plates to allow laser on and laser off to occur outside
the designed weld line and onto of the weld plate.

This finding may be obsolete as of October 2014 with the addition of the power
ramp function discussed in the item above, however until this process is proven
effective to avoid end effects, starting and stoping the weld outside the workpiece
may still be benificial to hermiticity. NView and the motion control driver
allows for the laser power and table speed to be coupled, i.e. the laser power
is reduced when table speed slows. As there is a minimum power specified for
this ramp, there may still be end effects (blow-out, holes, porosity, large heat
effected zone) near the ends of weldlines. Moreover, having control of weld depth
is key for hermiticity, and the ability to predict weld depth during acceleration
and deceleration of the beam can be difficult. For this reason, the weld depth
during the acceleration and deceleration of the work piece is much deeper than
the steady speed depth, which is what the weldment is typically designed for.
Turning the laser on/off some distance from the actual start/end of the weld
allows the table to be at a constant speed for the actual weld area. If the weld
plate is oversized, than firing the laser onto the work piece can be avoided by
firing the beam on the weld plate and then moving the work piece into the laser
beam. Typically 1-2[cm] is added to the weld lengths on either side to
achieve this.

• Table speed is limited to a maximum of 150[mm/s] so welding powers

31
 compared to galvo are much lower.

The table motion has a maximum useful speed of 150[mm/s] so if any galvo
welding is done to do quick weldment process development on small scale parts
the speed should be kept at or below 150[mm/s] and powers should be selected
accordingly. In fixed welding it is typical to keep the speed at maximum and
adjust power in order to shorten processing time, however this is not always
the case. In some instances slight reductions in speed can vastly improve weld
quality over increasing laser power.

6.3.2 Fixed Welding Setup and Program Execution

The following is the procedure for setup and execution of a typical fixed welding
program.

1. Turn on the Rofin Fiber Laser system as per the startup procedure outlined in
Section 3.

2. Produce G-code and transfer it to the workstation incorporating the design notes
above.

• SmartCAM instructions for converting a .dxf file from Solidworks to g-code

can be found in Section 10.
• The code generated is based on a RELATIVE coordinate system and does
not provide an origin. This means that the first command in the G-code
generated in SmartCAM is a laser on command. Unless the g-code is mod-
ified, the alignment location (position of laser when the program is started)
is where the beam will turn on first. Be aware of this and designate a
welding program origin accordingly. When considering the design
constraints discussed above however, this is not an issue.

3. Figure 34) Using the Manual Motion Page in Nview, move the x-y motion
table up front by the workstation door and install your base plate datum or
T-groove fixturing.

32
Figure 34: A typical base-plate datum made of 6061 Aluminum used for stainless steel
and superalloy welding. Aluminum has a high thermal conductivity which prevents
welded parts from sticking to the base plate. NOTE:Three holes with a diameter of
0.245[in] are required for mounting a plate on the stage. The bolt pattern is shown.

4. Set the focal distance by the described process in Subsection 6.1 to your reference
datum. Offset the distance as needed to find your material focal plane.

5. If needed, check that the base plate datum is square. To do this, align the beam
on top of a straight feature on the datum (machined line or base plate datum
edge work well) using the HeNe laser and move the table manually back and
forth along the feature. Adjust the base plate datum position until the beam
and feature align well for long travel distances.

6. Install your samples to be welded, weld plate, and all clamping required. Install
your shielding gas setup if needed and route the tube/nozzle so that it will not
interfere with work holding during table motion.

7. (Figure 35 Left) Using the HeNe alignment beam, locate the center of the first
groove to be welded in. This will dictate one of your starting positions for x or
y depending on the groove orientation (horizontal or vertical).
NOTE: For a diagonal weld line, it is best to use an alignment mark that has
been designed along with the welding plate. Remember that the HeNe alignment
laser has a large spot size so alignment may take a few iterations to get accurate.

33
Figure 35: (Left) HeNe alignment laser aligned to the center of a vertical groove on
a weld plate. (Right) HeNe alignment laser aligned to the proper overlap for a fixed
weld line. Notice the beam is aligned onto the welding plate.

8. (Figure 35 Right) Align the HeNe beam with the designed overlap at the end of
the groove.

9. Record the X, Y, and Z positions to add them to the fixed welding program
preamble.

10. Load the blank welding program template into NView.

11. Save the program under a new name within your user folder within the Current
Users folder on the computer desktop.
!!DO NOT SAVE OVER THE TEMPLATE DOCUMENT!!!
NOTE: All program names are automatically converted to ALL CAPS.

12. (Figure 29) Modify the program preamble variable values:

Figure 36: Variable Preamble section of a fixed welding program.

(a) Modify the value of laserpower to correspond to your desired weld power.
(b) Modify the value of minPowerRampPerc to correspond to the minimum
percent of specifed power for the power ramp function.

34
 (c) Modify the value of $zFocusPos to correspond to the recorded Z-position
from step 7.
(d) If desired, modify the value of $initXpos to correspond to the recorded X-
position from step 7. Otherwise the default value ($STATUS[_PositionUnits].X)
will start the program from the current location.
(e) If desired, modify the value of $initYpos to correspond to the recorded Y-
position from step 7. Otherwise the default value ($STATUS[_PositionUnits].Y)
will start the program from the current location.
(f) Modify the value of Spd to correspond to the required welding speed given
by your weld design.
(g) Ensure the value of PrgmNum is set to 7.

13. Open the G-code generated for the part in Notepad and copy the code into the
program in NView within the MOTION CONTROL program section.
NOTE: The template includes repeat loops and sub-routine callouts to use if
needed. SmartCAM does not use these, so if desired you must incorporate them
into your code now. Often it is also desired to allow the work piece to cool down
between welds, so if multiple welds are performed in a single program execution,
DWELL commands can be added. The units of this command are seconds.

14. Load the program into TASK 1 by doing the following:

(a) Select SAVE.

(b) Select CHECK. This will compile your program and display any errors or
warnings encountered in the messages window above the F2 option bar.
Fix any errors if present. Some warnings can be ignored.
(c) Select RUN. This will load your program under TASK 1 and automati-
cally navigate you to the RUN page in NView.

15. Modify the laser source internal program 7 according to your cutting recipe.

16. Validate program motion through a DRY-RUN by doing the following:

(a) Navigate to the second options menu on the F7 options panel and select
F̂10 Dryrun Mode, which will turn yellow after selection.
(b) Select TASK 1 from the tabs on the left side of the run screen. verify that
the appropriate program has been loaded and verify the starting position
in the code preamble matches the current position readout on the top of
the screen. If they mismatch, the machine will automatically move to the
specified coordinates in the program when the program is started.
(c) Check for any obstructions within the workstation that could hinder correct
table motion or that could crash into the galvo cross jet. Fix any suspected
issues.
(d) Select F2 Cycle Start from the F2 Options Panel. The table position
will now adjust to match the starting position called out in the program.

35
 (e) The code line M0 ;Wait for cycle start button will be highlighted and
acts as a prompt to select F2 Cycle Start to start the welding program.
At this point it is important to pay full attention to the worksta-
tion and be ready to stop the program if issues arise.
(f) The program will now execute. Monitor table motion and ensure proper
code execution. If unexpected table motion occurs select the F4 ABORT
button. The F4 button will change to be a Reset button. Press this to
reset the program. After an abort, all gasses activated and must be turned
off manually or by restarting the program. IF ANY ISSUES OTHER
THAN TABLE MOTION OCCUR PRESS THE E-STOP BUT-
TON IMMEDIATELY AND CONTACT MBI STAFF TO RE-
SET THE SYSTEM.

17. Based on the results of the dry run, make modifications to the program code
and perform a second dry run if needed. If table motion was good, proceed to
the next step. NOTE: After any program is fully executed, the three axes will
need to be initialized if any manual table motion is performed. There is no need
to re-initialize if the program will just be re-ran without any manual motion
performed.

18. Turn on the fume extractor (Section 3 Item 3) if it is not currently running. An
error will occur if the extractor is not turned on during final laser firing.

19. Run the validated program by following the following steps:

(a) Deselect the Dryrun Mode button. The button color should return to
grey.
(b) turn the LASER key on the workstation front control panel to the EN-
ABLE position if it has not already been done.
!!THE LASER IS NOW ENABLED AND WILL FIRE DURING
THE NEXT PROGRAM RUN!!
(c) Select F2 Cycle Start from the F2 Options Panel. The table position
will now adjust to match the starting position called out in the program.
(d) The code line M0 ;Wait for cycle start button will be highlighted and
acts as a prompt to select F2 Cycle Start to start the welding program.
At this point it is important to pay full attention to the worksta-
tion and be ready to stop the program if issues arise. NOTE: After
the program starts, the messages screen will be displayed ad will provide
any warnings or fault messages during execution. Typically the only mes-
sages displayed during proper program execution are Laser Ready and
Laser On. If any minor faults occur, typically the laser will not fire and
the table motion will pause. If this happens, it is often possible to resolve
the issue and clear the fault without restarting the program, at which point
the program execution will resume.

20. After program completion, remove the clamping and weld plate, and inspect the
welded parts.

36
 21. Perform any additional welds required. As the workholding described here is
typically designed for a specific weld, if multiple, identical parts are to be welded
it is often easier to execute the same program on the new parts before changing
the workholding for the next weld.
After all welding is completed:

22. Remove the shielding gas setup, workholding, and base plate datum
from the system.

23. Home all axes.

24. If no user is waiting to use the tool, shut down the system following the shutdown
procedure found in Section 4. If a user is waiting to use the tool, reset the system
in NView.

6.4 Shielding Gas Installation and Use Procedure

This section covers the details on how to add shielding gas to your welding process.
There are many options available in terms of nozzles, tubes, gasses, and routing, so a
generic setup will be described here.

1. Safely install the gas cylinder to the left of the workstation and install a pressure
regulator on the cylinder outlet. Th outlet of the regulator should have a long
length of 1/4 inch OD tubing to connect to the press-fit air fitting.

2. Connect the tube to the rear of the workstation in the Shield Gas labeled inlet.

3. Control the gas pressure using the pressure regulator on the cylinder.

4. (Figure 21) Turn on and off the shield gas using the F9 Shield Gas button on
the F7 options menu in NView.

37
7 Laser Source Pendent Operation
This section covers the basics of changing the laser operating mode and modifying
laser program parameters.

7.1 The Menu Screen

Figure 37: The Menu screen is the main navigation screen on the pendent and is the
first to display after login. It provides simple details about the program mode, active
program, and laser status. This screen also provides a real-time readout of laser power
when the beam is on.

38
7.2 Status Screen

Figure 38: This screen provides an overview of the laser status and will help in trou-
bleshooting errors and faults. This is also the screen where a user can enable master,
the first step in changing the program mode.

39
7.3 Program Modification
This section covers how to change the laser program parameters of pulse programs on
the laser source.

1. (Figure 39) From the Menu screen, navigate to the Programs screen by se-
lecting Prog..

Figure 39: This screen provides an overview of the active program selected and allows
one to access the pulse and ramp program lists. The upper-left box displays the
current Operation mode.

2. (Figure 40, 41, 42, 43) Select Pulses. This will navigate to the Pulse Program
List. Select the program you wish to edit by double-tapping the program.

Figure 40: This screen provides an overview of all pulse programs available.

40
Figure 41: This screen shows all program parameters. To edit a parameter, select
Edit. fields that can be changed will be highlighted in orange. To cancel changes,
select Cancel.

Figure 42: Select the field you wish to edit by taping on the highlighted field. For
applicable fields, a pop-up window will appear with a touch keyboard.

41
Figure 43: In the pop-up window Type in the desired value for that field and select
Ok. IMPORTANT: NO CHANGES ARE MADE TO THE PROGRAM
VALUES UNTIL "SUBMIT" IS SELECTED!!. To cancel changes, select Can-
cel.

42
7.4 Changing Operating Mode
This subsection covers how to change the operating mode of the fiber laser source
between VLM and Internal Programs.

1. (Figure 44) To enable master, navigate to the status screen and select the
double-arrow button to reveal additional options. Select the master button.
The status box next to the Master line on the screen will turn green.

Figure 44: The additional options on the status screen that are revealed after se-
lecting the double-right arrow button.

2. (Figure 39) Navigate to the Programs Page and select the Edit button. Op-
tions or values that can be changed will be highlighted.

3. Select the operating mode you desire by taping on the bullet next to it.

4. Select the Submit button to finalize the change.

43
7.5 Clearing an Error
This subsection covers how to see and clear an error on the laser source pendant.
If an error remains on the status page after attempts to clear, seek help from a lab
technician.

1. (Figure 38) Navigate to the Status Screen and select Errors to view a list of
currently active warnings and errors.

2. Select clear to clear any errors or warnings present. If an error is not removed
from the list, than the fault has not properly been cleared. Try to clear the fault
again. If the error is persistent, contact a trained lab technician.

44
7.6 Manual Mode Operation
This subsection covers how to fire the fiber laser in manual mode. This mode is
primarily used by technicians, so the procedure here assumes proficient use of the
Rofin system in its entirety and references many different sections in this manual.
The source program mode must be in Internal Programs. Figure 45 outlines the
pertinent features of the pendent needed for this procedure. Most steps refer to this
figure.

Figure 45: Pendent features for manual mode operation

45
 1. Laser source control key

2. Control dial (for selected variable control)

3. Emergency stop button (E-Stop)

4. LASER MAINS ON button

5. LASER MAINS indicator light

6. LASER MAINS OFF button

7. LASER ON indicator light

8. LASER ON/OFF button

9. LASER STANDBY ON button

10. LASER STANDBY indicator light

11. LASER STANDBY OFF button

12. Enable variable power control. Allows use of the control dial (2) to variably
control laser power.

13. Source status indicators and program select buttons. The various boxes will be
lit green when activated.

14. Mirror in Beam indicator. (green indicates mirror in beam)

15. Beam Switches button to access the Beam Switches menu.

To fire the beam manually, do the following:

1. (Figure 45 #1) Turn the laser source control key clockwise to put
the source in manual mode.
2. (Figure 45 #4, #5, #13) When the pendent reads mains enabled
press the LASER MAINS ON button. Both the mains indicator
light and the source status indicator for Mains will turn green.
3. (Figure 45 #9, #10, #13) The screen will read cooling start for
30 seconds, then it will read standby enabled. Once this message
is displayed, press the LASER STANDBY ON button. Both the
standby indicator light and the source status indicator for Standby
will turn green and the red status lights on top of the source and
workstation turn on.
4. (Figure 21) In the NView software, select the System OK button.
5. (Figure 8) On the workstation front control panel and turn the
LASER switch to ENABLE.

46
 6. (Figure 45 #14, #15, Figure 46) Navigate to the Beam Switches
page. If the door is closed and the pendent reads Laser Enabled,
you can now aim the beam down the process fiber by selecting the
fiber select button. The HeNe button switches on the red aiming
laser. Whenever the door is opened, the fiber select button will need
to be re-selected. On the Menu screen, the Mirror In Beam status
light will turn green.

Figure 46: The Beam Switches page on the laser source pendent. 1. Laser Select
button, 2. HeNe Laser button.

THE LASER IS NOW READY TO FIRE

7. (Figure 45 #13) Using the up and down arrows on the Menu screen,
select the program you wish to use.
8. (Figure 45 #2, #12) To use variable power, the program must have
Pulse Scaling set to L. To enable variable power, select the Vari-
able Power Control button on the menu screen. The power per-
centage readout next to the button will turn yellow showing it can
be edited. Either use the dial to modify the power scale, or tap the
readout and enter a power using the pop-up window. This is only
enabled for a short time, so be sure to check it during operation.
9. (Figure 45 #7, #8) To fire the laser, press the LASER ON button.
The indicator light will turn yellow. If the beam has not been aimed
down the fiber, the laser will fire into the beam dump within the
source. The Fiber Select button can be selected while the beam is
firing.

47
10. (Figure 45 #7, #8) Press the LASER ON button again to stop
firing the laser. The indicator light will turn off when beam is turned
off.

48
8 NView Basics
This section covers the basic navigation and most used commands in the
NView software. More detailed information and instructions can be found
within the NView help.
There are 4 pages in NView that are used regularly. These are:

• Home Page (Figure 47) Used for navigation and resetting the work-
station.
• Run Page (Figure 48) Used to control and execute a program.
• Manual Page (Figure 50) Used to manually move the x, y, and z axes.
• File Page (Figure 51) Used to load, modify, and initialize a program.

8.1 Home Page

The Home Page is often used only for navigating between various screens.
The two options panels shown change depending on the screen active.

Figure 47: NView Home Page.

49
 This screen is often used only for navigating between various screens.
The two options panels shown change depending on the screen active.

A. F2 options menu
B. F7 options menu

8.2 Run Page

The Run Page is used to execute coded programs.

Figure 48: NView Run Page.

1. The F2 Cycle Start button runs the active program. Once pressed
to execute a program, this button changes to a stop button. If the
stop button is pressed, the current active command in the program
will finish execution and then the program will stop.
2. The F3 Feedhold button stops table motion at it’s current location.
Press once to stop motion and the button will change to a Release
button. Press this to release and continue table motion. If the laser
is on, it will remain on during feedhold.

50
 3. The F4 Abort button aborts the current program during exection.
Table motion is stopped and the laser is turned off. This button
is the primary way to stop a program if an issue occurs!
If something is going wrong, PRESS THIS FIRST!!. Once
pressed, this button is replaced by a Reset button that resets the
corrent program to the first line of code.
4. The F5 Fault Acknowledge button is present on most screens and
clears faults if they are present and clearable. If a fault occurs and
this button does not clear the fault, seek help from a trained lab
technician.
5. The F6 File button navigates to the File Page.
6. The F7 Window List button pops up a list from which windows
can be easily selected and navigated to.
7. The F10 Retrace button selects the program motion. When se-
lected the G-code will be executed in reverse order and the button
will change to read Forward.
8. The F11 <Step Mode> button, when selected, executes the G-
code one line at a time. The F2 Cycle Start button is pressed after
each code execution. This button text changes to read sflksjdflkjsdf
upon clicking.
9. The F12 and F̂12 buttons navigate the F7 options menu to the
previous and next screens respectively. The ˆ denotes the need to
press the shift key along with the hotkey designation.
10. The Active Program window shows the program active on the se-
lected task. The tabs of the left of this window allow navigation
between the various tasks. During a live run of a program, the Mes-
sage Tab (Msg) is shown automatically to allow monitoring.

51
Figure 49: Additional F7 options menus available by navigating with the F12 and
F̂12 buttons.

1. The F7 and F̂7 buttons control system monitoring. The F̂7 Run-
ning button should always be blinking cyan.
2. The F8 and F̂8 Clamp Control buttons control the left and right
pneumatic clamps on the cutting box. Their color indicates whether
the clamp is active or not, and switches between red for inactive and
green for active. The clamps are automatically activated when the
F2 Cycle Start button is pressed for a cutting program if they have
not been manually activated.
3. The F10 System OK button is an interlock button that automat-
ically turns on (the button color will turn green) during NView pro-
gram exectution if the system is in working order. It needs to be
manually selected for welding using the VLM software.
4. The F̂10 Dryrun Mode button enables the Dryrun Mode for NView
programs. The button color will turn yellow when Dryrun Mode is
active.
5. The F7 and F̂7 Assist Gas buttons control the flow of the two
available assist gasses. The button color will turn yellow when active.
6. The F9 Shield Gas is ___ button indicates and controls the
status of the shielding gas. Button color will turn to yellow and the
text will change to read Shield Gas is On when gas is flowing.

52
 7. The F10 Cross Jet is ___ button indicates and controls the
status of the galvo head cross jet air flow. Button color will turn to
yellow and the text will change to read Cross Jet is On when air
is flowing.
8. The F11 FIBER SELECT button controls the laser source beam
switch and automatically activates during the execution of an NView.
This button mst be manually selected for welding using the VLM
software. When the fiber is selected, the button color will turn to
yellow.
9. The F̂11 HeNe LASER button controls the red Helium Neon aim-
ing and alignment laser. The button color will turn to yellow when
the HeNe laser is turned on.

8.3 Manual Page

The Manual Page is used to manually move the three axes available on
this Rofin at the MBI. The A-axis shown is reserved for rotation control
if a rotation motion controller is ever installed in the system. While the
button is available to be selected, the F2 Cycle Start button is inactive
on this page.

53
 Figure 50: NView Manual Page.

1. Axes indicator buttons. These three buttons display whether the

axes is active or not by changing to green when the axes is active.
To initialize(activate) a axes, press the corresponding button for that
axis.
2. Position Command readout. This area shows the specified loca-
tion the axes has been told to move to.
3. Actual Position Readout. This area shows the actual position of
the three axes. If the actual and command readouts do not match,
a fault will occur. re-activate the axes and clear the fault.
4. Velocity Readout. This area shows the current average axes mo-
tion velocity.
5. Axes Motion Control Arrows. These sets of arrows (for x-y and
z-a motion) control the axes motion for the two available directions
for each axes. The keyboard arrow keys control these buttons for
the active axes pair. NOTE: Pressing an arrow for the A axes
will result in a fault.

54
 6. Axis Pair Selection. The center button within the arrow keys
selects that axis pair for motion. These buttons are used to select
the axis pair to be controlled by the keyboard arrows. Pressing a
motion control button will automatically select that axis pair. The
selected axis pair can also be changed using the F7 Select Axes
Pair (13) button.
7. Axes Home Buttons. These buttons home the specific axes as
desired. IF HOMING MULTIPLE AXES, ALWAYS HOME
THE Z-AXES FIRST TO PREVENT POTENTIAL OP-
TICS HEAD IMPACTS!!
8. Distance Control and Jog Type. These input boxes are used to
control the motion distances for Distancehold and Distance jog
type motion. Enter any number, or use the arrows to change the posi-
tion of the decimal point in the number already present. To cycle the
jog type between the three options (Free Run, Distance(hold),
or Distance), either double click the yellow Jog Type button or
select the F̂7 Select Jog Type (13) button.
9. Axes Velocity Control. Control the velocity of axes motion by
entering in a value or selecting from the Low Speed (L), Medium
Speed(M) or High Speed(H) buttons.
10. G-Code Active Display. This display shows any active G-code
commands that are currently attempting to control axes motion.
11. FAULT Indicator. This box will be red and read FAULT if a fault
in the system is present. Once the fault is cleared, this indicator will
be blank.
12. <MDI Mode>. This button enables MDI mode and allows the
user to use G-code commands to control axes motion.
13. F7 and F̂7 These two buttons are additional ways to select the axis
pair or change the jog type.
14. F8 and F̂8 Key Pad Options. These two buttons switch between
horizontal and vertical motion for the keyboard arrow keys.
15. F9 and F̂9 Axis Select Options. These two buttons control which
axis of the axis pair are active.

55
16. F10 and F̂10 Distance Times 10. These buttons increase the
travel distance by a factor of 10 for the selected axis (horizontal or
vertial).
17. F11 and F̂11 Distance Divided by 10. These buttons decrease
the travel distance by a factor of 10 for the selected axis (horizontal
or vertial).
18. F12 and F̂12 Speed Select. These buttons cycle through the low,
medium, and high speeds for the selected axis.
19. F5 Fault Acknowledge. This button acknowledges and attempts
to reset a fault when encountered.

8.4 File Page

The File Page is used to load, modify, and "run" a motion and laser
control program. Use the NView Help program to review the specific
commands used in a cutting or fixed welding program.

Figure 51: NView File Page.

1. The Program Display Window shows the active program. Ex-

ecutable commands are blue, command options are magenta, and
comments are green.

56
 2. The Message Display shows any messages that occur while working
on the File Page.
3. The F2 <File Menu> button changes the F7 Options Menu to a
list of options to modify the file. The only button that changes is the
F10 Error Check button, which becomes F10 Save As. Once this
button is selected, it will be replaced with a button labeled <Run
Menu>, which when selected will display the menu options shown
in the figure above.
4. The F3 <Edit Menu> button changes the F7 Options Menu to
a list of options to help simplify modifications to the program code.
Options like Copy and Paste are available in this menu. Once this
button is selected, it will be replaced with a button labeled <Run
Menu>, which when selected will display the menu options shown
in the figure above.
5. The F4 <Find Menu> button changes the F7 Options Menu
to a list of options to help simplify modifications to the program
code. Options like Find and Replace are available in this menu.
Once this button is selected, it will be replaced with a button labeled
<Run Menu>, which when selected will display the menu options
shown in the figure above.
6. The F7 New button will open a blank program.
7. The F8 Open button will open a selection window to load a saved
program.
8. The F9 Save button saves the current program.
9. The F10 Error Check button compiles the active program and dis-
plays any errors or warnings in the Message Display Window(2).
10. The F11 Run button loads the current program into task 2 and
navigates to the Run Page to allow the program to be executed.

8.5 Workstation Reset Procedure

Sometimes to properly fix a fault or motion issue, or when the operating
mode is to be changed, the motion controller needs to be reset. Follow
these simple steps to reset the motion controller.

1. Navigate to the Home Page

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2. (Figure 52) Select the F7 Setup button to navigate to the setup
Page.

Figure 52: The NView Setup Page.

3. (Figure 52) Press the F2 Reset button. When the system has been
reset, a status window in the middle of this screen will read Reset
OK.
4. Navigate to the Run Page and select your operating mode according
to the steps outlined in the start-up procedure in Section 3.

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9 Visual Laser Marker Basics
This section covers the basic navigation and properties of the Visual Laser
Marker (VLM) software. Detailed information on the software package
can be found in the VLM User Manual, located on the desktop of the
Rofin computer. The VLM User Manual is very detailed and should be
able to answer any questions that arise during use.

9.1 VLM Basic Use

Figure 53 provides an overview of the VLM user interface. The software
is essentially a CAD package that allows individual elements to be drawn
and assigned individual laser parameters, or .dxf files can be imported
and assigned laser parameters for the entire .dxf file.

Figure 53: VLM User Interface Basics. Descriptions of the numbered elements are in
the following list.

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1. Program Execution Toolbar. Buttons from left to right:

• Initialize Hardware
• Execute program
• Cancel execution
• asdlkjasdflk
• disconnect hardware

2. View Toolbar. Buttons from left to right:

• Zoom Full
• Zoom to Marking Area
• Zoom In
• Zoom Out

3. Drawing elements and element control options. Top buttons

allow automatic or manual selection of the element execution order.
Various drawing elements are lines, splines, circles, rectangles, text.
Barcodes and QR codes can also be marked.
4. Element location control. Buttons from left to right:

• Reference Location (click repeatedly to select)

• X-position. 60[mm] is center of drawing.
• Y-position. 60[mm] is center of drawing.
• Element width.
• Element height.
• Element rotation angle.

5. Laser parameter controls. These options are active when the

selected drawing element has the laser type set to Individual LP
Set and control program number, power, speed, frequency, and scale.
6. Reference Location. A black dot on one of the green alignment
marks shows active reference location.
7. Line element.

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9.2 VLM Drawing Element Properties
Figure 54 shows 5 useful properties tabs that are accessed by double-
clicking on an element. These 5 tabs are the most used tabs. For details on
additional tabs and options, refer to the VLM User Manual. Some tabs,
for example text properties, are only available for the relevant element
type.

Figure 54: 5 useful properties pages for a drawing element. Access these properties
by double-clicking on the drawing element you wish to change to properties of.

1. Points Properties Tab. This Tab is one method to control the

61
 size and location of an element.
2. Position Properties Tab. This tab is an additional method to
control the size and location of an element.
3. LP Type Tab. This tab is how a user selects the laser parameter
control method. Either laser parameters can be assigned from a
Global Table which has been built into the software by past users,
a Local Table which is a table of parameters set up by a user for
a specific drawing, or Individual LP Set which allows a user to
set laser parameters for each element individually. Global tables are
accessible in any drawing and are used for things like steel marking
or Nickel Superalloy welding of a specific thickness type. Local tables
are built within a drawing and are useful for complex drawings.
4. Laser Properties Tab. This tab is available when the Laser Pro-
gram Type is set to Individual LP Type and controls the basic
laser parameters. An important note is laser program number 8 is
the one reserved for VLM control. always use program number
8. Line width is not controlled by VLM and is a function of focus,
speed, and power. The Use Power Ramp check box enables a
power ramp for that given element and a new properties tab, Power
RamP will show up.
5. Power Ramp Tab. This tab controls the power ramp profile of the
laser beam when fired. To activate power ramp, select the check box
for power ramp on the Laser Properties Tab.

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10 Rofin Specific SmartCAM Instruc-
tions
Many CNC (computer numeric control) tools use G-code, a set of text
commands, to describe the sequence of movements necessary to fabricate
a part. This document provides step-by-step instructions to generate G-
code for the ROFIN starting with a SolidWorks part.

10.1 File Setup

In order to import a SolidWorks part into SmartCAMv15 the file should
be a 2D drawing in .dxf format with dimensions in millimeters. To do
this, follow these steps:
1. Open the desired part file in SolidWorks
2. Ensure the desired view is displayed (Top, Right, Front,. . . ).
3. Select “File” then “Make Drawing from Part”
4. In the “Sheet Format/Size” dialog box, uncheck “Display sheet for-
mat” and click “OK”
5. Left click “Model View” in the “View Layout” tab near the top left
corner.
6. Verify that the desired document is highlighted in the “Part/Assembly
to Insert” box of the “Model View” panel.
7. Left click the “next” arrow in the top right of the “Model View” panel.
8. Ensure that a “1:1” scale is selected in the “Scale” box of the “Model
View” panel.
9. Hover the mouse over the sheet in the center of the window and
left click to place the drawing onto the sheet. Hit “escape” on the
keyboard to exit “Model View”. If the drawing is not the desired
view, complete the following steps:
(a) Hover the mouse over the drawing to make the dashed perimeter
visible.
(b) Left click on the perimeter.

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 (c) Select the desired orientation from “Orientation” box of the “Draw-
ing View9” panel.
(d) Left click on the sheet to accept the changes.
10. Save the drawing in the .dxf format by selecting “File” then “Save
As”, choosing “Dxf” from the drop down “Save as type:” menu and
clicking “Save”.
11. Close the SolidWorks. Click “No” when prompted to save changes
to the drawing unless you also want to save a .dwg file type of the
drawing.

10.2 Importing the File into SmartCAM Advanced

Fabrication v19
Once the SolidWorks file is in the .dxf format it can be imported into
SmartCAM Advanced Fabrication v19.
1. Open the Advanced Fabrication v15 application. If you cannot locate
the shortcut using the “Start” button try the following path “C:
Program Files (x86)
SmartCAM
SmartCAMv15
SYSTEM
afab.exe”
2. Go to the “File” menu and select “Import”.
3. In the “Import” dialog box specify the file location in the “From File”
text box. You can also browse to find a file location by left clicking
“File Select. . . ” Be sure to specify the file type as “DXF” in the “File
Type” field.
4. Left click “Accept” to import the dxf.
5. Go to “View” menu and select “Full” to find your imported drawing.

10.3 Saving a .pm5 File in SmartCAMv19

The .pm5 file you are creating is a type unique to SmartCAMv15. It is
the repository for the information needed to write the final G-code text
file. Save the file as a .pm5 by selecting the “File” menu and “Save As”.
Specify the desired file name and location.

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10.4 Creating a Tool Path
Before a tool path can be created a job file (.jof) must be loaded.
1. From the top of the Advanced Fabrication window, select “File” then
“Load Job File”. Select “v15.jof” found in the ”C:
SmartCam Files” directory.
2. Ensure that all the features you wish to be cut by the tool are se-
lected. You can do this by clicking on the “+ +” button on the group
toolbar.
3. Go to “Edit” menu, “Property Chg” and select “Toolpath”. On the
far right of the Advanced Fabrication window near the middle, select
the “6:Lsr Cut” tool from the “STEPS” list on the far right. The
other cutting tools listed are for other pieces of equipment.
4. Left click “Accept” in the “Toolpath Property Change” dialog box.
5. Save your .pm5 file.

10.5 Deleting Elements

You might not wish to cut all the elements in your drawing. They should
be deleted.
1. Select “Geo Edit” in the right panel and “Delete” from the list of
toolbox options that appears below.
2. Left click on or near an element. The element will disappear from
view. The “ELEMENTS” list on the far right will be updated to
show its removal. There is an “undo” button near the middle of the
main toolbar. It is a blue arrow curving to the left. It can only be
used to undo a single step.
3. Save your .pm5 file when done editing.

10.6 Changing the Cutting Order

To specify the sequence in which the laser cuts the elements of your part,
you must change the cutting order. The outside of the part should be cut
last to ensure the part does not shift during the cutting process.
To simplify the code generating process the internal flow path line
elements can also be chained together. This orients all tool directions for
radial moves to create a continuous line. This is done by:

65
 1. Select “Order Path” from the right panel, and “Chain” from the list
of toolbox options that appears below.
2. Left click the “ - - ” button on the group bar to deselect all elements.
Deselected elements are drawn with solid lines.
3. Left click the pointer icon in upper left of the Group toolbar. Now
select all the line and radial elements that need to be chained to-
gether. This would be all the lines that make up the flow channel.
Check the circle for “chain” in the open dialogue box and click “group
chain”
To change the cut order once this chain has been created:
4. Select “Order Path” from the right panel, and “Seq Move” from the
list of toolbox options that appears below.
5. Left click the “ - - ” button on the group bar to deselect all elements.
Deselected elements are drawn with solid lines.
6. Left click the pointer icon in upper left of the Group toolbar. Click
on individual elements in the order you wish them to be cut. You
can also left click and drag to select a group of features. After all
elements are selected in the order in which you want them to be cut,
select the “By Group Selection Sequence” in the open dialog box at
the bottom of the screen. Left click “Go”. The “ELEMENTS” now
shows the updated sequence.
7. Save your .pm5 file.

10.7 Creating the G-Code

The G-code can now be written. This will result in a text file containing
line-by-line instructions describing the toolpath for your part for written
specifically for the ROFIN.
1. Select the “Process” menu and “Code”.
2. In the “Code” dialog box, left click “File Select” to open the “Save
As” dialog box. Enter the name the G-code file to be written and
select the directory it is to be saved in. Left click “Save” to exit the
‘Save As” dialog box.

66
 3. Select “Choose” to open “Job Information” dialog box. With the
“Machine File” text box highlighted, select “File Select”. Double click
on “Rofin.smf”. With the “Template File” text box highlighted, select
“File Select”. Double click on “Rofin.cgt”. The “Machine File” and
“Template File” text boxes should now be updated. Click “Accept”
to close the “Job Information” dialog box.
4. In the “Code” dialog box, set the “Speed” to 9, “Show Tool” to “Draw
End”. Also ensure the “Code =” is checked and the “Show Path” is
unchecked. Each of these options serves to minimize the time it takes
to write the code.
5. Click “Start” to start writing the G-code. The code is actively dis-
played to the right of “Code =”. When the coding is done, the dis-
played code will no longer change and the “Start” button will no
longer be grayed out.
6. Save your .pm5 file.

10.8 Viewing and Editing the G-Code

The G-code can now be viewed and edited using a text editor such as
Notepad. Editing is not required but it does offer the user greater process
control.
1. Right click on the Windows “Start” button and left click on “Explore”.
Navigate to where you saved your G-code. Your G-code file will not
have a specific file extension such as “.txt”, “.pm5”, or “.jof”.
2. Double click on the file name and left click “Open” in the “Open File”
dialog box.
3. Double click on “Notepad” in the “Open With” dialog box.
4. Your G-code should now be displayed. Below are the definitions of
the characters you see.
(a) FARCALL $STRGLOB0 "LASERON" : Rofin specific com-
mand to fire laser
(b) FARCALL $STRGLOB0 "LASEROFF" : Rofin specific com-
mand to turn off laser

67
The Rofin does not start from a reference point in the drawing, so aligning
the part within the Rofin system and selecting a starting location in the
drawing is important.

10.9 Transferring the G-Code to the Rofin

The Rofin is connected to the OSU wireless internet connection so there
are a variety of ways to transfer files to the system. If you have a folder on
the MBI Root drive, you can access this folder on the Rofin. Otherwise,
e-mail or USB thumb drives work as well. To use a thumb drive, install it
in one of the front USB ports on the computer. The computer is located
inside the lower-right cabinet on the Rofin workstation. The right USB
port is for users.
DO NOT REMOVE THE DONGLE IN THE LEFT USB
PORT AS THIS DONGLE IS REQUIRED FOR PROPER TOOL
OPERATION!!

11 Program Templates
This section provides detail corresponding to the various sections and
callouts within the cutting and fixed mode welding templates.

11.1 Cutting Template

This section covers detail on the cutting program template.

11.2 Fixed Mode Welding Template

This section covers detail on the fixed mode welding program template.

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69