Vision Engraving & Routing Blog

Is your cutter not correctly penetrating your engraving material? This could be caused by a few different problems. Try these tips to correct the problem:

1. Make sure your proximity sensor is ON.
2. Make sure the cutter is screwed in securely. But, not too tight!
3. Carefully feel to see if the cutter is exposed.
4. If you are using a chip vacuum, make sure the nosecone is screwed in all the way.
5. When engraving, make sure the vacuum hose isn’t getting caught on something. This can cause the nosecone to lift and not touch the surface.
6. If you are using a metal nosecone, check that the center piece is properly sealed in the spindle. To do this, remove the cutter, loosen the nosecone ring at the bottom of the spindle and hold the micrometer so it does not move with the nosecone ring. Wiggle the center part of the nosecone while gently pushing it up. You should feel it set into place. With your finger sill on the nosecone, screw it the rest of the way up, with a snug fit.
7. If all of the above does not work… Turn off the Proximity Sensor and set the surface manually.

If none of these tips work, feel free to call Vision’s Tech Support Department. They can help you adjust your proximity sensor.

The proximity restart feature works is any Vision machine that uses a Series 3 controller (including the pendant). It is used to re-engrave a job starting from a position other than the beginning of the job. This is very useful if a job has been completed but part of the job did not engrave completely.

To Use the proximity restart feature:

1. Press the START button on the controller. This will re-send the previously engraved job to the machine. The LCD will show:
2. Press START to Go
   • EXIT to Abort
   • Z-Up to Prox-Restart
3. Press the Z-Up jog arrow. Use the X and Y job keys to move the cutter out near the position that you would like to start engraving. You can use the Z-Down arrow to move the spindle closer to the material so you can be more precise in finding the location.
4. When the spindle is near the location you would like to start engraving from, press the START button. The controller will find the point in the job that is closest to the current spindle location. The LCD screen will say Restart Here? Press the START button, and the machine will start engraving from that position.

Burnishing is an engraving technique that produces distinctive, highly visible results on metal, particularly color coated metal. Burnishing removes the top layer, or color coating, exposing the bare metal. The best results are obtained by using very light spindle pressure, preferably with an EZ-Rider or Featherweight burnishing adapter.

Choosing the Right Burnishing Tools:

• Diamond & Carbide Burnishing Cutters
  • There are two types of burnishing cutters (also known as burnishers). One has a faceted shaped, carbide tip and the other has a diamond tip (these are referred to as diamond burnishers or rotating diamonds). Diamond burnishers last longer and produce a smoother cut than carbide burnishers.
• Burnishing Adapters
  • When burnishing, you should use a very light touch. An adapter helps achieve this by using an adjustable spring mechanism to relieve excess downward pressure from the spindle. This allows the cutter to glide over the engraving surface without cutting too deeply. This is particularly important when engraving soft metals.

Burnishing vs. Diamond Drag:

This one you will have to experiment with, since much of the decision is mostly a matter of personal taste and preference. However, we typically recommend diamond drag for bare or uncolored metals such as brass, gold and silver. When working with coated or colored metals, glass, acrylic, or varnished wood a diamond burnisher is the way to go. Burnishing adds a beautiful smooth look to your work.