Rotary engraving with fiber or CO₂¶
Rotary engraving replaces one flat drawing axis with surface travel around the part. The two common failures—stretched artwork and a visible seam—are coordinate/setup problems before they are laser-setting problems.
1. Identify the surface¶
Measure diameter at several positions in the engraving band and note taper or ovality. Determine circumference from the measured diameter for a truly round section. Locate seams, logos, handles, holes, chuck marks, and the intended visual center.
Confirm the material/coating is safe and appropriate for the selected source. Do not engrave an unknown polymer or coating. Use extraction and fire controls for the actual material.
2. Chuck and support¶
With energy isolated, grip a suitable non-finished area using the intended jaws/fixture. Support long stock without overconstraining it. Rotate by hand to check runout and head/chuck/support clearance. Remove all keys and tools.
3. Configure the rotary mapping¶
Back up flat-bed parameters, select the correct rotary unit/configuration, and enter verified diameter/lead/gear information. Jog slowly. A positive drawing movement should rotate in the expected surface direction; reverse only through the supported parameter/mapping method, never by randomly swapping energized wiring.
Use a simple narrow reference mark or no-output position test to prove that a commanded circumference returns to the same angular location. Correct geometry before importing complex artwork.
4. Prepare artwork and layers¶
Size the circumferential dimension to the intended arc length, not an unverified screen preview. Place the seam in a low-visibility region and avoid artwork ending exactly at both sides of a full wrap until overlap/gap behavior has been tested. Convert fonts/unsupported objects through the normal file-preparation path.
Set engraving/fill strategy for the chosen fiber or CO₂ source and actual surface. Use a small patch to assess contrast, depth, heat, coating removal, and distortion.
5. Simulate and test¶
Simulate the whole job, then rotate/frame it with emission disabled while watching the bundle and all clearances. Run a small alignment/scale test in a hidden area. Measure the result axially and circumferentially before the production engraving.
If the artwork is stretched only around the part, recheck diameter, circumference, lead, gear ratio, slip, and rotary mapping. If both directions are wrong, first check file units/import scale. Finish by following the restore checklist.