Acrylic Jig

Custom jigs are very useful when cutting and/or engraving large workpiece quantities. Used in tandem JobControl®'s ability to save and reuse templates, you can quickly and accurately process identical jobs in just a few mouse clicks.

Preparation

Materials

Two sheets of TroGlass Color Gloss (1/8") that are large enough to cover your laser's work area; one sheet having an adhesive backing

NOTE: You can use any material to produce this jig.

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Trotec Laser and Accessories

NOTE: You can use any laser system from the Speedy series for this application.

Tip

To ensure that your measurements are as precise as possible, we suggest using a caliper to measure the workpieces for which you are creating the jig.

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Step by step

Step 1

Step 1: Import the Jig Design into JobControl®

Create your own jig design or use our template for data plates (below). Send the file to JobControl® using the recommended Print settings below.

NOTE: The parameters might vary depending on your specific laser system and its wattage.

Print Settings

Process mode	Resolution	Cut line
Standard	500dpi	None

Halftone	Others
Color	None

Step 2

Step 2: Prepare the Materials and Adjust the Processing Settings in JobControl®

Make sure to use the appropriate processing parameters to process the materials you will use to create your jig. The settings specified below were used to cut 1/8" TroGlass Color Gloss.

The following factors are also key to obtaining the best results:

Use the correct lens
Choose the right nozzle
Select an appropriate work table
Activate your exhaust system
Cover any remaining space on your laser's work area (e.g., with printing paper) to maximize the exhaust system's suction force on your materials (this trick prevents the sheets from shifting when being processed)

Material Settings

Color	Process	Power (%)	Speed (%)	ppi/Hz
Red	Cut	90	0.40	5000

Passes	Air Assist	Z-Offset	Advanced
1	ON	-	-

Tip

We used the standard TroGlass processing parameters from Trotec's JobControl® database.

Download Laser Parameters

Step 3

Step 3: Stick the Processed Sheets Together

Remove the sticker from the sheet with the adhesive backing. Then affix this sheet (i.e., the "top" layer) on top of the other processed sheet (i.e. the "bottom" layer) to complete the jig.

You may use glue if you are using a "top layer" material without an adhesive backing.

Important!

Ensure to correctly position the top layer on the bottom layer. Depending on the strength of the adhesive, it may not be possible to adjust the the top layer's placement if an error is made.