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Then you'd be an independent contractor again, lol! I understand what you're saying though.

A) Training, training, and having good role models. B) Lean Manufacturing. 5S will bring organization to the shop and sustain it. Kanban will help you not overspend on supplies/tools. Check out a membership at Gemba Academy for training on Lean. Well worth the subscription...

Love these guys!

Have a link to share on which cam you bought?

From OptiSCout this morning: "Dear Lee, thanks for your request, unfortunately there is no time estimation / calculation for this machine. The only thing we can offer is alog showing the job times after running the job, but I know that this is not what you are looking for." BOO.

I guess I see what a frustrating topic this is for me. I forgot that I created this similar thread, when I posted a new topic about it yesterday. I feel bad when I am the holdup on the estimator getting pricing because we don't have a great method for estimating flatbed cutting.. So I will...

Now I see how frustrating a topic this is for me. I forgot that I started a similar thread just last month. I feel bad that I am at times the hold up for our estimator getting pricing because we don't have a good system for estimating flatbed cutting. We can't dry run every potential scenario...

I have done that in the past but it’s not a reliable system because I have to interrupt any work that’s already going on on the machine. Also in most cases I don’t have the die line already for the cut file already but I may know the size.

As a hobby I 3D print, and some slicer software estimates are within a couple minutes and others are off by more than an hour with their time estimates. With our flatbed cutter/router, I have been guesstimating, and sometimes it's reasonable, while sometimes a certain step takes longer than we...

Our estimator regularly asks me for time estimates on CNC / flatbed cutter work. I have a speeds and feeds chart from Colex. This isn't very helpful to consider time to move from piece to piece in the layout, slowing down for rounded edges, etc. As an example: "Name Card 4.25” x 6” Quantity...

Big shoutout and kudos to Boudica for running our image through Gigapixel to yield a file that wasn't enormous, yet had the output quality that wowed our client. Members helping members!

It went up today and everyone was pleased! Just under 20’ wide by 10’ tall and Gigapixel made it look amazing, starting from a 4mb file. Thanks for the input everyone!

The client wanted to choose from their own collection of images. Gigapixel was the solution for our problem. The image is printed at 240”x120” and trimmed out to 5 panels. The client will be pleased at the results.

Any shopping tips you could share? I'd like to be able to cut 1/2" acrylic in one pass. You've also shown that the same laser will engrave a business card quite well.

Even more important, then, to spend your money wisely. This isn’t the move to make. Based on the feedback here, you should politely the decline the offer to purchase. Parts -will- come due to be replaced and the machine isn’t profitable enough to pay for itself as it ages.

Great questions and tips. This piece has rounded corners, so I have a bit of gutter between the pieces, rather that shared walls, which we do use on square cuts lines you mentioned. Colex does not come with a time estimating function. I believe it’s extra cost, so I need to check into that...

We have the 3hp router and acrylic edges on1/4" look clean but we do 2-passes and use media intended for CNC. In some instances we will do as you suggest: Run the tool an inch above the table and see what the time is. In this case, I have about 5 scenarios with varying size and media that I...

Sanity check, please. I’m estimating a 40mil styrene job, 4”x24” for 90 pieces, let’s say. I can fit 33up on a 48”x96” sheet. I don’t want to over produce, so let’s say 30 pieces per sheet I will cut out of 3 sheets. Thats 58” per piece so a total of 1,740 inches per sheet. Does my speeds and...

It’s not a steal knowing the eventual parts replacement costs. Remember, that $10k buys the pros -and- the cons.

Also, we lost jobs because of our slower turn times due to this machine. It is not speedy.