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« on: August 14, 2010, 09:19:32 AM »
Dave,
That's exactly the way the parts come off my machine - there is no refinishing or flame polishing. (I have had a lot of practice now and if you look back a few posts you will see that some of my earlier attempts with acrylic were rubbish).
In a way this is the reason for my question regarding these striations.
Many (perhaps all, for all I know) of the commercial laser machines are operated via a 'machine manufacturers Printer Driver' with acts as the post processor from the design software, typically 'Corel Draw'. Now there is some doubts about the way in which these printer drivers handle arcs and the maximum resolution they will allow to pass through because, it seems, that those I am in contact with who have a GCC laser are unable to produce a curved surface in acrylic without the striations. I have carried out a lot of research on this now and it is perhaps obvious from what I have made that a dedicated cutting software, such as Mach, way out performs these Printer Drivers - at least as far as cutting acrylic is concerned.
I know how to cut stuff with the striations and I know how to cut stuff without the striations - what I didn't know, until now, is what caused the striations.
You have all been most helpful here and as a result I think there is probably no solution for the GCC owners as long as they continue to use a printer driver and unfortunately their machines would not support Mach without some modification. There is one US business who is offering a Mach compatible addition but it is still doubtful if it will offer any improvement on the resolution of arcs issue.
Waffled on a bit but hope this is of interest.
Tweakie.
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