Laser course: learning to use an xTool machine

What a laser course is and when it is needed

A laser course is training that teaches how to use a laser machine safely, prepare files and choose the right settings for each material. It is needed straight after purchase, to get started without wasting material; by those who already use a machine but get inconsistent results; by companies handing the laser over to new operators; by those who want to learn before choosing a machine. The COOLASER laser course is not a scheduled course: it is one-to-one, tailored consultancy and training, built around the person, their xTool machine and the jobs they need to do. It covers xTool machines only and is charged.

Laser training and courses: the topics

COOLASER laser training and courses go from the file to the finished piece, through five topics adapted to the person, the machine and the jobs to be learnt.

Machine operation

Switching on and initial checks, positioning the workpiece, focusing, cutting and engraving tests, managing a job from start to finish.

Software

Preparing vector files and images, the difference between cutting, engraving and marking in the file, power, speed and pass settings, the order of operations.

Materials

Which materials are processed with each technology, how tests are run on a sample, how to avoid burns and halos, which materials must not be processed because they release harmful fumes.

Maintenance

Cleaning the machine and the optics, periodic checks, minor problems the operator can solve and signs that call for xTool support.

Safety

Eye protection, fume extraction, fire risk with some materials, supervising the machine while it works.

Who the laser course is for

The laser course is designed for:

• those who have just bought an xTool and want to get off on the right foot;
• those who want to learn before buying, perhaps after an xTool demo;
• companies with new operators to train;
• craftspeople and professionals with an xTool who want to work with new materials.

Why learn from a workshop that works with lasers

The COOLASER laser course comes from a workshop that uses xTool machines every day for production, with four laser sources: CO₂, diode, fibre (MOPA included) and UV. Settings, material tests and mistakes to avoid are taught the way they are handled in production. After the course the same workshop remains the point of reference for technical support and service, as an xTool Authorized Service Center.

The course at a glance

The table summarises the topics, audience and organisation of the laser course.

How it works

The laser course is organised in four steps.

1. The request. The online form states the machine, if there is one already, the experience and the jobs to learn.
2. The proposal. On that basis the workshop proposes tailored training, with date and format.
3. The course. The topics are covered in order, from the file to the finished part.
4. After the course. For questions and problems, support from the xTool Authorized Service Center remains available, remotely too.

What to prepare

To organise the laser course, the following are needed:

• the model of the xTool machine, if there is one already;
• examples of the jobs to be learnt;
• the materials to be worked on;
• any files already prepared (the form accepts, among others, SVG, DXF, AI, PDF, PNG and JPG).