Use the Epilog Laser with Qcad and Inkscape for vector cut

It seems that it just works with Inkscape 0.92!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I had the chance to win an Epilog Laser Zing 16 30 Watt. To use the Zing, the best way is Corel Draw and for cad AutoCAD, which are expensive software titles.

I thought it must go cheaper.

I own Qcad, but the evaluation copy is enough. FreeCad and Doublecad should work too. Each Soft that creates a dxf file should be fine.

What you need is Inkscape. It’s an open source Corel Draw like software.

Step 1

Open Qcad. Go to Edit –> Drawing Preferences and set the size of your workpiece.

Step 2

It’s important to use Layers. I use one layer with the color red for the interior cutouts, like holes and one layer in blue for the outer cutouts. You can use as many layers and colors as you want.

Then save your dxf file.

Step 3

Open Incscape. Go to File–>Document Properities and set the size of your workpiece

Step 4

Go to File–>Import and choose your file. Klick Ok on the dialog Box. Then move it to your working surface.

Step 5

Select all with “ctrl A” an go to the right Window Fill and Stroke. If it is not there go to Object–>Fill and Stroke.

Klick on the tab “Stroke style” and select a width of 0.001 inch. Your sketch will now look like this.

Step 6

Now we have to send it to the Zing. Go to Extentions–>Export–>Win32 Vector Print.

The printer settings will now open (the Epilog has to be the default printer)

Check if the Piece Size is correct. Set your Engraving Start point. I use normaly Center-Center

Klick on Color Mapping and set the red and blue color on Vector and set the cutting parameter of the marerial you want to cut. Place the red color before the blue color so the job will perform first the red job and then the blue job.