Warning

MillMage is in active development and in a prerelease state. Many operations and functions are not feature complete. Please report any unexpected behavior by searching for and reporting the issue or question in the MillMage Beta User Forum. Please include screenshots and as much detail as possible.

Beta Users: Finding Help

Find help and download the latest release candidate of MillMage in the MillMage Beta User Forum.

Users new to MillMage should follow the Getting Started guide.

Warning

This documentation is in active development and in a prerelease state. These documents are not complete and may include missing pages, broken links, and placeholders. Content is being updated as feedback is reviewed. Your patience is appreciated.

Camera Installation and Focusing

The best place to mount an overhead camera is directly above the center of the bed of the laser, with the bed completely visible. The best way to accomplish this is usually to mount the camera on the inside of the lid, so the placement is correct when the lid is open.

Diagram showing ideal placement

Camera installed in a laser

Mounting tips:

  • The camera should be focused as well as possible. Most MillMage cameras are manually focused by gently twisting the lens.
  • The camera must be solidly mounted to be in exactly the same position when using it as it was when you performed the alignment process. If you mount it to the lid of your laser, make sure the lid opens to the same place every time. You can use a cord or rod to ensure the lid is always at the same position when opened.
  • If your camera is in a mount, make sure it doesn't move within the mount. A small piece of EVA foam or even tissue can hold the camera securely in the mount.
  • Mount your camera so it isn't in the path of the laser head, and run the cable so it is not in the path of the beam. Ramming the laser head into your shiny new camera is a great way to increase your blood pressure.
  • Focus the camera so as much of the bed is in focus as possible. Some cameras, like the 5mp-60, have a narrow focus depth, and if mounted high, can be tricky to focus. If this happens, focus on a circle that is roughly halfway from the center of the bed to the edge of the image, like this:

focus area

If you can't get the entire area in focus, try to focus approximately where the green circle is

Warning

The camera system depends on the camera being in the same position relative to the work area of your laser and the same distance from the top of the material. If your laser uses a variable focus distance instead of a variable height work table, you will need to align for the material height you are using.

Info

Cameras used with MillMage should plug in to your computer as directly as possible. An active USB 2.0 amplifier to extend the distance may work, but is not guaranteed. Do not connect your USB camera to any USB port on your laser. USB 2.0 has a native max length of approximately 16 feet. (5 meters).

Info

To use MillMage's camera functionality, you must use Absolute Coords mode, so MillMage can accurately position the work. If you use an older Trocen controller, they do not allow setting this mode from software, so you must change the working mode through the controller menu.

For more help using MillMage, please visit our forum to talk with MillMage staff and users, or email support.