SWYFT Machine Owner's Manual
Safety, setup, alignment, parameters, maintenance, and troubleshooting for SWYFT CO2 laser cutters and the OMIO X8 CNC router.
Safety
Required reading before anyone operates a SWYFT machine. A CO2 laser cuts by burning: its invisible infrared beam can burn and blind, the wrong material can release toxic gas, and an unattended job is a fire risk. None of that is a reason to fear the machine — it is a reason to run it the same way every time.
Never run the laser without cooling and fume extraction
Water must be circulating through the tube and fumes must be ducted outside or through a rated filter, on every single job. Firing a dry tube cracks it in seconds, and laser smoke is harmful to breathe. If the coolant or the exhaust isn't running, the laser doesn't run.
1.1Operating rules
Keep the lid closed — the beam is invisible
CO2 laser light is infrared and cannot be seen. The enclosure blocks it, so keep the lid shut for every job and never bypass the lid interlock. If a procedure ever requires the enclosure open while the laser is armed, everyone in the room needs CO2-wavelength (10.6 µm) laser safety glasses. Ordinary safety glasses do nothing.
Never leave a running job
Stay with the machine the entire time it is cutting. Keep a CO2 or Class ABC extinguisher within reach and clear scrap off the bed between jobs. Clean optics cut cooler and cleaner, which also lowers fire risk.
Know the emergency stop
The red emergency-stop cuts laser power instantly. Find it and test it before the first cut, and show every new operator where it is. At the first sign of flame, smoke, an odd smell, or an electrical problem: hit the e-stop, then cut main power.
Electrical
Connect only to a grounded 110 V / 60 Hz outlet and avoid long extension cords. Don't run the machine during storms or on unstable power. The cabinet contains high-voltage components including the laser power supply — never open it while plugged in, and contact SWYFT support before any electrical service.
Students get checked out before running solo
New operators should get a hands-on walkthrough and demonstrate a safe start-to-finish job before running unsupervised. Keep a mentor nearby, and re-run the walkthrough — e-stop, extinguisher, ventilation — at the start of every build season.
1.2Materials that must never be processed
Never put these in the laser
PVC and vinyl break down into chlorine gas and hydrogen chloride, which turns to hydrochloric acid in your lungs and on the machine's optics and rails — it poisons the operator and corrodes the machine from the inside out. ABS gives off hydrogen cyanide. Polycarbonate (Lexan) is a quality problem rather than a poisoning one: the 10.6 µm beam under-absorbs into it so it melts and decomposes instead of vaporising, flowing back into the kerf and leaving a yellow-brown discoloured edge — thin sheet can technically be cut, but the result is bad enough that it isn't worth doing. Fiberglass, carbon fiber, and composites with unknown resin produce toxic dust and cut badly. HDPE and many thin plastics melt and catch fire. No metal of any kind can be cut. If you don't know what a material is, don't cut it.
Polycarbonate and aluminum are CNC materials, not laser materials — use the OMIO X8 router for those (Section 9). It is the operator's responsibility to understand the properties of any material before processing it; the manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet is the authority, and chrome-tanned and synthetic leathers in particular should be confirmed laser-safe before use.
1.3Before every job
- Exhaust / fume extraction is running
- Coolant is flowing and at temperature
- Material is confirmed laser-safe (no PVC, vinyl, or polycarbonate)
- Fire extinguisher is within reach
- Lens and mirrors are clean, bed is clear of scrap
- Lid is closed and the interlock works
Reference
SWYFT CO2 lasers are sealed water-cooled glass-tube machines. All three take 110 V, run an external circulating water cooler, and are driven from LightBurn. They differ in tube power, work envelope, physical size, and — importantly — which controller and bundled software they ship with, so check your model in the table below before following the software and setup sections.
2.1Specifications
| Specification | Compact 100 W | 100 W | 130 W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rated tube power | 100 W | 100 W | 130 W |
| Work area | 27.6" × 19.6" | 39.4" × 31.5" | 55.1" × 35.4" |
| Work area (mm) | 700 × 500 | 1000 × 800 | 1400 × 900 |
| Bundled software | AutoLaser | AutoLaser | RDWorks 8 (Ruida RD6445) |
| Machine size (mm) | 1160 × 875 × 600 | 1460 × 1175 × 630 | 1860 × 1320 × 940 |
| Weight | 93 kg | See listing | 400 kg |
| Power supply | 110 V ±10% / 60 Hz | 110 V ±10% / 60 Hz | 110 V ±10% / 60 Hz |
| Max engraving speed | 800 mm/s | 800 mm/s | 800 mm/s |
| Max cut depth | 0–10 mm | 0–10 mm | 0–10 mm |
| Ambient operating temp | 5–50 °C | 5–50 °C | 5–50 °C |
Figures are from each machine's product listing. Two of the three are 100 W — they differ in bed size, not tube power, so they share the cut and engrave parameters in Section 6. Note the bundled software differs: the 130 W runs a Ruida RD6445 controller with RDWorks, while both 100 W machines ship with AutoLaser. LightBurn is the recommended software on all three (Section 5). Max cut depth is a reference figure and depends entirely on material and settings. Ambient operating temperature is the room the machine sits in — not the coolant, which should be held at 18–21 °C (Section 3.2).
All three machines share the same core features: a sealed CO2 glass tube at 10.6 µm with external circulating water cooling, one-button autofocus, a red-dot pointer for positioning, front and rear pass-through doors for stock longer than the bed, twin beds (honeycomb for small or delicate parts, aluminium blade for large or heavy sheet), an electric up/down bed, and the safety chain covered in Section 1 — cover interlock, water-flow protection, and an emergency stop.
Give the tube a rest on long sessions
After 3–4 hours of continuous cutting, stop for about 30 minutes before carrying on. This is standard practice for CO2 glass tubes and it is what the manufacturer specifies for these machines — running them flat out all day is the fastest way to shorten tube life.
2.2Required auxiliary equipment
A CO2 laser is not a standalone machine. Three support systems must be running before the laser fires, every time: water cooling (a chiller or pump circulating distilled water through the tube), fume extraction (an exhaust blower ducted outdoors or to a carbon filter rated for laser fumes), and air assist (an air pump feeding the nozzle to blow smoke out of the kerf and suppress flare-ups). Losing any one of them will damage the machine, the work, or the operator.
Laser setup
From a crated machine to a first clean cut.
Set up with the machine unplugged
Never perform setup, adjustment, or maintenance with the machine connected to power. The machine is heavy and the glass laser tube is fragile — get enough people for the lift, and use care when cutting shipping banding, which springs when released. If any procedure feels unsafe or beyond your capability, stop and ask for help.
3.1Unpacking and positioning
Uncrate and remove the shipping restraints
Unpack and look inside. These ship with foam blocks and zip ties holding the gantry and laser head still — every one has to come off before you jog the machine, or you will drive the head into a restraint. Check the tube, mirrors, and lens for shipping damage while you are in there. Photograph anything cracked or loose and email support@swyftrobotics.com before powering on. Keep the packaging in case the machine ever has to move again.
Position the machine
Where it goes depends on which model you have, and the difference is large. The 130 W is a floor machine — 1860 × 1320 × 940 mm and 400 kg — so it stands on the floor on its own base; level it and lock the casters. The two 100 W machines are much smaller cabinets at roughly 600–630 mm tall (the Compact is 93 kg), and need a rigid, level stand or bench genuinely rated for that weight — not a folding table. Whichever you have, it arrives by freight on a pallet, so plan the lift and the route in before delivery day. Leave at least 12 in of clearance on every side for airflow, mirror access, and the exhaust run, keep it near your vent exit and a grounded outlet, and don't run it on an extension cord. Ambient operating range is 5–50 °C.
3.2Water cooling
Connect and fill
The cooling unit's outlet feeds the tube's inlet, and its inlet takes the tube's return — water should travel in the same direction as the beam, toward the first mirror. Fill only with distilled water; tap water scales the tube and additives can change conductivity. Secure every hose connection with a clamp.
Confirm flow before you ever fire
Run the cooling and watch water actually move through the tube, with no large trapped air bubbles — pinch and release the line to break a stubborn bubble loose. Most machines have a flow sensor that inhibits firing, but never rely on it: look at the water. Aim to keep the coolant in the 18–21 °C range.
Never let the coolant freeze
If the machine sits somewhere that drops below freezing overnight, drain the cooling system. Water expanding as it freezes will crack the laser tube, and that is not a warranty repair.
3.3Exhaust and air assist
Connect the exhaust blower and run ductwork to an outside vent or a carbon filter rated for laser fumes. Keep the run short and as straight as possible — long, kinked hose kills airflow, and poor extraction shows up as smoke staining on cut edges. Connect the air assist pump to the head and confirm air is coming out of the nozzle; air assist is what keeps flames off the work and smoke out of the kerf.
3.4Optics check and first power-on
Check the optics
Confirm the focus lens sits convex-side up in the nozzle — you should see your reflection in it — and that the three mirrors are seated in their mounts. Don't touch either surface with bare fingers.
Power on and note the home corner
Release the emergency-stop, switch on, and let the controller boot and home the head. Watch which corner it homes to — that corner is your origin and it is where jobs position from. Don't run a real job yet.
Check alignment, then clean and focus
Verify the beam through all three mirrors using the procedure in Section 4 — a machine that travelled across the country almost always needs a touch-up. Afterwards, wipe the mirrors and lens with a lens swab and 99% isopropyl alcohol. These machines have one-button autofocus on the control panel, so setting focus is normally just pressing it with the material on the bed; a focus gauge or a ramp test is the fallback if you ever want to check what autofocus is giving you.
3.5Power-up and shutdown sequence
Cooling first — always
Switch on the chiller or pump and confirm water is moving through the tube before anything else. This single step decides whether your tube lasts years or weeks.
Then exhaust and air assist
Start the extraction fan and air pump so smoke clears from the very first pulse, not after the cabinet has filled.
Then the machine
Main switch on, release the emergency-stop, then turn the laser key to ON. Let the controller boot and home before you jog or send a job.
Shut down in reverse
Let the exhaust run another minute after the job to clear the cabinet before opening the lid. Turn the laser key off, then main power — and leave the cooling running a couple more minutes so the tube isn't left sitting hot.
3.6First cut
Cut a small test grid at the starting numbers for your material from Section 6, then adjust speed, power, and passes until the edges are clean and the cut drops fully through. Save the working numbers as a LightBurn material entry so you never have to re-derive them. Watch the first pass of any new job to confirm depth before you step away — and then don't step away.
Mirror alignment
The beam bounces off three mirrors before it reaches the lens. If any one is off, the beam clips or drifts across the bed and you get weak cuts, uneven power corner to corner, or nothing at all. Check alignment at installation, after any transport, and any time cut quality changes for no obvious reason.
Set up safely before pulsing
Wear CO2-rated safety glasses (OD5+), confirm water is flowing, and set pulse power low — around 5–15%, just enough to leave a mark without igniting anything. Your machine ships with dimming paper for exactly this; masking tape over the mirror's guide hole works just as well. Adjust screws in 1/8-turn steps and re-pulse; big moves overshoot. Replace the target once marks pile up, and never put your eyes near the beam path.
4.1Precision vs. accuracy
For mirrors 1 and 2, what matters is precision: the beam must land in the same spot no matter where the gantry sits, which proves it is travelling parallel to the axis. For mirror 3 you need both precision and centring, because the beam has to pass cleanly through the focus lens and out the nozzle. The method throughout is the same — tape over a mirror's guide hole, fire one brief pulse, read the burn mark.
4.2Procedure
Mirror 1 → Mirror 2 (near/far test)
Tape mirror 2's guide hole. Jog the gantry to the rear, nearest mirror 1, and pulse; then jog to the front, farthest away, and pulse again on the same tape. The two marks must overlap. If they don't, loosen the lock nuts on mirror 1 and adjust its screws in 1/8-turn steps, re-testing until near and far land in the same place. Tighten the nuts while holding the screws still.
Mirror 2 → Mirror 3
Move the tape to mirror 3's guide hole on the head. Jog to the back-left and pulse, then back-right and pulse on the same tape — the marks must overlap. Adjust mirror 2 the same way if they don't. Replace the tape and repeat front-left and front-right to confirm it holds across the whole bed.
Centre into the head
With mirror 3 taped, the mark should sit centred in the guide hole. Adjust mirror 3's screws until it is centred both vertically and horizontally.
Mirror 3 → nozzle
Remove the tape, tape the nozzle opening, and pulse. You want one small single dot — a double mark or crescent means the beam is clipping. Lower the bed an inch and pulse again; the dot should land in the same place. Adjust mirror 3 until it is a clean single dot at every bed height, then run a corner-to-corner test cut to confirm power is even everywhere.
Software and job setup
5.1LightBurn (recommended)
LightBurn is what we recommend for every SWYFT laser and what most FTC and FRC teams run day to day. Download it from lightburnsoftware.com for Windows or macOS. There is a free trial to get started; after that it needs a paid licence, and a Ruida machine needs the tier that supports DSP controllers — check LightBurn's site for current tiers and pricing before buying.
Add your machine
Devices → Create Manually, then pick the controller that matches your machine — this differs across the range. The 130 W runs a Ruida RD6445, so choose Ruida. The two 100 W machines ship with AutoLaser rather than RDWorks, so their controller is not a Ruida; check the label on the controller board or the panel before choosing, and ask support@swyftrobotics.com if it isn't obvious. Enter the bed dimensions for your model from Section 2.1, connect over USB or Ethernet, and confirm the status bar reads Ready. Save a backup of the default settings so you can always return to a known-good state.
Import your part from CAD
Export from CAD as a DXF (AutoCAD 2013 format works well) and bring it in with File → Import. Assign layers by colour — teams usually put cuts on one colour and engraves on another.
Set speed and power per layer
In the Cuts / Layers panel, set speed and power for each colour layer, starting from the parameters in Section 6 and fine-tuning on scrap.
Frame, set origin, and run
Set focus height on the material, use Frame to trace the job outline on the work, set the origin, then press Start. Watch the first pass to confirm cut depth.
5.2The bundled software (offline backup)
Every machine ships with its manufacturer's own software on the included USB drive, and which one you get depends on the model: the 130 W comes with RDWorks 8 (Ruida's software, which opens .rd job files), while both 100 W machines come with AutoLaser. Either runs without an internet connection, which makes it a useful fallback on a machine with no network access. Most teams still prefer LightBurn for everyday work — it drives all three — but keep the bundled software installed as a backup.
Both also accept files from the tools teams already use: design in Onshape or Fusion 360 and export DXF, or work from CorelDRAW, AutoCAD, or Illustrator. Supported formats across the range include DXF, AI, SVG, BMP, and JPG. Transfer is over USB, Ethernet, or a USB stick straight into the panel.
Materials and cut parameters
Starting points for the materials teams process most on SWYFT lasers, given per machine so you are not scaling numbers in your head.
This chart is a baseline, not a guarantee
Every laser is unique. Tube age, lens condition, air pressure, alignment, focus, ambient temperature, and material batch all move the result, so it is not possible to publish a finite cut chart that is correct for every machine. Use these as a starting point, test on scrap, and save the numbers that work in your LightBurn material library. If a value here is consistently wrong for your machine, tell us and we will correct it.
Units and how the columns are derived
Speeds are millimetres per second (mm/s) — make sure your controller is not set to inch/s. Power is a percentage of rated tube power. Columns are by tube wattage, not bed size: both the Compact 100 W and the 100 W use the 100 W column. The power band is the same on either machine; only speed changes, scaling roughly with wattage. Every row assumes air assist on and focus set to the material's top surface. For reference, these machines top out at 800 mm/s engraving (the 130 W is rated 0–600 mm/s cutting), and their quoted maximum cut depth is around 10 mm — every figure below sits inside those limits.
6.1Cutting parameters
| Material (thickness) | Power | 100 W | 130 W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cast acrylic (3 mm) | 35–55% | 15–25 | 20–32 |
| Cast acrylic (6 mm) | 55–70% | 8–12 | 10–16 |
| Cast acrylic (10 mm) | 75–90% | 4–6 | 5–8 |
| Delrin / acetal — POM (3 mm) | 70–85% | 10–15 | 13–20 |
| Delrin / acetal — POM (6 mm) | 80–90% | 5–8 | 6–10 |
| Baltic birch plywood (3 mm) | 60–75% | 12–20 | 16–26 |
| Baltic birch plywood (6 mm) | 80–90% | 6–10 | 8–13 |
| MDF (3 mm) | 70–85% | 10–16 | 13–21 |
| Basswood / balsa (3 mm) | 40–55% | 20–30 | 26–39 |
| SWYFT Composite / SRPP (1.75 mm) | 50–65% | 15–25 | 20–32 |
| SWYFT Composite foam core (6 mm) | 60–75% | 8–14 | 10–18 |
| EVA foam (6 mm) | 45–60% | 15–25 | 20–32 |
| Cork (3 mm) | 45–60% | 15–25 | 20–32 |
| Veg-tan leather (2–3 mm) | 40–55% | 20–30 | 26–39 |
| Felt / natural fabric | 20–35% | 40–70 | 50–90 |
| Chipboard / corrugated card | 30–45% | 25–45 | 33–58 |
| Paper / cardstock | 15–25% | 60–100 | 78–130 |
Speeds in mm/s. Cast acrylic gives a flame-polished edge — leave the film on while cutting, then peel; extruded acrylic cuts but engraves frosty and can craze. Delrin needs noticeably more power and less speed than acrylic at the same thickness. Plywood and MDF vary by species, glue, and batch, so re-test each new sheet, cut with the grain where you can, and never process wood with a lacquered or varnished surface. Paper, card, cork, and felt are flammable — never leave the machine unattended.
Don't pin the tube at 100%
A CO2 tube runs happiest below roughly 85% of rated power, and sustained full power shortens its life sharply. If a material won't cut through at the top of its range, slow the speed down or add a second pass — don't crank power to 100%.
6.2Engraving parameters
| Material | Power | 100 W | 130 W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood — birch / basswood | 15–30% | 150–300 | 195–390 |
| Cast acrylic (frosted) | 15–25% | 200–350 | 260–450 |
| Anodized aluminum (marking) | 20–35% | 200–400 | 260–500 |
| Veg-tan leather | 15–30% | 200–350 | 260–450 |
| Slate / ceramic tile | 30–45% | 120–250 | 155–325 |
| Glass (frosting) | 25–40% | 150–250 | 195–325 |
| Coated / painted metal | 25–40% | 150–300 | 195–390 |
Speeds in mm/s, all well inside these machines' 800 mm/s engraving ceiling. Engraving removes or discolours the surface — it never cuts through. For photos and fine detail, lower the line interval (DPI) and reduce power rather than slowing to a crawl. Anodized aluminum and coated metals are marked, not cut: these machines cannot cut any metal. Glass engraves best under wet paper or a film of dish soap.
6.3Dialing in
Run a material test grid
LightBurn's built-in Material Test generator burns a grid sweeping speed against power on one small tile. Run it on an offcut, pick the square that cut clean, and read the numbers off the axes. Five minutes on scrap beats any table — including this one — because it is your exact material on your exact machine.
Cut doesn't go all the way through
Slow the speed down first, in small steps, before touching power. If it still won't drop through near the low end of the range, add a second pass rather than maxing power.
Edges are charred or flaming
Too much power, or too slow. Speed up or drop power a few points, and confirm air assist is actually flowing. Brown scorching on wood and SRPP almost always means the beam is dwelling too long.
Melted, gummy, or fused edges
The material is melting instead of vaporizing — common on foams and some plastics. Speed up and lower power so the beam passes through faster, and check focus is set to the top of the material.
Clean at one corner, weak at another
That is beam alignment, not settings. Re-check mirror alignment (Section 4) before changing speed and power any further.
Maintenance
These machines are not under a service contract, but following this schedule is in your own interest: cut quality, machine life, and operator safety all depend on it. Ten minutes a week is most of the job.
7.1Service schedule
| Interval | Clean | Check / replace |
|---|---|---|
| Before every use | Bed and debris tray | Coolant flow and level · air assist · exhaust path |
| Weekly | Honeycomb bed and work surface | Focus lens · belts · water and tube connections |
| Every 20–40 hrs | Focus lens | Focus height after refitting |
| Monthly | Mirrors (3) | Coolant condition · exhaust hose · laser tube condition |
| Every 3 months | X and Y rails | Rail lubrication · belt wear · mirror alignment |
| Every 3–6 months | Coolant system | Full coolant flush and refill |
Clean optics and healthy coolant account for most of the difference between a machine that holds full power for years and one that fades in a season.
7.2Maintenance work
Clean the focus lens
Remove the nozzle and lens and wipe the lens with a lens wipe or cotton swab dampened with 99% isopropyl alcohol, working in circles from the centre out. Never use paper towel — it scratches the coating. Note which way the convex side faces before removal, and re-check focus height after refitting.
Clean the mirrors
Wipe each of the three mirrors with a lint-free lens wipe and isopropyl alcohol, gently and without pressure — they are front-coated and scratch easily. Run a tape pulse test afterwards to confirm alignment hasn't shifted.
Check the water cooling
Top up with distilled water only — never tap water or additives. Flush and replace the coolant every 3–6 months or whenever it turns cloudy. Algae in the lines restricts flow and overheats the tube.
Lubricate rails, check belts
Wipe a little white lithium (PTFE) grease along the X and Y rails with a soft cloth and remove the excess. Check the drive belts for cracks or fraying — a loose belt shows up as banding in engraves and inaccurate cuts.
Inspect the exhaust
Check the hose for cracks, kinks, or loose connections that would leak fumes into the room, and confirm the fan is actually moving air while cutting. Replace carbon filter media on the filter maker's schedule.
Inspect the laser tube
Look the tube over for cracks, discolouration, or condensation inside the glass. A healthy CO2 tube glows a faint purple-pink when firing. Power that fades over time means the tube is ageing — get in touch when output drops noticeably.
Troubleshooting
8.1Symptoms, causes, and fixes
| Behavior | Possible causes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Machine will not power on | Breaker tripped; incorrect input power | Reset the breaker; confirm the supply matches Section 2.1 |
| Powered, but the laser will not fire | Lid interlock open; e-stop engaged; laser key off; no coolant flow; coolant flowing backwards; power set to zero | Work the chain in order: close the lid, release the e-stop, turn the key, confirm flow and its direction, then check the job's power setting |
| Fires but barely marks, or cuts poorly | Focus height wrong; dirty lens or mirrors; alignment drifted; wrong material | Re-set focus, clean the optics, then re-check alignment (Section 4) — in that order |
| Strong at one corner, weak at another | Mirror alignment out across the bed | Run the full alignment procedure in Section 4 |
| Overheat alarm | Coolant too warm; restricted flow; chiller with no airflow | Confirm circulation, check for kinks, give the chiller room, and let the water return to 18–21 °C |
| Low air pressure alarm | Air pump off or disconnected; kinked or leaking line | Confirm the pump runs and follow the line to the head looking for a leak or loose fitting |
| Cut lands in the wrong place | Origin or home position | Confirm the home corner, check the origin setting, and use Frame to preview before running |
| Banding or inaccurate dimensions | Loose or worn drive belt; debris on rails | Check belt tension and condition, clean and lubricate the rails |
CNC router — OMIO X8
The OMIO X8-2200L-USB is a 2.2 kW water-cooled CNC router running Mach3 over USB, with an ER20 collet and a 110 V supply. It shares almost nothing with the laser — different software, different workholding, different materials. Polycarbonate and aluminum belong here, not in the laser.
Use the manufacturer's configuration
The exact Mach3 settings for your machine are in the download package below and are specific to your machine's build date. Load the supplied profile rather than entering motion settings by hand.
9.1Files and drivers
9.2Setup
Unpack and inspect
Uncrate the machine, controller, and accessory box. Check the gantry, spindle, and ball screws for shipping damage, and turn the spindle by hand to confirm it spins freely. Photograph anything wrong and email support@swyftrobotics.com before powering on.
Mount it and set up cooling
This is a benchtop machine — mount it to a rigid, level bench that can take the load and, more importantly, the vibration of milling aluminum. A bench that flexes shows up as chatter in the finish. Fill the spindle's water-cooling reservoir, connect the lines, and confirm water is circulating before the spindle ever runs. A dry spindle overheats fast.
Fit the ER20 collet and a tool
Snap the correct ER20 collet for your end mill's shank into the nut until it clicks, thread the nut onto the spindle, insert the tool, and tighten. Never tighten the nut without a collet in it. Keep the collet and taper clean for low runout.
Wire and power the controller
Connect the controller to the machine and to mains power as laid out in the manual, and to your PC over USB. Power on and confirm the controller and any pendant come alive before jogging.
Clamp your stock
Hold stock to the T-slot bed with step clamps, low-profile clamps, or a fixture plate; for thin sheet use a sacrificial spoilboard with tabs or tape-and-glue. Check every clamp is clear of the toolpaths before running.
Zero, air-cut, then cut
Set the work coordinate system — X/Y origin and Z-zero off the top of the stock or spoilboard. Run the program once with Z raised so the tool moves through the whole toolpath in the air; it is the fastest way to catch a bad zero or a clamp in the way with nothing at risk. Then cut a conservative test in scrap before the real part.
Manage dust and chips
Run a dust shoe and vacuum for wood and plastic; for aluminum, use an air blast or mist to clear chips and keep the cutter cool. Clearing chips prevents re-cutting, extends tool life, and keeps the finish clean.
9.3Mach3 and CAM
Install Mach3 and the USB motion-controller driver from the download package, then load the machine-specific XML profile so motion, steps-per-unit, soft limits, and the spindle are correct out of the box. Jog each axis a few millimetres and confirm it moves the right direction and distance before doing anything else. The package's Mach3 configuration PDF walks through it screen by screen. Program toolpaths in Fusion 360 or another CAM package, post with a Mach3-compatible post-processor, and always simulate the full program before posting G-code.
Support
Anything in this manual unclear, or a step not matching your machine? Email support@swyftrobotics.com with your machine model and we'll walk you through it — and correct the manual if it's wrong.
Email support