Exclusive, self-made Christmas card
Follow this tutorial to create a modern and elegant Christmas card using your Trotec laser and a simple piece of paper, and surprise your loved ones with an engraved and cut card.
Preparation
Required material
- You will achieve the best results using paper (or material) with a weight of more than 150g. We used sturdy, two-tone cardboard from the GMUND 925 series.
Machine used
- Speedy 400
- 120 watts with 1.5" lens
Use any model from the Speedy series to process this sample. For larger quantities or serial production of greeting cards, the GS series is the best solution for you.
Important
- For the best cutting results, we recommend using the honeycomb cutting tabletop. The minimum contact area will help keep residue on the back of the material to a minimum.
- Alternatively, you can use the aluminum cutting grid table.
Step by step
Step 1: Import /create design template
Create your design or use the template provided. Due to the specific characteristics of the paper, we have been able to create two different levels of engraving. You can test this using the grayscale matrix.
PRINT SETTINGS
process mode | resolution | cut line |
---|---|---|
Standard | 500 dpi | none |
halftone | others |
---|---|
color | enhanced geometries inner geometries first |
Step 2: Laser process
Place the paper on the honeycomb cutting tabletop and cover the rest of the table. This coverage ensures the full vacuum power of the engraving table and prevents the paper from shifting.
LASER PARAMETERS
colour | process | power (%) | speed (%) | ppi/HZ |
---|---|---|---|---|
black | engraving CO2 | 40 | 70 | 500 |
red | engraving CO2 | 14 | 70 | 500 |
blue | cutting CO2 | 5.0. | 3 | 1000 |
cyan | cutting CO2 | 5.1. | 1 | 1000 |
green | cutting CO2 | 15 | 3 | 1000 |
passes | Air Assist | Z-Offset | Advanced |
---|---|---|---|
1 | on | 0 | High Quality |
1 | on | 0 | High Quality |
1 | on | 0 | - |
1 | on | 0 | Correction "30" |
1 | on | 0 | - |
Info:
- Laser parameters will vary depending on the type of paper used for the application. Utilize the grayscale matrix to find the best parameters for your paper.
- For a perfect cutting result, we altered our laser parameters for the complex geometries of the tree and the outer contour of the card.
Step 3: Post-processing
During processing, some papers tend to produce traces of smoke. In most cases, this residue is easily removable with a damp cloth. Finally, fold the paper at the crease, and your card is complete!
Inspirations
- Easily personalize your card with a Trotec laser and add the recipients' names for that extra touch. The serial print function of CorelDraw allows you to add a complete list of names automatically.