Step 1: Install Corel Draw 12, X4, X8 or similar version.
Step 2: Install CorelLaser

Open CorelLaser. You can use this template to start with, it has one engraving layer and one cutting layer.

When CorelLaser is installed you will find this menu.
Click on the green pen icon.
corellasermenu

 



corellasersettings

Control your settings so its identical to this screen.

 


Most important setting is the mainboard, you may need to change this later if your machine operates very slow (a first sign of wrong mainboard selected)
You can find information about wich board you have on the controller board in your machine.

k40lasersettings3


Next setting is to check your hardware device ID, you can find this on the controller board, se image below
k40lasersettings4

k40lasercontrollerserial


Check out the other settings and make sure you have the same on your settings.
k40lasersettings2


You are now ready to start your first test with the machine

Start with the “rectangle tool” in corel, make a box with the size of your choise, i made a 54x40mm box.

Select the box as shown in the picture, and in the top menu you see a line width set to “hairline”.
Change this to 0.001 and hit enter.
k40laserhairline

You are now ready for your first cut test.

Select CUT in the corel menu, the icon marked here
k40lasercutsettingicon

Click OK on the data setting, we did this in a earlier step.
Make sure the settings are still there.

Now you have this setup box (click to expand)
k40cutsettings

To explain some of the settings
Company and model is just the data about your machine.
Rotate: if you need to rotate or flip your design for mirrored cut/engravings.
Style: Cutting, engraving and marking. For this test we choose CUTTING.
Inside first is a good option if you make parts, the machine will cut the inner parts first and then the outer, preventing the part to fall down without the inner holes are cut.
Speed: I have a 3mm acrylic piece in my machine, you may have to test the speed and the power on your machine when testing your cut.
I would suggest 12mA power and 10mm/sec to start with.
Method: If you have combined engraving and cut in the same file, you can choose here.
In the template before, we split engraving and cut in two different layers, this will help you to run the engraving first, and cut later.
Pixel: set this to 1 step, and Repeat to 1 times

You are now ready to hit STARTING

More tips and tricks
Test similar design to learn how power and speed relates on your machine, this is different on most K40 and you cannot use the same settings someone else has. You need to find your optimal combo.

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effectable

cheers found your instructions very helpful and got us up and running

Elke

Hi, what’s wrong? “Device id is changed, please exit the software and restart to use new ID.

I have do this. But I cant set data to the laser.

elke

Thank you, I have don this all. The laser never works. The software is new after restart. I have write the 16 Code vom Mainbord into device-id.
Its allways error, answer I need a new Devide ID.

Michael

When I power the unit up it goes to the upper right hand corner and vibrates as if it is trying to go farther. We didn’t realize that the ribbon cable wasn’t connected to anything. I connected it where it should go and now it does what I said

Jules

Hi, not sure what I’m doing wrong here. Setup the software and trying to engrave. I can see the laser head moving, but not doing anything, really, as is nothing is being engraved. Please are you able to help? Thank you.

Hanif

Hello sir… my machine is very slow when engraveing. Can you help me?

Vanessa Vera

Is there anyway to adjust the thickness of the material it will cut? I have wood that is 3.302mm thick, but it wont cut, just engrave.

Glenn Midkiff

I installed the Corel draw that was on the cd that came with the k40 but it asked for a key code to install but I can’t find a key code anywhere on the cd or in any of the programs on the cd. Where did y’all get the code key or Corel draw without paying big bucks?

Glenn Midkiff

Without the key code it won’t let me go any further

Styxbb

The serial number is buried on the cd. On mine the file is called sn.txt

roger neilsen

Hi
A query about setup material in laser in sync with computer drawing if that makes sence
IE where to put matererial in laser so that the drawing starts at same place on meteria as computer kind regards rogar1

Melinda Bowd

Hi
Feeling like an exhausted and frustrated idiot at the moment, and this is the first of what feels like a million searches that actually makes sense! So thanks!
I do laser engraving on wooden items.
Everything was working nicely with CorelDRAW 12 all set up, file new; file import; laser running; start! All good!! Now I’ve had to replace machine… so everything’s the same set up in corelDraw, but coming out as just badly burnt lines. Please help me??

razvan

hallo My k40 cut and engrave bigger than the actual drawing and i dont know how to fix it …Any ideea what i do wrong ?

Kevin

When i first made a cut part with my K40 laser it also came out bigger. I had to change the resolution to1002. That made the parts come out the correct size.

Marcus Coons

I had no idea that you needed to consider the pixel when looking into laser cutting. It is important to remember that doing some research can help you understand how laser cutting works in order to get the best results. A friend of mine was talking about how he wanted to do some laser cutting, so I wanted to look into it for him.

Luca Schlegel

Hi! I just recently bought a K40 and what I’ve observed is that my machine seems to cut vertically without any problems. Horizontally however the machine pretty much refuses to do anything, even on cardboard at 50% power at 10mm/s. The machine itself seems pretty weak to begin with. Have you experienced this before?
Luca

anurag

hello,
Your explanation about the laser was very helpful. But I have a doubt about few parametes. What does it mean by pixel in the software? Is there any relation between the pixel and the DPI?

Mike Rehmus

A pixel is a single dot in an image. It can be of any color. DPI or Dots Per Inch is a measure of how many pixels (dots) are found in a single linear inch. So, for example, 300 DPI has 300 pixels in that inch.

mirko

hello, i have some problem with the setup of software. when i first connected the printer (just the electricity) my laser boot up and went to the origin (when there are the limit switches top-left). all normal but when i go inside the software and say inizialize machine it start going on bottom right corner searching for i think limit switches. i checked my parameters and they are all ok, do you have some suggestions?

the laser when i inizialize the machine go for some time at nearly 45° than he rapid for like 5 cm to the right and it stopped.

mirko

found the problem. was a faulty connection of the main power supply to the board. i just rebuild the cable and now is fine

Lorenzo

Hi Mirko ,
I have the same problem , can you send me one photo of cable ?
Regards.

Paul

Hi. My k40 does what it wants could really do with some help when I switch it on it stops somewhere different every time and makes a hell of a clattering noise .

I only just bought it and I am beginning to think it’s a duff one ….any ideas please .

Michelle

Thank you so much. This fixed all of my issues I was having!!

pixelsaint

Hi HP – I installed CD12 but CL gives me error message “The Corel Draw (ver>=11) software not installed”