← Laser Cutting

Trogdor Usage Guide

A practical reference for preparing and running a job on HackPGH’s custom CO₂ laser.

Know the machine

Machine details and operating limits

Trogdor is HackPGH’s custom CO₂ laser cutter and engraver. These details help with planning a job; they do not replace the material rules or the setup demonstrated during training.

Work area

  • The honeycomb bed measures 24 × 36 inches.
  • The normal maximum cut area is 22 × 34 inches.
  • An elevated workpiece can use the full bed area when the setup has been approved during training.

Laser setup

  • Trogdor uses a 100 W CO₂ laser tube.
  • Its 50.8 mm lens is a general-purpose choice that balances beam power and precision.
  • Measure from the bottom of the lens to the top of the material when focusing the laser.

Step 1

Before starting

Confirm access and material

  • Reserve your laser time in Skedda before beginning.
  • Check posted notices and #laser-cutting for machine status.
  • Identify the exact material and confirm it is permitted on Trogdor. Do not laser unknown materials or coatings.
  • Review the current material rules on the Laser Cutting page.

Clear the machine

  • Remove anything resting on the lid before opening it.
  • Clear previous material, tools, fasteners, and debris from the honeycomb bed.
  • Make sure nothing behind or beside the toolhead can obstruct the gantry while it homes.
  • Check that nothing can become wedged between the honeycomb bed and machine frame when the Z-axis moves.

Step 2

Start Trogdor and connect LightBurn

Follow the control sequence demonstrated during your training and posted at Trogdor.

  1. Start Trogdor using the current posted procedure. Do not use an older remembered workaround if the controls or labels have changed.
  2. Confirm the chiller, exhaust, and air assist operate normally before firing the laser. Stop immediately if the chiller alarms, airflow is missing, or the exhaust behaves unexpectedly.
  3. Power on and sign in to the Trogdor Laser Laptop.
  4. On the Trogdor Laser Laptop, open LightBurn from the desktop shortcut used during training. Do not launch it by opening a project file directly, which may bypass the machine connection script.
  5. Wait for LightBurn to finish launching and for the toolhead to complete its homing movement before interacting with the machine.
  6. Confirm that LightBurn can control Trogdor. If it cannot connect, close and reopen LightBurn once. If the problem remains, stop and contact a Shop Lead.

Step 3

Prepare the workpiece

  1. Place the approved material flat on the honeycomb bed.
  2. Secure warped or lightweight material using only workholding methods covered during training, such as the available honeycomb clips, magnets, or weights.
  3. Move the toolhead through the planned area with the laser off and confirm it cannot collide with the material, clips, magnets, weights, or machine frame.
  4. Leave extra room beside raster engravings so the toolhead can accelerate and slow down without reaching the machine’s limits.

Step 4

Set up the job in LightBurn

Before positioning

Focus the laser

  1. Hang the laser-cut focus jig from the nozzle.
  2. Raise the bed in 1 mm increments until it is close to the jig.
  3. Continue raising the bed in 0.25 mm increments.
  4. Stop when the workpiece knocks the jig off the nozzle.

Import and arrange

  • Open or import the artwork into LightBurn.
  • Verify the design’s dimensions; imported files may not arrive at the intended scale.
  • Assign each operation to the correct layer and choose cut or engrave as needed.
  • Use only speed and power settings approved during training or established through an appropriate material test.

Position and check

  • Move the toolhead above the reference point on the material, then set the job to start from its current position. Make sure the job origin matches that reference point.
  • Use LightBurn’s preview to inspect the toolpath and estimated job time.
  • Frame the job and verify that the complete path stays on the material, remains within Trogdor’s work area, and clears all workholding.
  • Correct any scale, origin, layer, or clearance problem before enabling the laser.

Step 5

Run the job

Stay with Trogdor for the entire job

  1. Verify the lid is closed and the chiller, exhaust, and air assist are running.
  2. Start the job and watch the first passes closely.
  3. Continue watching the machine until the job is complete. Never leave an active laser unattended, even for a short job.
  4. Keep the E-stop accessible and be ready to stop the machine immediately.

Step 6

Finish and clean up

  1. Wait until all motion has stopped before opening the lid.
  2. Check the workpiece for heat, glowing edges, or signs of combustion.
  3. Remove your workpiece, offcuts, workholding, and waste from the bed.
  4. Complete the shutdown sequence demonstrated during training.
  5. Leave Trogdor and the surrounding work area ready for the next member.

Pay for laser time

Pay for active laser time via the cash collection box or the online web store.

Stop conditions

Stop immediately and get help

Use the E-stop when there is an immediate hazard or the machine is moving incorrectly. Contact a Laser Cutting Shop Lead after stopping the machine.

Cooling or airflow failure

Stop if the chiller alarms or if exhaust or air assist stops working.

Fire or abnormal burning

Stop for sustained flame, uncontrolled burning, or unexpected smoke.

Crash or grinding

Stop if the toolhead strikes something or any axis makes a loud grinding sound.

Unexpected behavior

Stop if Trogdor moves, sounds, smells, or responds differently than expected.