Learn to engrave the Northeastern University logo and your name onto a leather coaster using
industrial laser manufacturing technology.
What is Laser Engraving?
A high-power laser beam removes material through melting, burning, and vaporization — leaving a
permanent, high-quality mark. This process is heavily used for part
traceability in industry.
Understand and apply workplace and laser safety precautions specific to the LS900.
🖥️
Gravostyle Software
Create a composition with the NU logo and your name, then submit the job to the machine.
⚙️
Operate the LS900
Transfer files, position the coaster, focus the head, and execute the engraving.
Industry Application: Laser engraving is used for serial numbers on aircraft parts,
branding on consumer products, and permanent traceability markings on medical devices.
⚠️ Lab Safety Rules
Required before entering the lab
🚨 Never Operate Alone
Do NOT touch or operate any machine without a lab technician
or TA present. Laser radiation is invisible and potentially hazardous to skin and eyes.
👓 Safety Glasses
Required at all times in the lab environment — from the moment you enter.
👟 Closed-Toe Shoes
Leather preferred. Required for lab entry — no exceptions.
💇 Tie Back Hair
Long hair must be secured away from all moving parts before entering.
🚫 No Jewelry
No rings, watches, or dangling accessories when operating equipment.
🔴 Laser Safety Instructions
Invisible radiation — extremely hazardous
⛔ Critical Laser Hazards
Laser radiation is invisible — direct or scattered exposure is hazardous
to skin and eyes.
This laser can produce dangerous diffuse reflections, risking eye injury and
fire.
Do NOT look at the laser beam continuously, not even through protective glass.
Only trained personnel aware of the risks are authorized to use the machine.
Broken Lens Emergency: Switch off the machine → Hold your breath → Leave
the area → Wait 30 minutes → Ventilate the room. Report immediately to the TA.
🏭 Workstation Safety
Machine operating requirements
🔒
Always Use Protective Covers
Never operate the machine without protective covers properly mounted.
🚪
Check Doors
Never operate if doors are damaged or do not close properly.
💨
Fume Extraction Required
A properly configured fume/gas extraction system must be running before operating the laser.
🔧
Power Off for Maintenance
Always power off the machine before beginning any cleaning or maintenance.
Extraction is Non-Negotiable: All gases and fumes from the marking process must be
extracted and discharged outside the building before and during every operation.
🖥️ LS900 Front Components
Know your machine before operating it
1. LCD Screen
— Displays machine status and menu navigation.
2. Keyboard —
Control panel with all function keys for operation.
3. Green/Red Lights
— Status indicator lights visible from a distance.
4. Control Panel
— Primary interface for operating the engraver.
5. Head —
LS900 Fibre (red) or LS900 Edge (gold) laser head assembly.
6–7. Guide Rails and
Ruler (Y) — Y-axis linear movement and measurement.
11–13. Guide Rails and
Ruler (X) — X-axis linear movement and measurement.
14–16. Engraving Table
/ On-Off / Z Screw — Work surface and Z height adjustment.
🎮 Control Panel Functions
Every button on the LS900 keypad
#
Button
Function
1
Check
Access menus, move to next screen, validate entered data.
2
Air Assist
Activates air assist during marking to remove debris.
3
Select File
Displays next file in machine memory (becomes current file).
4
Start
Begins the engraving process on the current file.
5
Joystick
Moves the head in X, Y, Z directions; navigates menus.
7
Cancel
Exit menu without saving; return to main screen during pause.
8
Autofocus
Automatically adjusts focus along the Z axis.
9
Positioning Pointer
Activates a low-power laser beam to show the marking position.
10
Pause
Suspends the engraving process mid-job.
11
Focus Adjustment
Manually adjusts focus in the Z axis direction.
🚦 Indicator Lights and Movement
Reading the machine status and jogging the head
Green Light
ON: Machine is initializing. OFF: File processing complete,
ready to receive a file, or paused.
Red Light
ON: Machine is initializing. OFF: Ready to receive a file or
paused. FLASHING: Machine is actively engraving.
Joystick Movement
X-Axis Press and hold left/right arrows on joystick
Y-Axis Press and hold up/down arrows on joystick
Z-Axis Press Z key, then use the Y movement keys
Incremental vs. Continuous: Press and immediately release for small, precise movements.
Hold the key for continuous movement that accelerates over time.
🖥️ Gravostyle Software
Creating your laser engraving composition
1
Power On: Switch on the PC connected to the machine, then switch on the machine.
Wait for start-up to complete.
2
Set Page Size: Adjust the page size in Gravostyle to match the maximum size of
the engraving area on the machine.
3
Import the NU Logo: Import the Northeastern University logo file. Set fill to
black, contour to none.
4
Add Your Name: Enter your name as a text element. Set to black fill, no
contour as well.
5
Position Using Circle Guide: Create a circle the same diameter as the coaster.
Position it to match the coaster's location on the table. Place the logo and text inside it.
Remove the circle before printing.
📐 Composition Layout
How to position logo and name on the coaster
N
Your Name
Dashed circle =
coaster boundary (remove before printing)
✅ Place composition in the top-left corner of the Gravostyle page
✅ Logo and text must have black fill, no contour
✅ Measure the coaster and scale the circle to match exactly
✅ Position the circle to match the coaster location on the table
⛔ Remove the circle before sending the job to the machine
Precision Matters: The top-left corner of the Gravostyle page corresponds to position
(0,0) on the physical engraving table. Any offset in software = misplaced engraving on the coaster.
📤 Transferring the File
Sending your composition to the LS900
1
Check USB Connection: Confirm the USB cable is securely connected at both ends
— the PC and the rear panel of the machine.
2
Verify Machine Status: The machine's LCD screen must display "Ready to
receive" before you attempt to transfer.
3
Click Print in Gravostyle: A status screen shows work completion as a
percentage. The file may take several minutes to fully transfer. Wait until the machine display
updates before proceeding.
4
Confirm Transfer: Once complete, the machine display shows the file name and key
engraving parameters, confirming the job is loaded and ready.
Do Not Rush: If the Gravostyle status screen disappears quickly, the file may still be
transferring in the background. Always wait for the machine display to confirm before touching the
machine.
🎯 Positioning and Focusing
Placing the coaster and setting the focal height
📍
Position the Coaster
Open the front door. Place the coaster in the top-left corner of the engraving
table against the scaled rulers. This position must match the circle location in your Gravostyle
composition.
🔍
Focus the Head
Check that the table is low enough that the moving head will not touch the coaster. Press
Autofocus to automatically set the focal height. Autofocus runs at each launch
by default.
Batch Engraving Tip: If engraving multiple coasters of the same thickness, you can
disable autofocus after the first one to save time — focus only runs on the first plate.
💡 Quiz Hint (Z Levels): The laser beam converges to a specific focal point.
Moving the Z height away from this optimal distance changes the beam focus, causing the spot size to
increase and energy to disperse. Properly focused = deeper, sharper marks; out of focus = lighter, more
diffuse marks.
▶️ Engraving Checklist
Seven steps before pressing Start
1
Switch on the air extraction system.
2
Select the engraving mode. Your TA will specify which of the two available modes
to use.
3
Confirm the coaster is correctly positioned in the top-left of the engraving
area, against the rulers.
4
Check the focus. Press Autofocus if not already done for this coaster.
5
Close and confirm the door is fully shut.
6
Confirm the LCD screen displays the correct file name for your composition.
7
Press the START button. The red light will flash during engraving. Do not open
the door.
After Completion: The laser shuts off and the head returns to the origin (top-left).
Wait a few seconds for fumes to be fully extracted, then open the door and remove your coaster.
✅ Lab 3B Complete
Your laser-engraved coaster is ready!
Today's Key Principles:
1. Laser Safety First: Invisible radiation — never bypass safety systems or
open covers during operation.
2. Extraction is Essential: Never run the laser without the fume extraction system
switched on.
3. Precision Layout: Top-left in Gravostyle = top-left on the physical table.
Alignment is everything.
4. Black Fill, No Contour: Correct Gravostyle settings are critical for a clean,
consistent engrave.
Next Steps: Confirm your Gravostyle composition with your TA, verify the coaster is
properly positioned in the top-left corner, run through the 7-step checklist, and press Start!