Roland EGX-30A Desktop Engraver

Roland EGX-30A Desktop Engraver

The Roland EGX-30A Desktop Engraver is our top selling, light duty, computerized engraving solution. The EGX-30A engraving machine bridges the gap between the entry level /hobbyist engraver and high production, industrial engravers. Comparable to the Roland EGX-20, the EGX-30A desktop engraver offers a 12L x 8W x 3/16H engraving area, which is twice the size of that offered by the EGX-20 and a motor capable of reaching three times the speed.

Engraving capabilities include both diamond scribing; a method in which a diamond tipped stylus is dragged across the surface of a soft metal (brass, aluminum, gold, silver, etc.) and rotary engraving, a technique in which a sharp carbide tool is rotated and used to route into softer surfaces (2 ply plastic, acrylic, wood, wax, etc.)

The Roland EGX-30A engraving machine connects via a USB cable to a PC or laptop equip with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 (both 32 and 64 bit). The included software suite allows you to engrave using the True Type fonts that are installed on your computer along with any line/vector art images or logos of your choice.

With a price tag that is more than generous, the Roland EGX-30A engraving machine is ideal for medium duty environments in which a professional engraving machine is not necessary.




Recommended Use

The main function of the Roland EGX-30A desktop engraver is to engrave flat items; such as directional signage, identification tags, equipment panels, legend plates and nametags. The EGX-30A is commonly found in commercial and industrial facilities in which the latter is often required and there is a desire to save time and cut down the costs of outsourcing.

Manufacturing plants and factories commonly purchase an EGX-30A for labeling their facilities, equipment and products. The U.S. Navy and even oil companies utilize the EGX-30A for creating legend panels and directional signage onboard their vessels. The EGX-30A has also found its place amongst hospitals, schools, hotels and casinos for the common practice of engraving employee nametags and name plates. Due to its small foot print, electrical contractors find comfort in being able to transport the Roland EGX-30A to job sites for engraving electrical panels on the fly, which can sometimes mean the difference as to whether or not a job passes inspection on time.

While the lack of an adjustable Z-axis (tool height adjustment) prohibits engraving on items greater than a 3/16 thick, the EGX-30A still offers a unique solution to the custom apparel enthusiast seeking to create Rhinestone templates and personalized dog tags while still finding a place amongst the awards and recognition market. Screen printing and custom apparel shops marvel in the EGX-30As ability to create rhinestone motifs for use with Swarovski hot fix crystals, while up and coming trophy shops on a limited budget, kick start their business until demand increases and requires them to upgrade to a heavier duty engraver.

While the Roland EGX-30A desktop engraver has a multitude of applications, it is extremely important to keep in mind the acceptable production capacities. Many factors; from material type and character height to production goals and time, must be taken into account before determining if the EGX-30A is suitable. We encourage you to contact a sales representative today to take advantage of our free evaluation and to confirm that the Roland EGX-30A is indeed the right machine for your desired application.



Applications and Materials

The EGX-30A Desktop Engraver has several useful applications.

-Instrument panels, product ID tags, serial numbers (great for industrial & manufacturing plants)
-Office directories, nametags, nameplates (for businesses with a consistent turnover rate)
-Electrical panels, directional signage, flow charts (precisely for electrical contractors)
-Trophy plates, plaques, medallions, awards (for startup engraving and trophy shops)
-Rhinestone templates, dog tags, cell phone cases (perfect for the custom apparel industry)

The Roland EGX-30A is recommended for use with the following flat materials:

-Acrylics
-ABS
-Engravers Plastic (2 ply acrylic, Traffolyte, Phenolic, Lamacoid)
-Polycarbonate
-Wood
- PVC
-Light metals (silver, copper, brass gold, pewter, aluminum, brass, etc.)

Note: The Roland EGX-30A is not intended for use with hard metals (steel, tungsten, iron, titanium, etc.) Diamond scribing does not yield a noticeable impression on these types of materials. Attempting to do so may cause excessive pressure on the spindle motor, bearings and components thus leading to premature failure or extensive damage.




Features

-12L x 8W x .1875H flat engraving area (these dimensions indicate the maximum travel of the engraving tool and the maximum size of an object the EGX-30A can accommodate. However, the width of an object can extend further since there are no restrictions in the front and back of the machine). -50mm per/sec feed rate (this is the maximum rate of travel the EGX-30A can reach along the X and Y axis).

-10,000 rpm spindle motor (indicates the maximum speed at which the engraving tool can be rotated). -Automatic Surface Detection (detects the surface of an object; also know as your Z origin point, at the touch of a button. Not to be confused with Active Surface Tracking, which actually tracks the height of the material as the machine is engraving, also referred to as Auto Z).


Supplied and Recommended Accessories

The Roland EGX-30A engraver comes standard with a .010 carbide tipped cutter (C2-125-010K) for use with plastic and acrylic engraving stock. There is also an included 8 x 6 adhesive sheet used for securing material to the flat engraving table. A depth regulator nose cone and a diamond scraper adapter are also included along with a sample piece of material and all of the necessary USB and power cables.

If scribing on metal is desired, an additional diamond scribing tool (C2-125-DGK) would need to be purchased. A tool starter kit (US-TL125-KIT) consisting of a 120 diamond scriber and a .010, .015 and .030 carbide cutter is highly recommended for getting started. Included, you will also receive a handy tool holder with a recommended tool selection chart and a visual representation of each tool stroke. Extra adhesive sheets (AS-10) are also a must when starting up. Each package consists of ten reusable 8 x 6 adhesive mats. Keep in mind that you will need to apply two adhesive sheets vertically, side-by-side in order to cover the 12 x 8 engraving area.

If the majority of the material being engraved is 2ply plastic or acrylic, a vacuum chip removal system (US-CHIPSYS-C) is highly recommended. The vacuum system connects directly to the nose cone; where the actual cutting is being done, via a supplied vacuum hose that is included with the EGX-30A. The vacuum system ensures that your work area and components are kept free from debris and; more importantly, that the engraving cutter does not get clogged and that the engraving depth is maintained consistent throughout. Areplacement vacuum bag 3 pack (US-FLTRBAG-A3) can be purchased as well.




Engraving Software

The Roland EGX-30A features a Windows based design software called Dr. Engrave. Dr. Engrave was designed specifically for creating and mass producing labels, nametags, identification plates and product serial numbers. Contrary to most engraving software, Dr. Engrave is extremely easy to use and has a small learning curve. Once you initiate a new job, you will be prompted to input the dimensions of the desired item you wish to engrave. The item will then be represented on the screen in proportion as a plain white square. You are then free to add text, clip art images, and text box fields (for jobs in which the data will vary from tag to tag). The text used can be selected from the list of fonts that are already present on your computer or you can download thousands of fonts for free off the internet. One you have resized and repositioned the data, you simply select the print option and the EGX-30A will handle the rest. Its almost as easy as operating a standard printer.

For larger jobs; in which multiple nametags, name plates, or serial numbers are engraved, Dr. Engrave allows you to create a template in which text box fields are used to hold the position, size, font type and other characteristics that will be applied to the variable data that will later be inserted into each field. Dr. Engrave allows you to import a list of data from either Microsoft Excel (.csv) or Notepad (.txt). A helpful text import wizard will then guide you in importing the list of data and matching the desired column of information with the desired text box in your template. Once you have completed matching the first tag, simply select the apply to all function and Dr. Engrave will automatically populate the text box fields for all of the remaining tags. You can then tile the entire 12 x 8 engraving area with as many tags as you wish. Finally, simply send the job to print and walk away. The EGX-30A will take it from there and pause once all of tags are complete. Remove the engraved tags, fill the table with a new batch and click continue until all of the tag are complete. Not only is this method quick and efficient, but the real beauty is that it does not require the undivided attention of a full time employee. Anyone can operate the EGX-30A in addition to their normal daily tasks.




System Requirements

-Compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7 operating systems (both 32bit and 64 bit).

- Not compatible with Apple MAC operating systems.

-USB or Serial cable interface. USB cable is included. If a Serial connection is desired instead of USB, a serial cable must be purchased separately.

- Pentium III, 1 GHz or faster recommended

- Windows XP/2000: 256 MB of RAM of more recommended. Windows Vista/7: 512 MB of RAM or more recommended. 25 MB of free hard-disk space required.

-Compatible with the following programs:

SAi FlexiEngrave v8.51 or later
TriPoint 9.6
CADLink EngraveLab 7.1 or later
Dr. Engrave
CorelDraw
Adobe Illustrator
R-Wear Studio

Maintenance

The Roland EGX-30A can be easily maintained by the end user. Daily maintenance simply involves cleaning and ridding the machine of debris. It is recommended that a vacuum cleaner or a damp cloth be used. Do not use solvents, such as paint thinner or alcohol to clean the machine. Do not use compressed air to blow debris off the machine as this may force particles through the housing unit and into the machine, possibly resulting in complications. Furthermore, the adhesive sheets can be maintained by removing the particles and debris with a toothbrush.

The spindle motor, belts, cutters, adhesive sheets, depth regulator nose cones and bearings are all considered consumable parts and can be easily replaced by the end user. Replace these items once the estimated life span has been reached or significant wear is noticeable. The spindle motor (7404219000) has a lifespan of 1,000 hours while the spindle belt (11929102) should be replaced after every 2,000 hours of use.

When engraving is performed, debris may get inside the bearing of the depth regulator nose cone resulting in a strange noise. This may degrade the engraving quality and is therefore recommended that the bearing assembly (DRN-20) be replaced every 100 hours. This is a simple task that can easily be performed by the end user.


Roland Reliability


Roland engravers have earned a worldwide reputation for reliable performance and outstanding results. Like all Roland products, they come with an international ISO certification. This signals Rolands commitment to offering top quality products backed up with first-rate customer service and a wide variety of supplies and accessories