AxiDraw V3 ® Personal Writing and Drawing Machine User Guide AxiDraw Version 3.5 Guide Revision: 3.
0. Preliminaries 0.1 Welcome Welcome to AxiDraw! This is the user guide for the AxiDraw V3 family of personal writing and drawing machines. This guide is here to help you get started. There is a lot here–covering how you set up and use the machine, and pointing you towards additional resources for the future. This guide covers operation of the following AxiDraw models: • AxiDraw V3 • AxiDraw V3 XLX • AxiDraw V3/A3 • AxiDraw SE/A3 0.
Contents 0. Preliminaries..........................................................2 0.1 Welcome..................................................................2 0.2 This guide is a work in progress!..........................2 1. Introducing the AxiDraw.......................................5 1.1 Credits and History:................................................6 2. Checking out your AxiDraw.................................7 2.1 Parts and accessories.............................................
9.9 Model and Version.............................................. 42 9.10 Plotting away from home................................. 43 10: Designing for AxiDraw.....................................44 10.1 General considerations...................................... 44 10.2 Visualizing paths in your document................ 45 10.3 Fonts, characters, and languages.................... 46 10.4 About outline fonts............................................47 10.5 Stroke fonts ................................
1. Introducing the AxiDraw The AxiDraw is a simple, modern, precise, and versatile pen plotter, capable of writing or drawing on almost any flat surface. It can write with your favorite fountain pens, permanent markers, and other writing implements to handle an endless variety of applications. Its unique design features a writing head that extends beyond the machine, making it possible to draw on objects bigger than the machine itself.
1.1 Credits and History: The AxiDraw project has been active since 2014, when it was first created by Dr. Lindsay Robert Wilson of IJ Instruments Ltd. in the UK. Early AxiDraw units had a different design. It had a smaller format with a chassis made from machined Delrin plastic. It had two independent timing belts, one driven by a stepper motor on the base, and the other by a stepper motor on the moving carriage.
2. Checking out your AxiDraw 1. AxiDraw 2. Clip Easel (Binder clips) 3. Power supply 4. USB Cable 5. Hex drivers and wrenches 2.1 Parts and accessories Here are the parts that come with AxiDraw: 1. The AxiDraw itself 2. Clip Easel and binder clips (4 on AxiDraw V3, 8 on larger models) 3. Plug-in power supply 4. USB cable 5. Hex drivers and wrenches Sizes include 2 mm, 2.5 mm, and 3 mm hex drivers, and low-profile 8 mm and 10 mm wrenches.
2.2 AxiDraw Anatomy Let us look at the different parts of the AxiDraw. We will refer to these parts by name throughout this guide. These features are common to each model of AxiDraw, though appearences may vary slightly. For example, the AxiDraw V3/ A3 and SE/A3 have extended “outrigger” feet, and the AxiDraw SE/A3 base is colored black and covers the two motors.
§2.2, AxiDraw anatomy, continued: Power Jack Detail: Left side of base Home Position Indicator EBB Cover Rubber Feet Stepper motor USB Port Pause Button “EBB” Control board Detail: Pen holder Y Carriage Vertical slide Pen Clip Screws Pen-lift servo motor Vertical shafts Thumbscrew Pen Clip Note: AxiDraw ships with its pen clip disconnected; see the next section.
2.3 Unboxing The pen-lift motor cable and the pen clip are disconnected for shipping. Locate the disconnected cable end on the left hand side of the base. The cable has three wires: Black, red, and white. Plug its connector into the bottom three pins on the EBB Control Board as shown. The black wire faces back, towards the edge of the board.
§2.3, Unboxing, continued: The pen clip is also disconnected for shipping. Vertical slide (Appearance may vary; see next page.) M3 Screws for pen clip Thumbscrew Pen clip 2 mm ball-end hex wrench Thread the black plastic thumbscrew into the pen clip. Attach the pen clip to the vertical slide with the two small black M3 screws, using the 2 mm hex wrench, which has a ball end for easier access.
Your vertical slide may have either two or four threaded holes for the pen clip. Both styles have the same function, but they do look a little bit different. In either case, use exactly two screws to attach the pen clip in place. Current production two-hole slide with the pen clip mounted in the diagonal (left) and vertical (right) configurations. Older AxiDraw units may have a four-hole slide, with only two holes in the pen clip.
2.4 Safe handling of the AxiDraw 1). Lifting: Lift AxiDraw by the central strut of the base, or by the stepper motors if necessary. Do not lift by the cables, cable guides, carriages, or pen holder. The AxiDraw SE/A3 has a handle milled into the back of the central strut, to provide an additional lifting point in the middle of the machine. 2). Heat: Please note that the two stepper motors may get warm. This is normal, but it is helpful to be aware of it. They should not get too hot to touch. 3).
3: Overview: Getting Started with AxiDraw In brief, here are the steps to getting started with the AxiDraw: 1) Install the software. 2) Open or create the artwork that you would like to plot. 3) By hand, move the carriage to the upper-left Home Corner. 4) Connect power and USB cables. 5) Check pen-up and pen-down heights. 6) Set up your pen and paper. 7) Begin plotting from within the AxiDraw software. Part 4 of this guide goes through the first item on the list: Installing the software.
4: Software for AxiDraw 4.1 Installing software You will need to install software on your computer to operate the AxiDraw. Current instructions and download links are available at: http://axidraw.com/sw From there, follow the directions specific for your operating system: • For Mac and Windows, there are easy installers that you can download. • For Linux, one or more manual steps are required.
5: The Home Corner Before you start plotting, the pen holder must be moved to the Home Corner. This is as far left and as far back as it will go: where the pen holder is closest to the left side of the base, that is when the pen holder is closes to the engraved label “Home”, and the USB port. Home Corner Home Position Indicator When a plot finishes, the AxiDraw will return to its Home Corner automatically, leaving it ready for the next plot. Slide the carriage to the Home Corner by hand.
6: Workholding Whatever workpiece the AxiDraw is to write or draw upon – whether that is paper, wood, or cookies – needs to be reasonably fixed in place so that it does not move while plotting. 6.1 Printing on large workpieces For large workpieces such as the large poster board shown here, the AxiDraw may be placed directly on top of the workpiece. Other examples of large workpieces that AxiDraw can sit upon might include things like fabric, wooden surfaces, or large whiteboards.
§6.2, Workholding with the Clip Easel, continued A B C D The examples shown above are: A) A certificate to be filled out (Letter size, landscape orientation) B) Mailing address (#10 envelope, landscape orientation) C) A formal invitation (6 ⅜ × 8 ⅞ inch, portrait orientation) D) A page of mixed text and drawing (Letter size, portrait orientation) In every case, line up the corner of the paper with the upper left corner of the Clip Easel, such that the corner of the paper is closest to the Home Corner.
A second method can be used when your workpieces are substantially smaller than the working area of your machine. For example, if you are labeling small note cards with the AxiDraw, or if you are plotting two side-by-side letter (A4) size pages with the AxiDraw V3/A3 or AxiDraw V3 XLX. Using two small easels side by side, you can designate one “A” and one “B”, and alternate plotting on the “A” or “B” side.
8: Pens and Getting Ready for Printing In this section we will discuss different types of pens, configuring the pen angle, the pen-up and pen-down positions, setting the pen height, and how to set the paper position relative to the pen. 8.1 Pen choices The pen holder on the AxiDraw fits pens up to ⅝ inch (16 mm) in diameter. The maximum recommended pen weight is 1.6 oz (45 g). The design is such that the pen rests on the surface by its own weight.
to markers with fatter tips or writing instruments that require more downward pressure. The vertical orientation is usually the best choice when making plots where you will need to switch between pens (for example with different colors) while maintaining the pen in the same location. 8.3 Inserting a pen You can insert a pen – or other writing instrument that you are using – into the pen clip and tighten it in place with the thumbscrew.
8.4 Pen up and pen down positions In this step we will check the pen-up and pen-down positions. First, connect power and USB to the AxiDraw. (See “7: Connecting Power and USB” on page 19). Then, within Inkscape, open up AxiDraw Control. If the AxiDraw software is installed, you can find it in the menu bar at: Extensions > AxiDraw > AxiDraw Control Click on the Setup tab: Select the Toggle pen between UP, DOWN action, and click the Apply button.
§8.4, Pen up and pen down positions, continued The pen-up and pen-down heights may each be adjusted between 0 and 100% to suit your needs. Higher percentage values lift the pen higher. The factory-default values of 60% (up) and 30% (down) are a good starting point. Try also adjusting them to a different set of values (say, 70% and 30%, respectively) and apply, to see that the positions change when you adjust them. The pen holder should visibly move up and down as you raise and lower the pen holder.
8.5 Positioning your paper With your pen at the Home Corner, and the pen at an appropriate height, it is time to position the paper with respect to the AxiDraw. The printable area starts at the Home Corner, and extends down and to the right from that point. Plotting on large surfaces (where the AxiDraw sits directly on the surface): Position the AxiDraw such that the pen tip is at the upper left corner of the area that you intend to plot upon.
§8.5, Positioning your paper, continued A B Plotting on everything else ( letters, envelopes, invitations, and smaller items): Position the paper with its upper-left corner directly underneath the tip of the pen. Square the paper up so that its top edge is parallel to the X-Shafts of the AxiDraw. As we discussed earlier (page 18), documents that are taller than wide are usually turned “sideways”, as in B above.
8.6 Summary Your AxiDraw is now ready for use. To recap, the steps so far are: 1) Move the pen holder to the Home Corner (if it is not already there). 2) Connect Power and USB cables. 3) Use the setup tab to move the pen holder to the “pen-up” position. 4) Insert your pen, just above the paper. 5) Position your paper with its corner beneath the tip of the pen. 9: Plotting with the AxiDraw 9.1 Making your first plot In this section we will walk through the steps to make your first plot on the AxiDraw.
If you have not done so already, get the AxiDraw set up to print: 1) Slide the pen holder to the Home Corner. (See §5) 2) Plug in the power cable and connect the USB. (§7) 3) Using the software, toggle the pen down and back up. (§8.4) • From the menu, select Extensions > AxiDraw > AxiDraw Control • In the Setup tab, use the Toggle pen between UP, DOWN option. 4) Clip a piece of paper to the Clip Easel. (§6.2) • Align the paper to the upper left of the Clip Easel, closest to Home.
§9.1, Making your first plot, continued You are now set up to print. Last thing: Check the area around the AxiDraw, and make sure that the carriage has room to move, both in front of and behind the base. Finally, switch to the Plot (first) tab of AxiDraw Control, and click Apply to begin. The AxiDraw should now begin printing your document, and will return back to the Home Corner, with pen up, when it finishes.
9.2 Plotting multiple copies The Copies to Plot option on the Plot tab allows you to plot the same document multiple times, with an optional delay between copies. Setting the number of copies: Enter the number of copies that you would like to plot in the Copies to Plot box. The default value (1 copy) will only plot the page once.
9.3 Pausing, resuming, and canceling plots To pause or stop while plotting, press the pause button: the raised silver-colored button located on the left hand side of the AxiDraw. (See “Detail: Left side of base” on page 9.) The AxiDraw will stop plotting and raise the pen after finishing the current line segment. Note: You must physically press the pause button to stop a plot in progress. (Inkscape has a “Cancel” button, but it does not actually stop running extensions.
9.4 Plotting with multiple layers and colors By default, the AxiDraw will plot all visible paths on your drawing. However, if you have a document with multiple layers, you can use AxiDraw Control to plot a single layer, or some set of layers. Open the Layers window in Inkscape (shown at right) by selecting from the menu: Layer > Layers... You can add, remove, re-order and rename layers within the Layers window, and the various commands in the Layers menu can also move objects between layers.
§9.4, Plotting with multiple layers and colors, continued For example, if you have three layers with the names, 1 - Red circles 1 - Red squares 2 - Blue stars Then you could plot the two red layers with a red pen by specifying “1” in the Plot only layers beginning with field. You can then change the pen to blue and plot the blue layer by specifying “2” in that field. Click the Apply button each time to begin plotting of the selected layers.
Plotting multiple copies from the layers tab The Copies to Plot option in the Layers tab allows you to plot the same layer or set of layers multiple times, in the same fashion as plotting multiple copies from the Plot tab. (See “9.2 Plotting multiple copies” on page 29). The delay time between subsequent pages is set by the Seconds of delay between copies parameter in the Timing tab of AxiDraw Control. (This is the same parameter that controls the delay between pages when using the Plot tab.
9.5 The Timing tab and basic speed control The Timing tab of AxiDraw control lets you set the basic movement speeds for the AxiDraw. The three parameters at the top under the Movement speeds heading set the speeds used for the horizontal (XY) carriage motion. The first item in the list, Writing/Drawing speed, sets the maximum speed that will be used when the pen is down. The second, Pen-up movement speed, sets the maximum speed that will be used when the pen is up, traveling between two points.
Everyday use: Most of our sample drawings and tests are made with a medium speed that is a compromise between speed and precision.
9.6 Pen lift speeds The lower half of the Timing tab has a heading Pen lift and lowering speeds. These control the vertical motion between the heights that are set in the Setup tab (page 22). The pen raising and lowering speeds can each be selected from a pop-up menu, with options Maximum, Standard, Slow, or Very slow. The AxiDraw will pause its horizontal motion while raising or lowering the pen, until the vertical movement is complete.
9.7 Advanced options The Options tab of AxiDraw Control has several advanced settings that do not normally need to be changed, but that you may wish to know about. Auto-rotate page when printing (Default: on) Documents taller than wide (those in portrait orientation) will normally be rotated sideways when plotted. (See page 18 for examples.) Uncheck this box to print documents only in the orientation with which they appear on the screen.
9.8 Preview Mode An additional feature located in the Options tab is offline preview mode. When enabled, preview mode will cause the AxiDraw software to simulate plotting only. That is to say that everything will work normally, with the very large exception that the software not attempt to communicate with the AxiDraw over USB. Preview mode can be very useful to test workflows or see how the AxiDraw will handle a document, even without the AxiDraw present.
Here is how the example file AxiDraw_First.svg renders when you click Apply from the Plot tab with preview mode enabled and the All movement preview mode rendering option selected: The pen-down movement is shown in blue, and the pen-up movement is shown in light red. And, here is how those previews appear in the Layers panel: The pen-down drawing and pen-up drawing are rendered as separate sublayers within the Preview layer, so that you can hide one, the other, or both.
9.9 Manual Controls The Manual tab of AxiDraw Control allows you to manually execute select, basic commands and utilities. Select the operation to perform with the Command drop-down list, and then click the Apply button. For the two motor walking commands, you can also specify the distance to move the AxiDraw carriage. The manual commands are as follows: Walk Carriage (X), or (Y) Move (“walk”) the carriage in the X or Y direction by the distance specified.
Enable Motors, Disable Motors These two commands either energize the two stepper motors or turn power off to them. The carriage can be moved by hand only when the power to these motors is off. Enter EBB Bootloader Mode Command the EBB to enter “bootloader” mode. This utility mode is sometimes used in reprogramming the firmware. If you should accidentally enter this mode, disconnect the AxiDraw from both power and USB to reset it.
9.9 Model and Version The Version tab of AxiDraw Control lists the current version number of the AxiDraw software on your computer. If your software version is older than the version shown here (1.7.x), we do highly encourage you to update to the current version. (See “4.1 Installing software” on page 15.) The AxiDraw Model pop-up menu allows you to select which AxiDraw model you are using.
9.10 Plotting away from home Occasionally, it is the case that the subject that one is writing – for example a name, initials, return address, or signature – is both small compared to a page of paper and needs to be positioned precisely. One approach is to treat this as a normal page, and to position the text on your document carefully. It can help to place a separate “sacrificial” piece of paper over your workpiece to check if you have your artwork lined up in the right places.
10: Designing for AxiDraw 10.1 General considerations The AxiDraw is a pen potter, which is fundamentally a single function device. Its sole function is to guide a pen (or other implement mounted in the pen holder) along the set of vector lines, curves, and paths that you ask it to follow. All other things that the machine is ultimately capable of – such as drawing graphics, writing text, or signing documents – are expressions of this basic function.
10.2 Visualizing paths in your document To see all of the paths in your document, select all in your drawing (From the menu: Edit > Select all in all layers). Then, open the Fill and Stroke panel (Object > Fill and stroke). In the Fill tab, select “No paint” (the “X”). In the Stroke paint tab, select “Flat Color”. And, in the Stroke style tab, select a consistent width, say 0.020 inches or 0.5 mm. This procedure generally provides a good preview of how the AxiDraw will view your page.
10.3 Fonts, characters, and languages To reiterate, the AxiDraw is a single-function device designed to trace the vector paths that you provide to it. The document that you prepare may include any number and variety of different text and graphical elements, so long as they are converted to paths before you plot them. As its sole function is to follow paths, the AxiDraw itself does not use fonts (builtin or otherwise) nor does it have knowledge about any written languages.
10.4 About outline fonts All modern computer fonts — those found in formats including truetype, postscript, and opentype — are outline fonts. In outline fonts, each character in the font file describes a vector outline shape, which will be filled in by tiny pixels when displayed on your screen or rendered by an inkjet or laser printer. Things are different when you wish to use a pen plotter.
§10.4, About outline fonts, continued Suggestions for handwriting-like output: When trying to achieve output close to that of natural handwriting, an “outlined” effect is generally not desirable. To mitigate it, pick handwriting-like fonts that have a thin and consistent stroke width. If a font is available in multiple weights, you’ll want to pick the lightest one available. This, combined with the use of a medium or broad nib pen can often make it so that the two sides of the outline blend together.
10.5 Stroke fonts In addition to regular computer fonts (outline fonts), pen plotters like the AxiDraw can in some cases make use of a second class of specialized fonts, called stroke fonts, or engraving fonts. In stroke fonts, each visible character is defined by strokes of non-zero width, as opposed to the area within an outline. While they do have some severe disadvantages, stroke fonts are ideal for use with pen plotters, since they plot efficiently (for example, the “o” is one loop, not two).
§10.6 Single stroke fonts & Hershey Text, continued When you use Hershey Text, it takes editable text (that is, text that you type) and renders it into a set of vector paths that the pen can follow. Once you have rendered text into paths, it can no longer be edited as though it were text: As rendered, it is a set of paths (lines and curves) that can be edited with Inkscape’s path editing tools. You can find Hershey Text in the menu at Extensions > Render > Hershey Text.
10.7 Capturing signatures and handwriting The best way to transform some handwritten text – whether a signature or a full page of text — into something that the AxiDraw can plot is to use direct handwriting capture, or what you might refer to as “real-time” capture. In direct capture, you use your computer to record each stroke as it is written, and then save the resulting set of paths as a vector artwork file. This method can also be used when replicating handwriting.
10.9 Filling text and shapes The AxiDraw software includes a second Inkscape extension, which can fill in areas with paths, such that they can be filled in with pen strokes on your page. You can find it in the menu at Extensions > AxiDraw > Hatch Fill Hatch Fill will fill any selected objects with a series of back and forth lines, with adjustable spacing and angle. The hatch spacing is measure in units of screen pixels (px), and the default value of 5.0 is appropriate for wide permanent markers.
Here are some examples of how different settings can be used in Hatch Fill. Each of the following are examples are shown actual size, with a 0.016 inch (0.4 mm) stroke width, similar to that of a fine rollerball pen. The Tolerance parameter was set to 1.0. Objects, including any applied hatches The hatch fill alone (1) No fill (2): Spacing 3 px, Angle 0°. Connect nearby ends: off Inset: off (3) Spacing 3 px, Angle 45°. Connect nearby ends: off Inset: on, distance 1.0 (4) Spacing 3 px, Angle 45°.
10.10 Vectorizing images The process of starting turning images (jpg, png, photoshop files, etc) into vector artwork is generally outside the scope of the AxiDraw software. That said, how to do so is a frequently asked question so we are including some notes on the subject. The process of converting a photograph into a piece of pen-ready vector line art can most accurately be described by the word “sketching.
The portrait above on the left is a stipple drawing, made with thousands of tiny circles of different sizes, as generated by StippleGen: http://wiki.evilmadscientist.com/stipplegen The portrait above on the right consists of a single wandering line. Plots like this can potentially print quickly because there is no pen up/pen down movement. This one was generated with an experimental program called ScribbleDraw, available upon request: https://shop.evilmadscientist.
11: Maintenance and troubleshooting The AxiDraw V3 should not require any regular maintenance under normal conditions. 11.1 No lubrication required The X carriage contains wheels that allow the X shafts and Y parts to slide. The wheels contain shielded and/or sealed ball bearing mechanisms that are permanently filled with grease. The pen-lift (Z) stage uses grease-free Teflon-filled plain bearings. Do not apply oil or grease to any of the sliding mechanisms. 11.
11.7 The pen-lift servo motor The only “expendable” component of the AxiDraw is the small, blue pen-lift servo motor. They do wear out over time but are inexpensive and straightforward to replace. For heavy duty applications, you may wish to keep a spare on hand. Contact customer service if you think that you might need a replacement or a spare. 11.8 Loss of position The most significant thing that can go wrong under normal operation is a loss of position control while the carriage is moving.
12. AxiDraw Tips and Tricks 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 58 It is often possible to get better print quality on top of a small stack of paper (say, 5-10 sheets) which gives a little cushion to your writing. High quality paper – especially paper designed for use with pens – tends to give dramatically better results with pens than does cheap copy/laser paper. Bristol paper with a smooth finish is a great example of a paper designed to work well with pens.
12. A single rubber band can be looped loosely around the pen holder as shown, to add a small amount of additional pressure for use with ball-point pens, or for operating the AxiDraw in other orientations (when gravity is not readily available to pull the pen to the surface). Do not add a rubber band unless it is actually needed; it will reduce the lifespan of the pen-lift servo motor. Example rubber bands are included with the AxiDraw, but will degrade over time. 13.
Extended Online documentation & resources for AxiDraw: axidraw.com/docs Blog: www.evilmadscientist.com Store: shop.evilmadscientist.com Docs: wiki.evilmadscientist.com Forum: forum.evilmadscientist.com Humans: contact@evilmadscientist.
