This guide walks through using the HELIX Epilog Laser from a high level: preparing the environment, sending a job from software, running the machine at the control panel, and the safety practices that apply throughout. It is written for a mixed audience, first-time users should read through from start to finish, while returning users can use it as a checklist.
The HELIX is a CO₂ laser cutter/engraver. Cutting flammable materials (wood, acrylic, paper) produces heat and smoke, so fire and fume risks are real. A warning label is affixed to the front of the machine (Figure 7):
- Never operate the machine unattended. Stay with the HELIX for the entire duration of every job.
- Keep a CO₂ fire extinguisher within reach. Epilog specifically recommends a CO₂ extinguisher.
- Fume extraction must be running before the laser fires. Smoke and particulate need to be pulled out of the enclosure and out of the room.
Figure 7 — Fire hazard warning label on the machine.
Before powering on the laser or loading a job, get the fume extraction running. The bay has two extractors that need be set up.
Figure 1 — The HELIX (blue/white, right) with the floor-mounted blower motor beside it and the overhead exhaust arm hanging from the ceiling.
The blower motor sits on the floor next to the HELIX. It pulls air out of the laser enclosure through a flexible duct connected to the rear exhaust port.
- Confirm the flexible duct is connected between the laser's rear exhaust port and the blower inlet (Figure 1).
Two switches mounted on the wall control the extraction system (Figure 2):
- Left switch (rotary) — lowers the overhead exhaust arm into working position.
- Right switch (toggle, ON/OFF) — powers the ceiling-mounted extraction fan that serves the overhead arm.
Flip both on before starting any laser work. The floor blower pulls fumes directly from inside the enclosure; the overhead arm catches sucks out by the overhead exhaust.
Figure 2 — Left: rotary switch that lowers the overhead duct arm. Right: ON/OFF toggle for the overhead extraction fan.
Behind the HELIX, the exhaust duct passes into a wall-mounted vent/damper (Figure 3). The damper must be open so air actually flows out of the building — a closed damper back-pressures the blower and fumes leak into the room.
Figure 3 — The exhaust duct behind the HELIX meeting the wall vent. Confirm the damper is open before running a job.
The HELIX is driven from the lab laptop. Two programs are involved:
- Adobe Illustrator — where you create or modify the artwork.
- Epilog Job Manager — where queued jobs live and where you send them to the machine.
- New designs are created in Adobe Illustrator.
Open Epilog Job Manager on the laptop. The top of the window has three tabs: LASER SYSTEM, JOBS, and MATERIAL SETTINGS.
- Click JOBS (Figure 4) to see queued and previously-run jobs. Each row shows the DPI, the raster Speed/Power, and the vector Speed/Power/Frequency the job was last run with.
- To re-run an existing job, select it and send it to the printer from this screen.
- To run a brand-new design, print from Illustrator to the Epilog printer driver; the new job appears in this list.
Why these settings matter. Power controls how intense the laser is; Speed controls how fast the head moves. Higher power with lower speed cuts deeper but burns more. Frequency (vector only) controls pulse rate and affects edge quality on different materials. Use the existing template jobs as reference starting points and adjust from there.
Figure 4 — Epilog Job Manager showing the Jobs tab. Each row shows Speed/Power/Frequency for raster engraving and vector cutting.
- Open the laser lid and place the material flat on the honeycomb bed, pushed up against the top-left rulers for predictable positioning (Figure 5).
- Set focus so the laser head sits at the correct distance above the material surface. Use the manual focus gauge that hangs from the head, or enable auto-focus from the job settings.
Figure 5 — Laser head positioned over the honeycomb bed with material loaded against the rulers.
Once the job has been sent from the laptop, you finish the run at the machine's control panel (Figure 6).
Key controls:
- Green Play — start or resume the current job.
- Red Pause — pause the job. The head stops, but the lid interlock and cooling stay active.
- Back/Cancel arrow — return to the previous menu or cancel.
- Wrench (1) / Gear (2) — maintenance and settings menus.
- Speed / Laser / Menu icons (3, 4, 5) — adjust speed, power, and navigate job options.
- Up / Down arrows and X/Y (6, 8) — jog the laser head; Home (7) returns to origin.
- LCD display — shows the name of the currently selected job.
Run sequence:
- Verify the LCD shows the correct job name (e.g.
Job: 3. Rocket...). - Confirm both extractors are running and the lid is closed.
- Press the green Play button to begin.
- Stay with the machine until the job completes.
Figure 6 — HELIX control panel. Confirm the job name on the LCD before pressing the green Play button.
- Give the blower 15–30 seconds to clear fumes before opening the lid.
- Remove the part. Inspect the honeycomb and the table pan underneath for debris or smoldering cutoffs.
- Turn off both wall switches when you are finished with the machine for the session.
- Retract the flexible duct.
- Flexible duct connected between laser and floor blower
- Left (rotary) wall switch: overhead arm lowered
- Right (toggle) wall switch: overhead extractor ON
- Wall vent / damper open
- Correct job visible in Epilog Job Manager
- Material placed flat, focus set, lid fully closed
- Correct job name showing on the LCD
- CO₂ fire extinguisher accessible
- Operator staying at the machine for the full run