Resources

Our Raster® spheres come in black, white and clear acrylic, as well as stainless steel and brass. Shop Raster® spheres here.

Yes, all of our Raster® spheres are the same size and comply with ADA size requirements.

When handling and storing your Raster® spheres, here are some quick tips for storing:

• Do not pour Raster® spheres into your hand to load into the pen, always use a funnel to avoid getting oil, grease or dirt onto the spheres that could clog the mechanism.
• Do not store a container of Raster® spheres with the lid ajar, ensure you put the lid back on the container tightly - debris could contaminate the spheres and cause the pen mechanism to jam or malfunction.
• To avoid static, do not store Raster® spheres on metal or plastic shelves or near electrical equipment with moving parts. It is important to store your Raster® spheres in the original jar they came in only.

We have a dedicated Raster® support team for all your product needs. Give us a call at 800-869-7800 or email us at advancedsupport@jpplus.com

You can also check out our Raster® sphere troubleshooting video below to see solutions to our customers’ most common issues.

If your Raster® pen is currently being repaired, we can send out a loaner pen for you to use until your original pen has been fully repaired and returned to you.

This white cracking or cloudiness is called hazing. This appearance is a result of using an alcohol-based or petroleum-based cleaner on a sign after the Raster® spheres were installed. The alcohol makes imperfections in the material expand and often crack. Alcohol should thus never be used on any acrylic-based materials. We recommend using mild soap and water or non-alcoholic based cleanser to clean your sign.

Using braille cutters you will need to create an angled hole that requires a depth setting calculation that accounts for that angle. With our braille cutters, the proper hole depth setting should be between 0.040" and 0.043"; however, we recommend you check this setting every time you switch to a new cutter or when engraving on new material. Don't forget to check the installed braille sphere height and adjust your cutter depth settings accordingly.

This is typically caused by having holes that are drilled too shallow for the substrate. Check to make sure your vacuum or chip collector is working in position properly. This is essential to ensure no debris gets lodged into the holes after they are drilled, making them too shallow for the Raster® spheres.

This could be because the dwell setting, the setting in which the bit stays at max depth spinning to clean out the hole could be set too low, leaving behind debris. The Z speed or plunge rate could also be set too high, this would cause the bit to plunge in and out of the substrate too fast for the bit to properly clean out the hole. If you're working with acrylic, we recommend running two passes in each hole just to be sure the debris is cleared out.

First, check to make sure the spindle RPM is not set too high. Running too high of an RPM could cause the material to melt onto the bit making the holes larger in diameter. Next, check to make sure the bit is not bent, if there is any damage to the bit, it could cause a wobble while drilling and enlarge or deform the hole. The wobbling could also be caused by bad spindle bearings.

If your Raster® spheres are cracking, the holes may not be drilled to the correct depth or you may have too much pressure set on the Z-axis when running the Auto Raster® Tool. Try adjusting the pressure to a lower setting. When running the manual pen as an auto braille setter, the beads could crack due to the holes not being drilled deep enough, or the depth setting of the braille setter may be set too deep and may need to be adjusted.

If you are experiencing issues with static in your Raster® pen, we recommend you try keeping it completely filled with Raster® spheres whenever possible to ensure better flow. You can also try breathing directly into the pen and using the moisture in your breath to break up the static.

Unlike with plastic substrates where the Raster® spheres fit in place because of the friction-fit material, with materials such as aluminum or other metals, you will need to use our adhesive assist method which places a small amount of adhesive at the bottom of the hole to secure the spheres. Check out the video below on the adhesive assist method.

To set up the Accent Signage Automatic Raster® braille pen and cutters on a Vision Engraving Machine, ensure that the small pin on the adapter is fitted into the small hole located on the top collar of the outer pen collar. Then select and install the proper cutter (e.g. 0.020" or 0.030" end mill) based on the substrate thickness. Secure everything in place, then carefully lower the Z-axis so the pen tip sits at the correct height just above the surface. Load the pen barrel with Raster® spheres. Once aligned, run a test cycle to ensure reliable braille sphere placement before proceeding with full sign engraving. The video below walks you through each step to ensure proper alignment, secure placement, and smooth operation for precise Braille dot insertion.

To install the Auto Raster® Universal and cutters on a Gravograph machine, begin by inserting the appropriate cutter into the spindle—typically a 0.020" or 0.030" carbide tool depending on your material. Tighten it securely using the collet system. Next, mount the Auto Raster® Universal assembly into the tool holder following the machine's alignment marks. Adjust the Z-axis so the cutter sits slightly above the work surface, ensuring proper clearance. Once installed, calibrate the plunge depth and run a test cycle to verify accurate and ADA-compliant braille bead placement. The video below walks through each step visually to ensure correct installation, tool alignment, and reliable performance.