Configure Laser Co2

juanmena

I had to do Downgrade at 2.04, and before starting to do the job, I have to send by console M3 S255, to turn on the Heater, and that is how it works. Otherwise or just sending M3, shooting does not work. I don't know if something will be wrong.

Thank you

dc42

Turning the laser on/off using M106 fan commands is a very old approach, intended for firmware that can't handle anything better. I suggest you configure Lightburn to generate G1 commands with S parameters to control the laser instead.

juanmena

thanks for your reply

Ye have modified LightBurn and the code comes out with the M3, as I had indicated. Send example.

; LightBurn 0.9.09
; Marlin device profile, absolute coords
G21
G90
; Scan @ 300 mm/sec, 20% power
M05
G0 X41.63 Y88.14 F0
G91
M03 S51
G1 X-0.97 F18000
M03 S0
G1 X-4.26
M03 S51
G1 X-0.87
M03 S0
G1 X-4.11
M03 S51
G1 X-1.03
M03 S0
G1 X-0.33 Y-0.1
M03 S51
G1 X1.69
M03 S0
G1 X3.46
M03 S51
G1 X1.49
M03 S0
G1 X0.88
M03 S51
G1 X0.76
M03 S0
G1 X2
M03 S51
G1 X1.68
M03 S0
G1 X1.17
M03 S51
G1 X0.89
M03 S0
G1 X1.11
M03 S51
G1 X0.87
M03 S0

My question now is ... to fire the laser, I have the PWM of the fan controlling the (IN) Imput 0-5 V.

What output do I have to connect to TH of the laser power supply ??? GND H2 ??? or positive + H2 ???

Thank you.

P.D .: Sending photo connection of the power supply

alt text

alt text )

https://ibb.co/XDZ35BC
https://ibb.co/N298VYH

dc42

Marlin doesn't understand G1 commands with S1 parameter, so it is not an appropriate profile to use.

juanmena

@dc42 Very funny and sorry that I have to bother again, but something I do not understand.

You are not sending the G1 command with parameter S1. Or I did not understand something.

I send a piece of a Gcodec, to tell me where the error is, by using the M3 command with the S1 parameter that Gcodec, or do I have to modify something in the config.g ????

juanmena

I keep looking, but I don't see the error it refers to.

Any help please?

Thank you

dc42

If LightBurn doesn't have a device profile for RepRapFirmware, try a profile for Smoothieware. That should generate G1 commands with S parameters to set the laser power.

juanmena

I tried Ligtbrurn with the Smoothieware profile and generated the Gcodec that I put next. Is this seriously correct? Can something better be done to get more performance when recording with the Duet with other software?

; LightBurn 0.9.09
; Smoothieware device profile, absolute coords
G00 G17 G40 G21 G54
G90
M3
; Scan @ 300 mm/sec, 20% power
M106
G0X115.81Y96.3
G91
G1X-4.62F18000S51
G1X-0.05Y-0.1S0
G1X4.72S51
G1X0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X-4.84S51
G1X-0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X4.96S51
G1X0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X-5.08S51
G1X-0.05Y-0.1S0
G1X5.18S51
G1X0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X-5.3S51
G1X-0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X5.42S51
G1X0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X-5.54S51
G1X-0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X5.66S51
G1X0.05Y-0.1S0
G1X-5.76S51
G1X-0.06Y-0.1S0
G1X5.88S51

Thank you

dc42

That's much closer to ideal. The laser is being controlled by S parameters on the G1 commands. Some of the commands at the start are odd (e.g. M106 with no parameters), but harmless.

What issue do you have with performance?

juanmena

Hello,

We are a group in Spain of more than 20 people, we have mounted a CO2 laser and mine, is the first that is working. We have installed Duet2D Maestro and we are looking for a software that generates a Gcodec completely compatible with Duet and the Laser.

We have acquired some already LightBurn, but we are not having good results, we do not know if the culprit is the adjustment of the Duet or it is of the Software, since with a Laser K40 and plate of very little quality, it was obtaining better results with K40 Wisperer.

Maybe we have to make some adjustments or change the software.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gz8XiZ7GXHnrQg7h6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KrJzu9yycSjMEtMf6

Could you make some recommendations?

Thank you very much.

P.S.: Sorry, but I don't know English and I use Google translator.

EasyTarget

@juanmena
You might want to read this thread: https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/12150/laser-gcode-s-sticky-after-g0-question, there is some discussion of how to configure LightBurn with Duet/RRF Firmware. The bad news is that there is no built in 'compatibility' for the Duet in LightBurn.

Currently I use LaserWeb; (but I control a Grbl CNC, not Duet, so cannot give a config).
https://github.com/LaserWeb/LaserWeb4

LaserWeb is very good at preparing raster and dither images from bitmaps and jpeg's etc. And at cutting and filling svg (vector) images. But it has no image editing tools beyond resizing and rotating them. So I often use Pinta or InkScape to prepare the source material first.

LaserWeb can run as a standalone application on your laptop/pc to generate Gcode and optionally control/stream to the firmware via USB or telnet if desired. Look for the windows 'electron' build.But I use it it on a Raspberry PI in web client/server mode to give myself a webUI.

Since you can configure all headers etc with laserweb it is much easier than LightBurn to configure for a Duet. The inbuilt RRF profile is a good start.

juanmena

@EASYTARGET Thanks for answering.

I've been installing and testing and that's why I've been slow to answer.

LaserWeb, generates a Gcode without the G1 in front of each line and the Duet, does not respond to these movements. For the rest, it seems that it could be worth it, but without that, it does not move in conditions. Step example of what it generates ...

G1 X2.15 Y2.15 S0.0000
X21.95 S0.3129
Y2.45 S0.0000
X21.80 S0.6872
X2.30 S0.7000
X2.15 S0.4841
Y2.75 S0.0000

Those lines are not valid for Duet.

Let's see if someone can help me, because I think I'm going to have to leave Duet for the Laser.

juanmena

Good morning,

First of all I want to thank all the help I'm getting, but it's not working for me, I think the installation is correct, and I apologize for what could bother me with so many questions, but I would not like to leave the project.

I will explain my approach and the duas.

The first thing is to check the installation I have is the correct one, or I would have to change to option 2 or some other cable. The PWM always goes through a converter board

My installation (Duet - Laser power supply)

FAN0 - FAN0- <> Signal Ground GND
FAN0 - V_FAN_A <> Imput Control Signal (0-5V)
E1 HEATER - E1- <> Switch Laser Control (Active Low)

I am asking if option 2 would be more correct, connect E1 HEATER - E1- <> Imput Control Signal (0-5V)?? and activate "Switch Laser Control (Active low) with another PIN that acts directly on/off with M3/M5?

I pass photos:

alt text

E1 may be doing PWM by the Switch Laser Control (Active Low) PIN
from the laser power source?

Is this Gcode format correct?

; LightBurn 0.9.09
; Smoothieware device profile, absolute coords
G00 G17 G40 G21 G54
G90
M3
; Scan @ 300 mm/sec, 20% power
M106
G0X115.81Y96.3
G91
G1X-4.62F18000S51
G1X-0.05Y-0.1S0
G1X4.72S51
G1X0.06Y-0.1S0
.........
..........

I've been looking at this post, but I think it was talking about K40 and yet I think this laser power supply, could it be connected differently or am I on the wrong track?

Thank you very much again

dc42

@juanmena said in Configure Laser Co2:

@EASYTARGET Thanks for answering.

I've been installing and testing and that's why I've been slow to answer.

LaserWeb, generates a Gcode without the G1 in front of each line and the Duet, does not respond to these movements. For the rest, it seems that it could be worth it, but without that, it does not move in conditions. Step example of what it generates ...

G1 X2.15 Y2.15 S0.0000
X21.95 S0.3129
Y2.45 S0.0000
X21.80 S0.6872
X2.30 S0.7000
X2.15 S0.4841
Y2.75 S0.0000

Those lines are not valid for Duet.

Let's see if someone can help me, because I think I'm going to have to leave Duet for the Laser.

Currently, RRF recognises that style of command in CNC mode but not in Laser mode or FFF mode. I will change it in RRF 3.01RC2 to recognise those commands in Laser mode too.