my 40W 2012 DSP conversion

[concretevapor]

Hi there
lasercut 6.27 is correct why you write that you use the phcad????

i thought i was using phcad for some reason. sorry about the confusion.

a bit closer now, just imported the 2 parameter files. adjusted the keys, so left goes left up goes up. thanks a lot for that

all this works but the "run box" "clip box" functions give me the "beyond size" error.

beyond size also comes on when i tried that 50x50 square even 10X10

any luck?

[Tech_Marco]

You need to move the laser head farther from the XY side line, possible 1". The XY motor need space to accelerate to reach the speed you set. But if the laser head too close to the side line, it didn't get enough time to speed up that's why you received the error

Marco

[concretevapor]

BEYOND ENGRAVE SIZE!!

driving me crazy!!...

the square im trying to cut is placed in the center of the work surface on the screen, i tried many sizes, 1x1mm, 10x10mm, 30x30mm...

i tried to cut both from home position and from the center of the work surface on the laser itself

i keep getting the same error.

but now the "runbox" and "clip box" functions work! however the clip box made a horrible shape, i think it was trying to cut out a box

<<UPDATE>>
after a quick reboot, the clip box does cut out a nice box from the "clip box" function.

but still displaying the beyond engrave size message although i have the subject in the middle of the space.

another thing i mentioned is that, when i manually control the position of the head, the readout is not accurate in terms of measurement. it is not yet calibrated with the metric norm

[waltfl]

Hi there
Ok for the beond the engrave size its probably your speed settings if you go over 300mm/s in the enrgaving then it will bring you this message because the laser head has notr enough room to exelarate. but try to hit datum on the lasercut programm and the nhoit reset on the display.
but first you need to make the square test that the machine and stepper driver are correct.
also look in the tool for relative position maybe change it to rightdown hit resett and datum then go back ad reset it to left up.
another posibility is to make your square in coreldraw then send it over to the laser
greeitngs
walt

BEYOND ENGRAVE SIZE!!

driving me crazy!!...

the square im trying to cut is placed in the center of the work surface on the screen, i tried many sizes, 1x1mm, 10x10mm, 30x30mm...

i tried to cut both from home position and from the center of the work surface on the laser itself

i keep getting the same error.

but now the "runbox" and "clip box" functions work! however the clip box made a horrible shape, i think it was trying to cut out a box

<<UPDATE>>
after a quick reboot, the clip box does cut out a nice box from the "clip box" function.

but still displaying the beyond engrave size message although i have the subject in the middle of the space.

another thing i mentioned is that, when i manually control the position of the head, the readout is not accurate in terms of measurement. it is not yet calibrated with the metric norm

[concretevapor]

probably your speed settings if you go over 300mm/s in the enrgaving

i took a zero out from both axes speed setting to be sure, but still the same error.

the only thing i can do is the clip box, which gives me a 22x20mm rectangle, if i know what size the clipbox box is supposed to be by default, i could set it up i think.

[waltfl]

Hi there
send me your manufacturer settings and user setting screen print to my email at [email protected]
greetings
waltfl

probably your speed settings if you go over 300mm/s in the enrgaving

i took a zero out from both axes speed setting to be sure, but still the same error.

the only thing i can do is the clip box, which gives me a 22x20mm rectangle, if i know what size the clipbox box is supposed to be by default, i could set it up i think.

[concretevapor]

there are some consistent anomalies that get in my way.

task at hand is matching the machine 0 with page 0

I had to turn the system on/off to check to see if everything is saved up.
I went through the frustrating steps of abstractly orienting myself to the orientation of the machine to the page viceversa. there are few different outcomes

-DSP screen would freeze. beyond size message would come in chinese.

-DSP screen says >>waiting... << while no response to stimuli

-DSP screen won't light up

I can simply hit reset on the DSP and set it all up again. but why?

This was all an attempt to manually move the laser head about 3cm away from the original in both axes, hoping that doing so might resolve the >> beyond size << message.

its not easy to build expectations to ones self and then be buried under them. I only get to spend 1 hour before I go to work and another hour when I get home on this machine. and just found out that today is not the day. one day im gonna rock this!

[wctx1977]

Hi concretevapor
One thing for sure is that the machine won't be able to register the real position if moved manually. It has to reset to zero and then go back to origin. I suggest to move the head with the arrow keys (left, right, up , down) to the desired position then hit origin to set that as your star point. Another thing that I would like to mention and that you may wan to try, is disconnect the cable plug that connects the DSP display to the DSP controller and clean the sockets very well with pure alcohol or other cleaner solvent as it has some wax or some sort of protective film in the contacts and then try again to set and load setting values to the DSP from the computer as if you where starting from scratch and try it again. It happened to me at the beginning and I hope this helps to solve yours.

If that did not work, then the next step is to try to load LaserCad to an other computer if possible to see if solves the issue. I know this can be very frustrating specially if you don't have too much time to spend with it but that is part of the DIY experience.
Anyway, let us know how it goes and hopefully we can help you to better diagnose the problem. take care and don't give up.

[Tech_Marco]

If the LCD freeze and showing "wating..." chance is that your home limit switch is/are not responding. Check the limit switch and/or cables see if the switch is normally opened when not engraged. Then check the continuity when press the switch. The limit switch must change the stage from normally open to closed contact. The X,Y limit switches are connected in common ground. Then the other wires of X & Y need to connect to XL- and YL- By the way, it's normal that the laser head moved a couple 'mm' aways from the home position.

It's hard for you to do the upgrade in rush. You may miss a lot of steps if you don't have time and trying to complete it quick. I suggest you do it on weekend with at least 3~4hrs spare time. Then, you may do it better. Just my thought.


Marco

[concretevapor]

thanks for all the tips. I'll try;
-contact spray and alcohol on the DSP ports.
-check continuity
-make another attempt for syncing page+machine zeros

a few questions on order of operations
does it matter if I have the DSP connected to my PC before or after I turn on the laser. whether I have laserCAD already running or if I'm ought to launch the application after I connect it?

This was super important when using a strangely interfaced CNCfoil cutter at our office, when making stickers or tshirts. thought it could also be the case here.

greetings from berlin

[concretevapor]

IT'S ALIVE! !!! IT'S ALIVE! !!!!!

many thanks to all that helped out with this already.

There's much more to learn, yet it's amazing to see some real results.

I attempted to cut out some text. please check out the image. This way I can see all the spacing errors between characters. perhaps I need shielding around some cables, or?

[concretevapor]

so I checked continuity and one of the limits had funky readouts. I replaced that

synced the machine 0 with page 0. (leftdown)

readjusted the um value a few times. now its where I want it

it was getting late so I had to stop for the sake of the neighbors. and I probably won't have time to do anything today.

edit

I was too exited to get a good night s sleep last night. tonight we hosted a sound performance. Too busy to touch the laser. tomorrow is another day. ..

always fascinates me when people ask me why I have a laser cutter.

[concretevapor]

hello everyone.

after a week weeks i am back on the laser!!!
feels really good! was just super busy with other stuff.

-the problem i have is that i cannot import any "supported files" into lasercad v6.27

-i also dont have a copy of the autocad plugin, which would be very handy.

i am mainly working with vector images on adobe illustrator, which lasercad supposedly supports, but not in my case, i also exported every file extension laser cad is supposed to support, but neither worked.

please let me know of any tips and tricks to get this mother up and running with .ai .dxf .eps or whatever format i can produce with adobe illustrator or autocad.

we are preparing work for a competition which is to take place in portugal, a town called cova do vapor, a fishermen's village which has been neglected by the government due to the grand masterplan for a shipyard/marina. but these guys have been living there for generations, and we are going there to build and activate a community center at which they can host cultural events and upgrade the degrading reputation of the town, which doesnt even have a telephones, sewage, electricity or running water from the city. these guys have built all by themselves. really strong community. we already found 30cubic meters of lumbar to build, but we need to cover running costs, like traveling there, screws, food and suntan lotion:) if we win this competition, we get 25k. help us help this community!!

thank you

[Stephen6309]

-i also dont have a copy of the autocad plugin, which would be very handy.

Run the LaserCAD setup and select AutoCAD_LaserCut in the top dropdown and your language in the bottom one and then install.

[concretevapor]

thanks Stephen6309.

i went forth with the install but, still cant seems to see any trace of a plugin interface when i turn on autocad.

are there any tricks i need to do?
i remember when i had to install a plugin for a foil cutter on adobe illustrator, i had to manually insert the extracted software inside the plugin folder of illustrator.

with this autocad plug in, do i still need to run lasercad in the background?

thanks