In Progress

leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

I restarted the laser and restarted raycam and it origin correctly this time. Im going to let it sit a while and try again this evening and see if it still goes to the exact origin spot as when it was turned off
Tech_Marco
Posts: 4646
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:00 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by Tech_Marco »

You didn't answer me yet. Did you swap the motor drivers?
You got to follow my request or I will lost the track.
I don't know what exactly you were doing there, without swapping XY motor drivers and got it worked. You lost me!

When doing trouble shooting, better follow the step by step route but not jumping around here or there. Otherwise, we can't figure out what could be a defective part.
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

Ive done all steps except swapping the x and y. I change the amps and steps on drivers and change the user and manufacturer settings in raycam.
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

I let the machine sit off for almost 2 hours. Turned it on and it went exactly to the correct origin. I will try again in the morning and make 100% sure all is good.
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

Everything is functioning properly now. Please update your wiring diagram to show these settings the one i was sent said .63 on both motors with 16 steps.
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

Please feel free to delete this post as I do not wish to harm your company. I made this post in anger and you have helped me figured it out.
Tech_Marco
Posts: 4646
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:00 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by Tech_Marco »

First of all, it is great to hear that your problem got solved.
I really don't see the necessary to delete this post. If any damage caused by this post it would be too late to delete it.
I just want you folks know that K40 isn't standard and there are many issue behind the box. It is easy for anyone to say the controller card is not good or the motor driver we sent was not good. Things are not easy as you guys seeing

To do. DIY , you got to do it with hands on and many testing are required. Sometimes it is frustrating not being able to solve the problem quick. I honestly tell you that even me sometimes got frustrated when I couldn't get the problem fixed. So next time when you call , I just hoped that you have patience with us. When you call, make sure to write down the tech name because we have a couple tech here. When I picked up your call I was on ground zero so I have to ask you the details again To you, you may feel annoying because you're repeating yourself again. But to me, it was my first talk to you. You followed me?

Anyway, no finger pointing here. We both want to get our job done, nothing else. Agreed? Hope yourself still have confidence on Lightobject ;)

Marco
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

I really do appreciate the help in solving this matter and glad you understood my position with my frustration of doing the same steps over and over and having the same issue. It took you a single afternoon to fix the issue and I really do appreciate that you stepped in and took care of it.
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

Can you tell me the spot size with using your 35w tube, 38.1mm lens? Also will setting the stepper to 8 not 16 decrease Image etching resolution as well?
Tech_Marco
Posts: 4646
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:00 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by Tech_Marco »

It is hard to measure the actual diameter of a laser dot because it burned and diverse. If you asked me to tell by guessing, I'll say that the dot size probably 0.08mm. By my rough calculation; 2*pi*r with following parameters: 1.8' degree motor, 8 micro-stepping, motor gear diameter 10mm, I think each step the stage will move 0.02mm.

Note: it doesn't mean that 0.02mm (by 1/8) is good enough. Remember that the spot is not actually beam size but a diverse burned by the laser. If each step is moving at 0.08mm then it may result 'wave' like edge rather than flat ( can only be seem by using scope) because the laser circular spot is just aligned in 'side by side'. You will need at lease an overlapped (50%) spot to avoid the wave edge. Most laser machine with size over 600x400 do need a 2:1 reduction gear. So, it increased the overlapping by half. Then by using 1/16, it is 4 times fold.

Since your XY stage now is moving correctly, you may try to set the micro-stepping to '1/16' see if it works. I prefer to set laser stepping to 1/16(3200), or 4000/5000. Over than 5000 is less meaning, or at lease for CO2 laser while fiber optics or RF laser is not in this consideration. If it didn't work with 16 on your machine, that may tell you that the motor was not really good. That's the reason it never go to same Origin spot from each return because it is 'escaping' or so called 'missing step'
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

I think its still barely skipping steps. can you help me to further tweak the settings. When I move the head via DSP control up or down its not moving back to same spot. So for instance if I move the head to the right 5mm and then move it back. when it goes back itll only move 4.5mm. Ive cut a 100mm x 100mm square and its exactly 100mm.
Tech_Marco
Posts: 4646
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:00 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by Tech_Marco »

I don't think it is software or setting can help. As I told you before that the issue should be mechanic issue, possible bad motor or bad limit switch. Without the machine on hand for testing, sorry I really can't help much.

Marco
SWMS
Posts: 158
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:28 am
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by SWMS »

To add something here. Have you made sure your v wheels barely have any friction on the rails? You should be able to just about spin the wheel by hand. Get some GT85 and put some on your wheels and rails.

Take all your cogs off all your drive shafts and steppers and if there isn’t one file a flat on them and reassemble. Make sure your belts are reasonably tight.

If your drive shafts are a bit oxidised rub them down with glas paper and make sure they go right into the coupler. You also might want to swap the grub screw for a same size hex bolt. Make sure it doesn’t hit anything when it spins. Hex bolts are a bit more robust than grub screws.

Sounds to me when you are moving the head/gantry manually the deceleration is faster than when the machine is cutting and there is some backlash occurring.

Apologies if this has been checked.
SWMS
Posts: 158
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:28 am
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by SWMS »

Just a thought.

Have you tried moving the head to, for example the left of the machine and then press origin, then fire the laser to create a datum point. Then move the head elsewhere but don’t press origin.

Create a Vector file that has a dot at the origin point. Then create a square at a known distance from the datum point and add three dots at each of the other corners a known distance away from the square corners.

Load this up in your laser program and run the cut

Since you have pressed origin, marked a point and then moved the head when the machine returns to the origin and makes a new dot at where the origin point is you will be able to see which axis is out and from which direction the problem occurs.

If it makes a dot at the right point and then the square is the wrong distance you know it’s losing steps until it reaches its cutting speed.

If it’s just doing it from one direction you need to check for sloppiness on that direction. Also try turning the speed of cut up progressively (within acceptable limits ) and see if it gets worse.

As Marco says there must be a mechanical issue there.

I have a AWC608 and I found that the laser I bought had no flats files anywhere and the belts were slack. That all helped but if I tried doing lots of arrays of vector cuts it would lose position. Ultimately a closed loop hybrid motor is my only answer

You could try changing the steppers, they are cheap enough. Especially second hand.

On another note it could be that one of the stepper drivers can’t provide quite enough current to overcome the inertia from stand still from one direction and this could be down to friction in one direction. Take your belts off and see if everything runs smoothly. Swap one motor to the other driver and see if the problem occurs. If the x and y motor have a problem on the y axis driver you know it’s the y axis driver. If the problem is on the y axis and the x axis motor works fine on that driver you know it’s the y axis motor. If nothing makes any difference go back to the cutting a square that I mentioned.

Welcome to my world. I had a laser fire 6 months ago and it’s a completely home brew machine. I’ve redesigned it, upgraded it and made parts for it. It’s the same with the K40’s once you start tinkering there is always something! These lasers are sneaky little beasts. When you think everything is perfect you notice something that’s not right and then you can’t un see it.
You also can’t remember if you noticed it before you made some changes to the machine.
leonarddyoung
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: In Progress

Post by leonarddyoung »

Thanks for the tips! I ordered 2 new stepper motors thats the same i use in my 3d printers and i will see if that helps with the issue first. If that doesnt corrrct the issue i will try your first suggestion.
Post Reply

Return to “D40/K40 small chinese CO2 laser machine”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests