Difference between revisions of "Full Spectrum Laser Cutter"

Revision as of 04:31, 26 November 2018

Freeside's Full Spectrum MLE-40 laser cutter is a 40 watt CO2 cutter that has been retrofitted with an arduino uno controller and gShield V5 running GRBL 1.1 firmware to allow it to run LaserWeb, LaserGRBL, and other software for ease of use and open-source goodness on the hardware and firmware side.

COOLING!!!

The CO2 laser tube runs way happier and lives a much longer life if kept below 20C/70F! Toss frozen water bottles in the cooling water bucket and keep an eye on that temp. Also, using distilled water is preferable as tap water can carry an electric charge and mess with the tube's efficiency.

Microcontroller:

Arduino Uno running GRBL firmware. https://github.com/gnea/grbl

The motor controller is a Syntheos gShield V5 board. Much less fussy and more fault-tolerant than pololu controllers can sometimes be. https://synthetos.myshopify.com/products/gshield-v5

Motors

The X and Y motors are 400 steps per rotation nema17 motors.

Wiring

wiring diagram

Power supply:

The power supply is a generic 40w CO2 laser cutter power supply. There are many slight differences in these supplies as far as their pin headers,labeling, and pinouts are concerned. They all boil down to having the following pins though: Laser tube -, Mains ground, 2 Mains AC inputs for Live and Neutral, Water flow protection, logic GND, Laser control (FIRE!), 5v, 24v, and "IN" for the center pin of a master laser output max power potentiometer. Moar info at this link: http://donsthings.blogspot.com/2017/01/k40-lps-configuration-and-wiring.html

Here's how the current pinout of the laser power supply (often just called LPS) is laid out.

Pin use	Laser tube negative	Case/Mains ground	AC1	AC2	Signal Ground	Water Protection	"Switch Light Control" (active low)	Signal Ground	Control Signal (Via potentiometer or PWM 0-5v)	5v output	24v output	DC power ground	5v output	"Switch Light Control" (active low)
Possible Labels	L-	G, FG	AC	AC	G	P, WP	L	G	IN	5V	24V	G	5V	L
Extra notes		Case/Mains ground	Doesn't matter which is live/neutral	Doesn't matter which is live/neutral	Signal Ground	Short signal ground to WP to bypass water protection. Won't fire if not grounded.	Use a discrete not gate to signal from an arduino, laser turns on with 0v, off with 5v. stays off with floating pin	Signal Ground	potentiometer or PWM 0-5v	Probably only meant to be used with IN and adjacent Gnd for potentiometer control.	for stepper motors, usually 2-4A max	DC power ground	Usually 1A max	Use a discrete not gate to signal from an arduino, laser turns on with 0v, off with 5v. stays off with floating pin

Link to the EBAY page for the current LPS:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/110-220V-40W-CO2-Laser-Power-Supply-Engraving-Engraver-Cutter-Machine/302659966406?epid=1773715012&hash=item4677f095c6:g:o-wAAOSw18xanYWm:rk:3:pf:0

CO2 laser power supply pinout

Specification

   Maximum output voltage: DC 25KV
   Maximum output current: DC 20mA

Software

This laser cutter can work with any grbl compatible software, the most common being LaserWeb and Lasergrbl, though others exist, since it's runs on Gcode. As of just getting the machine working lasergrbl seems to be the more approachable software.

Software/Firmware considerations

GRBL is fantastic for controlling CNC, 3D printer, and laser cutter hardware, but it's default uses aren't laser cutters. things with spindles and extruders are what it expects to use by default. To that end you have to edit some stuff to make it understand it's part of a laser cutter.

GRBL firmware: before you upload grbl to an arduino uno (it only works on the uno), you need to edit a couple things to make it play nicely as a laser cutter. (insert stuff from ACRO link in research links for config.h edits)

GRBL settings: Once GRBL has been loaded onto the arduino and you can talk to it on the serial monitor send it the following commands: $32=1 (this tells it to be a laser cutter) $100=83 (X axis motor steps/mm of distance moved) $101=83 (y axis motor steps/mm of distance moved)

Software settings: (insert bed size)

Research Links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ioctbN9JV8&t=335s

https://github.com/synthetos/grblShield/wiki/Using-grblShield

https://github.com/LaserWeb/deprecated-LaserWeb3/wiki/Firmware:-GRBL-1.1

https://openbuilds.com/builds/k40-acro-conversion.6592/

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Freeside's Full Spectrum MLE-40 laser cutter is a 40 watt CO2 cutter that has is being retrofitted with an arduino uno controller running GRBL firmware to allow it to run Laserweb software for ease of use and open-source goodness on the hardware and firmware side.
+Freeside's Full Spectrum MLE-40 laser cutter is a 40 watt CO2 cutter that has been retrofitted with an arduino uno controller and gShield V5 running GRBL 1.1 firmware to allow it to run LaserWeb, LaserGRBL, and other software for ease of use and open-source goodness on the hardware and firmware side.
 [[File:Full spectrum cutter.jpg|thumbnail]]
-Research Links
------------------
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ioctbN9JV8&t=335s
-https://github.com/synthetos/grblShield/wiki/Using-grblShield
-https://github.com/LaserWeb/deprecated-LaserWeb3/wiki/Firmware:-GRBL-1.1
-https://openbuilds.com/builds/k40-acro-conversion.6592/
+COOLING!!!
+-------------------
+The CO2 laser tube runs way happier and lives a much longer life if kept below 20C/70F! Toss frozen water bottles in the cooling water bucket and keep an eye on that temp. Also, using distilled water is preferable as tap water can carry an electric charge and mess with the tube's efficiency.
 Microcontroller:
 -------------------
 Arduino Uno running GRBL firmware.
-[link or code for firmware]
+https://github.com/gnea/grbl
 [[File:Cutter_guts.jpg|thumbnail]]
-The motor controller is a Syntheos gShield V5 board.
+The motor controller is a Syntheos gShield V5 board. Much less fussy and more fault-tolerant than pololu controllers can sometimes be.
 https://synthetos.myshopify.com/products/gshield-v5
 Motors
@@ Line 31: / Line 30: @@
 Power supply:
 --------------
-Note about generic 40w co2 cutter power supplies:
+The power supply is a generic 40w CO2 laser cutter power supply. There are many slight differences in these supplies as far as their pin headers,labeling, and pinouts are concerned. They all boil down to having the following pins though: Laser tube -, Mains ground, 2 Mains AC inputs for Live and Neutral, Water flow protection, logic GND, Laser control (FIRE!), 5v, 24v, and "IN" for the center pin of a master laser output max power potentiometer. Moar info at this link: http://donsthings.blogspot.com/2017/01/k40-lps-configuration-and-wiring.html
-Quite often the documentation for these supplies is sparse to nonexistint. They all appear as blue metal boxes about the size of an ATX computer power supply with 2 or 3 green pin headers on one side and a red high voltage wire coming from the other. Pinout to the green headers is generally similar but not always the same from one supply to another. Also there's seldom much if any labeling to note what a supply's pinout is, if your supply came with documentation for it's pinout the congrats! If not here's a likely incomplete guide to what it might be.
-http://donsthings.blogspot.com/2017/01/k40-lps-configuration-and-wiring.html
+Here's how the current pinout of the laser power supply (often just called LPS) is laid out.
 {| class="wikitable"
 |-
@@ Line 91: / Line 87: @@
 | DC power ground
 | Usually 1A max
-| TTL?(active low)
+| Use a discrete not gate to signal from an arduino, laser turns on with 0v, off with 5v. stays off with floating pin
 |}
-w CO2 laser power supply from ebay.
+Link to the EBAY page for the current LPS:
 https://www.ebay.com/itm/110-220V-40W-CO2-Laser-Power-Supply-Engraving-Engraver-Cutter-Machine/302659966406?epid=1773715012&hash=item4677f095c6:g:o-wAAOSw18xanYWm:rk:3:pf:0
 [[File:Laser cutter power supply.jpg|thumbnail|CO2 laser power supply pinout]]
-This pinout is not to be trusted until proven correct, but is likely along the right lines.
-With high efficiency and short response time, this laser power supply is dedicated for CO2 laser device. This power supply has excellent compatibility with laser device and can be directly connected. It can take feedback interface which can be used in closed-loop control and testing the working current of laser. With this power supply, laser device will be easily started up and well operated with higher conversion efficiency and longer expectation of life.
-Feature
-    Protection switch: test the external water, ventilation, etc., to protect laser device
-    TTL voltage level control: can be set high or low lever
-    Easy control: the start and stop of laser can be easily controlled by TTL level.
-    New function: timely scene judging which part is damaged, laser tube or laser power.
-    Good compatibility: it can be applicable to 40W laser tubes from different manufacturers.
-    High Security: input and output of power supply are separated completely to avoid getting an electric shock.
-    Open circuit protection: with well-grounded enclosure, the power supply can work in open-circuit for a short time, which could avoid the damage of laser power supply because of the bursting of laser tube, thereby enhancing the life of power supply.
-Application
-    The power is adjustable through it's TTL control or by a 5K variable resistor, small design with excellence PWM control circuitry. It supports any CO2 laser for up to 40W. Application for engraving, seal-cutting, etc.
-Laser power adjustment:
-    By adjusting the output current of power supply through resistor
-    Through PWM control (magnitude being TTL voltage level)
 Specification
-    Output power: 40W
-    Relative humidity: ≤85%.
-    Cooling way: natural air cooling
-    Input voltage: AC 110V-220V adjustable
      Maximum output voltage: DC 25KV
      Maximum output current: DC 20mA
-    Environmental requirements: temperature -10~ 40℃
-    Isolation Withstand voltage: Input-output, input-enclosure: AC2000V-10mA-60s;
-    Response time (from time of input being available to the output current being up to nominal value): ≤1ms.
-Package Included
+Software
+-----------
+This laser cutter can work with any grbl compatible software, the most common being LaserWeb and Lasergrbl, though others exist, since it's runs on Gcode. As of just getting the machine working lasergrbl seems to be the more approachable software.
-x 40W Power Supply
+Software/Firmware considerations
+---------------------------------------
+GRBL is fantastic for controlling CNC, 3D printer, and laser cutter hardware, but it's default uses aren't laser cutters. things with spindles and extruders are what it expects to use by default. To that end you have to edit some stuff to make it understand it's part of a laser cutter.
+GRBL firmware:
+before you upload grbl to an arduino uno (it only works on the uno), you need to edit a couple things to make it play nicely as a laser cutter. (insert stuff from ACRO link in research links for config.h edits)
-Laserweb
+GRBL settings:
------------
+Once GRBL has been loaded onto the arduino and you can talk to it on the serial monitor send it the following commands:
+$32=1 (this tells it to be a laser cutter)
+$100=83 (X axis motor steps/mm of distance moved)
+$101=83 (y axis motor steps/mm of distance moved)
+Software settings:
+(insert bed size)
+Research Links
+-----------------
+https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ioctbN9JV8&t=335s
-Open source laser cutter software for Gcode generation. Can do vector and raster cutting.
+https://github.com/synthetos/grblShield/wiki/Using-grblShield
-[Insert laserweb settings]
+https://github.com/LaserWeb/deprecated-LaserWeb3/wiki/Firmware:-GRBL-1.1
-COOLING!!!
+https://openbuilds.com/builds/k40-acro-conversion.6592/
--------------------
-The CO2 laser tube runs way happier and lives a much longer life if kept below 20C/70F! Toss frozen water bottles in the cooling water bucket and keep an eye on that temp. Also, using distilled water is preferable as tap water can carry an electric charge and mess with the tube's efficiency.

Difference between revisions of "Full Spectrum Laser Cutter"

Revision as of 04:31, 26 November 2018

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