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Post by aluomala on Jun 21, 2020 15:36:31 GMT -5
Hi. Has anybody had any success with wiring up a 3rd party laser (other than JTech)? I see that JTech has a 7W laser, which is getting better, but still a ways off some other lasers for CNC, 3D printers, etc (such as Endurance lasers). I asked the owner of Endurance if it would work on my Axiom machines (AR4Pro+ and AR8Pro+) or my NWA Pirahna, and he says yes, and points me in the direction of some documentation and some videos of people who have made his lasers work. In a list of all the various machines there is an entry that reads: "axiom precision ar8 pro cnc router wiring". Does anyone know who may have accomplished this? I am looking at a few of his lasers, with the 20W (10W x 2, focused to one point), but I don't want to be ripping my Axiom machines apart, but if it's a matter of plugging in a connector (or making a connector) I can live with that. Thanks for any assistance, Allan
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Post by gerry on Jun 21, 2020 15:47:29 GMT -5
Even the Axiom lazer requires cutting and adding wires in the control box and gantry. The major problem with the Axiom, is there is no control for changing power on the fly. It only has off/on and the speed of the XY movements. The faster the move, the lighter the burn. Getting one to work with those parameters shouldn't be too hard. Since the Axiom has no spindle speed control, you cannot use that to control laser power.
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Post by 2far2c on Dec 12, 2020 21:29:34 GMT -5
Our ball screw machines don't move very fast compared to a belt driven laser engraver. That may be ok for high power laser cutting and deep engraving but the trade of is you loose the ability to do light engraving. Gerry is right. It's just on and off. I am going to try and test out a laser module that has a separate tester/interface board that allows me to manually adjust duty cycle on the laser (on the fly) like we can do with our spindle speeds. Hopefully that will open the doors for some flexibility.
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bef
New Member
Posts: 10
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Post by bef on Dec 21, 2020 0:49:18 GMT -5
I expect a lot of folks would be very interested if anyone can make any progress on this!
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Post by 2far2c on Jan 4, 2021 18:24:23 GMT -5
I expect a lot of folks would be very interested if anyone can make any progress on this! I’m waiting to some parts to come in and will try and adapt it to our machines. If I have any luck, I’ll post a DIY guide. The irony is that any machine that uses screws instead of belts or rack and pinions, would be better as a “cutter” then an engraver depending on the laser power. We are limited in the laser diod world along with using a slow machine. Realistically, it’s cheaper to buy/build a standalone machine using nema17 steppers with belts and having a board that uses PWM output. The irony to that is that the offshore machines use low quality lasers. The solution would be to buy/build a machine similar to the offshore offerings, and use an actual NUBM44/47 nichia 7W laser diode. That would be as good as it gets without complicating things. I’d like more than anything to double my CNC as a laser too but we are trading off speed for torque. Either way, I’ll try and see how it goes. |
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Post by 2far2c on Jan 20, 2021 10:15:38 GMT -5
I wish there was a new forum index added for technical machine knowledge/custom add-ons/DIY sharing. Axiom, please consider adding something so that these topics aren't mixed in with the general stuff. On a side note, I'm not an expert on any subject. I am just sharing the little I do know. If what I'm saying doesn't make any sense....I suggest not touching your machine or spend a few weeks online learning about all of this. No one is responsible for your house catching on fire except for you  I received my parts. And have done some testing. Keep in mind that once you know the basics of the richauto controller, there is nothing stopping you from adding any accessory such as a vaccum/air/water pump auto triggered by the spindle signal. On the topic of lasers; there is also nothing stopping anyone from actually adding a vertically attached 40w Co2 laser tube directly to the spindle head (would work great on the ICONIC I2R heads). The way the Richauto controller works is that it takes in 24v to power it so everything is tied to that voltage. It has 1 output signal (Y1). Y1 is just a short to ground. If you take a line from +24v and use Y1 as the negative end, Y1 will close the GND connection and allow the current to flow. Spindle signal off = no current, spindle on = 24v current flow. Other controller do not necessarily work this way. Especially those that use a PWM signal which is what allows for Duty cycle (variable speed/output). Our signal is just on or off. Also, 24v output is not the norm for a lot of offshore add-on stuff. Most things usually like between 5-12v input. Alternatively, vacuums and such run off of 110-220v. The safest way is to use a relay that accepts 24v in. The other thing that can be done if a relay is not used is to use a voltage stepdown module to drop the 24v down to whatever voltage input you need. If your planning to use an accessory that runs when the spindle is running, then the wires just get added to both Y1 and +24V. If in the case of a laser; The spindle is off, and the laser is on, then the Y1 line would have to be spliced to a 3 pole switch so that you can select which accessory is being turned on via the spindle signal Y1 wire (remember there is only 1 output on these controllers). Laser wise; Axiom and Jtech have made it super easy to install their system. The laser diode is of known good quality and the driver is also very nice and also properly built with key interlock. The shortfall id that duty cycle (laser power) cannot be regulated easily. There are many offshore laser modules for sale online. pick your poison. The important part is what input signal they need to take in. Some include a driver, some don't. Take some time and do your homework. This article simply tells you what your router is capable of putting out. Which is simply a short to GND connection. In the illustration I made, I'm using a Neje laser system. The lasers themselves have an integrated driver built into the laser. 4 pin input (Temp, PWM,GND,12v). It is meant to connect to units that Use a PWM output. Neje however also sells/includes a PWM tester add on board. you can run the laser completely on it's own using this module. And manually adjust laser power. It has a TTL input for allowing a low voltage signal to turn on/off the laser. Unfortunately, during my testing, I realized that trying to use the TTL input does not allow for duty cycle control...only on/off. My diagram shows an alternative I'm considering to allow for duty cycle control of a laser using the Neje PWM tester module with our output signal of the Richauto controller. I believe there are a few different ways this can be wired. Including using a relay if you wanted complete isolation. But this is something that gives you the basics. Keep in mind that the Neje module must have constant power on it otherwise Duty cycle will reset. TTL input will work but won't allow for laser power control. The only brake we have is either the 12v out or the GND out. provided you 12V input is using both the 24V and GND off of the Richauto system, then GND is common on the entire system. Otherwise Y1 output will do nothing. I will be testing this out soon checking that GND is good. Again, I'm no expert. I've been trying to wrap my head around this for a while so anyone who has better insight than I, feel free to add your thoughts. Preferably to help others add on a laser and not bash anyone's' attempts for trying. I also believe that there could be a workaround to the Jtech system to allow for similar control. basically manually adjusting laser power just like we do with our spindles. Hopefully this helps the community expand on these machines....at the expense of voiding your warranty. lol Attachments:
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Post by joshuag on Feb 5, 2024 22:12:45 GMT -5
I expect a lot of folks would be very interested if anyone can make any progress on this! I’m waiting to some parts to come in and will try and adapt it to our machines. If I have any luck, I’ll post a DIY guide. The irony is that any machine that uses screws instead of belts or rack and pinions, would be better as a “cutter” then an engraver depending on the laser power. We are limited in the laser diod world along with using a slow machine. Realistically, it’s cheaper to buy/build a standalone machine using nema17 steppers with belts and having a board that uses PWM output. The irony to that is that the offshore machines use low quality lasers. The solution would be to buy/build a machine similar to the offshore offerings, and use an actual NUBM44/47 nichia 7W laser diode. That would be as good as it gets without complicating things. I’d like more than anything to double my CNC as a laser too but we are trading off speed for torque. Either way, I’ll try and see how it goes. Consider exploring the Monport laser for your needs. It offers high quality and affordability, making it an excellent choice. The machine's user-friendly design ensures ease of use, and its reliable performance guarantees great results. Check out the Monport laser product on monportlaser.com/collections/co2-laser-engravers/products/monport-40w-lightburn-ready-12-x-8-co2-laser-engraver-cutter-with-fda-approval?sca_ref=5031521.ka374VZjm3 to learn more about its features and benefits. |
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Post by joshuag on Feb 5, 2024 22:14:22 GMT -5
Our ball screw machines don't move very fast compared to a belt driven laser engraver. That may be ok for high power laser cutting and deep engraving but the trade of is you loose the ability to do light engraving. Gerry is right. It's just on and off. I am going to try and test out a laser module that has a separate tester/interface board that allows me to manually adjust duty cycle on the laser (on the fly) like we can do with our spindle speeds. Hopefully that will open the doors for some flexibility. Consider exploring the Monport laser for your needs. It offers high quality and affordability, making it an excellent choice. The machine's user-friendly design ensures ease of use, and its reliable performance guarantees great results. Check out the Monport laser product on monportlaser.com/collections/co2-laser-engravers/products/monport-40w-lightburn-ready-12-x-8-co2-laser-engraver-cutter-with-fda-approval?sca_ref=5031521.ka374VZjm3 to learn more about its features and benefits. |
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Post by jgarciaa on Mar 3, 2024 20:22:26 GMT -5
Hi. Has anybody had any success with wiring up a 3rd party laser (other than JTech)? I see that JTech has a 7W laser, which is getting better, but still a ways off some other lasers for CNC, 3D printers, etc (such as Endurance lasers). I asked the owner of Endurance if it would work on my Axiom machines (AR4Pro+ and AR8Pro+) or my NWA Pirahna, and he says yes, and points me in the direction of some documentation and some videos of people who have made his lasers work. In a list of all the various machines there is an entry that reads: "axiom precision ar8 pro cnc router wiring". Does anyone know who may have accomplished this? I am looking at a few of his lasers, with the 20W (10W x 2, focused to one point), but I don't want to be ripping my Axiom machines apart, but if it's a matter of plugging in a connector (or making a connector) I can live with that. Thanks for any assistance, Allan
Considering the Monport laser could be a prudent choice for your needs given its reputation for being user-friendly, of high quality, and affordable. While you're exploring third-party laser options like Endurance, it's essential to ensure compatibility with your specific CNC machines like the Axiom AR4Pro+ and AR8Pro+. Reviewing documentation and seeking advice from experienced users who have successfully integrated similar lasers into their machines can provide valuable insights. However, Monport's laser products offer a reliable and straightforward solution, ensuring ease of use and peace of mind. monportlaser.com/collections/co2-laser-engravers/products/monport-40w-lightburn-ready-12-x-8-co2-laser-engraver-cutter-with-fda-approval?sca_ref=5031521.ka374VZjm3 |
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