Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: Len-Tikular on August 05, 2020, 06:13:28 AM
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Moderator, please move this if in the wrong area. Thanks.
Finally my new machine is up and running and to prove it to myself I cut and engraved a new house name sign for my neighbor. But moving on......
Hopefully I can get some help here
I have Endurance 10W+ Laser and running Aspire 10.5 with a Warp9 ESS Smooth Stepper a C11 Rev8 BOB (All 5 inputs are used with limits and homing switches) so I have a C10 plugged directly into the Smooth stepper.
I could use some help in getting the laser setup with PWM in Mach4 Hobby. Specifically which boxes should be ticked in both the mach 4 settings and the ESS settings.
Vectric are selling a Laser post processor add on, does anyone know if this works with Endurance lasers and Mach4 Hobby.
Thanks
George
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I could use some help in getting the laser setup with PWM in Mach4 Hobby. Specifically which boxes should be ticked in both the mach 4 settings and the ESS settings.
Hi George,
Perhaps check out the ESS laser set-up details on the Warp9 site; https://www.warp9td.com/index.php/faq/faq-mach4#LaserSetup
Tweakie.
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Thanks Tweakie, I expect the Red Lion is still closed, hope you are keeping safe. Maybe one day I would like to come and see you.
I'll look at the link meanwhile Aspire posted this.... So I'm not sure if there PP will work with Mach4, Onwards and upwards.
Initially we aim to support the following machine tools (and controllers) using the most common commercially available solid-state laser diode modification kits.
X-Carve (GRBL)
Shapeoko (GRBL)
Ooznest (Duet2)
Digital Wood Carver (PlanetCNC controller)
Nextwave CNC - Nextwave Laser Controller
OpenBuilds (GRBL)
Stepcraft (UCCNC)
Please see the FAQ below for full details of our tested & supported configurations. We will be adding other machines and controllers to this supported list over time.
Other similar machines or controllers *may* work, our version 10.5 trial editions allow you to test your machine configuration before you purchase. Please note, however, that we are unable to provide support for other configurations at this time.
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Hi George,
If it's any help, the Vectric pp that I use is here; https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=36640.0
Tweakie.
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Thank you Tweakie.
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So Tweakie, If I purchase Aspires Laser Add ON can I then use you PP to generate the Gcode ?
Hi George,
If it's any help, the Vectric pp that I use is here; https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=36640.0
Tweakie.
Hi George,
If it's any help, the Vectric pp that I use is here; https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=36640.0
Tweakie.
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Hi Tweakie, I used your PP with Aspire, I drew a square sent it to Mach 4 and this is what it did. Seems it don't like corners. Most odd!!
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;)
That's not the pp that's your CV settings. Just to test, turn off CV and run in Exact Stop mode.
Basically, your motor tuning Acceleration need to increase and/or your Velocity needs to be reduced.
Tweakie.
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CV Did it, thanks
I looked at the demo for Aspires Laser add on. If I use that do you think the files produced along with your PP run OK with Mach 4 ??
Cheers
George
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Hi George,
I don't know for sure but as far as I am aware it will not be necessary to use a pp with the output from the Aspire Laser add-on.
Most of the new laser raster control software's only generate the Gcode for the raster pattern - the actual laser control / switching is done directly, on-the-fly.
As an example this image was laser, raster scanned, onto some Birch plywood using the 57CNC controller and no Gcode was produced. With this method it is often easier to raster scan things that would otherwise be vector produced such as text, etc.
Tweakie.
(https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12444.0;attach=47847;image)
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Your image looks great Tweakie, So here's what I will do, I read the article on setting up the laser settings in the ESS. Looks fairly straight forward so I will do that today. I'l l then add your PP. I shall purchase Aspires add on for creating laser work, images cutouts etc and try it.
It is my feeling that Aspire have written pp's for direct download to half a dozen different machines, bespoke machines are not supported, this I understand. I cannot see why it wont work going through a Mach4 PP such as yours.
It looks to be very good piece of software so I'll try it. For the sake of 40 quid, well.....
Regards
George
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I shall purchase Aspires add on for creating laser work, images cutouts etc and try it.
Hi George,
At this moment in time that is not such a good idea. When Vectric say that their add-on supports the ESS and Mach4, then that would be the time to buy and not before. My pp will not magically make it work with Mach4.
Currently Warp9 have their own laser raster set-up for Mach4 which still needs some work but it is getting there slowly. My suggestion is that you try that before doing anything else. Setting it up is a bit tricky but it is not rocket science and Andy at Warp9 is always there to help if required.
Tweakie.
Tweakie.
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OK!
That's good advice.
Thanks
George
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All set up now and the Machine seems to be responding. Any chance of a sample piece of code/file.
Thanks
George
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Any chance of a sample piece of code/file.
If it's any help, StarTrek.tap in the .zip file here; https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=18345.msg126486#msg126486 is a Mach4 laser vector drawing.
Tweakie.