Messages

71

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: September 20, 2012, 06:06:43 AM »

That's cool Tweakie.

Can't wait to see some pictures with shades you engrave using that setup. I'm getting allot better and consistent results with John's PicEngrave Pro software then before using PVC. Here is one I did the other day and the detail is amazing.  

Jeff

72

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: August 31, 2012, 09:20:34 AM »

Hi Tweakie.

I have one of these driving the 445nm laser diode. http://hacylon.case.edu/ebay/laser_diode/FlexModP3.php. It has analog and TTL modulation I'm using the USB port to power one of these. http://usdigital.com/products/encoders/absolute/rotary/shaft/MA3 I purchased the analog output version instead of the PWM output one and it's attached to the Z axis stepper motor by a timing belt and pulley setup with a 6-1 ratio. With these ratios, when my Z axis motor moves from Z0.00 to Z-.016" the encoder outputs 0-5V. With a 2-1 ratio to my Z axis screw the laser only moves .008" and it's not enough to go out of focus. I'm not using any special code, but just like the PhotoVcarve software outputs for a Lithophane or rotary bit engraving with the X Y & Z g-code moves. Darker areas with a deeper depths of cut, it throttles up the power of the laser and lighter areas it throttles back so it is truly variable and proportional with all shades in between. This could be done with a more powerful CO2 laser if there was a way to vary the output power of it. I was planning on down the road to build my larger CNC router into one, when my finances with allow. I guess the tube would have to be mounted vertically to make it work properly. That way it could still move up and down based on material thickness so the beam would still stay in focus.

Jeff

73

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: August 31, 2012, 07:48:25 AM »

Thanks for the compliment Tweakie.

I do have to say though, technically by using PWM in Art's plugin is still pulsing the laser on and off to get shades. It's not really varying the power like I am with the MA3 analog absolute encoder and the PhotoVcarve software. My laser never turns off until the engraving is finished.

Jeff

74

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: August 30, 2012, 11:16:30 AM »

Tweakie,

Have you ever tried to vary the power of any of your lasers with analog modulation to engrave a picture with g-code in Mach3 to get shades instead of pulsing your laser to get the allusion of shades? I have perfected a process to do it using PhotoVcarve software and an absolute shaft encoder with analog 0-5V output.

Read this thread and it will explain how I was able to do it. 

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13405&start=60

and here

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=15161

Jeff

75

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: March 21, 2012, 11:58:32 AM »

Thanks Tweakie,

I know there are other programs out there more reasonable in price that will do Lithophanes and imaging software to process the image first that may be used to laser engrave, but Corel PhotoPaint and PhotoVcarve is what I had already and wanted to see if it was possible using the combination of the two. I'm sure you know, allot of trial and error was involved with the process.

Jeff

76

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: March 20, 2012, 03:05:56 PM »

Bob attached a link to here in the thread I started over on the Vectric forum. http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13405

I converted my CNC router over to a 1W diode laser engraving machine running in Mach 3. Read in my thread on how I did it with the electronics totally Independent from Mach control and it just runs a standard g-code to pulse the laser.

I just finished lasering this photo.

Jeff