Hi Andrea,

Sorry, didn't had the time to read through your post, just saw a familiar photo and thought that impact engraving could do this.

Anyway, just read through your posts and I find your approach for driving the magnet very interesting. However, I wonder why can't one use a MOSFET to switch the magnet? Isn't it fast enough?

Also, if you increase the kernel speed, can you go faster than 300mm/min? Or is it a hardware (magnet) limitation?

I've seen on a few occasions impact engraving letters and lines with Mach, but this kind of work is just incredible! Thanks for sharing your results!

Dan

Hi Dan13

I do not know why can't one use a MOSFET to switch the magnet.

These could be some of the reasons.
Many people are already in their CNC the fourth axis, and this becomes comfortable in using.
Also, I think that, since from 2007 that the DLL exists and no one had ever found a way to get it to work only with the laser, I think because the signal "Digit Trigger" is very short, and this is the only simple system possible for proper operation, read also what Art says in the various messages by this link ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mach1mach2cnc/message/74912 ) and the answer of the other users.
Another reason could be that the a stepper motor drive now costs very little.

I'm not saying to be the first to do it but I'm certainly the first to disclose it because I read messages in all forums of Mach3 every day  and I've never seen anything like it.
If people speak only about laser and not of impact there must be a reason.

If I increase the kernel speed (now at 75 KHz), nothing changes because is it a hardware (solenoid) limitation (and the spring frequency).

Thanks,
Andrea

Hi

As I think this topic has aroused much interest.
I want to put forward a proposal.
If there is any person that will achieve this accessory, I would like that he put some photos here, including the work done.
This would allow to exchange their experiences, thus increasing our knowledge.

Thanks,
Andrea

Hi Art

HIAAAUUUUUUU!!!

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks ART.

The new DLL seems to work perfectly.

You can see the new photo ( ResultingWork.jpg ), now you can see my glasses!

When I loaded the photo ( PhotoEngraving_new ), I have see immediately the difference in values of X and Y that could possibly go.

You can see ( ButtonLeftCorner.jpg ) that the vertical line is finaly a line, and the (LinearityOfGrayScale.jpg ) linearity of grayscale and the ( LeftOnSync.jpg ) correct syncronism.

Thanks,
Andrea

PS:
Attached zip file with the photo.

Hi Art

I ask you a pleasure again ...
In the message of Bdock ( http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,11996.msg78241.html#msg78241 ) he says he has made these changes

*********************  FIXES  *******************

I have CORRECTED the calculations and transposed variables which caused the out of sync raster if the picture was not square.
This was basically a mixup of picture height, width and scanline length.

*********************  ADDITIONS  *******************

I have added a checkbox and m_Aspect to handle the ASPECT RATIO locking option.

I have added a checkbox and m_Inverse to handle the PICTURE NEGATIVE INVERSION option.
The inversion has been disabled in menuhandler.cpp at the present time.

I have ISSUES with the transfer of data to and from the dialog box and the XML profile data storage.

I have the idea that the issue is related to innapropriate use of UpdateData() at the wrong point somewhere.
The m_Aspect and m_Inverse states are not being handled correctly somewhere to and from XML and to and from the FORM.

I have got stuck trying to resolve the issue and have resorted to disabling the Inverse feature.

*********************  END ADDITIONS  *******************

I believe there is no problem in repeating the message and the source code since made them public.

You can see ( PhotoEngraving_Bdock.jpg ) the look of the window that is more pleasant.

Please tell us you can make this last effort.

On attached zip file (SourceEngraving_Bdock.zip) there is his source code.

Thanks,
Andrea

PS:
In the afternoon I'll  the description of how to use the accessory as Embossing Unit, of course, a video with the job, the G-code  and photos for the configuration as a spindle.

Hi

This is a description of how to use the accessory as Embossing (microdot) Unit.

The first thing to do is set up Mach3 for use Embossing as spindle.

On zip file the various photo to explain the various steps.

On photo MotorOutput.jpg how to set pin for spindle.
On photo DigitTrig.jpg how to disable Digit Trig.
On photo SpindleSetup.jpg how to set spindle for motor control.
On photo MotorTuning.jpg how to set spindle speed.
On photo SpindleSpeed.jpg how to test if everything is ok.

Now take the G-code files that you will find in the attached zip file and load it into Mach3.
Reset all the axes (for convenience of zeroing Z axis, you can start the spindle manually), and begin work.

On photo Corner.jpg and Core.jpg you can see the quality of sign.

On my Youtube channel you can see a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgXK7DvpVgw 

Thanks,
Andrea

PS:
Attached zip file ( HowToMicrodot.zip ) with G-code, SheetCam job, photo of configuration and some other photo.

Andrea,

Excellent job on the solenoid, very neat and compact. The method of operation, one pole of a stepper motor driver, is brilliant too (I would never have thought of doing that).

You can see the same problem of mine in the third picture (Top right) when you use the DLL with the laser.
Surely no one noticed because the Y stepover of the fault is less than what I use (0.2 mm)

I don't know if it helps you but you are not quite right in your assumption here. The shading (top right of my image) is caused by the reduction in laser power output during the acceleration and deceleration phase of the axis at the start and end of each line. A similar effect is shown in the image below.

Keep up the excellent work, for some reason I missed this thread but I will be following with great interest now.

Tweakie.

Hi :

  Here is the source for the engraving plugin, and also a new plugin with aspect control and inversion control.

Im afraid I cantg spend any more time on it, Im pretty bogged down, I cant find Blocks code to compare to,
and this is about as far as I can get.

Art

Tweakie or Art  do you think that a PLC would control the impact head effectively?
All the best, Henry

Henry,

Not sure I fully understand your question. A single transistor circuit would be all that is necessary to drive a solenoid why a PLC ?

Tweakie.