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Author Topic: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input  (Read 16234 times)

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My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« on: June 26, 2015, 08:28:12 PM »
Hi,
I want to convert my cnc machine to a laser engraver. I saw a lot of video and article online where people did the same but with a different breakout board. So i went ahead a bought the laser kit. And I though i would be able to find some instruction online on how to do this. But I can't find any body who has the same cnc breakout board as me. This is the one i have: -
 

This is the laser that i bought :-


How do i have mach3 send the laser on/off signal to the laser driver pin. I have done some research and found that you can use the pin 16 and pin 17. On my board is the pin17 is on the right top corner land next one 16. But it is a relay pin from what i kw and how can you send a high freq signal on a relay. I am confused* ???
But any way, I try setting the spindle to pin 17 and then send in the M3/M4 command from mach3. But i didn't see nothing on the multimeter, which was expected. I also tired pin 16 as well same result. But how are ppl using those pins to switch laser on off???
Please help me mostly of the discussion or article that i found does't apply to my driver board it seems or the information is very scattered. I am stuck ?????
« Last Edit: June 26, 2015, 08:37:43 PM by CNCexplorer »
Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2015, 06:51:16 AM »
can you post a link to the datasheet for your laser?
Regards
Charlie M.
Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2015, 03:32:08 PM »
thanks for the reply man!!!
I don't have a datasheet for the laser but i am attaching a the labeled picture of whats where..
Do you have a similar cnc breakout board as Mine?
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 03:37:41 PM by CNCexplorer »
Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2015, 06:11:36 PM »
Does that BoB have a output that you are not using? Let me study it a bit and get back to you.

Charlie
Regards
Charlie M.
Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2015, 05:58:35 AM »
Hi,

   I was doing some research on how people are controlling lasers with mach3 and I came across this web site. I know you have a different laser setup ,but the info. should apply.

  http://jtechphotonics.com/?page_id=1436

hope this helps.
Regards
Charlie M.
Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2015, 04:23:12 PM »
I have attached an image of which pins are connected and which are not.
The link you provided i did went through it but it didn't work. I used a M3 and M4 command to turn ON & OFF the spindle. I also set the pin 17 as spindle output but as i put the multi-meter to the pin i got nothing then i tried 16, 14,8...... no signal on them. I also tired the M10 & M11 commands but no luck.  I have a feeling i am missing some very small or overlooking something maybe.
I have done a lot of research and come up lot of information but its just confusing or doesn't applies to my controller. Below are several links of my research 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Using-Zen-Toolworks-CNC-with-Laser-Engraver/?ALLSTEPS
--it shows a picture of the same kind of cnc breakout board as me being connected to a laser driver
http://buildlog.net/cnc_laser/mach_laser_power.html
--he shows three ways to control the laser with mach3
--spindle as laser
--collant as laser
--using mach3 pwm to control laser
--he makes a good point about using the M11P1 & M10P1 to turn the laser on off instead of M3 and M5
---Example
----M11p#      –  Turn on the output the laser is on, where # is the number of the output
http://www.buildlog.net/blog/2010/07/mach3-laser-cutter-setup/
--therse are instruction on how to setup this using the M11p1 command
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2gSFcrtt3A
--this guys connected an ossiloscope to parallel port and display the pwm signal using s1000 commands
http://openbuilds.org/builds/co2-laser.565/
--complete build of how to make a co2 laser with mach3
--it also has circuit and information on how to connect the pin 16 17 to laser input
Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2015, 06:02:15 PM »
OK I checked my cnc setup and I get 5 volts on pin 17 using mach3 when I turn on and 0 volts when turning  off the spindle. Granted my BoB (Breakout board) is different that should not matter. you should see a logic change. I would verify that your parallel port cable is a straight through cable using a ohm meter.
Regards
Charlie M.
Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2015, 08:28:39 PM »
Ok so from my BoB setting pin 17 doesn't work, whether its set in the "motor outputs" tab (spindle )or in the "Output signals" tab (output#1).
Here is what did work......
so it turned out that pin 16 and 17 are the load end of the relay on my BoB. So if i attach my multimeter to pin 16 & 17. I get an open circuit. But under "Ouput signal" tabs if i set the output#1 pin to 16. and then i turn the spindle, my multimeter showed that the circuit closed and relay led turn ON. I was even able to open/close the relay using M3 and M5 commands.
For the above senario if i use pin 17 instead of 16 nothing works. the relay doesn't close.
My setting in the "spindle setup" tab > Motor Control > step/dir control was check and pwm was not checked. Could you conform your spindle setup settings, and also what is ur BoB???
« Last Edit: June 29, 2015, 08:37:08 PM by CNCexplorer »

Offline Ben

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Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2015, 10:45:54 PM »
I have a simular 1 watt laser. I use a dedicated version of Mach3 just for the laser because the laser is installed in the spindel and I don't want it turning. I send a hi or low signal to the laser from the dir pin of  Z axis. In the Gcode I have on =Z -.001 and off as Z.001. I works great. Ben

Offline Ben

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Re: My 5 axis breakout board to 1 watt laser driver TTL Input
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2015, 10:11:59 AM »
One major problem was the laser was wired with the case as +5V with the red wire and GND to the black. That ment that
the laser case has to be insulated from the mill. I took it all apart and tried to change this but couldn't because it's hardwired inside the laser itself. Good luck, Ben