Update an existing lasercutter

[wolfgang]

Hello everyone;

I picked up an old lasercutter that I am attempting to revive by gutting the older hardware and install new hardware. 

The old cutter is a Vision VL30, and it's got a couple of nice features like an optional rotary table, powered height adjustable table with height switch, air assist, built in fan, laser designator, etc. Both sides also open up so you can put long items though the machine.  I would like to also add the option for water cooling in the process, as it's not on the original, and I'm going to add a bigger laser. 

What do people think of using a lasersaur board, or is something else better to use?

[Ward Elder]

I would look at Lightobject to see what they have.  I am currently modifying my Lasersaur to work with a Ruida R6445G controller from Lightobject.  Full featured and supported.

 

 

Thank you,

 

 

Ward M. Elder

ElderSoft

42 Appleton St.

Winnipeg, MB

R2G1K5

(204) 791-7754   (Cell)

 

wa...@eldersoft.ca

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[jet townsend]

On 1/30/2020 5:02 PM, Ward Elder wrote:
> I would look at Lightobject to see what they have.  I am currently
> modifying my Lasersaur to work with a Ruida R6445G controller from
> Lightobject.  Full featured and supported.

I was thinking about making my UI work with Ruida but not wanting to buy
one and only have it live on the bench. Please let us know how the
upgrade goes.


--
Jet Townsend, IDSA
design <http://www.allartburns.org>
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[Ward Elder]

I will keep you posted.  Major rewiring.  I have a motorized Z axis and am building an auto Zero system to manage the 4 steppers I have on the z platform. Will update everyone once I am done.

Thank you,

Ward Elder

Eldersoft

(204)791-7754

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[jet townsend]

On 1/30/2020 8:52 PM, Ward Elder wrote:
> I will keep you posted.  Major rewiring.  I have a motorized Z axis and
> am building an auto Zero system to manage the 4 steppers I have on the z
> platform. Will update everyone once I am done.

I was debating four steppers vs. one big-ass stepper and four pulleys.
I've seen both in the studio, not sure if either is demonstrably better.

[Ward Elder]

With a belt you only have to tune it once as each corner of the square should stay level with the other three corners. Probably a good idea but not the challenge I wanted.

With four steppers, lost steps cause the platform to out of square. My system I am building (with an Arduino Nano) will auto level all four corners to four limit switches. I will post more info once I have more of it built.

Thank you,


Ward M. Elder
ElderSoft
42 Appleton St.
Winnipeg, MB
R2G1K5
(204) 791-7754   (Cell)

wa...@eldersoft.ca

-----Original Message-----
From: lase...@googlegroups.com [mailto:lase...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of jet townsend
Sent: January 30, 2020 9:29 PM
To: lase...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [lasersaur] Update an existing lasercutter

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[wolfgang]

Ward;

Do you know what the differences between the various models are?  There's a RDC6332G, RDC6344G, RDC6442S, RDC6442S, RDC6442SG, RDC6445G...

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/lasersaur/4F782BA039C23D47B03CDDAE65D1AB9D012DF46FF7%40EX1.esi.local.

[Ward Elder]

From what I can gather the differences are:

-          Screen size

-          Does it include a number pad

-          Number of laser tubes it can control

-          Does it have a separate U axis: rotation

-          Generation of the product

 

I went with the RDC6445G because it has a large screen and number pad.  It is a newer model too.  The dual laser support is not something I will use.  The U axis is nice.  Without a separate U axes, you have to use your Y axis for both Y and rotation.  That would be cumbersome.

 

I don’t know all the specific differences between all the Ruida controllers.  As soon as I saw how big the RDC6445G screen was and the number pad, I was sold.

 

The AWC controllers look good too but are a bit smaller and don’t have number pads.  That moved me away from them.  They too have single and dual laser support models.

 

 

Thank you,

 

 

Ward M. Elder

ElderSoft

42 Appleton St.

Winnipeg, MB

R2G1K5

(204) 791-7754   (Cell)

 

wa...@eldersoft.ca

 

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[Derek Seabury]

Generally the different models have support for 3 or 4 axis, one or two laser heads and progressive feed or not.

Other features are tweaked and the amount of memory can vary. 

For a saur upgrade I'm unsure how much difference any of that would make.

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[wolfgang]

Update for everyone:

I've bought a lightobject x7, all of the stepper controllers and had them mounted. It was starting to look sweet. I added an emergency stop switch, and a current / voltage monitor to the tube. I then proceed to start hooking up the axis starting with the Y axis.... and I hooked up the wires to the linear encoder on the motor, just assuming it was a stepper.

I am glad I double checked the other end and found out before powering anything on.

Does anyone know some box that could go between the X7 and the dc motor, and hook up to the linear encoder to make it work?

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