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== Laser Cutter Electronics ==
== Laser Cutter Electronics V2 (not complete) ==
 
 
===Leadshine DM442 stepper drivers===
Requires program: [http://www.leadshine.com/UploadFile/Down/ProTuner_DM_Setup_2013-11-06.zip ProTuner DM]
 
Requires FTDI USB to RS232 cable, plus DIY adapter: [[File:DM442_cable.jpg|100px]]
 
Knockoff RS232 converters don't provide full RS232 voltage levels, and the DM442 drivers won't respond.
 
Alternatively you can use an old laptop with a hardware RS232 port.
 
After installing the software, in C:\windows\sysWOW64, in an elevated prompt, run:
* regsvr32 mscomm32.ocx
* regsvr32 mscommctl.ocx
* regsvr32 COMDLG32.OCX
* regsvr32 MSHFLXGD.OCX
 
Note that this program writes to the DM442 immediately after making changes, so BE CAREFUL.
 
===Internals===
[[File:LaserInternalsV2-Front.jpg]]
[[File:LaserInternalsV2-Back.jpg]]
 
The X, Y, W stepper drivers (Leadshine DM442) drive the three stepper motors, and are powered with 27V.
They are constant-current drivers, and are limited in software to an appropriate current for the three axes.
The software configuration means that they are NOT interchangeable. Replacement units MUST be programmed (see above).
 
The PIC board receives 12V and provides 5V for the rest of the electronics.
 
 
===FPGA===
 
The FPGA driver is a [http://store.mesanet.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=55 MESA 5i25]
The LinuxCNC driver is [http://www.linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/man/man9/hostmot2.9.html HOSTMOT2]
 
===LinuxCNC changes===
 
We added custom components binaryscaler.comp and laserpwmcalc.comp
 
binaryscaler produces a floating point [0-1] value based on the front panel switches.
 
laswerpwmcalc handles several inputs and produces a PWM output to drive the laser tube:
*graster
*binaryscaler [0-1]
*M3/M4 S[0-1]
*actual velocity
 
<pre>sudo halcompile --install laserpwmcalc.comp</pre>
 
M3 is the conventional 'spindle activate' command used to turn the laser on/off. Historically it was either on or off, but now accepts fractional power.
Features described below should not work in M3, otherwise referred to as 'compatibility mode'.
 
M4 is the new 'spindle activate' command which uses the concept of severance energy.
 
The movement speed of the laser (feed rate) is automatically coordinated with the cutting power.
Corner compensation is always enabled in M4, so as the feed rate decreases the cutting power decreases to match.
 
It is also possible (and recommended with M4) to enable adaptive feed by setting M52.
E.g. for a low energy cut, the laser will operate at maximum speed, and a low power. Increasing the energy increases the cutting power to maximum. Further energy increases instead will decrease the cutting speed.
Note that M4 speed changes will only *decrease* the feed rate. You should set the feed rate to the highest acceptable value.
 
 
===Recommended Gcode===
<pre>
G20            (Inches)
M52            (Adaptive feed enable)
G64 P0.001    (Path blending enable; tolerance at machine resolution, 0.001")
M4 S0.5        (S value [0, 1] for severance energy)
</pre>
or
<pre>
G21            (Millimeters)
M52            (Adaptive feed enable)
G64 P0.0254    (Path blending enable; tolerance at machine resolution, 0.001")
M4 S0.5        (S value [0, 1] for severance energy)
</pre>
== Laser Cutter Electronics V1 (out of date)==


[[File:Laser-control_board.pdf]]
[[File:Laser-control_board.pdf]]

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