XY plotter fast laser engraving/ modify the source code

#1

Hi, I bought an XY-plotter v2.0 with makeblock orion board.
I would like to modify the source code that it be able to switch laser ON 5V, and OFF 0V with Z axis.
In default the Z axis move up and down the pen with the servo, how could i modify the Gcodeparser.ino file with arduino IDE to switch only ON-OFF instead drive servo with 1-2ms pulses?

I would like to engrave pictures but benbox is very slow, it stops the x axis for every pixel and larger images near 5x5cm every time its freezes and not doing anything, its very annoying…
I have the lastest 2.10.40 version.

Thats why i want to fast switch on-off the laser and engraving line-by line with fast 1000-2000mm/min speed.
Just like: enter link description here

#2

I find that if i modify " int Z_ENABLE_SERVO = 1;" to int Z_ENABLE_SERVO = 0;
Can controll ON-OFF servo signal pin with Z10-Z0 command in gremote, so it can controll laser on-off.
I generated gcode replaced the Z values to switch laser on-off and opened in gremote.
It works just not as i want. Runing of gcode and x axis are stops for very short time when Z10 and Z0 commands switch on-off the laser. Just like in benbox, it stops for very short time.

Somebody has any idea?

#3

Hi @bojlihal

As for the benbox, you could modify the value of “time” and “speed” to change the speed of laser diode. The “Time” means how much time(ms) the laser diode would stay in a single point.

#4

Hi, i tried everything in benbox, it works for simple images and if i set TIME to 0 and selected CONTINIOUS SCAN BY LINE mode it still stops the x axis for a very short time at the begining of a black section.
So when scans the image by line by line and in the scannned line begins with black and take for example 20mm than there coming the white section of the scanned line benbox turn off the laser and moves to the next black section, there it stopes the x axis movement, turns the laser ON and continues the movement.

This is my problem, this method is very slow, it stopes the x axis every time when it switches the laser.
I would like to switch the laser ON-OFF rapidly without the x axis stoping.
Just like i linked a youtube video, the x axis movement is continious for example 1000mm/min feed rate and only rapidly turns the laser on-off without any x-axis stops.
This woud be a great improvement in speed if the developers can achieve it.

Ohh and benbox is very buggy, sometimes it does not open dxf files, and as above i mentioned with larger pictures it freezes every time. I use windows 8.1. Does it work better in windows 7 or Xp?

#5

As for the Windows 8.1, please do not install the benbox into C:/

It would help if you change it to D:/ or E:/

#6

Hello! The new version of the software is still some BUG, so we still suggestions that you use an older version of the software.
http://learn.makeblock.cc/laserxy2/

#7