CNC laser ploter burns evil monkey

[Fairshotguy]

Haha too damn funny, I had Family guy on in the background when i was watching this video. Believe it or not it was the episode about the evil monkey too haha.

[lavawolf666]

how you control the laser with the mach3, and what laser driver did u used?

[c4r0hv]

@lavawolf666

I use self-designed constant current driver with enabling input. The input is driven by spindle signal, which is set in Mach3 to PWM control.

[rmourita]

@c4r0hv

Hey! Loved the video! But i've got this doubt, are u using mirrors to drive the X and Y or an entire moving head?

Another doubt is, is the laser diode a "pulsed" one? (i don't know how to power on/off) when needed...

Regards!

(i'm also making one CNC Laser engraver.. that's why i'm asking...) final objective will be a simple SLS machine..! :) [ i'm a noob at this... ]

[c4r0hv]

@rmourita

1. Entire moving head.

2. The laser diode operates in CW mode,, but the current is turned on/off by controlling software.

[SettimaLegione]

@c4r0hv Hello C4R0, I would suggest to put a warning on your blog: "dont connect diode to power circuit when it was ON before". Some people reported me the charged condensator may burn the laser, otherwise. Is this right?

[djtonyxxx5]

how do you focused the dvd laser? for now i'm only able to breack them. not to use... trying to collimate the beam i always breack the laser... but i'm lucky. i've a stock of brocken dvd recorder so i can try. but some help is appreciated.

[c4r0hv]

@djtonyxxx5

The best way co collimate or focus the beam is to use optics from a low power laser module.

[giuseppe359n]

very very nice.

[Marcelmx3]

I really like this job !! Would be a nice addon for my cnc router :)

[brenck]

Hi,

very nice man. I am building one as well, how does wave lenght affects power? is it better higher or lower? I want to make the best option possible without buyng a C02 laser.

[c4r0hv]

@brenck

It doesnt affect power at all. But absorption of given surface depends on wavelength. So if you want to choose the wavelength then you need to know what exactly you want to burn or cut. For example, many laser markers for plastic marking works at 1064nm (Nd:YAG laser), but machines for cutting BGA reballing plates (stainless steel) uses frequency doubled YAG, which is 532nm. CO2 laser (10,6um) is the most universal for cutting, because at so far IR most of materials absorbs very well.

[poisonoak23]

that's nice. i'm building my own soon.

How are you running the diode at 600mA without damaging it?

[J1I9M7M4Y]

Have you ever tried to burn a image to leather? You could earn money with that machine!!

[minipancho94]

hey for all those peole who like to dyi you could probly modify a printer to use a laser as long as the things in black and white and that thing is awesome just dont put anything that can cause cancer when burned witch is nowadays almost everything

[Lokivoid]

A scanner from a laserjet maybe(With major modifcation and some firmware changes, but a inkjet has no relation in function outside of the two stepper moters.

[hrag500]

Wow, Very Nice Man, This is amazing!

So you just pick something and it will Draw it for you?

How much is this mate?

[c4r0hv]

Yep, I just need to pick a picture that will still look nice after converting to monochromatic. How much is this? It costed me a long and really hard work :P

[zeiris49]

Ah, thanks for the quick reply, shows how much I've got to learn :)

Could you hazard a guess as to how many mWs are needed to cut 0.2-0.3 mm acrylic reliably? I'm thinking of building a very small CNC cutter based on a laser diode.

[c4r0hv]

It strongly depends on colour of the cutted material and desired speed of cutting. You need at least 150-200mW of red light to burn through a black acrylic with this thickness at all. Cutting will need some more, cutting with resonable speed will need much more. Also you should consider what wavelength to chose.

[zeiris49]

Nicely done.

Are you using lenses to focus the beam, or is it that straight and coherent by default?

[Osmann45]

So, if u put ur hand under this machine while its drawing that money you will get a pic of the monkey on your hand?

[c4r0hv]

No, this laser won't burn skin.

[Osmann45]

How? ive seen this kind of laser burn photograps in granite, why dosent it burn skin?

[c4r0hv]

It was definitely different kind of laser :)

[Osmann45]

properly, also ive just brough a 200mW burning laser, and i think u know something about lasers, how fast can it ligth a match?

[c4r0hv]

It depends not only on total power, rather on power density (spot diameter - how much the beam is focused). Also the match's head colour and the laser colour (wavelength) affects that. And after all, If you already bought it why don't you check it yourself? :P

[Osmann45]

i havent got it yet, i just brough it online

[luis19812207]

uuuoooo

[mercanaries3]

l0l

[P0kerR0b777]

great great!

[firoz16]

i'll be very thankful,if u could guide me for making such tool.

or is there any tool available on net,which can do this sort of work?

[firoz16]

its a raster image.not vector.

and mach3 is capable of doing only vector images.

so i wonder how did u do this.its really amazing.have u used any plugin with mach3?

[c4r00]

It's not a plugin. I used my own software to convert bmp to g-code. Mach3 only reads that g-code and controls the machine.

[firoz16]

thanks for the fast response.

if u don't mind,can u share that tool.i followed ur method of making the laser cutter.iam only stuck at the proper engraving of pics.and which i want to do desperately.

thanks and regards

[c4r0hv]

Check the second link in video info. It may be a problem for you that this software is in Polish...

[firoz16]

thanks.i'll use some translator to know what means what.

mean while is it VB6 run time iam supposed to install? or bcb 6 run time ?iam bit confused.can u tell me from where i can get this.

(i got an error saying rtl60.bpl not found and reinstall the application.this is bcz i don't have those run time files i guess)

[LeckerMuesliMhm]

coooooooooooool !