Arduino based Laser Control

[DanL]

I have some things not working as expected but cant do anything about to I get the screen that's between 1 week to 4 weeks from now.
I will work on other projects to then.

[Mooselake]

There's always Sparkfun, Adafruit, Digikey, Mouser, etc. if you want to pay more to get one in a hurry.  Get a few extras off eBay anyway; you can never have too many spare parts (which is why the moosecave is packed full...)

Kirk

[ArtF]

Kirk:

Yeah, gotta admit .. I have a few things laying about as well... Helps to have spare parts lying about when your playing..

Art

[DanL]

hi art just an idea it looks like console is a yun function so it wont be needed on other boards so might as remove it correct me if I am wrong

edit it can be change to  Serial.print

[ArtF]

Dan:

Very true, its why I havent initialized it in the sketch.. not required if not a yun..

Art

[DanL]

I had to change some bits to get it to work it seems to be working.

I will posts my changes when I can plug everything up.

this will be so you know you have a Leonardo version working out there (first version) can you put up your changes when ever what I have is enough to play

[ArtF]

DanL:

  Heres the version Im currently using with 100 levels of power for any selected power. The pot selects the power
for the NGrave mode and Darwin always sends 0-100% as the control word, so you use the pot on the panel as
a sort of brightness control for the engraving..

Art

[DanL]

thanks art I will strip it today a run some ruff tests not connected to Darwin I am getting a bob tomorrow so I will test it over the next few days
It will take a couple of days.
I have some advertising work to do engraving a label on 40 pot holders boring as sin to do, 1 minute per cut 1 minute to change pot holders.

[DanL]

Hi art an all I have removed all of the yun stuff, als I have got the board connected up to some switches an leds, with serial monitor for feed back it took a bits of mucking around to get the switch to work properly they do know.

everything seems to be working I will connect up to a bob and Darwin in the next few days.

I will repost the code when I have got everything working.

[ArtF]

DanL:

  Excellent. Yell if and when you need help. My darwin is different from yours by a bit, the m4 guys need to fix licensing
before I can release it, as well as a new version since 2068 breaks all plugins again.. though Darwin is ready for 2068.

Art

[DanL]

cool one thing I have found the serial monitor does not play well with 32u4 boards.

I have set the serial writes in the same place in the program so it will be easy to comment them out so when the switches are working you will just be left with pwm, what is ok if only one thing is running on the serial monitor

[ArtF]

DanL:

  Yes, the timing as the panel is now is pretty critical, I limit myself to 30Khz for that reason.. I may have to update mine some day to a
arduino due at 80mhz to get the speed so I can go faster .. Serial monitor is a interrupt driven protocol in the end so it takes time
away from the system.  Its OK for testing and debugging, but youll want to stop all messages when your using it for the laser.. Its
one reaosn the lcd is not using a two wire interface.. the 6 wire one is faster cpu wise..

Art

[DanL]

using the serial monitor for testing with only Serial.print( PWMPower );  it has a slight effect on speed, any more than that has a big effect I could see it on my arduino oscilloscope when just sending out a tickle it has a longer delay for lasing.

I have added in a pwm out put for a 1 x 20 or 1 x 16 screen it can be used with a 2 x as well other wise when testing and doing a job it will be a guess as to what to set it to with the serial monitor not used it will be enough of a differences that it not worth the effort to use the serial monitor.

so it needs to done with a screen unless some gets this working on a faster board.

I will play some more tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

[ArtF]

DanL:

  Way to go, experiment all you like and let us know what works and what doesnt. Once I release the
CAM module Ill be taking a coupel weeks break for debugging troubles and playing with laser routines while
I consider how to best do the 4th axis work..

Art

[DanL]

will do