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Jan Mrovec
07-24-2011, 12:16 PM
Hello
I have problem. I must changed the mainboard on laser.
But if I do 500DPI and 500PPI is all OK. But if I do 1000DPI and 1000PPI I thought that the quality will be better ..... but laser doing gap.
Please ..do you not know where is the problem?
Thanks

Craig Matheny
07-24-2011, 1:23 PM
Jan,
I do not know why this is happening but is it the photos or is the text in the 1000 not as good also?

George M. Perzel
07-24-2011, 2:24 PM
Hi Jan;
I assume that you are trying to mark the material, not cut it. If so, your ppi setting is virtually meaningless as it has a much greater bearing in the cutting process. In this case, why are you running at such a high dpi? Dpi applies to the number of vertical increments being engraved, i.e, 500 dpi means that your laser will make 500 back and forth passes in one vertical inch (vertical being the y axis). It is difficult to tell the relative size of your text/design from the photos, but guess that 300 dpi would be fine for everything other than very fine small text. At 1000/1000, I sense you are near the DPI imits of the Mercury. However, I also have a Mercury and ran the same text/pattern at 1000/1000 and results were fine-no gap at end.
Why did you change your mainboard-assume problem did not exist prior to the change? Wonder if your tickle voltage is a bit off and needs a slight adjustment?
Best Regards,
George
Laserarts

Jan Mrovec
07-24-2011, 3:39 PM
Hello
Thanks for the reply.
Yes...this is only mark.
It's a new machine 4 months old.
I had problems with communication USB - Windows XP 32 bit.
LPT and Win 64bit are OK.And so was the exchange motherboard.
I have more problems ... (see the picture - 500DPI 500PPI 10%speed ....itīs mark to). Technik exchange engine X.
Resulte is better .... But not 100%.Still be exchange engine Y. He recommended me to work at 1000dpi.
202900

Mike Null
07-24-2011, 4:12 PM
Jan

Welcome to SMC.

If this is a vector line as it appears to be then it is not likely that your dpi setting is relevant. That said, it is a poor example and I think the problem lies in the adjustment of the belts, bearings, rollers etc. Also, be sure that your mirrors and lens are focused and secure.

It would be interesting to see a rastered example as well.

Jan Mrovec
07-24-2011, 4:24 PM
Hello
Thanks. Yes...vector line is on engine and belts.
But I do not know why laser does after replacing the motherboard at 1000DPI gap.
Before not do it (first post)
thank you

Richard Rumancik
07-25-2011, 10:12 AM
Jan, a few people are confused here (me included). You said both images were "mark" images. But sometimes people say "raster marking" and "vector marking" so it is confusing. It would be better to tell us if an image is a vector image or a raster image.

Please clarify - are the 2 images shown created by raster or vector?

Rodne Gold
07-25-2011, 11:13 AM
The first picture appears to be a ramping problem , the laser is engraving less on corners and "slow" sections because of some ramp setting , either turn on or off ramping and see if it gets better. I forget where the ramping setting is on the mercury , either its in the driver (software) or its on the front lcd panel settings.
The 2nd picture is not the same , that is very bad engraving and poor curves and that is , as mike points out , either a slipping cog on one of the motors , a bad motor , a dirty shaft encoder , something sticking or loose belts or dirt on the rollers , a loose mirror or a loose or cracked lens.

Jan Mrovec
07-25-2011, 2:41 PM
Hello
I'm sorry but this is my first machine, and I now everything learn.
All images are "vector"
Engineers do not know what it is. They ordered the replacement parts so we'll see.
Thanks

Richard Rumancik
07-25-2011, 3:10 PM
Thanks Jan. Now at least we know what you are doing. People here will try to help.


. . . I have more problems ... (see the picture - 500DPI 500PPI 10%speed ....itīs mark to). Technik exchange engine X. Resulte is better .... But not 100%.Still be exchange engine Y. He recommended me to work at 1000dpi.

I don't understand why they asked you to work at 1000 dpi for vector marking. Either they don't understand the machine or you misunderstood the instruction, because the dpi setting shouldn't affect the quality of a vector mark. Only the ppi should have an effect. I suggest that you ask them to explain.

Yes, the second engraving looks bad. What parts are they planning to send you to replace?

Jan Mrovec
07-25-2011, 3:34 PM
Hello

It was a change of engine X. It's better but not 100% Now waiting for motor Y.

But why does the laser gap yet nobody knows. After replacing the motherboard and started to do it.

Richard Rumancik
07-25-2011, 6:23 PM
Since this started after the mainboard was changed it seems unlikely that the x-motor or y-motor was causing it. Unless you had more problems than the mainboard going on at the same time.

Did you download the correct firmware into the mainboard? Or did your dealer to that? When you start the machine, the control panel should display the firmware version. Record that and tell us what it says.

What LaserPro machine do you have? I assume it is the Mercury II as you say it is new. What year was it made?

Did you try to turn off ramping as Rodne suggested? Ramping used to be a control-panel setting but I think it is now all done in the driver. Check your manual. Originally it was either on or off, but now I believe it can be set for each color in the driver. If ramping is tuned on (checked) then uncheck it for the colors used and see what it does. The fact that the energy is fading at each corner suggests that possibly the ramping function is not working right. It is supposed to reduce power to prevent over-burning on corners but in your case it almost seems that the laser is turning off on corners.

Andrea Weissenseel
07-26-2011, 12:25 AM
Richard, on some GCC Machines it seams like that DPI settings affect vector cutting. When I bought my Spirit it was not like that, but when I had troubles with the machine and the firmware was updated, DPI all of a sudden influenced vector cuts. :confused:

I just looked at the picture in post #4 - this is exactly the problem I had with my machine. They never found out what caused this. X- and Y-motors, belts and wheels were changed, finally also the mainboard. I don't know what helped, but I'm getting clean cuts again now, except the edges of acrylic are not as good as they used to be. IMHO all troubles started with the firmware update.

Rodne Gold
07-26-2011, 2:05 AM
Andrea , why don't you revert back to the old firmware?

Andrea Weissenseel
07-26-2011, 2:29 AM
Lodney, they don't know which firmware version was installed previously :( We did try a couple older versions, but I think that once you install a newer version which includes code which is not covered by the older version, that those parts will not be overridden when you install the older version again. That's why we exchanged the MB, because I hoped that the pre-installed firmware will be the old one but since it was newer also the newer Firmware was on it.

Jan Mrovec
07-26-2011, 9:12 AM
Hello
Laser is Model: New Mercury and firmware is 01.04-04
Engines must be replaced for to bad cuts.
Motherboard for to bad communication with USB (Windows XP 32bit)

Richard Rumancik
07-26-2011, 9:20 PM
Richard, on some GCC Machines it seams like that DPI settings affect vector cutting. When I bought my Spirit it was not like that, but when I had troubles with the machine and the firmware was updated, DPI all of a sudden influenced vector cuts. . . . .

Andrea, thanks for that reminder. I had a vague recollection that someone had reported a DPI setting affecting vector cutting, but did not realize it was on a GCC machine. Obviously it is a bug - rather than tell people to fix a problem by changing DPI for vector cutting, they should fix the bug instead.

It is also unfortunate that they wrote their firmware that makes it impossible to revert to an earlier version. That is also a bug. It should not have been a big deal for GCC to modify the downlevel firmware so that it erased "unassigned" memory locations in the EPROM, if that was what was causing the problem. Changing the mainboard seems like it was a brute-force approach to the problem.

Rodne Gold
07-27-2011, 12:53 AM
You can downgrade to an earlier version of the firmware , you *might* not be able to if the motherboard has changed , IE it never had the older firmware running on it. I have always kept a copy of the old firmware to reload in case the new one is buggy and have had no issues reloading it in my spirots , but they are running the same motherboards as when I got em.

Killor Perez
07-30-2011, 5:26 AM
Hello Jan
Sometimes just a matter of tightening a screw.
Check that the belts are properly tensioned.
Luck

Scott Challoner
07-30-2011, 8:38 PM
If you changed the motherboard, there may be other settings that you need to change. I don't know about the Mercury, but my Spirit (also made by GCC) once had to be told that it was using a Synrad tube rather than a Coherent tube. Apparently, machines are made with either. Somebody else mention3ed the tickle pulse too.
I think the other problem is unrelated and, like others have said, related to something being loose or a bad motor or encoder.

Jan Mrovec
08-08-2011, 2:56 PM
Hello
So an exchange engine "Y" but is the same problem.
Replacing a whole new mechanics "Y" but is the same problem "
Technicians and manufacturers know what is the problem.
Please have any suggestions?

......If I do "vector" on rotary attachment (paper tube) ..... the result is OK.

Very very thanks

Richard Rumancik
08-08-2011, 9:12 PM
Jan, let's review what has happened . . .

1. You had a communication problem with the mainboard, but otherwise the laser seemed to be working.
2. You replaced the mainboard, and then you started getting gaps on the corners when vectoring.
3. They decided to send you and x-motor. This seemed to help but did not solve the problem.
4. They sent you a y-motor and it did not solve the problem. (sounds like they sent other y-axis linear components as well?)
5. When you don't use the y axis (by using the rotary) the problem seems to go away.

So to summarize, you replaced the mainboard and the laser stopped cutting properly. Maybe you need to get another new mainboard? Perhaps the y-axis driver circuitry on the mainboard is bad. The circuit for the rotary (which replaces the y-drive) seems to be working.

Ask them for another mainboard . . .

You did not answer our questions about ramping, or whether you tried to toggle your ramp settings. The gaps on the corners suggest a ramp problem (since it occurs in two axes) but you did not say if you tested this. Your last message suggests a bad y-drive circuit. But you need to do the tests people suggest and then tell us the result, or else we are just guessing . . .

Jan Mrovec
08-09-2011, 6:04 AM
Hello
Communication with the USB it's OK.
The main problem is bad "vector" to radius (photo).The problem was even before the exchange motherboard.
It was tested 4 pieces of motherboard, exchange engine X, Y, replace mechanics .... and still the same ....
But "vector" on rotary attachment (paper tube) ..... itīs OK.
DPI has an impact on vector cut. If I use a higher DPI on vactor...is the result of something better.

Rodne Gold
08-09-2011, 8:59 AM
Time to ask for a replacement machine , yours is only 4 months old and it seems its already broken and cant be fixed

Richard Rumancik
08-09-2011, 9:18 AM
. . . Yes...vector line is on engine and belts. But I do not know why laser does after replacing the motherboard at 1000DPI gap. Before not do it (first post) . . .

Jan, I interpreted the above post to mean that the laser did not have problem with vectoring before you changed the motherboard. But in your last post you are saying you had problems with vectors before the replacement motherboard. It is pretty hard for us to diagnose this further as we don't have a clear idea of what was wrong originally and how they went about diagnosing the problems. It sounds like trial and error to me.

At this point, I agree with Rodne. Get them to ship you a new machine and they can figure out what is wrong with yours at the service center.

As far as DPI settings affecting vector cutting - I would like to hear what GCC says about this. I believe what you are saying (and Andrea saw it as well), but I would have thought GCC would have immediately fixed the bug that causes this. Apparently it has been around for some time. There is no logic to a dpi (raster) setting affecting vector cutting.

Jan Mrovec
08-09-2011, 9:25 AM
Producer and engineer say that I have to do the radius vector speed max. 2% to a good result!?
Itīs true?

Rodne Gold
08-09-2011, 11:39 AM
Thats rubbish , you can go at high speeds and get great results. Last thing they can try to change is the white ribbon cable that goes to the head and the small circuit board at the head. I think its something mechanical myself , perhaps a bad bearing one of the shafts goes thru? Especially look at the Y axis as you say that if you use the rotary , which becomes the Y axis , then the output it good..so in other words when the machines Y axis is bypassed , it engraves well. If that does not work , DEMAND another good machine , that is NOT normal output and there is no reson you should have to go so slow to get acceptable results. This problem as already cost you a LOT of money in that you are not getting the service out of your machine. If your local distributor/supplier does not give you satisfaction , mail GCc themselves.

Jan Mrovec
08-29-2011, 9:03 AM
206293

Hello

machine is in service. result.....the machine is not fault... is OK. Settings for my test graphics (vector) DPI 1000 PPI 500 speed 5% + Enhanced vector.
Very very Please ... You can try someone my graphics and some a wheel on your machine a higher speed and send me a photo? Please... I do not know where the truth. I need to compare the results.

thank you all

Richard Rumancik
08-29-2011, 9:47 AM
Jan, what material are you cutting with the test file? There are two colors in the file - what power levels are you using? I think if you want someone to try the file it would be best to use the same material.

Jan Mrovec
08-29-2011, 11:52 AM
Hello

I cut cardboard 500g. power levels is the same for both colors (the first laser to cut out the inner wheel) I want to find out at what speed on your machine matched your wheels start to deform.

Andrea Weissenseel
08-30-2011, 1:02 AM
I have to cut some thick cardboard today, maybe I have a chance to try your graphic.

Where are you located Jan ?

Jan Mrovec
08-30-2011, 5:03 AM
Hello
It would be great.I am from Czech Republic.Please,You can send me photos on e-mail:
modelarho@centrum.cz
Much would it helped me.Thank you