laser acting weird HELP Please

[Bert Kemp]

I wanted to try cermark so I changed my settings to the recommended setting for my 60W which was 90% pwr 20% spd and 600 dpi( which is .0423 scan gap on my laser.
When I ran it all it did was go to the start point and run a straight line up, laser not firing. I tried several different ways to run the file no joy. then tried to run a previous used file at these setting same result.

Link to youtube video showing what happens. any ideas
https://youtu.be/To6oFD4VIPQ (https://youtu.be/To6oFD4VIPQ)

[Kev Williams]

Have you tried sending a cut file to see what happens?

My LS900 does exactly the same thing IF I send it a job from my Gravo7 software with ANY cutting as part of the job. When I does that I have to delete the driver and reinstall the Gravo5 version.

This means nothing to your Chinese laser as MY problem is a firmware mismatch, Chinese machines 'don't do' firmware. But it means that you have a 'control' problem...

First, does the machine slew left and right, and up and down normally? Your machine moved diagonally before it moved only upwards, HOWEVER, the moves in your video showed left, down, and up movement, but no RIGHT movement, which is what it should have done... so, does it slew in all directions normally?

Have you ever watched the machine's X and Y driver boxes, inside the cabinet, while the machine is running? They have LED lights on them that light whenever the steppers are in motion. You need to check them while trying to run a job. During your up-Y only result, if the X driver is lighting up while the X axis is NOT in motion, that means (most likely) that the controller is okay, as it seems to be 'telling' the driver to move the stepper but for some reason the stepper isn't moving...

but IF the X stepper doesn't light but the Y does, which would be correct for what the machine is actually doing, then that means (most likely) you have a controller problem...

Run more tests, use a larger or different areas to see if what DOES happen is happening in the right places...

[Bert Kemp]

Thanx Kev I haven't tried a cut file. everything worked fine till today when I changed the setting. I'm gonna mess with it tomorrow as I'm burnt out on it today
Like an idiot I didn't write down my original settings I think think speed and pwr I know but the scan gap I had I'm not sure. maybe 0.1000. I'll look at the lights tomorrow and try a cut file .

[Kev Williams]

Settings shouldn't matter, they're made to be changed-- unless you put in a setting that was out of normal range, then the machine may go thru a motion that 'fits' the setting, and not do much at all--

[Bert Kemp]

OK I made a cut file and it cuts just fine:)

[Kev Williams]

so the controller and laser must be working--

not sure what you have for scraps laying around, but a flat piece of cardboard will be fine-

Call up a flag you've done before, fit the flag to your cardboard (or whatever),
set the machine for
500 speed
25% power
0.08 scan gap

--see what happens...

and, make sure the scan gap you enter 'takes' --

MY program is different than yours but they all seem to be cut from the same mold,
and if I enter -- .085 -- as a scan gap, what will actually enter is 85--! and 85mm is 3-1/4 INCHES!
This means the overall engraved height must be MORE than 3-1/4" just to make ONE scan pass!

I MUST enter it as: -- 0.085 -- or the program ignores the decimal point, must insert the first zero...

[Bert Kemp]

That engraves just fine So what could be the problem, with my cermark settings

[Bert Kemp]

ok found a couple knives I don't care about I tried 300 DPI= .845 scan gap 80% pwr and 100 spd it engraved the cermark with a good bond but the engraving was not very good. I'm changing scan gap to = 600 dpi , will see what happens.

OK I tried 500 dip and 100 dpi nothing gives an acceptable engraving . any ideas?