The Big laser works… It’s hotter and faster. But we still have problems.
We’re in murphy’s law territory here. Everything we discovered is unrelated to the initial optical overhaul. However, we think it is a given that these problems already existed, but were likely not recognized by members, and certainly not reported.
Z-stop failure – Traced to a board level opto-isolator problem.
Z-drive goes up, but not down – suspect controller though can’t prove.
X and Y axis skip steps and lose position – Acceleration parameter fixes this.
Our solution is to install the new MPC8530 controller in the big laser instead of the small laser. Another controller was purchased to fix the small laser with the last of the laser overhaul budget. (Done, same controller, same price, order confirmed Sunday.)
Bonus – Now we will have a matching set of controls and control software.
This is making everything slow going, but putting a glitchy machine into full rotation just results in passing our frustrations, wasted materials, and more catastrophic failures on to everyone else.
The new controller is scheduled to land in town on Wednesday before end of day. Lorin and I will start prepping for the install Wednesday.
We are looking for help to get this conversion done between Thursday and the weekend. We can use help getting a second laser computer set up in the annex with lasercut6.1 on it. Also looking for help installing the new control which will start Thursday afternoon.
There’s always more to a story, but it’s better in conversation.
See you at the meeting or huddled around the fablab.
Dave
surrogate writer and member of team frustration.
with many thanks to Brett and Lorin