adding a laser to router

[Battwell]

just got a very small 2.5 watt laser to test.
adding it to my router.
is m3 still required? or can i use the m10.1 as m3 substitute?
otherwise im going to have to add another relay to the spindle vfd so its not switching on/off with the laser.
am i on the right track?
whats everyone else done?
will be using the laser plugin
at present my vfd is pwm linked to analogue out on uc300eth.

[dezsoe]

If you don't use the M4 for the spindle then it also works for enabling the laser.

[Tweakie.CNC]

Either M3 or M4 will be required within your Gcode when you are using the M10/M11 switching commands so as Dezsoe has said – if your spindle does not respond to M4 then use that for your laser Gcode files.
I use a perhaps clumsy system where I have separate mains switching for my Spindle (and it's accessories) and Laser (and it's accessories) and just turn on the appropriate switch at the time of use.

Tweakie.

[Battwell]

Glad I asked
Didn’t think of using m4

[Battwell]

m10.1 to m10.10
are these all fired automatically with m10 if enabled?
or whats their usage?

i want to use the laser for engraving part/joint numbers on plywood before or after cutting with the router.
so ideally want to get it all going nicely in the same profile.
i can offset the laser using g52 in a macroloop if m4 is active im hoping.
just looking at my options to get the 2 to work together in vectric vcarve pro as il have to modify its pp to use again .

[Battwell]

playing in demo mode using the laser plugin.
m4 wont work as even if m4 is selected the pluging swaps to m3 when the laser plugin is running code?
(according to diagnostic screen) . maybe worth adding an m3/m4 selector in the laser plugin???

[Battwell]

is the laser output in i/o setup the pin that is controlled by m10 ? ie the pwm pin for the laser?
or is this the pin switched on with m3?
im presuming the m10

in my post processor i dont want to be powering up the laser/powering down totally in between each burn- eg when traversing to next engraving point.
im presuming for standard profiling etc in my post processor it will be like the router . m3 laser on (like spindle)
then S(power setting) same as spindle speed on router. . also presuming il have to add m10/m11 to switch pwm on to power up the pwm here.

[Tweakie.CNC]

Regarding vector laser working;-
Yes, sorry, the M4 command has the effect of inverting the M10/M11 functions (as compared with M3 command) and makes them operate in the same way as Mach3 (with some provisions).
As said earlier you need an M3 (or M4) towards the start of your laser Gcode or else the M10/M11 commands will not switch your defined (laser TTL connected) Output Pin.

The raster engraving plugin does not require you to enter M3/M4.

[Battwell]

but the raster engraving plugin does activate m3 (swaps from m4 to m3 if m4 is already active)

[Battwell]

I think I'm going to do this based on tool number.
Il set laser as tool 96.
That way I can exclude it from being probed, set it's offset and set an output pin to switch it on.
I just powered it up. Appears to go to full power as soon as powered without ttl pwm connected.
I haven't connected it to controller yet to test with pwm running.