Need Help to add a laser on my CNC

[dhuvelle]

Hi, I'm thinking about adding a laser to my router. I'm struggling to find informations on the forum and don't specially know where to start ... I want too use this laser to cut corrugated cardboard to make boxes. I have a AXBB.
Where do I need to connect the laser on the board ? and do I need to use a different profil on UCCNC to seperate the spindle from the laser ? (thinking about M3 command)
Does the UCCNC post processor for fusion360 is set for lasers ?
I have done a test with the jet mode of Fusion360 and a tool referred as a laser there is 2 toolpath, one for the cutting and one for the etching but in the Gcode (attached) there is no variation of the "M10Qxxx" it only outputs the laser percentage selected in the post options, in this case, Q64 (25%)
thank for your help

[dhuvelle]

I have done some changez in the UCCNC post processor (latest version found in the autodesk post library) to be able to change the power of the laser depending on the laser mode selected in the toolpaths (etching, cutting, ... etc).
I have been looking in the "laser grbl" post processor to see what they were doing to have the power changing and managed to put it in the UCCNC post.

You can find the post processor (modified) and the Gcode that it give in the attachments.

Can someone tell check if there is anything strange ?

[asuratman]

Do you mean diode laser such as atomstack x40 ? Their atomstack x40 working area is too small, need bigger one. It will be good if uccnc can control it ...

[dhuvelle]

Do you mean diode laser such as atomstack x40 ? Their atomstack x40 working area is too small, need bigger one. It will be good if uccnc can control it ...

Just thinking about mounting a laser on an existing CNC already working with UCCNC not controlling branded laser cutter/engraver with it because it depend on the control board of the machine and most are working with grbl

[asuratman]

I plan to purchase atomstack before to combine with cnc router to cut guitar and wood craft, it will be a lot easier if I can cut also with laser. Atomstack have no big cutting area. Thank for the info above about atomstack and grbl.

[formantjim]

Hi dhuvelle I downloaded the NC file and ran it on my UCCNC running with a laser and it worked just fine. I had added a 10 Watt fibre laser to my DIY CNC machine and use Inventor post processor and it generated the correct M10 and M11 commands together with the Q power I use it for cutting and engraving. At least with the plugins available one has the choice to use Lightburn which is great. UCCNC has a laser engrave plugin that is very powerful as it controls both the power instantaneously so one can make picture from photos a really neat piece of software and comes free with UCCNC!
I think where a lot of people go wrong when connecting a laser to say the ETH300 for example one needs both the Laser Pin (spindle relay) M3 together with the M10 and M11 driving the PWM output Pin.
My table area is about 28" X 34" which is more than adequate for most of my jobs.

[dhuvelle]

thank you for your feedback. Can I ask you how you have connect your laser ? I have an AXBB.
Did you experienced any problems with PWM ?

[asuratman]

I had added a 10 Watt fibre laser to my DIY CNC machine

Just to make sure, you mean atomstack x10, or maybe x40 for example can be used with axbbe ?