My eighth grade math teacher had covered the clock at the front of the classroom with a cardboard sign that read, "Time passes. Will you?" My dad taught in the same school and was good friends with him. But I digress.
It has been OVER A YEAR since I updated this build log. And I've been working on this laser cutter all that time, and I still don't have it working.
Okay, I bought a 3D printer last May, and that distracted me for about three months. But the real distraction is that I've been writing my own firmware stack from scratch. It's been a blast, but it hasn't actually resulted in a working laser cutter yet.
Recap: I am using an Azteeg X3 as the back end, and I'm using a Raspberry Pi as the front end. The Raspberry Pi is headless, and the laser cutter is accessed over the network.
I have working software to start with a line drawing in a PDF file, convert that to G-Code, convert the G-Code to my own command language, called S-Code, send the S-Code through the USB port to the Azteeg, and the Azteeg can trace the outlines and pulse the laser to cut the lines. That much works.
Things that work. Most of these are new in the last year.
- Firmware: motor control, laser control, limit switches, E-stop and lid switches, power relays for water, air, high voltage supply.
- Comms software: hold serial port open, send commands and receive status
- G-Code interpreter: read G-Code, output S-Code.
- Monitor app: shows all kinds of firmware state, updates in real time.
- 110V wiring is done. Relays control water and air pumps and high voltage supply.
- Shelf for laser power supply constructed.
- Laser tube is installed and the positive lead is attached.
- Water pump has been tested.
- Rubber grommets and vent outlet are attached to the back panel. Vent tubing has been acquired.
- Alu-Panel skins have been sanded smooth and some panels have been attached.
- Ammeter and E-Stop switch mounted. E-Stop switch is wired in.
Things that are not done yet:
- Lots of software/system testing.
- Wire up laser's negative lead through the ammeter.
- Wire up the laser power supply's control signals.
- Permanently attach the laser power supply to the chassis.
- Attach water tubing to laser.
- Create a web interface so you don't have to ssh in to the Raspberry Pi. (-:
Today's subproject has been to design and fabricate Mk. 2 of the rear panel. The first one was 3D printed in 7 pieces, and was flimsy and wouldn't stay in place. The second one is on the printer now. I'm making it in 3 main pieces with 8 printed fasteners. When it's finished, I'll post details.
Here is a teaser for the software. This is the monitoring app I mentioned earlier. It runs in a terminal window. The idea is to make it easy to pinpoint why things are disabled.
It would be useful to add an LCD display that just displays the Status, Laser, and Motors lines.