Private message me your address and I’ll send one to you in an envelope with a stamp tomorrow. Or if you want, you can buy 100 of them here for less than $5 shipped.
Evidentially the 6442 has a totally different firmware. my 6445G has V15.01.19 It shipped with .15, and i discovered the air assist problem when I upgraded to .17 and didn’t have .44 RDWorks.
Pm sent and thank you!
I have 2 tubes, I use an air compressor for air.
I have not found away to use air assist for one tube only or turn on the chiller pumps independently.
1 laser has lots of info. nothing on 2 tubes that I can find.
Both laser tube selection and air assist are controlled at the layer.
This is completely dependent on your particular machine’s design and build. On my single tube machine, for example, my chiller is controlled by the laser PSU’s independent power switch. When the laser PSU is turned on, the chiller comes on automatically. This is done through a contactor (nothing to do with lightburn or the controller). I built this circuit myself.
Side question (nothing to do with the solution): Does a dual head / dual tube laser need more than one chiller? Is it possible to use more than one tube at a time?
I am using a CW-600AI that has 1 chiller but 2 pumps and 2 water switches.
I have seen video of them being used at the same time but I think that it would require a rewire.
I use them as #1 cut (W6 130 Watt) #2 engrave (W2 90 Watt)
The controller that a am using is RD6344.
Pretty much the same as the RD64xx but touch screen.
When you go into the layer info, you have check boxes for two tubes and a check box for air. Set your combinations. Is there a way to ‘lock in’ one tube vs the other, not that I know of. There are a number of features that should be ‘locked in’ in the user tab instead of vendor or cofig, but that’s the way it is.
FYI, the next major revision to RDWorks, and probably many of their other platforms, will be multi document. With a major change like that, now’s the time to send emails on program improvements if ever.
I contacted tech support at Boss Laser to ask about the solenoid we purchased from them for a Ruida 6442 controller. The answer was that: “We do not put a diode on our air solenoids. However if you would like to install one by all means do so if you feel comfortable doing so. We find the RDC(Ruida) cards to be quite robust so I am not sure how others are damaging it.”
So, just another opinion or another data point? Does Ruida have any input on this? I searched the Ruida manual, found mention of diodes in stepper motor circuit and this diagram that shows a diode on the solenoid:
If you are using the air assist all by itself, there is no need for a diode. If you are going to put an over ride switch to turn it on manually, then you want a diode just in case. I have a main solenoid on the STATUS port, and then individual solenoids for high and low pressure on the WIND port with a selector switch. I have diodes on all three just to be safe and prevent any back feed.
The main solenoid comes on with the STATUS for minimal air for engraving, the high / low come on with the WIND for cutting. 5 psi for acrylic and 15 psi for MDF. The over ride turns on the main and what ever solenoid down stream is selected.
@Dave01, this is not accurate information.
@patricr, the purpose and protection of a flyback diode in reverse polarity to an inductor (the coil of the relay or solenoid) is an established principle. The risk of the controller getting damaged due to the lack of having one: tuum est. It is literally a 5¢ part.
“A diode is very cheap and easy insurance.”
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I won’t be running mine till I have a diode to put in place…just to be safe.
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The switched outputs on the Ruida controller are opto isolated. The only need for additional diode protection is in the operation in conjunction with other outputs. The DC solenoid wired directly to the terminals as pictured is the method put out by the manufacturer. It’s not their diagram, but the circuit is the same.
Does it hurt anything? No. Do it if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy.
A diode in an over ride situation does prevent back feed to other outputs. That is the nice part of DC circuits. A simple diode makes a ‘one way gate’ for the circuit.
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I will make this my last response to this thread. I understand and have read “All outputs are isolated through the optocoupler…” Please take into consideration the following:
- CN1’s four independent optically isolated outputs are active low
- Ruida’s published documentation included with their product illustrates the usage of an IN4007 diode in conjunction with relays and solenoids:
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Yup, they show an INTERNAL diode in the solenoid. That is pretty normal for an DC solenoid.
Dave,
i sent you a messge.
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