AutoReset (Auto-home on startup) Settings Not Editable in Lightburn

Hi guys. I have been using the software for over a year and am loving it. I recently got a machine with a Trocen AWC708C controller, and the Z is auto homing towards the heads upon startup. There are no Z limit switches, and I have no reason to add them, so I would like to disable automatic Z homing on startup.

This option appears to exist in the 708C’s manufacturer settings (STOP + SHIFT on control panel) under 4. AutoReset. You can then activate and deactivate the Auto Reset for each axis (including Z). I however have no idea how to save these settings when editing them through the controller, so when resetting or power-off - power-on the machine, the setting change is lost and I have to be ready to jump the Z- and common pins on the controller to prevent the bed ramming the heads, every time I start the machine.

I was wondering if Lightburn had the functionality to disable/enable the AutoReset setting for each axis? There appears to be no enable / disable but only settings regarding the movement, i.e. limit switch polarity etc in the machine settings.

If not, and anyone has any expertise on how to save setting changes through the controller, I would much appreciate any tips. I am usually using Ruida hardware but this was a second hand machine so I’m having to learn a few things.

Many thanks!

It’s a dsp controller, probably much like the Ruida I have. If you go to ‘Edit → Machine Settings’ and see if you can find it there. That’s where it’s located for me. Usually in the ‘Vendor settings’ you’ll find the axes of interest.

You should have already been there, ‘read’ the current configuration and ‘save’ it in a file for a backup.
If the changes you make are ok, save another version. Name them something you know what they are.

It’s much easier to do it this way than to figure out what was there or try and find the manufactures original configuration.

Sounds like a strange configuration to sell to someone. One that doesn’t work… :frowning:

:smiley_cat:

Hi Jack, thanks heaps for your reply! I appreciate your time, I am familiar with how to change controller settings, the issue is that my controller refuses to save changes directly through the control panel, Lightburn successfully allows overwriting of the settings, but there are settings missing - specifically the axis auto reset settings (enable / disable).

There were more than just one issues / not mentioned problems with what I bought unfortunately, however the machine I got at a pretty good negotiation so I’m not going back to complain! xD

FYI anyone else who sees this post: My AWC708C firmware is currently updated to 1.21.9.15

Don’t mean to offend, but maybe RDWorks has other options?

:smiley_cat:

RDWorks is software written by and exclusively for Ruida motion control systems. Trocen is a different manufacture with their own, exclusive control system and software.

I can’t find a way to alter this setting from LaserCAD, and unfortunately that’s how LightBurn functionality is added - I pick apart the stock software & analyze the data traffic between it and the controller, and replicate the functionality in LightBurn.

Having said that, I was able to change the AutoReset value for the Z axis through the controller panel, and after backing out of the menu and pressing Reset on the controller, the value is persistent. Try that sequence on your controller and see if it works?

Hi LightBurn,
Firstly, super impressed to hear from you (my first post so wasn’t sure what to expect). Thank you so much for getting back, support 10/10. Will continue to recommend your software to all that I sell DSP machines to :smiley:

After pulling my hair out until 2am last night I have found a fix and cause for the problem.

The perpetrator was in 6. MultiHead Settings. If you have the number of heads set to ‘2’. You will be forced to have XY, and Z enabled in the auto-reset settings. If you attempt to change these, your change will be lost when restarting the controller. The rest of the axes will be disabled, and the only one you can then customise or edit (and save) is the U axis auto reset setting.

I changed the MultiHead setting back to 1 head. This allowed full customisation of all axes AutoReset options. Basically, on the 708C if you have 2 heads enabled, you lose control of the Auto Reset menu. Not sure why this is, any ideas, is this a fault or designed in for some reason by Trocen?

FYI, this was likely a problem caused by myself as I edited this setting when I got the machine. This machine is super interesting (4 heads, 2 gantries, and two control systems both 708Cs).
They’ve also wired in a button to trigger start/pause on both controllers at once, this allows the four lasers to fire at the same time for doing 4 identical engraving jobs at once.

I assume, that the purpose of enabling multi head settings is to allow different layers to be run by different heads? This is why I set it to 2, because each controller is connected to two lasers / psus through the controller. Seemed like the right thing to do, but if I am forced to home the Z every time the option to set the multi head setting as ‘2’ is pointless.

I understand this is purely a limitation of the controller and not a software issue regarding lightburn but I appreciate your time.

This machine was custom built for doing 4 engravings simultaneously, specifically on 4 rotary devices, so I am figuring out a few things on the way, including this issue that had me stuck for hours.

Hopefully this post can save someone else who is having a similar issue with their AWC708C

Thanks… I knew that :dizzy_face:

That is a funky setup, and I’ve not seen one of those before. :slight_smile:

I assume it’s a glitch in the way that the settings are handled, and that would be on Trocen - the interactions with the controller that we do are entirely based on what we can see or capture, and sometimes based on information that we get from the manufacturers - Trocen, Ruida, and TopWisdom have all been quite responsive when I ask questions, and are sometimes even willing to make tweaks to their firmware if I can make a case for a particular change.

Do you have a link that shows the ‘innards’? Like to see how they packed that in there…

:smiley_cat:


How awesome of a relationship you have with the manufacturers of this hardware! I mean they must recognise the mutual benefits they get from allowing you to improve your software for their hardware. I’ve just sent some pics above of the machine, if you were interested :slight_smile:

Hey Jack, I have just put some pics up of the machine, and here is one more:
The controller / electronics is essentially mirrored on each side. This also means 2 x 240v inputs.

Dealing with my single tube and associated mechanics is a mind twister for me… What an incredible creation.

Is there any kind of LED visual alignment mechanism?

Thanks so much for the pictures.

:smiley_cat:

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