Creality Falcon 2 Not "framing"

[CadenO]

Hello! I recently unboxed my Creality Falcon 2 40watt. I initially started with a TF card for the .gcode and just switched to using a 16FT usb-c cable to connect with the machine. Lightburn does recognize the machine and COM port. I am able to use the “move” function on lightburn and the laser head does move and even get correct “home” with the exception of 0.03 on each axis.

The main issue I am having my machine will not move at the command of lightburn from the “home” position.

ok

Starting stream

ALARM:3

Reset while in motion. Grbl cannot guarantee position. Lost steps are likely. Re-homing is highly recommended.

On or near line 0:

Stream completed in 0:00

<Idle|MPos:-5.275,-5.412,0.000|Bf:127,65491|FS:0,0|Pn:XY|Ov:100,100,100|A:S>

[MSG:Using cpu_map...esp32-s3]

Grbl 1.1f ['$' for help]

When I try to run a gcode it gives me an error saying the cut may be out of bounds. All the settings were pulled from the machine into lightburn.

[MikeyH (Mike Hembrey)]

@CadenO

it gives me an error saying the cut may be out of bounds

This is your problem…

1. Look for drawing remnants outside the laser workspace.
2. Use Crtl-A to see if there is something out there.
3. If you are using Image or Fill modes, you might be going out of bounds with the overscan setting.

@CadenO

get correct “home” with the exception of 0.03 on each axis.

Controllers vary on how they report the position after a Home cycle. This is not necessarily a problem. Use Absolute Coords for reliable positioning accuracy and repeatability.

@CadenO

The main issue I am having my machine will not move at the command of lightburn from the “home” position.

Yeah, Alarm 3 is funny that way. If you can, upload your Lightburn project file (.LBRN2) so we can take a look at it. It will also help if you enter $$ in the Console window and tell us what you see for $130 and $131.

[CadenO]

experimental.lbrn2 (162.7 KB)

$0=10
$1=250
$2=0
$3=4
$4=0
$13=0
$20=0
$21=1
$22=1
$23=3
$24=2000.000
$25=4000.000
$100=80.000
$101=80.000
$110=25000.000
$111=8000.000
$120=1000$151=4
$152=30
$153=0
$154=1
$155=1
$156=0
$157=1
$158=1
$160=1
$161=13.00

This is all my console is giving me. no 130 or 131

I have solved the out of bounds issue, but starting a “frame” from home still persists.

[MikeyH (Mike Hembrey)]

@CadenO

all my console is giving me. no 130 or 131

That really sucks! I needed that info to determine if your work is creating an out of bounds issue.

I opened your file and see [1] your Home position is the same as mine, [2] your parts were shifted up from the 0,0 corner quite a bit, and [3] I am wondering why the horizontal line?

I do not know your setup, but maybe you can try the file I modified. See if Framing works on it, and the machine will start from the home position.

Experimental-Rev1.lbrn2 (165.7 KB)

[ednisley]

@CadenO

• This is all my console is giving me. no 130 or 131
• just switched to using a 16FT usb-c cable

There is missing data in the middle line of this chunk:

$111=8000.000
$120=1000$151=4
$152=30

It looks as though a communication problem between the PC and the laser is chopping out data. If that happens during this simple text exchange, it will definitely wreck normal operation.

Even though you are using a “USB-C” cable, most likely neither the PC nor the machine support true USB-C levels / signalling and that cable is much too long for reliable USB 2 communication.

Buying a good quality cable and paying enough for built-in ferrite cores on each end seems to eliminate nearly all of the mysterious USB jank in desktop laser machines.

The shortest possible cable will work best; 5 meters = 16 feet is just too long. Some folks have had success with powered USB extension cables. The cables must have power injected from a separate wall wart at the end away from the PC, because powering the cable from either the PC or the laser controller only makes a bad situation worse.