Laser: iKier K1 Pro Max 24/48W
Recently, the crosshairs (the red cross on the laser) have stopped working properly. When framing, the crosshairs simply turn off at the start and continue without them. This makes framing pretty much useless.
I suspect this issue is related to the upgrade from LightBurn 1.7.08 to 2.0.03 because the crosshairs still worked in version 1.7.08. Are there any workarounds? To the LightBurn Team: Could this issue be resolved in an upcoming release?
Thank you.
Try loading a .lbprefs from a day prior to the upgrade.
It’s because you enabled the laser on when framing option. You can only use one option, either the Red Cross pointer or the laser itself.
Unfortunately, that didn’t help, but thanks anyway.
No, the laser was not switched on during framing. I didn’t change any settings; it used to work like that before.
Show the device settings window to check.
Looks correct. Maybe toggle the “laser on when framing” setting just in case there is a glitch with it.
In fact, you have two problems ine one.
Since the begining with the Ikier, when you frame clockwize, it shutdown the crosshair.
When you frame counterclockwize, the crosshair stay active.
From Lightburn 2, Gcode is different, Lightbrun framing now clockwize.
Thank you @jsz for chiming in on this thread. We replied to your support ticket, but seeing that @angelaw has the same issue with the iKier K1 Pro, I’d like to respond here instead.
The crosshair turning off is not directly related to the framing direction.
Let me explain:
The red crosshair is controlled in the firmware of the laser.
When framing, LightBurn sends the machine “normal” GCode. One of these codes is turning off the framing laser for some reason.
Let’s find out which one!
I did this test (on another laser without a red crosshair):
Draw a square of 20x20mm with the center located at 20,20
Select Absolute Chords as the start from option
Home the machine.
enable “Show All” in the console window
When clicking Frame in version 1.7.08, we send the machine this:
That’s the rectangle, counter clockwise.
Whereas, in version 2.0.04 the same sends it:
That’s essentially the same square, but now clock-wise.
There’s absolutely no reason, that the crosshair should turn off only because of the direction of the move. (It’s additionally peculiar that it only turned off after the first vertical move in the video!)
The main difference I see is the G0 move on the third blue line. G0 in GCode is a (Rapid Linear Move)
And the added G1 with every line. Only the first G1 move includes a Feedrate (F3000). That’s normal, and a GRBL controller should properly use the last speed.
We might require some dev’s input on the topic.
Before we ask them, please try this:
It’s a wild guess, but might help in the case. Enable “Emit S Value With Every G1 Command”
Then, send us a screenshot of the console after you followed the steps above, and let us know if the crosshair stayed on.
Trying to frame a 20mm square.
Framing from top-left, current position :
G00 G17 G40 G21 G54
G91
G0 X-20Y-20
G1 X20S0F6000
G1 Y20
G1 X-20
G1 Y-20
G0 X20Y20
G90
Crosshair shutdown before first move. Same for others positions
EXCEPT
Framing from bottom-left, current position :
G00 G17 G40 G21 G54
G91
G0 X0Y0
G1 X20S0F6000
G1 Y20
G1 X-20
G1 Y-20
G90
Working. It’s on 1.7.
Tried with “Emit S Value With Every G1 Command” => same problem.
Rubber band frame have same problem, for every starting point. Not working.
It would be easier to understand the numbers if you did exactly what I asked.
If the first block shows LightBurn version 2.0.04, and the second block shows 1.7.08, I can again not see any reason why the red cross would turn off!
You are sending it basically the same GCodes.
The iKier K1 has a lot going on in the manual..
They are mentioning an “Auxilary Positioning Function” on page 24, which I honestly don’t understand what it does.
If you enter this command in the console, does the red cross turn on and off?
[ESP501]
I found the same issue on my Ikier K1 Pro Max when Lightburn 2 was released. I was able to resolve the issue by Enabling the Laser fire button in device settings and enabling Laser On when Framing at 1% power. By enabling the Laser on selection, both the diode and the cross-hairs turn on when framing. Doesn’t make sense, but that’s what works.
Things worked perfectly fine without those selections prior to the release of Lightburn 2.
I should add that I am running Lightburn 2.0.04 under Mac OS Sequoia 15.6.1 on a Mac Studio
The screen shot of your device settings shows this:
This means you do not have the laser enabled when framing, as it requires the “Laser Fire Button” to be on first, and then the other toggle enabled.
This is behind a switch like this because we don’t have any way to know that you have a diode laser, and it’s not safe to use this feature with a laser that produces an invisible beam, like CO2 or fiber.
Thanks for sharing what worked for you, @markltucson !
Setting the Laser power to 0% might even work too.
My test was only on 1.07 to explain the original problem : when setting from bottom left framing, working. Other options, not working.
Tested that you wanted on 1.07 :
G00 G17 G40 G21 G54
G90
G1 X30Y20S0F6000
G1 Y40S0
G1 X10S0
G1 Y20S0
G90
On 2.0
G00 G17 G40 G21 G54
G90
G1 X10Y40S0F6000
G1 X30S0
G1 Y20S0
G1 X10S0
G90
With a bigger one, I see the crosshair shutdown not due on movement, but due of time from launchig framing. On 150 mm square, stop crosshair 30mm after starting.
On 20mm, it beginning on the second movement. So, I think it’s not the movement the problem.
Crosshair comeback immediately after finishing framing.
When I try [[ESP501]], the crosshair shutdown like just before.
One more trying : [[ESP501]] on 1.07 not shutdown crosshair
Thank you for the tests!
That makes it clear, that both versions are sending the laser almost the same commands.
Mark reported that the problem was solved by enabling these two options in the Device Settings:
As mentioned, this option is dangerous if someone has an invisible CO2 or fiber laser and not a diode, like the iKier.
Set the Laser On When Framing to one %.
Nevermind, then. That macro is for something else. Thank you for reporting back.
Setting the laser power to 0% does not work. The crosshairs will still switch off. The laser power must be set to at least 0.01% for this to work (although this will also activate the laser head ventilation).
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
