I have a standard EleksMaker 2500mw laser kit with X and Y axis steppers. Use Lightburn to control the system. This system is running OK, using the laser to etch and cut as it is supposed to. Now I want to disconnect the laser and replace it with a mini-plasma torch to cut metal. I need to control the torch ON-OFF with an external SPST relay that is driven by the output for the laser. In other words, instead of using the laser I want to use the plasma torch. I have everything all set up but I don’t have enough experience with the Mana SE controller to properly ad the relay. I have 5vdc and 12vdc SSRs that I can use but need some help in connecting them. If there is another way to do this, I would appreciated any help that you can offer. Thank you.
Can I take a moment to express exactly how bad of an idea this sounds like? You want to take a toolhead that makes even more fire than lasers do, and strap it to a low cost motion frame whose plates and wheels are made of plastic?
Ray, thanks for your quick response and concern about the possible hazards with this project. I am well aware of these hazards and protective metal guards are in place to protect all non-metal parts. This is a low power experimental project for use with very thin gauge metal. Operation will take place under lab conditions with fire-proof surroundings and a water bath below. This is NOT a normal plasma cutting project nor is it designed to cut thick metal plates, etc.This is a low-cost approach to quickly obtain useful data for the further development of this project. If you know of a better way to do this as I have described it, please let me know.
In summary, I would like to operate a relay instead of the 12v laser, using Lightburn software that normally controls the laser via the Mana SE controller.
Ok, you’ve peaked my interest!
How do I do the thing?
Well there is the electrical answer, the firmware answer, and the job configuration answer.
Electrically, the GRBL board most likely puts out either a 5v TTL signal or a direct 12v signal, depending on what kind of diode you have (3/4 wire or 2 wire, respectively). SSR’s can be complex to wire, I’d put another mosfet module in between to protect the board, although they’re fairly cheap, not like you’re dealing with a multi-hundred dollar controller here. There are mosfet modules you can get on Amazon, or you can just wire the SSR directly to the board. I’m an EE guy, so for me that seems like the easiest part to do, but the hardest to explain, especially since it’s right about midnight. Google SSR Wiring as a starting point.
https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/solid-state-relay.html
Firmware configuration wise, search up GRBL Configuration. You’ll have to play with whether you want laser mode enabled. I’d probably leave it on for starters. Why? It’s related to this:
Along the same lines, your plasma head may need time to get going and “pierce” the material that it is cutting. That’s where Cut Through mode may come in:
That’s all I’ve got for you right now - I wish you a productive weekend of playing with things while I learn how to run high school robotics competitions remotely and fix some 3D Printers.
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