New firmware for rotary support

[tricid (Richard)]

Just stumbled across this

http://www.lightobject.info/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=4182

Will lightburn “just work” with this? If not, feature addition request!

Apologies if this was already posted. Didn’t see it anywhere

[Stroonzo (Jeff)]

Interesting. I do not see this firmware posted on Ruida’s controller firmware download area.

If this is a legitimate and working firmware that enables the U to be used for rotary support, I may explore this further. Keep in mind to really take advantage of this, an additional and dedicated stepper driver for U will need to be added to the machine.

[tricid (Richard)]

I came across it from this reddit post https://www.reddit.com/r/lasercutting/comments/jhf1wc/update_patch_for_ruida_r6445g_enable_a_rotary_to/ if that helps give it any background. Seems like lightobject reached out/worked with them specifically to get this feature done

I already had to do a separate driver since my rotary stepper is lower amp rated, so I’m ready to go there. I might flash it tonight but I have no idea if it’d work without lightburn doing something special on its side.

[Stroonzo (Jeff)]

Looking at the current rotary setup, U is not an axis option (which doesn’t surprise me since it would not have worked for rotary operation on our controllers).

Apparently Thunder Laser has had U Axis functionality with their controllers:

Ruida 6445G Supports Rotary with new Firmware

Thunder Laser has this (or a version of it) on their controllers as well. When you enable rotary mode, it uses the U axis output instead of the Y axis, so they still can’t be used together, but it means you don’t manually have to switch the plugs.

So I am curious if the “unlocked” Ruida 6445 is going to have that similar limitation (mutually exclusive usage of Y and U).

As far as whether or not LightBurn can or will work with the new U axis functionality on a firmware updated Ruida 6445, that’s a question for @LightBurn.

[LightBurn (Oz)]

U / A are equivalent, but I haven’t had a chance to poke at this and figure out if there’s even a way to detect it from the software side, or if it’s even necessary. Since it’s a hard wired choice in the controller, not something the user can select, it might be more appropriate for me to hide the rotary axis choice completely for Ruida controllers.

[Hooeson (Joshua A Lotts)]

It works with Lightburn and RDworks. The rotary axis is fully functional from the U port now. The U still functions with the moving keys, unlike it has done before.