I regularly service and mend laser cutters and love to use Lightburn with RUIDA controlled laser cutters for my work. One of the issues I face with RUIDA cutters is running a power test using my “turkey thermometer” style power probe (it’s literally an analogue temperature gauge with a calibrated anodised block).
On other laser cutter controllers (such as LEETRO) I’m able to add in a beam length time for the pulse that exceeds 10s. This is necessary because my power probe requires a beam pulse of 14.8 seconds. Of course I could make a shape and upload it to the cutter to reproduce this beam length, but I’d love to have a secret little “engineers” test function somewhere in Lightburn that aids my process. Any thoughts? Maybe theres already is something like this and I’ve missed it or there is a way to do this that I’ve overlooked?
The device you are using sounds just like Russ’ DooHickey. He provides a spiral of calibrated length which runs for the required time to make the math simple. The advantage of such a design, I believe, is that it won’t burn in a single location on the deck and fits into the outline of the anodized puck.
Of course, when testing the output directly at the laser, movement doesn’t matter, but it does keep the gantry and nozzle travel to a minimum.
This project is designed to fire the laser for 14.8 seconds in a stationary position for power testing with a meter or calibrated plate.
Click to select ONLY ONE power level desired from the project (10 - 99%)
Cut Selected Graphics ENABLED
Start From CURRENT POSITION
Basically, you just click one of the number (99% for example). You’re selecting that object in the project. Then click start. Then the magic… the laser will sit stationary for 14.8 seconds for you at that selected power level.
@fred_dot_u, the problem I thought about with the spiral / calibrated line length was the variability the Ruida controller configuration can put into the equation. The project I created leverages the Cut Through function on an irrelevant object.
1.Russ’ spiral pattern has like an 8 second lead-in. This is essential because my laptop (and everybody’s?) is a step away from my laser. So I have to click Run, move to my laser and position my power meter in the location of interest, before the 14.8 second burn starts.
Russ’ spiral audibly lets you know (by moving the laser tube) when the 14.8s timer starts and stops. This is useful if you are at the back of your machine and can’t easily see the laser bed.
Does your 14.8s timer do these things? I’ve downloaded it but haven’t run it yet, so it’s a real question. If it doesn’t do this could it with some modification?
