Rotary - cannot unselect Y axis in the setup

Community Laser Talk
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410928850_7336331973085531_6316722046473974562_n
410928850_7336331973085531_6316722046473974562_n1512×2016 446 KB

RD6445-S controller.

I have got the rotary finally working via RD works, via the U axis.
So I do not need to disconnect the Y drive or Y control leads.

But upon starting Lightburn, I cannot unselect the Y axis as the rotary axis. (In RD Works, I can tell it that U is the correct one)

I had an old version, but I’ve just upgraded, and renewed my subscription, and it’s the same. As if Y is my only choice.

I’m wondering what I missed?

Thanks
Ian

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Two prerequisite:

  1. The firmware for RDC6445S needs to be v35.01.08
  2. Need to have RDWorksV8(8.01.60) which allows for the change the controller-based ‘Rotating axis’ setting to ‘Axis U’ or “Axis Y’

Process:
Part 1 - RDWorks

  1. Load RDWorks (make sure controller/machine is on)
  2. In control section on right side select ‘User’ tab.
  3. Select ‘Read’ the settings,
  4. Once bar reaches 100%, under the ‘User’ tab select the radio button ‘Other’
    5 Scroll down until you see the sectio. ‘Rotating’ and then look for ‘Rotating axis” option
  5. Next to ‘rotating axis” you will see either ‘Axis Y’ or ‘Axis U’.
  6. If Axis Y, click and change to Axis U.
  7. Click the ‘write” button and write the chance to the controller. (I clicked write twice just in case and ‘read’ to verify the axis)
  8. Once written. Close RDWorks.

Part 2 - Lighrburn

  1. Load Lightburn
  2. Navigate to the ‘’Laser’ tab,
  3. Click the “enable rotary” toggle
  4. Ensure that option ‘Start from’ is set to ‘User Origin”

Test operation.
5. On machine manually move laser head to correct starting position and press the ‘Origin” button on the controller.
5. Navigate back to lightburn and Create line box to use as a test file
6. ‘Send’ test file to the controller.
7. Go to the controller, and press ‘frame’ button
If all is configured correctly, the rotary should rotate and axis x should move accordingly.

If you need more help let me know.
This is for the new RDC6445S and I know some info on the old one too.

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Thanks for the reply - Our 6445 had firmware of 26.01.19, and I had to downgrade it to 26.01.13 to get some progress.
I’m not certain it will allow version 35.01 of the firmware to be loaded, being that i’s a ‘26’, not the newer ‘35’.

I bought it 2 years ago, and changed out the old 6442-S for the 6445-S.
The Cloudray advert said it was upgraded to 6445-S from the earlier 6445-G model.

(do I have RDW 8.01.60 loaded)

WHERE can I download v35.01.08, please? I can’t find it on the Ruida website to try it?

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I’m typing a reply here, because I finally got it all going well - but there were many variables in the path, that I feel a fresh thread on the topic is in order.

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Hi! Can you maybe post a link to this Thread? I couldn’t find it. I am facing the same problem. My Firmware on the Laser is RCD-V15.01.34 (I didn’t downgrade yet as I didn’t find this newest firmware on the net yet and didn’t want to risk it).

I selected the U-Axis as rotary in RDworks but still and can move it using the Buttons on my controller. However, light burn still doesn’t let me change the axis (as seen in the image from you above).

Any tips?

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Hi
I was able to download several versions of the firmware, and ended up going back to a not-newest one. (It seems version 19 worked for me, (ie 26.01.19) and others did not with our specific 6445.
But it was easy upgrading and then downgrading when I found that patch did not help.

I found that depending on which version of firmware you had, the choice between Y & U in User settings in RDWorks either was an option, or no U.
Choose the right firmware and it was suddenly there as a choice.

I also upgraded RDW to 8.01.60. (This was essential. I’d been using v.30 before)
No problems.
I also bought a new drive, so that commands go from 6445 to the new spare drive, then to the aviation plug for the rotary.
Then I did not need to unplug the Y’s green plug from the 6445.

Right now I can’t suggest an answer. I’m setting up a new PC, and so just use a USB memory stick to carry *.RD files to the controller.
But I still have to select U on the other PC, and spent a fair while calibrating things to that a 100 mm square on a rotary Yeti @ 72mm diameter, came out at 100mm square.
And If I put a 120mm diameter object in, a 100mm square was still 100mm square.

I did make a page of instructions for myself.

Then on the console of the laser, you have to go into settings and select U for rotary there AS WELL as in the RDWorks program.
I forget if I had to set resolution there also, or not.

Much depends on the type of rotary you have, too.
Ours has 2 big wheels that sit beneath the object.

Hope that helps.

I meant to also reiterate that the Firmware for the 6445, had to be 26.01.19 in our case, and RDWorks version 8.01.60. Higher and lower numbers did not give me the opportunity to select U for rotary and make it all work for us, as well as not haiong to undo the Y plug. The whole idea of this method was Y remains Y and U remains U, with no borrowing of plugs or drives.

You need to remember to switch U/rotary off, in the console’s User menu, when you’re finished, or Y will not work properly for the next job.

So basically you had to tell both RD Works on thre PC as well as the Ruida 6445 console that U is being used, and only the 6445-S console needed to know any User calibration figures- NOT the PC.

PS Here’s the useful thread that may help you- evidently I wrote it after I’d got it working.