Trocen and Rotary

[Smitty123 (Paul)]

Hi - I purchased an older used Chinese CO2 laser with a Trocen 708C controller - it came with a rotary. I have to remove the y axis from the stepper motor and plug in the rotary. So I have it “working” - but in lightburn I can’t seem to do the set up - am I missing something or will it not support lightburn with the rotary? Any help is appreciated. I have enabled the rotary in the laser menu - but when I try to engrave everything comes out stretched, its not a circle or anything extreme - its a simple square - but it comes out like a rectangle. Its a simple roller type rotary - I have entered the diameter of the item in the laser - I also entered the pulse count per rotate - I guessed at 5000. Is there a formula to figure this out based on the diameter of the item?
Thanks

[jkwilborn (Jack Wilborn)]

This is the basic setup information.

A rotary attachment question. Warning: Newb

Configuring for a rotary should not be an issue. I’m assuming you are using the Y axes… you didn’t say… find steps/rotation a. identify the switch settings b. translate from the motor driver placard steps/rotation is then computed based on a ratio. a. value entered is steps/rotation multiplied by the ratio which results in the steps/rotation of the wheel, which is what Lightburn needs to know. This is the basic procedure. [motor-driver-switches] Look up the settings on the devices pla…

Good luck

[Smitty123 (Paul)]

Thank you I will give that a try - yes hooked up to the y axis. Once I get that step up - does this equal the pulse count per rotation? The “current” diameter is that the item I am engraving or is that the diameter of the rollers? I have been reading it means the roller diameter. Thanks

[jkwilborn (Jack Wilborn)]

If you have a chuck the test button should rotate the chuck once then back. With a roller, the roller will rotate one complete turn and back.

With a roller, there is no need to know the diameter. It’s only on the gui so you can make a tool frame to ensure the artwork is right.

The steps/rotation is based on the motor driver stepper. You then have to multiply it with the ratio of your wheel.

Mine is set for 2000 steps/rotation and the ratio is 2.5 to 1, so 2.5 * 2000 = 5000 steps/rotation in the gui.

Make sense?

[Smitty123 (Paul)]

Ok thanks - yes I think I know what you’re saying. Much appreciated

[jkwilborn (Jack Wilborn)]

Let us know if it fixes the issue.

[Smitty123 (Paul)]

Should I be able to set up the roller in lightburn - with Trocen I can’t see anything- I see enable rotary - but I don’t see the set up rotary button in lightburn. Thanks

[sutick (Steve Utick)]

You can’t configure the rotary on a Trocen controller from LightBurn. Has to be done on the controller itself. See this post from Oz here:

Rotary for Trocen?

It’s not actually possible for the software to access the rotary settings in the Trocen controller. They don’t provide a way to do it, which is why LaserCad doesn’t do it either, so unfortunately my hands are tied. You have to change the rotary settings through the controller panel interface. I’ve requested this from them, and they’ve been unwilling to change it. If they provide a way to do it in the future, LightBurn will add it.

[Smitty123 (Paul)]

Thanks everyone I figured out the pulse count per rotate is 19,400 - I found a Trocen manual that mentioned that number - and it worked perfectly. I entered the diameter of the water bottle and it worked out everything else I guess. I hope this helps someone else. Thanks again

[jkwilborn (Jack Wilborn)]

With a wheel type rotary, the diameter isn’t needed for the machine to work properly.

[Smitty123 (Paul)]

Thanks - that is true I just needed the correct pulse count to get the proper rotation. I needed the circumference to get the correct alignment in lightburn - I set up a template with the circumference so things line up properly on the bottle. Thanks for all the help