Laser and Impact.

Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-01-21, 12:36 | Üzenet/Post # 1

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Some changes have now been made to Mach3 R3.043.056 output switching times called by the M10P1 / M11P1 commands and the topic is discussed in more detail here. http://hobbycncart.com/publ....-1-0-29
These changes now allow an output to be switched co-incident with axis movement, without any noticeable delay and represent a considerable advance for laser users.

Tweakie.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Dátum/Date: Hétfő, 2012-02-20, 11:14 | Üzenet/Post # 2

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A good friend has sent me an advance beta copy of his new program ‘PicDither’ which will produce a ‘halftone’, using one of several different, industry standard, algorithms from a .bmp, jpg, etc image. The results produced are extremely similar to the rather overpriced commercial program ‘PhotoGrav’ and although I still have much testing / experimenting to do I am very pleased with the results.
This is my first test run with some MDF and using the Mach3 Impact / Laser plugin.

Tweakie.

Csatolások/Attachments: 6971595.jpg(93.8 Kb)

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Dátum/Date: Hétfő, 2012-02-20, 13:06 | Üzenet/Post # 3

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Again, exactly the same technique but this time with a photographic image.

Tweakie.

Csatolások/Attachments: 1495017.jpg(48.6 Kb)

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Dátum/Date: Hétfő, 2012-02-20, 16:57 | Üzenet/Post # 4

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tweakie, nice work again, as You used to make.
When will be this software available for public? Will it be free or pay-for?

Dátum/Date: Hétfő, 2012-02-20, 17:28 | Üzenet/Post # 5

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Quote

When will be this software available for public? Will it be free or pay-for?

Hi Amator,

I am not sure about the availability or when the program will be finished but I will try to encourage the author to join this forum. cool

Tweakie.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Dátum/Date: Hétfő, 2012-02-20, 18:32 | Üzenet/Post # 6

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Quote (tweakie)

I will try to encourage the author to join this forum

Tweakie, good idea, maybe He will find some testers smile

Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-02-21, 07:53 | Üzenet/Post # 7

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Tweakie, good idea, maybe He will find some testers

Hi Amator,

I have just spoken with him, he has applied for membership (or will shortly be applying) and yes he will need some testers biggrin

Tweakie.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Dátum/Date: Péntek, 2012-08-10, 11:52 | Üzenet/Post # 8

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I have been asked by Picengraver to test a beta version of his new software ‘PicLaser’ and as I have no commercial involvement in this product think it would be OK to post a few details here. It is not intended to compete with DotG as it operates in an entirely different way but it is capable of producing very similar end results.

PicLaser takes a .jpg or other bitmap image and enables it to be converted to a dithered halftone (using any one of a number of different, industry standard algorithms) then generates the necessary GCode to reproduce the image. It uses a unique method to create a laser ‘on time’ dwell which makes it just as suitable for high as well as low power lasers. I have not yet tried it using an impact magnet, a future task, but I have every confidence.

This was my first test piece with the laser, it is faux aluminium faced engraving laminate, with the image just slightly larger than life size and took around 20 minutes to complete. I have deliberately scaled the image up a bit and kept the focus tight so the individual dots are clearly visible but for portrait work it is generally considered best to de-focus slightly, producing a somewhat larger dot size which blends in a smoother manner.

Tweakie.

Csatolások/Attachments: 7805559.jpg(45.0 Kb)

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Dátum/Date: Vasárnap, 2012-08-12, 17:51 | Üzenet/Post # 9

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tweakie, Thank You for sharing Your experiences!
The results seem very fine to me, please pass my Congratulations to Picengraver! Also creditable Your machine's precision.

Dátum/Date: Vasárnap, 2012-08-12, 19:56 | Üzenet/Post # 10

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Hi Amator,

Thank you - I certainly will pass on your congratulations.

He is a very clever guy that PicEngraver as he is already working on another software to laser engrave grey-scale without the dithering stage (no more dots). It is perhaps early days yet but this one of his recent tests (I hope he doesn't mind me showing one of his pictures).

Tweakie.

Csatolások/Attachments: 7768871.jpg(84.4 Kb)

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Dátum/Date: Vasárnap, 2012-08-12, 20:19 | Üzenet/Post # 11

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tweakie, Thanks a lot!

Quote (tweakie)

without the dithering stage

Does it mean that every single line will be machined continously, with chaging the laser power?

(Mr. Winston is always strict :))

Dátum/Date: Hétfő, 2012-08-13, 16:42 | Üzenet/Post # 12

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Hi Amator,

I don't have any details about the exact way in which it operates just yet.

This was produced with PicLaser using an impact electro magnet using exactly the same GCode as would be used with my laser. It was a bit tricky to set the height / stroke length with respect to the speed of operation but it was "third time lucky" biggrin

Tweakie.

IMAGE1

Csatolások/Attachments: 4950610.jpg(230.5 Kb)

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picengraver

Dátum/Date: Hétfő, 2012-08-13, 23:24 | Üzenet/Post # 13

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Tweakie,

Thanks for posting, and for your compliments as well. I am going to have to buy a larger hat ;>)

Here is another I did today after some more software changes to add a "contrast" adjustment routine. I'm still working on this feature.

The original image is same as the example Tweakie posted, except this sample was engraved vertically.

PicLaser outputs standard gcode to adjust a laser's on time (pulse duration) for each pixel in proportion to the grayscale value of the pixel. I am still experimenting with the way the program does this, but I'm pleased with the early results.

Unfortunately, my cnc machine also imparts some artifacts in the lasered image caused by the lead screws. These appear as the faint vertical line seen in this image.

I am very indebted to Tweakie for his help and advice. I can't hardly wait to see a PicLasered grayscale image from his professional laser setup. Ready soon, Tweakie, I promise.

John Champlain

Csatolások/Attachments: 4726949.jpg(349.2 Kb)

I paint with a blue light beam.

picengraver

Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-08-14, 00:22 | Üzenet/Post # 14

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Here is one I just finished. The vertical lines from the machine lead screws are more visible, because of reduced the contrast setting I used in PicLaser.

This one was also engraved vertically, but with less contrast than the previous images. The 'contrast' adjustment is not done to the original image, but by varying the gcode values that control the laser dwell time (pulse duration).

Amator, it is not exactly a continuous line, but is as close as possible. The laser actually moves in a manner similar to the exact stop mode in Mach3.

One thing I want to do before final release is try the code in EMC2 to see how it performs. The images posted here take about 45 minutes on my machine to complete, and the machine actually sounds similar to Tweakie's impact engraver.

JohnC

Csatolások/Attachments: 7081250.jpg(287.9 Kb)

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Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-08-14, 18:45 | Üzenet/Post # 15

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picengraver,

Quote (picengraver)

PicLaser outputs standard gcode to adjust a laser's on time (pulse duration) for each pixel in proportion to the grayscale value of the pixel

I see. The results seems more linear than spotted, that's why I thought it's a continous line.
In practice that means that the axis what carries the laser stops for a shot right?

Quote (picengraver)

I am still experimenting with the way the program does this, but I'm pleased with the early results.

I can just to say again: Congratulations!

Dátum/Date: Szerda, 2012-08-15, 07:22 | Üzenet/Post # 16

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In practice that means that the axis what carries the laser stops for a shot right?

Hi Amator,

Because the Mach3 command set used to trigger a laser (M11P1/M10P1) has no ‘immediate’ effect (it is only executed upon subsequent axis movement) the software PicLaser actually fires the laser whilst on the move but the actual movement is very small.

Tweakie.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Dátum/Date: Szerda, 2012-08-15, 19:16 | Üzenet/Post # 17

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Hi Tweakie!

So the laser shots "on fly" does not stop the carrier axis for it, does it?
I think it's settable by the speed of axis that how many percentage should be the time of shot while the laser is over a pixel.
Because a shot time is so short (let's say 1/100 time of the axis travels over a pixe) the movement is negligible.
Do I understand well the point?

picengraver

Dátum/Date: Szerda, 2012-08-15, 23:17 | Üzenet/Post # 18

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Hi Amator,

Please send me your email address (to: picengrave AT verizon.net).

You are basically correct in your understanding that PicLaser will burn only part of a pixel, but the laser shot is not controlled by the speed of the axis.

For a dithered image, each black pixel will receive the same short shot of the laser as all the other black pixels, and the length of the shot can be adjusted to a preset value in PicLaser.

For a grayscale image, the length of the laser shot is determined by the color value of each pixel, so black pixels will receive a longer shot than lighter colored pixels.

I have one remaining bug I need to find and fix in the grayscale code that I know of, and I will send out a few Beta copies for testing.

Tweakie, I have added a Save button for dithered images as you mentioned, and I have reworked the material zero code as you recommended as well.

My Best to All,
John Champlain
www.picengrave.com

I paint with a blue light beam.

Dátum/Date: Csütörtök, 2012-08-16, 10:32 | Üzenet/Post # 19

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Hi John,

Thank you for the update.

Being able to save the dithered image will, I think, be of great benefit to the editing process and in addition, it also allows those with the imported laser machines (which cannot process GCode) to be able to use PicLaser to create images in a similar way in which they would use PicDither. This may make the product appeal to a wider section of the Laser / Impact community although possibly at the expense of PD.

It is certainly a great product and I am extremely pleased to have been given the opportunity of beta testing although I have not been able to spend quite as much time on it as I would have liked – pressures of earning a living etc. Please keep up the great work. cool

Tweakie.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Dátum/Date: Csütörtök, 2012-08-16, 15:57 | Üzenet/Post # 20

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picengraver, Thanks for info!
I sent a message to You.

Edited by Amatőr (2012. 08. 17. 18:30)

Hi John! Did You get my message?
I got a message back as the following:
Technical details of temporary failure:
The recipient server did not accept our requests to connect. Learn more at http://support.google.com/mail/bin/answer.py?answer=7720
[(0) verzion.net. [202.31.187.154]:25: Connection refused]