Need help from someone with G Weike / Hurricane Laser

Hello everyone! I have a Hurricane Laser, which is the same as G Weike. My unit was supposed to be shipped with an autofocus, but it wasnt. So...they sent me the autofocus in the mail. I have it installed...but:

Hurricane told me to simply jumper the autofocus wires to the z-axis limit switch. This seems simple....but this CANT be right. I can see this being a huge problem. It would be no more than a z-axis switch mounted on the laser that drags on the cutting surface.

I assume there are 3 possibilities:

-There must be a place in the lasercut control board where the autofocus leads insert. I cant find a schematic.

-There is a place where they go, but thats in a different board... and I dont have it and nobody will tell me this

-It is supposed to be jumpered and there is a setting for different focal lengths that changes the z-axis bounce back when it is tripped.

Nobody seems to be able to answer my question. I figured that someone would at least trace the wire from the autofocus to the board....but no responses! I am starting to think it is because of a hardware incompatibility and nobody wants to handle the issue.

If you look at the input wires for the 3 axis axis limit switches, there are 8 wires. I assume this is because there are 3 pairs for the limit switch and 1 for the autofocus. I therefore assume that the autofocus is NOT supposed to be jumpered to the z-axis switch.

Can anyone tell me where to plug it in to the board, or take a pic of this and mark it? Thanks!

I just looked at a table with autofocus (researching) and it is basically a limit switch off the nozzle that the table comes up to and then triggers, and presumably goes down the right height for the lense installed and plugged into the software ( this is where not having a machine hurts my answer).

I don't see why it could not be part of the z axis circuit, it does not drag along the material any more than the nozzle does.

That would be nice....but I have yet to see anything is software that says this. It would be nice if there was a manual section on this, or the manufacture would at least answer my question.

I can't answer as mine is not here yet either but I think wiring it there could be correct but here must be an autofocus routine on the controller that would also need to know how far to retract the table and that would depend on what position you put the switch.

It could be that there is only one fixed position to put the switch in which case it is preprogrammed for the correct height to retract.

In any case, you should not hurt the machine using it as a z limit because worse case it will stop moving the table upwards even if it does not retract to the correct height.

I did trip the z-axis switch, and the amount that it backs up is not enough. When you cut a sheet of ABS down to fit in the machine table, you will notice some arch to the piece. Although it would cut fine, it could pose a problem with the amount of back up the machine has. There must be a way to adjust the amount in software....but nobody from the supplier knows how to do this.

Also, you will notice that the tip of the laser can telescope in and out... there is no reference as to where it needs to be set and the relation the autofocus has to this. It is a possibility that the tip will smack the material.

Looking at the a/f probe in the pics, it looks like the switch itself is adjusted up and
down too. So if it is hitting the switch and then going down to say 40mm
from the lense to the material, and you need 55mm then adjust the switch
to 15mm longer than it is so it hits earlier and then adjusts to 55mm.

I would be interested in getting the schematic too since the one I'm getting
doesn't have the a/f, but thought about making one if it just shorts to ground
when hit, then comes down a programmed amount. This would be a simple
switch setup. But it sounds like theres more to it as you say in the software.
I'm getting different focal point lense that will be dif than 55mm, so I guess
if I got autofocus to work then adjust the switch to hit later or earlier.
Can you post a pic of the switch hurricane sent you? I will let you know if
I come up with anything. GM

We ask our engineer and was told that ,if you machine is a 900 model(24*36feet),steps as follows:

1st,take the laser head lower side,then connect our auotofocus
2nd,then use the screw tighten the autofocus,but not very firm to avoid make the laser head out of shape.
3rd,there will be two wires(safety switch wire)connect to Zaxis+limit,which on control card
4th,in the software,you should adjust the org-off set,then the autofocus will work
Hope this can help you and sorry for my poor English
Best Wishes
Lucy Lee
G.WEIKE LASER
Http://www.wklaser.com
[email protected]

Lucy, can you provide a wire diagram for the z-limit switch wires and the
autofocus switch too, I think that would help. GM

Quote:

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Originally Posted by geo_man

Lucy, can you provide a wire diagram for the z-limit switch wires and the
autofocus switch too, I think that would help. GM

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We would like to know your machine is PCI or USB one?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bonedoc

I did trip the z-axis switch, and the amount that it backs up is not enough. When you cut a sheet of ABS down to fit in the machine table, you will notice some arch to the piece. Although it would cut fine, it could pose a problem with the amount of back up the machine has. There must be a way to adjust the amount in software....but nobody from the supplier knows how to do this.

Also, you will notice that the tip of the laser can telescope in and out... there is no reference as to where it needs to be set and the relation the autofocus has to this. It is a possibility that the tip will smack the material.

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I'll confirm that the way it comes is a vulnerability... mine lasted all of about 2 mins before it caught a piece and broke off. I did find that setting in the machine, and will be changing that to something much larger.

Guess I really need to take a look at mine, to see if mine came with it, like it was supposed to.

The auto-height probe...

Mine broke the outer, hollow tube, at the bottom of where it goes into the mount. Yesterday I decided to take it off and see what I could do. I had enough threads left to thread the remainder back into the mount, and then cut down the little spring and the rod that moves inside the hollow tube so they fit the modified tube. Probably made it 3/4" shorter total than it was to start with.

I found the org offset parameter, changed that from 3mm to around 20mm. Now it's great... the probe hangs down about 3/16" below the nozzle, the bed moves up, touches, and then moves back down about 3/4" / 20mm. This is exactly how it should have worked in the first place - it's up high and safely out of the way. I'll try to take and post some pics in my thread today.

Dave

We traced the wiring and found where it plugs in on the 6515 board. Your wires may be different colors. Here is a photo. I also had Gweike send us the hardware manual on the board. Also attached. I hope this helps. GWeike had originally told us to jumper it to the z-axis limit switch. I think wiring it exactly the same as the units that came prewired would work more effectively.

A long time epilog laser user bought one of our 48x36 models - and we spent today setting it up and calibrating lenses etc. We adjusted the sleeve with the lens down toward the cutting bed so we could use the pass through. We really liked what Asynchronism did by shortening the auto-focus tool and adjusting it in the software - it works really well.

To adjust the settings for the autofocus in the software -
Go to machine options >> feeding >>OrgOffsetLength

The Offset Length comes either set to 2 (Category 1) or 5 - Add the mm you are adjusting the focus to the number - If you want it to be 20mm longer - make it 22 or 25.

If you have an autofocus tube that broke off - please contact us and we will replace it. All the machines come prewired now from GWeike for the auto-focus so you do not have to do this on your own.

Thanks for providing the picture. Does the switch just provide a momentary ground to the circuit board? If you put a continuity meter on the end of the autofocus wires, would it show open and then when you pressed the switch it closes the circuit? Good day, GM