"Laser test" button for jog-tab

[cprezzi]

It would be usefull to have a "weak laser" button to manually fire the laser with low power. This is often used on diode laser engravers for positioning. The power of such a test shot should be configurable in the settings (weak laser power).

[funinthefalls]

Wolfmanjm added this to the cnc-firmware bin, however I have an issue with the way he implemented it. You can pulse a low power test fire, but it stays on until you issue an off command for it, which I find to be very awkward to do, especially when trying to align mirrors. A work around is to make a macro that fires on a short Z axis move, but that causes conflicts with those that have adjustable Z axis platforms, or a Z axis slide. I would love to see your idea for a weak test fire button of a very short duration be added.

[cojarbi]

Anthony remember he did that based on his diode Laser setup.

Ariel Yahni

On Mon, Nov 14, 2016 at 7:42 AM -0500, "Anthony Bolgar" notifications@github.com wrote:

Wolfmanjm added this to the cnc-firmware bin, however I have an issue with the way he implemented it. You can pulse a low power test fire, but it stays on until you issue an off command for it, which I find to be very awkward to do, especially when trying to align mirrors. A work around is to make a macro that fires on a short Z axis move, but that causes conflicts with those that have adjustable Z axis platforms, or a Z axis slide. I would love to see your idea for a weak test fire button of a very short duration be added.

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[iceman1979]

Can this be changed to a click on / click off behavior?

[funinthefalls]

When aligning mirrors on a CO2 laser, the pulse duration should only be about 1/10th of a second. Impossible to click n and off that fast.

[ghost]

Easy enough to do with js: fire 10; dwell 0.1; fire 0" or whatever the syntax. Does Smoothie have 'dwell?' @wolfmanjm

On Nov 14, 2016 8:01 PM, "Anthony Bolgar" notifications@github.com wrote:

When aligning mirrors on a CO2 laser, the pulse duration should only be about 1/10th of a second. Impossible to click n and off that fast.

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[wolfmanjm]

dwell would be G4 P100 (milliseconds) or G4 S2 (seconds).

also it would be better to be fire 10 then G4 P100 then fire 0ff

[iceman1979]

Well, that explains why that pulse feature exists in another software program I use :) The author of that program also has a CO2 laser :) I don't know what syntax he uses to do this but I have tested it on my O'scope.

Sounds like something we might be able to do in software though.

[cprezzi]

When we adjust the mirrors on the Lasersaur we just cut a short line with low power, as we don't have a test button there. I like the solution that the host software can activate and deactivate the laser (without move). This way, duration and power can be configured in the software, depending on the needs.

[cprezzi]

I see two different usages:

• On CO2 lasers, it would be useful to have a test shot button, which fires for preconfigured time and power.
• On diode lasers, it would be better to have a toggle button which switches the laser on or off at preconfigured power.

We could add two settings values like "test fire power" and "test fire duration" and make duration 0 to be permanent on/off to hande both cases.

But this feature depends on the firmware implementations.

[cprezzi]

I have coded this feature in branch "overrides". Please test :)

[cprezzi]

You must set "Laser Test Power" and "Laser Test Duration" in G-Code Settiings first.

• A duration of zero means the button acts as a toggle on/off button.
• If duration is set to more than 0, one button click fires the laser for this duration in ms.

[cprezzi]

@chamnit: Does Grbl also support G4 for delay (like Smoothie)? At the moment I have coded it with a setInterval on the host side, but would prefer to let grbl handle the timing.

[cprezzi]

Ok, found it. G4 Px on Grbl uses seconds (not milliseconds, like Smoothie). Changed it.

[ghost]

Merged to Master. Closing Issue