Help with Laserpro Mercury I 25w Laser

Marco, I am wondering if perhaps a setscrew on the x-motor pulley might have loosened, (or perhaps there is some other location in the motion system that temporarily became disenaged and then "re-engaged".)

Let's suppose the x-motor pulley setscrew was loose enough that it slipped when trying to "home". The encoder thinks that the carriage is parked at (zero, zero), but it is not - it is in the center of the table, as the belt was not moving. Then for some reason on the next command the setscrew grabs enough to engage and turn the x-pulley. Seems to me that the laser carriage would think it is at (0,0) when it is actually in the center of the table.

So if this could be reversed - loosen the screw so the encoder does not turn, move the carriage to the real 0,0 and re-tighten the screw: would this solve the problem? (You would probably still have to re-zero in software to get the fine location.)

Think this through before you try anything. I'd hate to have you break something in the process. Anybody else have a comment? Is my idea plausable or am I off-base?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Richard Rumancik

Marco, I am wondering if perhaps a setscrew on the x-motor pulley might have loosened, (or perhaps there is some other location in the motion system that temporarily became disenaged and then "re-engaged".)

Let's suppose the x-motor pulley setscrew was loose enough that it slipped when trying to "home". The encoder thinks that the carriage is parked at (zero, zero), but it is not - it is in the center of the table, as the belt was not moving. Then for some reason on the next command the setscrew grabs enough to engage and turn the x-pulley. Seems to me that the laser carriage would think it is at (0,0) when it is actually in the center of the table.

So if this could be reversed - loosen the screw so the encoder does not turn, move the carriage to the real 0,0 and re-tighten the screw: would this solve the problem? (You would probably still have to re-zero in software to get the fine location.)

Think this through before you try anything. I'd hate to have you break something in the process. Anybody else have a comment? Is my idea plausable or am I off-base?

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Thank you Richard for reply and excuse me for my bad english..
No, it's not a mechanical problem. If I send a job that work fine but i must set page only 350 mm in X, else carriage bump on right end stop and machine going in error.
On startup the head go to 0,0 without problem, but X0 it's in center of table and it's always in same position.
Now I have cleaned the encoder on top of DC motor but nothing changed.
I think it's a logical problem in mainboard parameter but I don't have service manual...
Anybody have this technical manual or other informations please?
Thanks in advance
Marco

I guess I didn't quite understand what was happening on initialization.

This is what should happen:

1. On startup, the table lowers and the carriage moves to the right side and trips an optical x-sensor.
2. It then moves to the front right and trips a y-sensor.
3. Then it goes diagonally from front right to "home".
4. At this point the carriage should stop and wait for a file.
5. The display should identify this position as (0,0) ideally.

So - where is your laser behaving differently? Is it just step 5 where it puts 0,0 at the center of the table instead? Or is the carriage actually moving to the center of the table? This is where I get confused. If you clarify this point we can help better.



I know you think it is not a mechanical problem. But you also said:

QUOTE=Marco Laguzzi;2336426] . . . I'have seen that if I move X axis of 100 mm with arrow keys, it moves only 87 mm. the Y it's ok. [/QUOTE]

To me that suggests there is slippage on one shaft and I would probably say the motor pulley. When you jog, you are jerking the motor and the jerking motion might result in shaft slippage if the screw is not tight, where with smooth motion it might seem fine. (It might cut a shape at slow speed fine.) I can't quite give up on my theory yet.

I doubt it could be the encoder mounting as there is no load on the encoder wheel.

GCC does not publish any in-depth diagnostic information. Do you just have the user manual? I have a few miscellaneous technical pages on a few specific subjects I have collected but quite honestly I don't think you will find anything pertaining to your problem in any GCC manuals available to the user. I will try to collect what I have when I get time, and send it as it might help in the future. But it won't help for this problem as they don't deal with this kind of subject.

It might be worth contacting GCC. Where are you located?

Also you could try sending a message to Rodne Gold as he is a Mercury expert. I haven't seen him post recently so you could try a PM. Refer to this thread.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marco Laguzzi

Thank you Richard for reply and excuse me for my bad english..
No, it's not a mechanical problem. If I send a job that work fine but i must set page only 350 mm in X, else carriage bump on right end stop and machine going in error.
On startup the head go to 0,0 without problem, but X0 it's in center of table and it's always in same position.
Now I have cleaned the encoder on top of DC motor but nothing changed.
I think it's a logical problem in mainboard parameter but I don't have service manual...
Anybody have this technical manual or other informations please?
Thanks in advance
Marco

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Has it ever worked correctly? If so have there been any changes? It sounds like a software issue to me IF the machine zeros or Homes correctly on Power up but when a file is ran it goes to another Home point to start.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Richard Rumancik

To me that suggests there is slippage on one shaft and I would probably say the motor pulley.

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It's impossible that motor pulley slip because the motor shaft is not circular !
All functions of the machine are ok.
But if the zero point it's in center of table, the head cannot move on left area because X coordinate are negative and firmware seems don't accept this.

Marco, plese tell me exactly what your machine does on startup. Don't just say "All functions of the machine are ok."

I repeat the normal sequence:

1. On startup, the table lowers and the carriage moves to the right side and trips an optical x-sensor.
2. It then moves to the front right and trips a y-sensor.
3. Then it goes diagonally from front right to "home".
4. At this point the carriage should stop and wait for a file.
5. The display should identify this position as (0,0) ideally.

Now if you tell me exactly what your machine does (differently) we can keep trying to help troubleshoot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marco Laguzzi

It's impossible that motor pulley slip because the motor shaft is not circular !
All functions of the machine are ok. .

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What is the shape of the motor shaft and what is the shape of the hole in the pulley? I am not close to my machine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marco Laguzzi

. . . But if the zero point it's in center of table, the head cannot move on left area because X coordinate are negative and firmware seems don't accept this.

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The machine driver/firmware requires that the drawing be entirely in POSITIVE drawing space. You can draw in negative drawing space in Corel but the machine won't allow negative coordinates for plotting. I understand this part.

The puzzle we need to solve is why your machine thinks 0,0 is at the center of the table. Also we need to understand why your machine is not jogging the correct distance in the x direction. I suspect these 2 items are related. I realize you do not agree with my theory regarding a loose pulley but you haven't told me anything that will rule it out once and for all.

I suppose it is possible that there is an encoder problem but I don't understand enough about its operation to come up with a theory for it.

Every stepper or servo motor I have seen either has just a round shaft or a round shaft with a flat machined. He as also never answered, "did it ever work", in other words did he buy the machine not working or did this just start? What is mysterious it always goes to the same unwanted 0,0 location after a program is loaded? Sounds like a software problem to me.

It's 10 years that engrave work correctly.
Dc motors have round shaft with a flat machined. The Grub Screws are tigh, Impossible that pulley slip !!!!!!!!

when I turn on machine:
1. startup, the table lowers of 50 mm
2: and the X carriage moves to the right side and trips on optical sensor. OK
3. It then moves to the front right and trips a y-sensor. OK
4. it goes diagonally from front right to "home". NOT OK, Home position of y it's ok, X home position it's in center of table
5. At this point the carriage stop and wait for a file.
6. If I press start/stop , display show (0,0). I cannot move carriage to left side. If I force carriage manually , after press start/stop key it return to center of table.

I have tried to "set origin " procedure but nothing change :-(

Today I have tested encoder signal with oscilloscope. The signal it's clean and I think that encoder work good.

Thank you alt all for reply

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marco Laguzzi

It's 10 years that engrave work correctly.
Dc motors have round shaft with a flat machined. The Grub Screws are tigh, Impossible that pulley slip !!!!!!!!

when I turn on machine:
1. startup, the table lowers of 50 mm
2: and the X carriage moves to the right side and trips on optical sensor. OK
3. It then moves to the front right and trips a y-sensor. OK
4. it goes diagonally from front right to "home". NOT OK, Home position of y it's ok, X home position it's in center of table
5. At this point the carriage stop and wait for a file.
6. If I press start/stop , display show (0,0). I cannot move carriage to left side. If I force carriage manually , after press start/stop key it return to center of table.

I have tried to "set origin " procedure but nothing change :-(

Today I have tested encoder signal with oscilloscope. The signal it's clean and I think that encoder work good.

Thank you alt all for reply

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Is there a File loaded in the Machine, unused or otherwise? Sounds like you have the remains of a previous program still in the machine Memory. I would purge out any and all files and go from that point.

Ok Bill, maybe. But how to purge?
I know only system with key "del file"...

Now I'm trying to cut some pieces of plywood... all work fine, but only in the half plane in right of machine.
For working without error I must set work area to 350 x 458.

I think that firmware had lost some parameter inside... How to change them? I don't know key sequence to enter in service mode...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marco Laguzzi

Ok Bill, maybe. But how to purge?
I know only system with key "del file"...

Now I'm trying to cut some pieces of plywood... all work fine, but only in the half plane in right of machine.
For working without error I must set work area to 350 x 458.

I think that firmware had lost some parameter inside... How to change them? I don't know key sequence to enter in service mode...

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Other than Del All I do not know about your machine. Sounds like time to get a Service manual or contact the factory. Just wanted to make sure you did not have a list of Files to cut in your machine memory. If its indeed the Firmware you would need a way to reload. Is there anything on their website?
OK Just found this posting on here> http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-manual-needed

OK, Marco, you have convinced me that the pulley setscrew did not slip.

I can believe that the firmware has become corrupt. But that would not explain why it moved 87mm when you command it to move 100 during jogging - this part is still bothering me.

You said that you tried to re-set the zero ("Set origin" procedure) and nothing happens. I have seen a few procedures for setting origin but this one is the least complicated just to see if the machine is listening to you.

Set origin procedure (simplified):

1. Hold enter and start buttons down while turning on power to the machine.
2. Find the selection for "set origin" and press enter.
3. Jog red pointer to 0,0 (don't worry about accuracy for this test).
4. Press Enter when satisfied with position.
5. Power off to save the origin position to EEPROM, wait 10 seconds, Restart machine, and see if it homes correctly.

Did you use a procedure like this? I have a more complicated procedure if you are striving for accuracy, but that is not what we need now. This one does not take long and it will determine whether the machine is responding or not.

Are you going to try to reload the firmware? Reloading the firmware might help - it is not complicated but just make sure you understand all the steps so you don't brick your motherboard.

But as far as I know, the table size is not stored in the factory firmware. The reason I say this is that when I got a new motherboard it did not know where to home (it hung). GCC said " the new mainboard is fresh without any data stored in the EEPROM where initial data is kept, such as boundary of working area. To correct it, you need to set an origin point to the system." The firmware is stored in two Flash ROMS. So reloading the firmware into the Flash ROMS won't necessarily correct the origin point. But who knows . . . if all else fails, it might correct something else that is haunting your system.

Solved !!!!
I've recharged firmware and now ... ALL OK :confused:

Many thanks at all :D:D:D:D:D