So I have 2 posts tonight. One is for an issue or 2 I'm having (though I may wait until tomorrow as I have some ideas after researching here...) but the other is a project that may eventually interest a lot of the folks here (and some may have tried it and have advice).
Anyhow I have been looking for an arduino micro controller project to do but one that wasn't useless (like blinking morse code in LED's) and eventually I realized I should be able to wire up one or many flame sensors in my laser cabinet and then if they sense flame for a certain length of time then they trip the laser power switch. So the gantry would continue but the laser would go off. Oh and an alarm would sound.
If I really get ambitious I might eventually try and rig it up to a relay controlled CO2 extinguisher for the ultimate in protection but that is several steps up in cost and complexity.
For now I have a $10 arduino uno rev. 3 knock off from ebay and a sample program that will sense the flame and start a count. If the flame disappears, the count resets, if not then the count eventually reaches a trigger and trips the relay/siren/whatever else I add.
So I'm still waiting on the flame sensor module and then I can play with it testing. The big questions are 1)if the cutting path will trigger it 2) if I can/should mount it with the laser head or under/over the table etc.
Anyhow should be fun to play with (for me at least) and hopefully reduce the damage of another fire (actually had a little one yesterday but no damage - just a little mess - need to go get a CO2 extinguisher.
I have been working on this for a bit but hoping the main sensor arrives in a few days for proper test.
Cheers, GF