I've been working to get my laser DL445 set up and working with UCCNC.
Probably due to how new it is, there seems to be scant information online about some of the associated troubleshooting.
I have a Stepcraft II 600, with no custom modifications.
1) The switchbox I received with my automatic tool changer has a setting labeled laser, with a blank port on the back labeled laser. it seems there is a card yet to be produced for it.
2) I then plugged the Stepcraft II 600 connector directly into the laser box. I opened UCCNC using the stepcraft.us-provided Stepcraft Laser profile. I wasn't able to reset the UCCNC, as something was preventing this. No stop buttons were activated, and none of the limit switches were triggered.
I tried all variations of having the integrated laser height sensor deactivated, or depressed just far enough to have the laser logic engaged, or fully extended.
3) When I opened UCCNC using the default Stepcraft 600 profile, this error did not occur. I could enable the Stepcraft, and move the axis manually.
I can also successfully 'reset' / activate the unit using the Stepcraft Laser profile if the unit is plugged into the milling control box (not the laser). Oddly enough, I can only control the z axis using manual controls - not x or y - from this profile.
4) Looking through the laser manual, section 4.2 (UCCNC), using the Stepcraft Laser profile, I confirmed the settings that I could. The first section, describing settings in configuration/axis setup/laser -- there is no 'laser' option. I believe I did find those settings under the 'spindle' label, and the settings were the same. All the other settings were already correct, and the Laserengrave plugin was enabled (with call startup checked as well).
5) Possibly an issue: I have a stepcrft tool length sensor installed on my machine. I don't want to have to manually disconnect it from my board (meaning disassembling the enclosure that I've built, then opening up the back and unscrewing the terminals). I believe it's a simple on/off switch, so I tried all the variations of combining various positions of the laser length sensor (disabled, fully extended, partially retracted to the point the laser logic engages) with the tool length sensor depressed or not. Regardless, the M31 macro modification for the tool length sensor isn't relevant here, as they are on the general Stepcraft 600 profile, not the laser profile.
6) Looking at the M31 macro in the Laser profile directory, the contents are almost identical to those in the Laser manual, with the only difference being the double newZ variable. The one in the laser profile was .2 while the one in the manual specifies 1.7 . I can't see how this height variable would trigger the reset logic/stop switch before it could even be used as part of the macro.
7) Another potential issue: I have used the cable supplied with the base stepcraft kit to connect to the laser module (not wanting to disassemble my enclosure), rather than the one that shipped with the laser unit. I am unsure if the cable pins are mapped the same.
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I have made several assumptions here, and it would be good to know if they are correct or not.
I also would like to know when the board/connection for the switchbox will be available for my laser unit (I was a bit surprised it didn't ship with the unit, as I ordered everything together, and it has a label on the switch and the back plate for a laser connection)
If indeed the tool-length sensor can't be physically connected while the DL445 laser is being used, it would be good to have a quick connect/disconnect option (possibly using an 1/8" jack like the 3d probe, or something similar).
Is there somewhere in UCCNC that needs enabling for the 'laser' tab in axis setup to be revealed, or is this simply a re-labeling of the 'spindle' tab?
Thanks for your help!
Ben
Error Message from Stepcraft Laser Profile
Diagnostics Tab, from Stepcraft Laser Profile
No 'Laser' Setup tab
Main View from UCCNC Stepcraft Laser Profile