Dirk, I have been using EMC to do both cutting and engraving with lasers. Cutting is pretty straight forward, engraving is a bit tougher depending on the type of engraving. Fixed power engraving isn't too bad, i.e. the case where whenever the laser is on, it is at a single power level (obviously you can create the original in layers and then apply a different power setting for each layer). 3D laser engraving is a bit more of a challenge. :)
For laser cutting, treating the laser as a spindle works just fine, however when using it for engraving, my solution was to use the laser as an axis rather than a spindle. The Mesa boards and the relatively new Hostmot2 drivers have also helped out a lot as far as being able to intermix both steppers and servos with pwm / analog signals required by the laser (thanks Sebastian). At any rate, to answer your question, there is at least one other person here doing some of the things you mention. Regards, Eric I just fired up my CO2 laser for the first time. Very nice, it started burning immediately. And I don't even have a lens in front of it yet. I want to see if I can do a bit of engraving with it and some paper cutting. Engraving is always nice to leave your mark. The paper cutting is some kind of poor mans sheet metal experiment. Soemtimes, if I design something and I am interested in the stiffness I cut and fold it from paper. If paper works, metal will certainly do. But, sometimes cutting and folding is hard or complicated. I am hoping that it will be a bit easier if I can lasercut sheetmetal (=paper) parts and also burn the perforate folding lines. Has anyone else done this before? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stay on top of everything new and different, both inside and around Java (TM) technology - register by April 22, and save $200 on the JavaOne (SM) conference, June 2-5, 2009, San Francisco. 300 plus technical and hands-on sessions. Register today. Use priority code J9JMT32. http://p.sf.net/sfu/p _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
