Hi guys
Just joined after recently buying a Nichia 2.5-3w 9mm diode with housing and driver, g2 lens etc from our man here (DTR-LPF on ebay), for the purpose of using it for CNC engraving (on an existing CNC minimill that runs on Mach3 software).
Now I've got my diode in a suitable heatsink, wired up to DC 8v 2a source and it burns stuff really nicely for engraving but I need to get control through the software of it and I understand this is possible but that I need a different driver to the one I bought it with (should have done my homework first).
He helpfully suggested a Flexmod P3 for me but I see there are 2 versions out there and don't understand the differences or which would suit my needs:
1 = "interlock ouput loop monitor"
2 = "standby beam suppression kit" $5 more
Basically I need the Gcode on my machine to be able to start and stop the laser and ideally vary its power via PWM or whatever, and this is triggered by a 0v or 5v signal from the DB25-1205 break out board I have which would feed the signal to the laser driver (as it does for the stepper motors).
Could someone possibly explain the difference between the two flexmod versions and which I ought to be getting for my application? I'd be very grateful, and sorry to be stupid!!
I 'think' it was suggested that I might be able to even use it in a crude controlled way with the existing driver, because the mach 3 software can provide a PWM output if I want it to through spare pins, but I think the issue there is that the break out board might supply 5V pulsed to the existing driver, but I think the current would be a very low output so very low lasing power, since there would be nothing effectively supplying the proper power source if I did it like that.
Thanks very much for any help with this - great forum you guys have here and I hope to engage more on this subject now I actually have a useful device at last from a helpful source!
Thanks very much
Jim
Just joined after recently buying a Nichia 2.5-3w 9mm diode with housing and driver, g2 lens etc from our man here (DTR-LPF on ebay), for the purpose of using it for CNC engraving (on an existing CNC minimill that runs on Mach3 software).
Now I've got my diode in a suitable heatsink, wired up to DC 8v 2a source and it burns stuff really nicely for engraving but I need to get control through the software of it and I understand this is possible but that I need a different driver to the one I bought it with (should have done my homework first).
He helpfully suggested a Flexmod P3 for me but I see there are 2 versions out there and don't understand the differences or which would suit my needs:
1 = "interlock ouput loop monitor"
2 = "standby beam suppression kit" $5 more
Basically I need the Gcode on my machine to be able to start and stop the laser and ideally vary its power via PWM or whatever, and this is triggered by a 0v or 5v signal from the DB25-1205 break out board I have which would feed the signal to the laser driver (as it does for the stepper motors).
Could someone possibly explain the difference between the two flexmod versions and which I ought to be getting for my application? I'd be very grateful, and sorry to be stupid!!
I 'think' it was suggested that I might be able to even use it in a crude controlled way with the existing driver, because the mach 3 software can provide a PWM output if I want it to through spare pins, but I think the issue there is that the break out board might supply 5V pulsed to the existing driver, but I think the current would be a very low output so very low lasing power, since there would be nothing effectively supplying the proper power source if I did it like that.
Thanks very much for any help with this - great forum you guys have here and I hope to engage more on this subject now I actually have a useful device at last from a helpful source!
Thanks very much
Jim