Can I use laser on my cnc?

[Blacksunshine]

Hello, Im new to lasers but not cncs in general, was wondering if any one can tell me or how to hook up a laser module to my run of the mill X,Y,Z cnc; in place of the roto zip. Is it even posible to do with mach3, just a little currious on how the laser would fire in stead of being on all the time like a roto zip.

thanks for any info on this Q.

[Litografa]

I can't say anything about motion/laser control, but look on general mechanical ideas

[Tweakie]

if it's any help this is how I did it. http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/files/27.htm

On existing CNC machines the X axis usually has a lot of mass (carrying the Z axis etc) and it cannot be accelerated as quickly as with the purpose built laser machines. This limits the speed of raster type laser usage but vector use is just fine. My setup works well with Mach3 and existing engraving programs are easy to convert for use with a laser. In general the spindle commands M3 / M5 are replaced with E1P1 / E1P0 and feedrate altered to control depth of cut.

Tweakie.

[oneeye]

Hello, Im new to lasers but not cncs in general, was wondering if any one can tell me or how to hook up a laser module to my run of the mill X,Y,Z cnc; in place of the roto zip. Is it even posible to do with mach3, just a little currious on how the laser would fire in stead of being on all the time like a roto zip.

thanks for any info on this Q.

Hi, yes u can do it easely, i did that in my router 5 year ago and i use ArtCam to generate Gcode and Mach2 or 3 to control machine, a rooked a 20W tube directly in Z axis, 20W tube have only 400mm, or u can use bigger tube but out of Z. to fire laser all u hae to do is a small circuit , i did that using the Z axis Dir signal from paralel port.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h6j_4OYqOY"]YouTube- Co2 Lase Rick Efeitos[/nomedia]

later i did the sme with an old laser machine, i takeoff all electronic and put cnc drivers and controll it with mach2
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEPjTfP5GNc"]YouTube- Rick Laser Co2 cutting geared CARD[/nomedia]