Z Axis Upgrade on Red & Black Co2 Laser with Ruida Controller
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- Опубликовано: 30 дек 2019
- In this video I upgrade the Chinese Red & Black Co2 Laser’s Z-Axis, I install Auto Focus & Lower Z Limit Sensor. I will also show the settings and calibration required using the Ruida RDC6445 controller. The main components I am using for this upgrade are from Cloudray Laser Visit them at www.cloudraylaser.com OR Cloudray’s AliExpress Store - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/p2mI2aPW
DISCLAIMER: The producer of this video under no circumstances can be found liable for negligence by a viewer if they are seriously injured, dies or suffers damage to their property after acting upon or using the content contained in this video production. Any person/s acting on information contained in this video do so at their own risk. The viewer also acknowledges they must follow all local and national laws and regulations when performing any work described in this video production.
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Removing the AC powered motor and replacing it with a stepper motor connected through a driver to the RDC6445 enables control of the Z axis from the software as well as the control panel. On the RDC6445 it also enables other features that can be installed such as the Auto Focus sensor switch which I install in this video. The RDC6445 has a FOCUS button on the control panel so it is not necessary to go into the menu and find the option to use it as you would with the RDC6442.
The stepper motor I use for the Z-Axis is the Leadshine 57HS22 - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/Fo82OQfq
The Stepper Driver is the DMA860H - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/BzpXuSoC
You can also use DM542 or DM556 - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_A7yHTh
I had to move the Laser PSU up and make room for the Stepper Driver with adequate clearance for airflow.
The Stepper Driver is powered by the existing 24V power supply, if you require a seperate 24V PSU I recommend the Meanwell LRS-75-24 due to its compact deign - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/2Fh9n3I0
or you can use a 36V PSU with the DAM860H Stepper Driver, if so use a Meanwell LRS-350 Switching Power Supply - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/BvPFDXHe
Space is limited in the Red & Black laser’s electrical compartment, so check your dimensions before ordering an additional PSU.
The Wire I Used to hook up the electrical components was purchased from AliExpress it comes in a box of six colours - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/Fp4NU904
Z-Axis Auto Focus Sensor / Limit Switch Pen - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/DLOLodGM
The proximity sensor I used for the lower limit is this one - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/pbFeX8g0
The NEMA23 Motor mount I ordered from Cloudray by emailing a request for a NEMA23 Motor mount for Z Axis, however You could adapt the existing mount in the machine, or make your own.
The pulley gear I ordered for the stepper motor was a this one (E - 24 Teeth 8mm Bore) - s.click.aliexpress.com/e/DSOeGtCU However I ended up using the larger existing pulley from the old motor.
When setting the settings for the 57HS22-A Stepper Motor paired with the DMD860H Stepper Driver. I used these settings.
The stepper motor is rated at 4.0 - 5.6A with a step rotation of 1.8 deg or 200 Steps per Rotation.
I set the current using dip switches 1 thru 3 to the required Amps, in this case I set it to 3.71 - 4.45A by switching 1 and 2 OFF and 3 ON. (refer to table on the side of the Stepper Driver)
For the pulse per revolutions I used the slowest speed available on the driver which is 400 pulses per revolution, this meant positioning switches 5 6 7 & 8 to ON
Note switch 4 on this driver is irrelevant and is not used, so it can be left ON or OFF.
To be able to move the Z axis freely without stalling the motor, the steps per rev on the controller can be adjusted either directly on the controller or through the RDWorks software linked to the control mainboard. Directions for how I achieved this are explained in the video.
There are various methods to setup the AutoFocus. The method I used in this upgrade is different to a another method I used in my previous video on AutoFocus installation. This method I set the home offset to 0mm and then added the gap between the focus sensor and the tip of the nozzle, then subtracted this from the focus gap I required of 19mm (for a 2” lens).
Until next time, take care
Cheers Matthew
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NOTE: This is not a paid production or advertisement. The featured products are provided by Cloudray to allow me to provide viewers with an installation / how-to video. 
Хобби
So clean, clear, and simple.
Thanks!
Thank you very much Matt
Cheers
thank you matt
You're welcome :)
Great video Matt! A perfect start to a brand new year!! I’ve already purchased all my parts needed for this upgrade from Cloudray Laser based on your video of the DIY laser. Have a fantastic new year Matt! Cheers! Jason
HNY 2020 :) Cheers Matt
Great stuff Matt ! Very well explained and nicely shown !
Glad you liked it!
Hello Matt!
Happy New Year to you!
Great video :) Looking forward upgrading my new machine with this!
Thank you for all of your efforts!
Stefan
HNY 2020 :)
Great video as always. Happy New Year!
Thanks.... It's a very late reply, but so many to get through and so many get missed. Cheers Matt
@@MWLaser Thats a great problem to have! No worries at all.
Nice Video and good explained. Looking forward to the next one :).
Thanks.... It's a late reply, but so many to get through. Cheers Matt
Thanks!
You are a wealth of information and make is so easy to follow thank you soooooo Much!!, Steve
Thanks - I appreciate your support
JUST IN TIME!!! your video answered the Z 'chatter' problem i had.
Thank you Sir!
Glad it helped!
Awesome video, great job. Subscribed and liked. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the sub! Cheers
@@MWLaser Absolutely, love the channel
Awesome video 👍🏼
Thank You
just the video I was looking for, you gave the specs of the motor and contyroller. That ifo is so difficult to get hold off. I have the blue and white Hanlaser 1060 that I am thinking aof converting to ruida. Many thanks
Glad I could help
Matt, great video! I'm trying to do the same thing on my 50w manual focus laser, so it was my good fortune to run across your video. I have not connected the motor to the lead screw yet because I want to make sure my settings are correct. I'm using a DM542 driver which is currently set at 2000 pul/rev and my guess is that's too high. The X and Y drivers were set at that (and not knowing any better) so that's what I went with. I see in your video that you went with 400. At the moment, with everything electrically connected, the stepper motor makes multiple 360-degree rotations, at a fairly rapid rate, every time I click the left/right arrows on the Ruida RDC6442G controller. I use LightBurn so that is how I would alter the machine settings. Do you have any suggestions as to what the appropriate Z axis machine and driver settings should be? Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Great! Just what I wanted for Christmas! I couldn't quite see how you mounted the stepper driver, shifted the power supply, and mounted the stepper motor -- do you just use self-tapping screws or do you drill pilot holes? What size/type screws work well in the RNB laser case? ALSO, can we assume that the color and orientation of the wires you used will be the same for us?
Hi, I used self tapping 8G screws with hex head to fix the motor mount and driver to the inside of the machine . I did not drill pilot holes as I do not find i need to with the screws I use.
The wiring colours for the stepper motor are provided by the manufacturer and will be the same for you if you are using the same motor, the colour of the wires I used to extend the wires from the motor to the driver were random colours I selected, so these may vary depending on what you use.
Cheers Matt
Hey Matt
Thanks for this great resource!
I have done this upgrade (though with a slightly different motor and a 542 stepper driver.
The bed is moving relatively well (the lead screws wobble a bit, but I suspect I just need to fix the fitment of the GT2 pulley on the base of the screws to fix this...) however the travel amount on the controller doesn’t match the real world amount, and when I calibrate the access the step length is really low (like 0.3...). Once this is set the axis tries to move quite a lot and it stalls.
Do you think this is a case of adjusting the micro stepping to bigger value, or have I perhaps mismatched the motor and the stepper driver?
Thank You, You're welcome
Hi. If my Omtech does not have a motorized bed originally. Would I be able to add this motor? I have the 100 watt with Ruida but no motorized bed or autofocus. Thanks
For 140*90 working area, the DM556 will work fine?
Hi Matt is there a way to convert a manual chain drive using this method?
Mine has the manual focus knob and no electronic buttons. You think I can add a stepper motor to the belt?
without seeing the mechanics of your machine and the belt/chain system you have to raise and lower bed I couldn't say. But there should be a way to adapt and install a similar system demonstrated in this video
Inspiring video! I am looking to purchase a 60W, 24x16 laser (2020 model, USB460). The manufacturer does not currently offer a motorized z axis, so I don't know what driver and motor to use, and I'm not sure if the ones you used in the video will work.
For the driver, I have had people suggest an M542, 86, DM860 driver. For the motor, I have had people suggest an 86CM45, 860, Nema 23, and the 57HS22 in your video.
Also, the auto focus sensor comes in 24mm and 25mm, Is there a standard laser tube size, so I know which auto focus sensor to purchase?
Any help would be appreciated.
Send more info and pics of your machine and current Z axis to matt@mwlaser.com.au
Do you know where to source a replacenent z-axis timing belt?
Matt
Which controller you like better the one in big red or the controller in the home built?
Thanks
Rudy
Hard to pick, both are great controllers. I installed the Trocen due being a lower priced controller that I thought I'd try out. I had also intended to upgrade the Trocen to a Ruida when I could, but have found no reason to do this yet, So far I cannot fault it.
hi Matt.
I recently purchased an 80w laser with Ruida 6442-S electronics.
Is it possible to put the stepper motor even with this electroinic ....?
I want to commit and upgrade.
Important question does autofocus also work when cutting while keeping the plane in focus ...? or it only serves to make fire
when you insert a new material ...?
Thanks faistampare.it
Yes this setup for the Z Axis motors will work with the RDC 6442
The Auto Focus is for start up / setting up focusing for new material, it is not a live focusing system and does not adjust while cutting.
Cheers Matt
Hi Matt by any chance would you have the STL file available for your control housing?
kind regards
Steve
the plans is available on my website, you would need to check all dimensions and possibly adjust the file to suit your machine. mwlaser.com.au/product-category/laser-plans-guides/
ugh, my yellow and black is manual feed, which means I would need an additional smooth roller and longer belt in order to modify it. Other than the belt and smooth pulley, the controller does have the z axis and auto focus menus, but no external button. Now to find the two missing pieces, doesn't seem that Cloudray carries them.
good luck, it should be possible, parts can be adapted from other cnc supplier sites
Just wondering why you went the DMA860 over the DM556? it seems that the DM556 would fit better and still has enough current.
No reason other than it is what I had.
Hi Matt, great video and as usual describes in good detail the upgrade I'm about to make. I have one question, While looking on AliExpress I see both the DM860 Driver and the DMA860H. The information suggests the DMA860H supply voltage is AC and the DM860 voltage is DC. Could you confirm if the DMA860H is the correct one. Thank you.
I am using the DMA860H with 24V DC Supply - The recommended Supply Voltage for the DMA860H is 18-60V AC or 24V-85V DC
@@MWLaser Thanks for the response and the confirmation Matt.
Question for you.. The auto focus/Z axis.. the direction perspective.. is it from the Bed or the Head? I have my pen button set as a Z-Min.. as if it is from the Head's perspective.. But seems you use it the other way around?
I use Z- for auto focus sensor, and Z+ for the Lower limit switch
Z- being Z=0
Z+ being Z=Max Travel
@@MWLaser do you need the lower limit switch for this autofocus to work, we have the same one but cant get it to drop to the Z bed offset, it just sits there at the lower switch off limit on the probe, even if we set th eoffset to 7mm the bed doesnt come down
Does this work with Ruida 6442?
Hello
Could someone help me with a connection that appears in the video that I'm not sure about.
It involves connecting the two Ac cables 8v-18v"-" and 24v 110v "+" from the DMA-860H to my power supply D-150B-24v, my laser is 80w.
greetings
Hi Matt, you have great videos! Have you thought of upgrading the Z axis screws to ball screws to make it smoother? I have the 100w version of yours and had to take the Z axis screws apart and clean and re-grease them and it's a real pain to get it leveled.
I also made a new frame out of 25mm extrusion like 3D printers use as the frame the lift screws attach too wasn't very flat.
I've tried to ask CloudRay Laser if they could make shorter Ballscrew shafts for their lift system but no one would ever get back to me. I guess they didn't want to do that but I thought of all the Red and Black Lasers like ours that people would sure want to replace those awful screws, what ever they are, to something nicer. Their Ballscrews are around 124mm too long but may need to be a bit shorter. I have some Ballscrews I'm going to shorten and see how it works.
email me more details on the screws you are needing and I will try my contacts to get an answer for you.
Cheers Matt@mwlaser.com.au
@@MWLaser Thanks Matt!
If I purchased the same laser and controller that is pictured and it came with autofocus, would one assume the machine is calibrated already?
It may be, but you should not assume - test it out and check the focal gap after using autofocus.
have you upgraded you laser head? I'm trying to find the right laser head for my Red China laser. it came with 1.5 inch one looking to get 2.5" and 4" focus head
no I have not upgrade laser head. have ordered but not installed, the one I have will have limitations though as it is longer than the preinstalled one, so it will reduce the size the rotary device can handle on the machine, so this project is currently on hold.
Hi, nice video. I need help looking to buy the gear pulley for the step motor, my red/black laser come without z bed motor, I have already Motor, driver but I can't find the 8mm bore 16 mm belt size pulley same like you have in this video. Let me know where I can buy it. Thanks
The pulley gear I ordered for the stepper motor was (E - 24 Teeth 8mm Bore) - Link is in the Video Description Text. Cheers Matt
@@MWLaser Hi matt, I see that but I forgot to mention my belt is XL not HTD.
hi matt the stepper motor you are using does not match on cloudray website is says the companion drive is a dm556 does it not matter which controller you get with the stepper motor and is it a 24v stepper ??
Yes you can supply stepper driver with 24V - I Used the DM860H, however you can also use DM542 or DM556 - Link in the Video Description.
Cheers Matt
@@MWLaser can I ask why you used that driver is it a better driver... thanks for your time
Hi where you get the motor mount please
I emailed Cloudray and they were able to provide it.
So why does the autofocus need 24v? Will it not work on pins 1 4 and 6?
I have used and tested several models of the same item... each state voltage range 5-24V, however some have worked on 5V and others units will only work on the 24V supply. You can select the 5V output and if you find it does not work then test on the 24V.
@@MWLaser thank you so much
hello, you bought everything in one kit or retail? if so on which site?
links are in video description - cheers
my 86bhh76-400b-35j step motor has only 4 wires. red/blue/yellow/green. is A+ blue/ A- red / B+y ellow/ B- green would that be correct wiring for my driver? (I'm trying to upgrade an add the autofocus kit) When I go to move the Z table up or down the motor will studder a bit or will make noise but will not move at all. Any help? Thanks!
check motor specs and make sure the driver settings are suitably set to match the motor, if you have too high or low settings for pulse/rev on step driver the motor can stall and shudder, the same is when the movement speed is set too fast (start with about 5mm/sec)
@@MWLaser the table moves up and down perfectly from light burn except for when you press up the table goes down and down the table comes up, but moving it from the machine doesn't nothing but make noise.
Also, I added the Z autofocus probe and ran it to the controller but hitting autofocus on my machine doesn't absolutely nothing. The diagnose tab shows when the probe is engaged, so its hooked up correctly.. Any idea on that also? Thank you!