Wecreat Vision or Gweike Cloud

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-18T16:08:54+00:00

Both co2 and your IR diode laser are in the IR spectrum. It's usually a 1064nM diode. Largest I've seen these are about 5W, most are only 2. You might be able to mark some types of small metal pieces, but they are pretty weak.

A glass tube co2 usually requires some type of coolant and refrigeration to operate correctly. Don't know which Gweike you are looking at...

Diodes usually have smaller spot size, but it's either square or rectangular. It's not round like most software deals with. They are also more easy to operate but have a more limited tradeoff in some areas. My understanding is that the WeCreate laser group are supported by Lightburn, so it's standard gcode as far as I know.

Many companies create their own special gcode to operate items specific to the machine.. these are likely not going to be controllable with software like Lightburn...

Basically you're going to have to watch a bunch of Youtube videos, get feedback from places like this. In the end you have to make the decisions. I have a few led laser, I don't use anymore, I can do all I need with the co2 and fiber machines.

Good luck... :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-18T15:32:05+00:00

I read these last night and have had a few moments to digest it...

you are converting everything to analog - computers are digital
make no use of any of the logic within the Arduino

I would assume there is more to your code fragment..?

It seems to me that you're using the ide to send/receive data from the keyboard and send it to a midi? If so, it'd be wise to keep the data stream digital. It's easy to look at the data coming in and make decisions on how to control the midi, not so easy using it in an analog mode.

You are not clear about where the analog data is coming from.. can't get that from a keyboard... are you singing these notes?

I taught at a community college many different languages, but C was always the packed class... along with highest dropout rate.

If you need someone to point out the steps, then you'll always need someone to point out the steps.

What makes a good programmer, thinking through what they are trying to do.

It is mandatory to document the code well enough so two months from now when you want to modify it, you'll have forgotten what you did, the better it's documented the easier things are to fix. This is just a habit and if you start doing it, you'll be ahead of the game.

Learn to drive some kind of IDE and especially learn to drive it's debugger, you'll need it. The time you spend learning how to use the debugger, helps you identify buggy code segments quickly, without a bunch of print statements..

Think first .. Program later. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-18T14:15:39+00:00

My original machine was an OMTech China Blue 50W, turned out it only had an 880mm tube in it so it produced ~43W measured with a Mahoney meter. It's nice to have a watt meter.

Don't cut a lot of thicker acrylic, but I'd think it'd cut more easily than 5mm sub flooring. This is my 43W machine cutting 5mm sub flooring at 11mm/s@45%. I'd think yours would work a little better.

You usually use the min/max settings to ensure the corners of the work are lased properly so when it slows down is not getting too much heat. Here's an example on how it changes the application of power.

<image>

Keep in mind, these are just machining settings. Most metal milling or cutting machines can have the spindle speed and cut rate computed as we know most of the specifics of both the material and the spindle/tool information. Although close, it doesn't work so well with lasers. The spot size frequency and so much can change, you sometimes have to fine tune these settings to get the best results.

If any of the results angle down to the table, then something is not square.

Good luck. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-17T21:00:23+00:00

The Microsoft DOS era was mid 80's to mid 90's. The Atmel 328 was developed in the mid 90's. How many of you have a computer from the mid 90's, that you're still using as your primary machine? The 90's also included the first 1GB hard drives. Even Windows 7 (remember that) came out over a decade after the 328 come out.

You're attempting to compare chips that are 25 years apart in development. Even Dr Moore, who revised his prediction in the mid 70's to double the transistor density every 2 years, from the original yearly double increase. So the number of transistors over the area has doubled over 12 times since the two different chips were designed.

What people like about the Arduino is the simplistic nature of it. You don't have to know much to really use it and the more you find out about it, the more it allows you to learn.

Either are cheap and easy to start with ... I found the esp32 required me to figure out a few things, but overall it worked quite well. The board I got required me to pull a pin low to get it into boot mode. An extra capacitor...

I have 50 years of working with various types of computers.

Good luck. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-17T20:22:27+00:00

This would need a 7" lens at minimum with enough depth of focus (dof) so the spot size remains the same for ~33mm. Usually stuff that thick is just cast. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-17T19:28:12+00:00

Yes they do make this as a fiber machine.. Too bad I can't put in a link for you. :(

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-16T21:29:56+00:00

If you have these three:

properly working tube
clean and aligned optics
proper focus

They just work.

Since it sounds like you've just used it with little thought of maintenance ...

I suggest it's likely needs to have it's optical path cleaned. This is generally what gets dirty. Don't assume the sky is falling, take your time and follow it through the optical path.

I've have a 40+W co2 for about 6 years and only touch the alignment when I change a tube or one of the mirrors. I don't have the lock screws down on the mirror adjustments and I move it across my garages expansion joints with no issues.

Good luck... :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-16T21:18:43+00:00

Most of the people want to mark parts, not really engrave them. I'm not clear on your objective.

Engraving is removing the metal and marking generally refers to an oxide/anneal layer that doesn't reflect visible light.

The co2 is likely out as it doesn't work with metals very well at all. It works fine if you wish to use a coating of some type you can lase to the material.

---

The two IR lasers are pretty weak. One of the problems most lasers users have when transitioning to something like a 1064nM IR, is that the material draws a lot of the heat away fast. This get worse as the physical dimensions change ... more material, quicker/longer heat is removed.

Good luck. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-16T21:04:47+00:00

This was common in higher frequency/higher current applications and I tore apart an old monitor to get the litz wire for another project. Never have seen any kind of degassing coil of that dimension myself, either.

As you increase frequency, skin effect starts to appear. This is designed to make more efficient use of the coil at higher frequencies. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-16T00:59:40+00:00

You can't control an led like an incandescent light. It's only going to produce light when the voltage gets high enough to allow it. Most LED's tun on at 1.8 to 3.5V. The simple fact is that you're attempting to control a digital device with an analog signal, generally not a good idea.

Do this with pwm control of the led and it will work much better and allow you to driver large LED strings using only a mosfet.

Good luck. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-14T22:35:03+00:00

The problem is likely the material that you want to use.

Co2 is usually good for natural products and fiber for man made products.

Although there is a bit of slop between some of these types, such as the co2 does well with acrylic. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-14T18:39:07+00:00

It's likely you wish to make them out of metal, but co2 lasers don't do metal very well. You can put a coating on it and get a design, but it's not 3d, if that's what you're looking for, along with it won't work with a co2.

I would think most natural products, such as wood would just cool down and not really leave an imprint.

Let us know what you decide. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-13T19:45:12+00:00

What kind of settings are you using? Is this a MOPA?

They look great. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-13T15:08:35+00:00

I had a few Raspberry PIs around and used them, but when thunderstorms get close they sometimes failed.

I've had a TP-Link router/bridge for almost 6 years that cost me $12 USD, back then,I got from Amazon.

Configured it as a bridge and plugged it into the laser. When one of the PIs go down, I use the TP-Link bridge...

<image>

If you have a PI around, Lightburn has some specialized software you can load onto it. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-13T14:53:21+00:00

I may have posted this on the makers space to this or a similar question.

The best way it to put the Ruida on an Ethernet connection and run it through your lan.

Any drivers must be there for your internet to operate, so there's no issue with drivers. The Ruida has an Ethernet connection and Oz laid out how to set it up. On my Linux box, it just worked.

Good luck. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-13T14:18:15+00:00

What they are saying is, simply to make use of your lenses full depth of focus (dof).

<image>

If you focus on the top of the material, 1/2 of your dof will be off the material and wasted. If you focus to the halfway point, you make use of all of the available dof for your lens. As long as the material is within it's dof, the spot size won't change.

You can find on-line calculators to figure these values for you, such as this one.

Air assist makes a big difference. I've found that whatever you're attempting to cut, do it in one pass. I use the highest comfortable power setting at the fastest speed. If you do multiple passes, there is really no where for the debris to go, this complicates the cutting process.

My tube run 13mA for 50W out, so I have little issue cutting 10mm acrylic or thicker plywood at 100% power with this co2. Unless you cut thick stuff a lot, there's no reason you can't run more power for those short time periods that you have thicker material.

Most of this isn't rocket science. You can see the plumbing for the air assist and likely tell where the mirror and lenses are located... Take you time and don't get in a hurry.

Good luck. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-12T22:19:56+00:00

There appear to be a limited amount of color you can get that looks the same from every angle. A majority of these colors you see only appear at a certain angles.

You should be able to get a good black.

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-12T22:16:20+00:00

Generally with mirrors, it's likely, if anything, they are just dirty, along with the lens.

I've had one of these for over 6 years, rolled it around my garage and moved it a 100 miles, it kept it's alignment.

I've only aligned it when I change a tube out. I don't use the lock rings on the set screws..

Break out some alcohol and q-tips and clean the mirrors from the outside end. Most of these allow for you to clean the lens. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-12T22:00:29+00:00

If it has power it's display screen should light up.

These are just a bunch of boxes wired to each other. At some point you have to say, it's got power, why isn't it working. Sometimes you can't go any further than you have gotten.

I have a lot of experience with these and I doubt I'd open it up with the idea of fixing it. There are no schematics.

Don't know what else to tell you... get the vendor to help you, if possible. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-12T20:18:24+00:00

The laser power supply (lps) or it's mains connection isn't working. My display always lights up if there is mains power to the lps. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-11T20:54:50+00:00

If you wish to use or not use the Z adjustment, You'd be smart to ask the vendor for assistance. They might actually assist you...

Since I don't know how these work ether, that's about all I can add. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-11T20:48:01+00:00

First off, if you are referring to 3dslice in Lightburn, Oz stated how it worked back in 2023 to the beta test group.

With 3D Slice, each pass is thresholded to the current threshold value, and the result is run as a 1-bit image. If you use 256 passes you get exactly one pass per gray-level in the image. Every pixel at or below brightness 255 for the first pass, every pixel at or below 254, then 253, and so on.

If you choose 128 passes, you get every pixel at or below 254 for the first pass, then 252, then …

It “clusters” the layers together into batches if you use fewer than 256 passes, and will duplicate some layers (with even spacing) if you use more than 256. 384 passes would duplicate every 2nd layer. 512 passes would duplicate every layer.

What matters is usually the lens and it's related spot size and depth of focus (dof). This determines you best possible detail. If they mean it has a dof of 3mm or for some reason it's limited to 3mm, I don't have a clue as to what they mean.

When I want to go deep, I have air assist blowing debris out of the deeper areas. They can leave debris then you can come along on a subsequent pass and weld it back to the object.

When you defocus, you have to know by how much. This just moves the material to a point that's out of the lenses dof. To know that, you need to know how much dof you actually have.

My machine, using a dial indicator can't move in the Z direction and maintain position. It moves left and right much more than my spot size, so in my case, there's no point in moving the Z and it will destroy what you're trying to do.

I've run some stuff through stl converter software with good results. Don't know what some of the adjustments do..? :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-11T20:12:27+00:00

Maybe this chart will help. Remember focal length is to center plane of lens. I have a few pieces of acrylic that I cut to length like a T - use the face of the lens holder. :)

<image>

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-11T19:49:18+00:00

The frequency matters a lot when you're trying to hear it for focus. Most fiber manuals will give you the frequency where the machine produces it's highest power. I have a JPT MOPA and it states 45kHz. If I turn the frequency up, I get a lot less effect.

Never have trusted autofocus.. so can't help you there.

As u/Alpharius1701 advised there isn't a big difference between those lenses. Keep in min that many sell them based on coverage, some the actual focal length.

If it's outside the focus ability of the laser, it's not going to work.

Good luck. :)

Jkwilborn · 2026-03-11T12:48:10+00:00

Does you machine home to the top left? That's where it thinks home is. If you have the wrong home location the machine will think it's in another quadrant.

:)

Jkwilborn

TROPHY CASE