Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Hey Planning on adding a laser to my router. Is there a work flow or guide to switch between the laser and the spindle? Also If I mount the laser on the side of the spindle is it possible to get up offsets from the center of the spindle?

Thanks,
Brent

If you're software is pro or higher, just use a different WCS for the laser.

Do you mean a cutting and engraving laser, or a sighting laser for part alignment?

cncsnw wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:49 am Do you mean a cutting and engraving laser, or a sighting laser for part alignment?

Sorry never got the email about you replying. I am talking about cutting and engraving with the laser. Then switching over to use an end mill.

yes, there are several ways to do this most all of them use the Work Coordinate System part zero positions. G54 for Mill, G55 for Laser.

cnckeith wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 1:48 pm yes, there are several ways to do this most all of them use the Work Coordinate System part zero positions. G54 for Mill, G55 for Laser.

Is there way that I can setup G55 so I don't need to set it up again? So the laser is mounted on the side of the spindle. So if I probe in G54 and then I can switch over to G55 to laser something?

sure.

cnckeith wrote: ↑Fri Dec 10, 2021 12:23 amsure.

I have never had to set that up so what would be a good way of going it?

CNC12 Mill Manual Chapter 4.

While G54, G55, etc. may work, I think it would be easier to have your post for the laser use a G52 XY offset for the laser. Have the post apply the offset at the start of the file and then reset it at the end. So, lets say that you set the XY location for your spindle tool at your intended location and run the spindle file, then you would run the laser file that applies the offset and then cancels the offset when finished. No need to maintain the relationship between two WCS. For example, if you have G54 and G55 set to the offset between the two and then happen to set G54 somewhere else, then G55 will not be right for the laser offset.

One caveat, if you happen to stop the laser file from finishing for some reason, the offset will remain active, so you would need to issue a G52 X0 Y0 to cancel it.