Really odd output

[bob444]

just found that the ghosting changes based on what angle you engrave, with horizontal set it ghosts to the right with 45 set it's down and right

[Picengravertoo]

Ok, I just regenerated the gcode with your PWM commands using that same image, but used a 1mm Max Laser Value and M42 P4 Z in Laser Control Command instead. I used a M42 P4 Z0 in the Laser Off command. You should be using a M42 P4 S0 there, but you left off the 0 in the file you generated and without it, it will not send the PWM and laser power to zero.

I changed the .gcode extension to .nc, then I opened the gcode in a text editor and removed all the M42 P4 commands. This is so a X,Y & Z toolpath could be viewed in Mach3. There is no ghosting, so it's something with your setup that is causing the issue. If you noticed the ghosting in the engraving you did with the gcode I sent you was angled differently then the one you engraved from a different image also. I generated the gcode at 45 degree angle with this one and the one I sent you. I can only guess it's how your controller is executing those M42 P4 commands.

No Ghosting.JPG (82.01 KiB) Viewed 19593 times

[Picengravertoo]

sorry should be their now.

Sorry, I was not clear on what registration email to send it to. My son found it in the forum registration email which is his. I should have said the PicLaser Lite registration email.

Thanks.
Jeff

[bob444]

wow you went through that fast.it may not look it but it is set to M42 P4 S0 but the command box is to narrow to see it with out horizontal scrolling.I'm afraid i had rotated the mad hatter pics to the right by 90 to make it easier to distinguish.I will have to see bought getting on the reprap forms and seeing if they know of any reason M42 P4 S might be processed differently or if they might have any ideas.I've still a few more things to try but if i find a solution I'll remember to post back hear.thank you for putting so much effort been a Huge help.

[Picengravertoo]

I know you can't see the end of what is typed into those places, but the gcode you sent me just had the "M42 P4 S" where the Laser Off Command would be added at the beginning and the end of the file.

At the beginning.

G92 X0 Y0
G21
G1 F1000
G1 M42 P4 S <-----------Here
G1 X0.00 Y0.00
M03
M42 P4 S55.0000

At the end.

M42 P4 S1.7255
G1 X173.25 Y152.5
M42 P4 S1.7255
G1 M42 P4 S <------------And here.
M05
G1 X0.00 Y0.00
M30

[bob444]

ah your right don't know how that happened (not that you were right but for me to have wrong command). did a test and it seems my firmware response to the incomplete command is to turn off the laser anyway to make positive did quick engrave and their was no change.

[bob444]

Hi found out a lot today pretty sure I've found part of the problem. went through all the hardware sense we had more or less ruled out the gcode and managed to get a full non ghosted engraving, the thing that worked was to use an old vista laptop to run the printer/engraver with the code generated by my PC.

the reason i had thought that it was a registration/full version problem at first was that I've gained the habit of testing new hardware on expendable machines sense a short killed most of my PC earlier this year, i know i tested the demo on the laptop which worked but i could of sworn i had on the PC before i bought the full thing on the bright side I now have a working workaround and have a few wonderful engravings, i haven't even played with it to get the best settings yet. as for why the PC is doing what its doing your guess is as good as mine, i have only tried a few things in an attempt to fix it so far, I've updated my drivers checked my host software settings used a different Arduino just in case different cable and tried different USB slots I'm using Win10 so its hard to say what its going to be (whats really weird is it still prints perfectly well on the PC) but its more than safe to say your software runs perfectly even if my PC does not.
I cannot thank you enough for the help you've given me and if and more hopefully when i figure out the exact solution and not just a workaround I'll post it hear for the next guy, of course if you just happen to have any ideas i wouldn't turn them down .

[Picengravertoo]

It's good to hear you got it worked out. Thanks for keeping us updated as it sure will help others with similar issues.