Sain Smart Laser on Shapeoko

CNC Machines Shapeoko
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I Installed a SainSmart laser on my shapeoko.

I designed a customer mount for the Suckit Dust boot and a Driver inverter for the reversed PWM if anyone is interested in help installing this laser let me know.

It is a great laser for $138

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Welcome to the community! Please share more details on your setup.
What do you use it for?
What kind of project?

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I have had one sitting in my Amazon cart for a hot minute now. I would love to see your mount and hear more about this “reversed pwm” issue… thanks for sharing!! That would have been an unpleasant surprise to find out after purchasing…

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I bought a SainSmart Genmitsu CNC Router 3018
And the Laser for it.
I was using it to make circuit boards.

I later purchased my Shapeoko XXL about 6 months ago. I wanted to use the laser from my 3018 on the shapeoko. I designed a mount to fit the suckit dust boot. Ill share the STL files in here if possible. Suckit Laser Mount.STL (614.6 KB)

Here is a Solidworks mock up.

Suck laser mount
Suck laser mount1405Ă—1269 89 KB

So now I have a mount. I went to connect my laser to the Control board. I didn’t want to use a external power supply so i designed a 24V to 12V buck converter. I pull 24 volts from the Power rail on the Shapeoko and down convert it to 12v I also pull the PWM signal from the PWM pin in the Control board. For my laser module driver it is using a negative PWM input to work. The PWM from the control board on shapeoko is sending a +5v signal as you would expect. Why the inverse on sainsmart i have no idea. I read that you could invert in GRBL. I did not want to modify the GRBL settings. so i used a 7400 Inverter IC. pin 1 and pin2 connected together and Output pin 3 to Sainsmart driver. IT works perfectly. the laser runs at full power though the buck and gets the appropriate pwm to fire the laser and Burn with Lightburn.

IT have made this install very modular. So the Buck inverter board can be mounted inside the controller. Ill take and upload photos tonight.

Thanks

Tonyk

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I use it to burn images or laser engrave on wood!!

I made a custom set of Cornholes with a laser engraved monogram

Turned out quite well.

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