Okay, I think I figured it out. The spec sheet says the Blue wire is + and the white wire is - for the TTL control. It must have been wired incorrectly inside the case of the diode because when I flipped the leads and made the blue wire ground and the white wire the plus lead, it works! How frustrating!by Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
I am connecting the 12VDC via the wall wart power supply that came with the unit. The Blue and White TTL input leads are what I am trying to control the laser with. As supplied, the 12 volt and TTL grounds are independent. I realize now that the other diode I was looking at uses an external laser driver whereas the one I ordered only has an internal driver board. So it seems that anything thaby Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
@VDX, yes you are correct. The waveform cleaned up when I put the scope on DC. My bad. Well, anyway, the Laser Diode finally arrived yesterday. I was so excited to actually start using it. But, after hours of playing with it, I have gotten nowhere. First I tried the bridged resistors. That only produced a sawtooth waveshape when connected to the TTL input of the laser and no output. Prby Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
Finally got an oscilloscope so I could look at the pulse rates on Marlin vs Repetier. Using the Fan output (D9) with the 3.3k resistor tied to the 4.7K and loading the Arduino Mega 2650 with both Marlin and Repetier using the configuration settings as close to each as I could figure, I observed different waveforms from each. I set the fan output to 50% and recorded the waveform with each firby Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
I've got an Arduino on order. Will give me some flexibility in programming. Can put a hardware safety switch to keep it off during power up.by Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
@LarsK, excellent ideas!by Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
@VDX Ahhh, very cool! Are you using two Arduino's? Seems like you could write that code and include it in the Repetier or Marlin build. But either way, that answers my question. I feel more comfortable placing an order now.by Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
Found this post which addresses many of my same questions. Think I read it earlier but did not look at the photos posted which are of the same diode I have been considering. Still would like to know if inserting a second driver between D9 and driver of the laser will work.by Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
@LarsK At the moment, I don't know what I will use it for. Maybe etching mostly. I like the idea of using the fan output because Repetier Host and Server as well as Octoprint all have a UI where I can change the fan speed on the fly without having to rewrite the GCODE. And too, this is just a hobby for me. Something more to learn. I have a 3D printer, and now I have the MPCNC machine, so addiby Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
Thank you Viktor. I have a couple of concerns still. I would prefer to use Repetier software on a RAMPS 1.4 board. The output would come from D9, the fan control, which is 12V PWM, but I have no idea where I would have control over the pulse rates and lengths. Maybe I would need to use Marlin controller software? Not familiar with it. I assume the controller is where the pulse rates andby Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
I have been looking at adding a laser to either my 3D printer or my MPCNC machine. Trying to keep the cost down, I have found two inexpensive china type lasers I am considering. The first is The second is The first is a 2W laser with an external controller while the second is a 2.5W laser which seems not to have a controller, but both have TTL input. I'm not sure if I need an additionalby Flashsolutions - Laser Cutter Working Group
I have an He 3D Prusa I3 kit ($238) which is clear Acrylic. The aluminum bed that came with it would not get hot enough so I replaced it with the RepRap heated bed. Printing PLA was no problem, but when I started printing ABS with higher temperatures, my bed support (made of Acrylic) started to bow. I turned it over and added a sheet of Dow Blue insulating Foam I had from the days when I usedby Flashsolutions - Prusa i3 and variants