Please let me know if you need any help from us.
BR
I’ve noticed that after the latest firmware update that the “Settings --> Laser --> Adjust Laser Height” was on the maximum height (40mm) on default. This caused my laser not to print any lines.
After setting the laser height to 19.7mm in the settings, I could calibrate again and it works.
So when laser is showing issues, please first look at the settings and see if the laser height is not way high.
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From the 5 lines here, which is the one to select as best? Does not help me to get the lines when the manual does not tell me what to look for as correct…
I’m having the same critical issue of the Snapmaker 2 laser not engraving any lines during the Auto Focus procedure. It failed every time because the laser leaves no engraving marks.
Furthermore, I cannot even get to “Settings --> Laser --> Adjust Laser Height” because the setup wizard has no option to escape to get to settings.
I have attempted this both with the enclsoure door sensor switched off, and with the doors of my enclosure well closed.
I can see the laser beam hitting the surface of the 1.5mm wood sample supplied with the new package, but it’s as though the beam is far too weak to actually make any engraving marks. Please help!
UPDATE: I realized I could just “fake” my way through the rest of the setup wizard to get to “Settings --> Laser --> Adjust Laser Height” — However, that did not help, even when I went there and set the laser height down from it 30’s mm setting to 19.7mm and then attempted to re-run the “guide” wizard. The Auto Focus procedure still failed because the laser leaves no engraving marks. After attempting to re-run the wizard, I went back to the settings — back to “Settings --> Laser --> Adjust Laser Height” — and the laser height was again at 32.2mm.
I should add that I am using the base setup described here: Easy way to switch build plates
…In that I have magnets used to attach my laser bed pieces. However, if the laser height is “higher” than normal because my bed is higher than normal, it still should work. I am perplexed.
If you are connected to luban with usb, do you see the echo of the door switch?
others < door opened!
others < door closed!
If not you could look for the status by M1010 in the console.
What firmware do you run and what version from Luban? I would suggest to update these things to the latest from the forum.
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My problem was related to the door sensor! I solved it by taking the advice found here: Door Detection Faulty
…In particular, using the image you supplied of how the magnets in the doors should be arranged!
Success with a cut (without having yet done the auto calibration)!
I’m running the latest versions of Luban and latest firmware.
Of note, even though Luban shows the door sensor feature turned off, the firmware was still demanding the doors closed, as though the feature were turned on!
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I use the easy-switch method. I just did several photo engravings and also did the sample box cutout. Autofocus worked fine in all cases. Perhaps your starting height isn’t correct? I just follow the autofocus procedure as documented in the manual.
@wje, thanks, but I got it sorted. See my last post (showing above yours). It was a combo of firmware bug not honoring ‘disable door sensor’ and the door sensor itself being unusable because door magnets were not in correct locations.
Hi Edwin, hopefully you can help, I have an a350, and during the initial laser calibration, on wood and A4 paper calibration, everything worked out great. I was then able to cut through the 1.5mm Birch plywood that was included. I have been having issues cutting 2.8mm Birch plywood with a variety of settings, and can’t figure out why. After calibration my laser height consistently shows a height at 27.9. My snap maker is about 2 weeks old.
Are you referring to the solid basswood sheet? It’s an important distinction as plywood has a glue layer and the solid wood does not.
The laser cannot cut through the types of glue used in some plywoods.
Hi brent113, I guess that’s basswood, it doesn’t appear to be solid though and has two layers. I’m trying to cut thru 2.8mm Birch plywood. I’ve read here and on Reddit that people have been successful in cutting up to 5 mm birch plywood, albeit very slow. My real question is after calibration my “calibrated” laser height is 27.9mm, isn’t that really high, though my laser dot appears to be the finest at that Z distance.
If that’s the smallest dot, then that’s the best focus.
If some other people are having success and you aren’t, you might have to try and find a different plywood with a different glue used.
The cheap 3mm birch ply I have at my house took 50 passes to go through and charred extremely badly.
I can’t recall other people cutting through 5mm plywood with the laser here, that is surprising to me. I have seen 5mm solid wood be cut though.
On reddit, those other people are also snapmaker users? Is it possible they have a glowforge or some other CO2 laser? Those work well for that as the laser uses a different wavelength that interacts more strongly with the glue used. Also a stronger diode laser would work better, if they had like an 8W laser instead of the 1.6W on the snapmaker.
Thank you for the feedback, That kinda sucks cause I just bought that 3mm 4’x8’ sheet for $40 and spent time cutting it into 12"x12" sheets. Yeah, one guy had a SM A350 that took 20 passes to cut the 5mm plywood. At that point, the CNC bit would be faster. Is it possible to upgrade the laser on the SM2?
They have announced a long range plan to release an 8W laser, but I haven’t seen any concrete dates.
Yea, I think CNC would be faster if you need to cut all the way through.
There have been some people on here who are looking into replacing the laser and driver with stronger ones, but it’s definitely not trivial to do.
That doesn’t seem too bad. Definitely at the longer end but well within normal range.
Just to be clear, since there is some confusion on this, the measurement is from the work piece to the laser lens. Not the distance to the lens hood (which is adjustable and removable). The distance to that is around 5mm. Smallest dot is what you’re looking for.
As @brent113 said 3mm seems to be the usable limit for plywood, but that’s totally dependent on the type of wood and more importantly the glue. Just have to test and see.
If someone actually did 5mm I’d be surprised, but it could be possible. If you can increase airflow around the cutting spot it can help.
-S
So, it must be the glue, I used work speed of 75mm/min 2 passes and pass depth of zero according to the snapmaker chart and was able to cut 1.5 mm cleanly. Looking at the provided plywood it’s 3 ply. Any good sources for this material?
Any plywood with an organic binder would do better than the inorganic resins typically used. I haven’t found a good source though, I just use solid wood instead, usually pine. I’ll save the plywood for signs or images with things etched onto it, and not cut clean through.
I’ve had good luck with stuff I picked up from Hobby Lobby but no clue as to what it was other than being birch. I can check when I get home if there’s a label left on any of it I still have.
When cutting with multiple passes you should change pass depth to keep the beam at optimal focus. Generally that’s approximately the thickness of the object divided by # of passes.
-S
Thanks, I will check out Hobby Lobby and see what they have in stock, lumber been so expensive lately.
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Hello Edwin,
I am working on my Laser, when I first started about a week ago, everything seemed ok with the calibration print. All lines on the “Ruler” looked good, and the camera picked the best. Now when I try to do the exact same thing as I did, the Laser head starts almost on the surface of the wood and moves up as it should for each line. It only prints 8 lines, and they are very week, and the inspection fails every time. I have manually set the Laser Height, it is currently at 17.5mm. Any ideas?