DIY Fiber Laser Cutter V2 | Part 8: Leadshine EL8 Servo Tuning

[@thomasswearingen6971]

One thing that I have noticed is that you are not using grommets for wires passing through steal. You can use some of the 6mm hose and cut it to make a cheap one. Just make a cut down the length and then test it and trim it to length. Or use silicone to hold the wires away from the sharp edges.

[@brettb2516]

STO is not for limit switches. Its for safety. Put 2 normally closed contacts onto your estop button, one to connect Pin1(24v) to Pin4(SF1+) and the other to connect Pin1(24v) to Pin6(SF1+). You can then get rid of the contactors. Absolutely loving this series man! Thank you and very welldone! Amazing build!

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks, several people have pointed this out now. I guess I messed up my order of operations...I hooked up the contactors before I even looked into how to use the STO function, I'm now regretting that I didn't do that first. Oh well, at least I learned how contactors work.

[@brettb2516]

@@diyfiberlaser The contactors are not wrong by any means. Thats how they (and myself) used to do it back in the day until funtional safety standards improved and technology improved. STO was a Godsend for functional safety. It's safer, with less wiring, and less space used. The STO's basically stop the output IGBT's from firing when certain conditions are not met. ISO 13849-1 is where its all at if you feel like going down a rabbit hole at some point. So keen to this machine cut some steel!🦾

[@diyfiberlaser]

@@brettb2516 That makes sense. Now I have to decide if it's worth it to undo everything and fix. I might keep moving the project forward since I know people want to see it cutting and add it to my "list of things I've learned and can do better" and tackle them off camera...maybe do a follow-up video at the end. That does look like some good reading at some point, especially if I want to keep getting better at building machines.

[@Spirit532]

You don't need separate contactors for every drive, or any contactors at all for that matter, just a main power disconnect. Safe Torque Off is *specifically designed* for estop operation without having to cut power to the drives. You can completely get rid of the contactors and use STO, which would also keep the motor positions and avoid potential drive damage. But what you DO need to do if you want it to be "proper", is wire the estop to a safety controller(also called a safety relay) that would also trigger the laser source's estop. In a "real industrial" setting, it's improper and sometimes illegal to have multiple estops that would shut down parts of the device, as that could create a dangerous situation.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks, I messed up and wired the contactors before learning how to use the STO function...should have done that first I now know. The contactors are only cutting power to the motors, the drives have a separate power input for the controller that bypasses the contactor, so the drives still stay on keep position when the estop is pressed. Thanks for mentioning the safety relay, I've never used one before and that might just be the answer I've been looking for...I've been wondering about how to go about wiring the laser source to the estop.

[@82edje]

Hello, I like your video's. STO is the new way of doing it. Relays in de power line is the old way. STO is ceaper, more simple, less problems due to failing componets The safety relay has also a reset button. For a safe reset of a E-stop. I would also recoment a safety door switch in series with the e-stop. So when opening the door, there is a safe situation. Safety component have usualy 2 channels Safety circuits are to protect humans, animails, the machine, and the product (that is produced) I see your are using Schneider relay. The Preventa XPS is the safety relay of schneider

[@diyfiberlaser]

@@82edje Thanks I appreciate your advise...wow, I'm learning so much from everyone's incredible feedback!

[@peterdickinson1936]

Such a great build! Thank you.

[@bonifacemwaura6993]

This is a good video!

[@ConnyYngve]

Awesome video! looking forward to next one.

[@Arek_R.]

I would wire laser source external e-stop signal and motion e-stop into one e-stop button, those usually have 2-3 separate contact blocks.

[@diyfiberlaser]

I wasn't thinking ahead enough, I got a 2NC estop...I should see if I can get 3NC so I can include the laser source or try a safety relay that people are mentioning.

[@Arek_R.]

@@diyfiberlaser There should be 3NC ones as well, for example from IDEC

[@diyfiberlaser]

@@Arek_R. Thanks, I found one from IDEC

[@LDWorkshop]

Hi ! Perhaps it should be good to bolt the frame to de ground ? the wooble we see during servo calibration would be smaller I guess... reducing inertia on axis. Very interesting videos, looking forward to the next !

[@diyfiberlaser]

Good point, once I get the machine into it's final position and off the caster wheels, I should probably run the auto-tuning again.

[@Bassam_Nabeel]

Great work 😀 I just wanna ask you something regarding auto-tuning the Y1 and Y2 axis. As far i understand that you made Y1 master and Y2 slave that's mean both of them will work together as a one servo drive and motor. After you modified the parameters and connected them via EtherCAT cable, did an auto-tuning for the master one right? And there is no need to plug the interface cable for the slave one (the cable that connects the Y2 servo drive with the I/O card XC3000) again? And what about the EtherCat cable? I will remain connect the Y1 and Y2 or just for auto-tuning operation?

[@diyfiberlaser]

That's correct, Y2 is no longer plugged into the controller, but it remains connected to Y1 throughout the ethernet cable.

[@pierreboone568]

If you are going to calibrate the Z axis, you will see in the video start 13:48, moving a cable or something in the Y axis cable holder at the beginning. I don't know if that is the case, but if it is a cable that moves, it could wear out there.

[@yngndrw.]

I'd also add to this that the Z-axis cables should not be within the conduit that the laser head cables use, as this causes the Z-axis cables to move every time the head moves up and down. The conduit should be fastened to the Z-axis before it enters the drag chain as you suggest - Extend that bracket and add some cable ties.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks for pointing that out! I somehow didn't notice it until you brought it to my attention.

[@diyfiberlaser]

@@yngndrw. Thanks, I now see that I should definitely rework the cables back there.

[@yngndrw.]

You don't actually need the separate servo contactors. As you're using fancy Leadshine EL8 drives which support Safe Torque Off, you could use that instead. In fact, STO is safer as it's a redundant system and is built to SIL3 standards - I'd advise using STO for the e-stop rather than the limit switches. (Although you could wire up the limit switches so that they act as e-stops, which will stop everything - Ideally you'd use double pole limit switches so they can break both e-stop channels.) I'd also suggest that you use the STO for both Y-axis drives even though they are paired as this is a safety system. You'd be better off using a dual-channel safety relay (E.g. Pilz PNOZ 11) to drive the STO for the drives. As the laser power source doesn't support Safe Torque Off, you should use two disconnection mechanisms in series. You could use the laser power source's interlock input as one (Connected through its own safety relay output) and a contactor to break the power supply as the second. As the contactor is separate from the safety relay, you should use an auxiliary contact on it for monitoring - See the manual of the safety relay regarding how that is wired. A dual-channel safety relay has two separate e-stop channels which go through their own e-stop button contacts providing redundancy for the inputs. Internally it has two force-guided relays in series which provides redundancy for the outputs. A separate reset button (In manual reset mode) is used which allows the safety relay to test both channels, ensuring that every time you reset it - You're protected by a redundant e-stop system. The safety relay has a lot of outputs (7) but it's not enough for the entire system, therefore I'd do the following: - Output 1 - STO #1 for Y1 and Y2 drives - Output 2 - STO #2 for Y1 and Y2 drives - Output 3 - STO #1 for X and Z drives - Output 4 - STO #2 for X and Z drives - Output 5 - Laser source interlock - Output 6 - Laser source contactor and gas solenoids - Output 7 - Control board e-stop input - Monitoring loop - Through the laser source contactor aux contacts - Control board e-stop - Break the e-stop loop so that it can trigger the safety relay This should take up about the same amount of space as the four contactors you've just added. Hope this helps.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Wow, thank you for the detailed explanation! I can see now that it's time for me to learn how to use a safety relay...let me absorb all of this and I'll see what I can do about implementing it.

[@82edje]

​​@@diyfiberlaser you dont need a separate contact for each drive. Al drive can you the same contacts Only keep STO 1 and STO2 separate.

[@FreezeAU]

I'm confused about what the arc detect tool is supposed to be accomplishing? My understanding is that where you're using dir/pulse control, the controller doesn't know where the laser head *is*, it only knows where it is *supposed to be* based on the pulses it sent the motor drives. Even if you were using a different signalling method which allowed for positioning feedback from the motor drives to the controller, that would only tell the controller where the drives thought the laser head was - it wouldnt account for things like backlash in the drive system. If you wanted to know exactly where the head was, wouldnt you need to put glass scales on each axis or something?

[@diyfiberlaser]

There are encoder signals going from the servo drives, back into the controller, I'm sure that is how it is calculating the position. Yes, it is theoretical, and doesn't account for backlash or if I don't have the steps/distance accurate.

[@danny36120]

fix your machine base to the ground when tuning motors - you dont get the real resonance unless anchored to base i assume

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks, I didn't think to lower it off the caster wheels...I'll have to run the tuning again after I get it into it's final position.

[@Chris-bg8mk]

Your frame shaking all over the place is going to throw off your service tuning and motion accuracy.

[@diyfiberlaser]

Thanks, I didn't think to lower it off the caster wheels...I'll have to run the tuning again after I get it into it's final position.

[@wzh9453]

I would like to advise you to avoid LEAD SHINE. I'm currently using a LEAD SHINE servo, but I'm regretting the purchase because of the worst A/S team. Technical support is either ignored or only receives short, frustrating voicemail replies. The technical support team's Lv was always busy, and the A/S manager who was introduced next was also the same. It is important to remember that you have to pay a stress fee for LEAD SHINE products. 👎

[@diyfiberlaser]

I've had the opposite experience. I was contacting support via email...I am about 12 hrs difference in time zones and if I emailed in the evening, I would get a prompt response, if I emailed in the day, I would get a reply as soon as their workday started.

[@asderven]

No experience with lead shine, but from buying frequently on Ali express, it is best to match yourself with a seller who has a similar level of expertise to understand your queries. Often time most sellers are just that, sellers, they don’t understand my specifications. Sometimes you have to be patient until their technical comes on board. Sometimes they just don’t like you 😁. In our cultures, referring to others brothers or sisters helps create a closeness, or even just calling them friend. Being polite helps immensely, having a purely American, Canadian, European attitude won’t come across well.

[@wzh9453]

After purchasing 5 sets of LEAD SHINE servo motors and drivers, I am receiving technical support from another company. This is really a comedy. The reason you feel you are receiving fast technical support is because LEAD SHINE's “marketing team” is functioning properly. In particular, Mr lv from the LEAD SHINE technical support team is not suitable for dealing with customers.

[@asderven]

@@wzh9453 that happens. In that case go with the other company. I get similar issues with bms.

[@thomasswearingen6971]

All most every problem with a drive is due to not setting a parameter correctly. If you don't go through all 100 and understand what they each do then how could you make it work? I installed a vfd and called tech support. Waited for a day and got a call back. Explained what I wanted to do. And then started to tell him the parameters that I changed from factory. He stopped me and asked if I checked all the parameters and made sure that they were set to factory. I said yes. He then said write down the one's that you need to change that I tell you as you do it. If it still doesn't work go back and check all 100 again. The problem was that I entered 4 instead of 5 on a parameter. I started off the call by saying that I think that I didn't get a parameter right. This opened the door for him to ask what I had done. I had everything written down that I had changed so that I could respect his time. After we fixed my mistake I thanked him for his time and said that I was glad that it only took ten minutes to fix. He said that knowing what I did and didn't do and having it written down made it faster to solve the problem. You need to know what the parameters do and what you think they need to be set to. Remember that a drive can run lots of different things and the parameters tell it what you want it to run and function.