Laser Cutter Update: Working With Marlin!

About 8 months ago my laser died. The failed component was the RuiDa Controller. I thought about replacing it but I know two other people that have had the exact same failure on RuiDa Controllers...so that's at least 3 different versions of the controller that are made with the same low quality parts. Instead I transitioned to Marlin. It was a long journey. I learned a lot. I can't do raster engraving anymore. But I can do vector engraving and cutting...and that's all I used anyway.

[@aliciabell6688]

Yay! You got it working.

[@gyllenspetzfamily7993]

So it can cut but not engrave because there are no options for rasters in marlin?

[@MAKER_GURU]

Yeah, normally when you engrave the head moves back and forth very quickly and the laser turns on and off very quickly as it is doing this. Such functionality doesn't exist in Marlin. It's more like move...turn on laser...move...turn off laser, etc.

[@gyllenspetzfamily7993]

@@MAKER_GURU but Marlin is just a programming language right? Any Marlin experts out here think they can write code to force it to engrave?

[@MAKER_GURU]

@@gyllenspetzfamily7993 It's a piece of software that you need some light programming to get working. It's mainly intended for 3D printers; they keep adding features to the point that it can now control laser cutters, CNC mills, and robotic arms...but mostly it's for 3D printing and that's where most of the work goes.