Rotary Mode (DSP)
Note
The Rotary Setup window is not available for lasers with TopWisdom or Trocen controllers. See below for more information on setting up a rotary with these controllers.
Rotaries are used to turn cylindrical objects so that their surfaces can be marked by a laser. In order to use your laser with a rotary, you must first establish several important parameters in the Rotary Setup window that control the rotary's motion.
To open Rotary Setup, go to Laser Tools → Rotary Setup (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+R), or click the rotary icon in the Modes Toolbar.
Rotary Setup (Ruida)
Click any option in the images below to jump directly to the relevant section for that option, or scroll down for a list of options and descriptions.
Rotary Type
Select whether your rotary is a Chuck or Roller style rotary. Chuck rotaries have adjustable jaws that grab and hold objects, while Roller rotaries have revolving rollers or wheels that objects are placed on top of.
Enable Rotary
Tip
If Show rotary enable in main window is enabled in your Settings/Preferences, you can also enable or disable Rotary Mode using the switch in the Laser window.
This switch controls whether Rotary Mode is enabled on the laser's controller. When enabled, the controller handles sending rotational commands to the appropriate axis and rescaling output.
When Rotary Mode is enabled, you'll see a status indication in the bottom right corner of your screen:
Mirror Output to Rotary
Enable the Mirror Output to Rotary switch if output to the rotary is inverted in the dimension of rotation.
Rotary Axis
For most lasers with Ruida controllers, the Rotary Axis is automatically set to Y and cannot be changed.
If your rotary is connected to a U Axis port, the controller will handle transferring the commands the correct axis, provided the firmware version running on the controller supports U Axis rotary output. In some cases, you may need to manually select the U Axis through the controller.
Consult your laser's manufacturer for more information on U Axis rotary support.
Rotary Settings
Steps Per Rotation
Note
With a Roller style rotary, it is the roller or wheel driven by the motor that must make one complete rotation when you click the Test button, and not an object on the rotary.
Set the steps per rotation value to the number of motor steps required to spin the rotary one complete rotation.
If this value is incorrect, output will be shrunk or stretched.
In most cases, steps per rotation will be provided by the manufacturer of your rotary or machine — consult the manufacturer if the steps per rotation value was not provided in the instructions included with your device.
Test
When the Test button is pressed, the rotary should turn a full 360 degrees, pause, then rotate back to the starting point. If the rotary turns too far, reduce the steps per rotation value. If it does not turn far enough, increase it.
Roller Diameter
This option is only presented for Roller style rotaries.
In most cases, Roller Diameter is provided by your rotary's manufacturer. If not, carefully measure the diameter of the roller or wheel driven by the rotary motor.
Once this measurement is accurately identified and set, it never needs to be adjusted again. If it is inaccurate, output will be shrunk or stretched.
Object Diameter
Tip
Use high precision calipers to guarantee the accuracy of your diameter measurement.
For Chuck style rotaries, carefully measure and enter the Object Diameter of the item on your rotary. This value must be updated every time you place an object with a different diameter on your rotary. If it is inaccurate, output will be shrunk or stretched.
For Roller style rotaries, Object Diameter does not affect output, but can be entered here to calculate the Circumference of your object.
If your object is tapered, check out our Taper Warp tool.
Circumference
Object Circumference is automatically calculated based on the value entered in the Object Diameter field. The converse is also true — Diameter is automatically calculated from Circumference.
Use this value to adjust the size of your graphics — for full wrap designs, the combined height of your graphics should be identical to the Circumference.
Read Settings
Instructs LightBurn to read rotary settings settings from your laser's controller.
Writing Changes
After changing rotary settings, you must power-cycle the controller, as the internal logic isn't adjusted for the new settings until you do.
Change the setting, press OK to close the Rotary Setup window and write the changes to the controller, then power off the control board and power it back on.
You may need to press the Esc (or stop) button on the controller to prevent it from trying to home itself, if the rotary is plugged into the Y axis port and the laser cannot travel in Y.
Rotary Setup (TopWisdom and Trocen)
Users with TopWisdom controllers must enable Rotary Mode and set parameters through the Machine Settings of the controller itself.
In LightBurn, go to Edit → Machine Settings to enable Rotary Mode as well as view and adjust the rotary controls.
The options presented here are the same as those available in AutoLaser, the stock software for the TopWisdom. For more information on these settings, refer to this manual, or contact your machine's manufacturer.
Users with Trocen controllers must enable Rotary Mode and adjust settings through the controller display. For more information on these settings, refer to this manual, or contact your machine's manufacturer.
Positioning
Tip
If your rotary is plugged into your laser's Y Axis, position the laser head toward the center of its work area before plugging in the rotary.
In most cases, Current Position is the best Start From mode to use when working with a rotary.
Align the object under your laser head in the X dimension. Output will be positioned on the object in the X dimension relative to the laser head and Job Origin selection. The Job Origin is indicated on your graphics by a green square. Parts of the graphic to left of the green square will output to the left of your laser head, and parts to the right will output to the right.
Turn the rotary or object on the rotary to determine where the engraving will output on the object in the dimension of rotation. Output in this dimension is also determined relative to your Job Origin selection — the rotary will turn to reach graphics positioned above or below the Origin.
See Coordinates and Job Origin for more information on the Start From mode and Job Origin settings.
Tip
To avoid having the rotary backtrack when making Fill engravings, select a top or bottom Job Origin.
Note
For some Trocen controllers, the Start From mode must always be selected through the controller display.
Troubleshooting
- If your output is shrunk or stretched in the direction of rotation, either steps per rotation, Object Diamater (if working with a Chuck style rotary), or Roller Diameter (if working with a Roller style rotary), is incorrect.
- Use the Test button in the Rotary Setup window to check steps per rotation. The rotary should make one 360 degree rotation before returning to the start. If you are working with a Roller rotary, it is the roller or wheel driven by the motor that must make one complete rotation and not an object on the rotary. If it turns too far or not far enough, adjust steps per rotation.
- Use high precision calipers to double-check the Object or Roller Diameter value.
- If the controller returns a "Y Slop Over" or similar error when you try to start a job, jog the rotary using the Y axis arrows until it reports a position near to the center of its work area (half the max travel distance in Y.)
- If an object slips on a Roller rotary, try:
- Wrapping the rollers with a non-slip material, or even rubber bands.
- Placing weights inside the object, such as ball bearings or other small round objects, to help press the object against the rollers.
- Going to Edit → Machine Settings and reducing the Acceleration value of your rotary axis, in your machine's firmware settings.
- If you end up with a flat part at the bottom of the engraving, it means your rotary gear mechanism has backlash. Usually, tightening any belts in the rotary device will fix this, but, if not, you can place a small line a few mm below the bottom of your design, set to very low power (0.1%) and set it as the first layer to run. The rotary will spin to this position, then back up over that few millimeters of gap, and will take up the backlash with that movement.
Related Topics
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