I’ve had a Chinese K40 laser for 3 years. It uses CorelDraw 12 which comes with the M2 Nano and dongle.
I’ve been using CorelDraw for many years, and I’m used to it.
For a month now my Laser head will not return to the upper left corner (home)
Wherever the head currently is, when I turn the machine on, will move diagonally down 55mm and right 55mm, then jump right 5mm and stop. If I click on Start on the laser program, it moves ANOTHER 55mm diagonally down 55mm and right 55mm before it starts to etch/cut.
If I click reset on the laser program, it again moves down and right, then the quick jump. I have to manually move the head to the upper left, only to have it move diagonally again when I click reset or start. I have checked all cables, connections, uninstalled and reinstalled the programs, tried to run the laser from a different computer, placed tape over the eyes, cleaned the eyes and inspected the board. I see no visual defects on the board or cables.
I have a video of the issues, but I’m unable to upload on here.
I assume something in the M2 Nano board is bad and I need to replace. I’m looking for suggestions.
Thank You
turn your machine off and manually move the laser head to the center of the work area.
Remove the end stop connector( right side, lower connector with GND, YL, XL, GND labels).
Turn the machine on and see if it home more smoothly toward your endstops(home position).
Be ready to turn the machine off as either axis gets close to the end now disconnected end stops.
If it runs smoothly most of the way to the end stops then there could be a noisy end stop switch(s).
Also make sure you have not changed how you connect/power your computer and machine. ie have not changed AC outlets because you could be experiencing ground loops.
My machine does not use that plug.
The lower left 1st one with black mark, with 12-pin ribbon cable for Y axis
The 3rd one from left with black mark on top with 4 wire harness for X axis
The 4th one from left with 4-wire harness for power
If I leave the 4-wire harness plugged in and I unplug the 12-pin ribbon cable and test. The laser head moves right on the X axis 55mm and jumped 5mm right. No downward movement.
If I leave the 12-pin ribbon cable plugged in and I unplug the 4-wire harness, the laser head moves down 55mm with no sideways movement.
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I’m curious if you ever found a solution to your K40 homing incorrectly. I am experiencing a nearly identical issue of my laser head moving down and to the right instead of homing up and to the left as it’s supposed to.
Yes, first do the easy thing. Try cleaning between the eyes with alcohol. If the eyes are dirty, they do not detect the carriage when it arrives.
I found out one or both of my home eyes were bad. Not where I could see the issue. When the carriage goes to home position, the eyes stop it from moving up/left. Then it is programed to move down/right roughly 15mm after the eyes are clear to “home”. My Chinese laser had utilized flat ribbon wire running from the board to the carriage, then jumper wire harnesses to go to “y” axis and “x” axis motors. I was replaced my eyes with micro switches and ran new 20 gauge wires from them to the board. The board had 2 unused plugs. One for x axis and one for y axis. I just had to find compatible harness ends to attach my wires, which was a little bit of a pain, but I got it. It works as it should now.
I can send pics if needed at another time. Good luck.
Jon