Adding a Diode laser to my CO2 laser

Hardware settings, adjustments and fixes and other hardware discussion. This includes the "doHICky" Laser Power measurement system by Russ.
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Eric Fletcher
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021
Location: Glendale, CA
Country: United States
Laser Machine Make or Type: OMTech 100W
Laser Power: 100
Laser Bed Size: 20x28
Home Position: TL
Control Software: LIGHTBURN
RDWorks Version: UnKnown
Ruida Controller: RDC6442
Windows Version: Mac

How crazy am I? Anyone have ever done this? I was thinking of mounting the diode laser on the backside of my existing laser head. My Ruida 6445S will control two lasers so...

Am I crazy? Has anyone done this?
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Gene Uselman
Posts: 2180
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016
Location: Suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Country: USA
Nickname: Gene
Laser Machine Make or Type: QC
Laser Power: 130W
Laser Bed Size: 900x1300
Home Position: TR
Control Software: LIGHTBURN
RDWorks Version: RDw .19 & Lightburn
LightBurn Version: Latest
Ruida Controller: RDC6442
Windows Version: Win 10 Pro
Accessories: I have a combining lenses, pin tables [homebuilt], honeycomb tables , wireless remote, Modifed Ultimate Air Assist, home built non-powered rotary device, PrusaMK4 and Mini Prusa printers.

I am not sure what the advantage would be? And are not diode and CO2 lasers controlled completely differently?
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Jack Wilborn
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2021
Location: Peoria, Arizona
Country: USA
Laser Machine Make or Type: Chinese Blue
Laser Power: 45
Laser Bed Size: 20" x 12"
Home Position: TL
Control Software: LIGHTBURN
RDWorks Version: 8.01.18
Ruida Controller: RDC6442
Windows Version: 10

Basically they are run from the PWM just like a 'big' laser... Co2 has an 'enable' along with pwm, but in the end, it would be simple to hook it up as Laser 2. More trouble mounting it, not controlling it...
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