LaserUser.com Forum (formerly RDWorksLab)

This was also posted in my new member about me post. Sorry about the redundancy. Looking for anyone who has more insider knowledge than I can locate online.

I just realized while attempting to configure a rotary axis as the final piece of my laser control retrofit project.... the RDC6445G is not a true 4 axis controller as expected. The brochures and manual skipped over this detail entirely.
The only hint what the 4th output "U axel" was used for, was a feeding parameter and little else. I have since discovered it is more or less a conveyor feed. Not the rotary 4th axis I had installed a drive, power supply and wired up for.
A couple days ago in my frenzied research to resolve the issue, I did run across a modified version of firmware RDC6445G-V15.01.22-LIB.upd which redirects the Y axis pulses to the U axis output. I could not find any cheering supporting that as the holy grail solution or much discussion proving its worth. Which is why I find myself here. I do have emails out to Cloudray and Ruida for the firmware version RDC-v15.01.19 and HMI-V10.01.09 before I even try installing the rotary patched version. Still awaiting a response there. As far as I know, there is no option to extract the existing firmware for backup. At this point it is also unknown if this new firmware is compatible with RDworks 8.01.48 recommended for the controller.

Referenced discussions.
https://www.reddit.com/r/lasercutting/c ... rotary_to/
https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/n ... port/24590

I am working on a fairly expensive new laser and it uses a multi-pole relay to switch from the Y motor to a connector in the bed to drive the rotary- that is the only way I have seen it done and I am not sure the U channel would be better than that. I personally use a un-powered rotary which I designed after building Russ' acrylic rotary- I have found not problems with either of them- no setup at all- motion provided by the gantry.

That said, I have wireless hand control for the 6445 controller which does not work and I have been emailing a gent from Cloudray who is asking what firmware version the 6445 controller is- I had to change the controller back to one which I have a WiFi controller for so I cannot retrieve the firmware number he wants without a bit or work that I do not have time for now. I am not sure if he thinks there is a more recent firmware or not- we are having communication issues [one of us is confused, the other apparently confusing]. So if you find a newer firmware please post a link to it. I liked the 6445 control panel a lot- this machine was built with a 6344 controller with a touch screen which I do not like.

Hello Gene,
The controller is a very nice platform. Just falsely advertised as a 4 axis when it cannot be used as 4-axis. More like a 2 axis with one of those shared on the rotary and 2 auxiliary outdrives. The hardware is there but the firmware shortchanges the package. The original Leetro configuration did the same goofy shared Y axis. Quite disappointing after all the time and money to retrofit the new control to end up there again.

Using a relay or a 3PDT toggle switch has been considered at the Y step/direction output port split between the 2 drives. Still not convenient when two different vendor and/or user files must be loaded/reloaded every time the changeover is needed. Like putting bandages on a wound that never heals? LOL!
I can look into the acrylic rotary as to belt ratio. The goal of course would be to use the Y-axis parameter settings as-is without a parameter file change at best. I have a rotary axis and don't really want to make something different.

If the .22 firmware patch does prove functional as intended and compatible with RDworks, I won't need to rewire anything. This may be a presumption on my part that the U-axis will then have its own dedicated parameters. Although somewhat understandably, I think it still disables the Y-axis during program execution. Doesn't make sense to use the U-axis output port with the Y-axis parameter settings. Currently in the hurry up and wait mode!

Normally, the firmware version number should display on boot in the lower right box? You can also connect to the controller and read the current firmware version on the firmware upgrade screen.

I also switched from Leetro to Ruida but my expectations were different I guess. The Ruida RDworks software was so much superior to Leetro that it was worthwhile. And now I use Lightburn and am still happy. If you look at the quote in my signature by Ray Wylie Hubbard... I try to live up to that. I owned a Sign shop for 20+ years and restored old Corvettes for 20 before that and found that the secret to happy customers is to manage their expectations and tell them, not what they wanted, but what I could provide. Life is good if you let it be.

Gene,
Thanks for your time.
I'm hoping a Ruida insider or someone with better knowledge on this topic will come along. If I get a response out of Cloudray or Ruida on firmware, I will at least update this thread with whatever experience I gather on my own.

Yesss, please post updates, I am interested in this (would be super useful to add a 4th mirror with a small stepper to make angulate cuts for making bevel gears or 45° cuts)!!

Hate to be the barer of bad news. It doesn't work like that Phillip.
These are typically rotary chucks or rollers to rotate product to engrave in 2 axis raster. Like mugs, glasses and rolling pins. Not likely to do interpolated cuts that sophisticated that I have seen. There are a few more thorough detailed other threads over at the Lightburn website on the same subject. Maybe youtube would have more on interpolated cutting with the rotary axis. Best of luck.

https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/r ... d/24781/20

https://forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/u ... ed/31097/6