Thanks! Another commenter also mentioned that….now that I know, I will make the fix

Thanks for all of your helpful feedback! Your comments make me want to go to school for this…I’d love to learn more about machine control and design. I should research if there are any online courses that I could take from home. As you pointed out, I lack knowledge in the estop, relay, contactor chain. The laser source unit is getting plugged into it’s own separate circuit (my garage has 3 separate 20A 240V circuits) and it has an estop integrated on the front. The motor drives will be getting contactors (as soon as they arrive) that are supposed to kill the power if there is torque overload with the drive’s STO function. I guess that wont prevent a crash, but just cut the power if there is one. If I understand correctly, the best solution would be to just have one contactor (wired to an estop) right after my main breaker, that can cut the power to the controller and motors? I’m not sure how to wire this. I can fix the daisy-chain ground wire…I was out of inputs on my terminal block…I think I need to add a separate terminal block so there is adequate space to make all of these connections. You very well could be right about the 5:1 reducers…I made a stupid mistake, I was going to first test the motors without them (I bought them just to have on hand just in case) I got ahead of myself and forgot to test, and now it will be a considerable amount of work to undo everything…ugggh. At this point, I think I’m just going to move ahead and see how the machine performs, then if they introduce too much backlash, I’ll start tearing everything apart. I’m not sure how much belt stretch will impact accuracy. This is my first time making a belt drive machine, so I didn’t so much have an accuracy goal, but instead am experimenting to see how accurate it can be. When we get to that point, I’ll have to do some test cuts with different top speeds and accelerations and see if it makes an impact. I’m not too concerned about thermal expansion…I don’t do production work, I’m only running my machines a few minutes to cut out a part or two at a time. Thanks again for your input…you give me a lot to think about!

@@diyfiberlaser so typically you would not put the control on a contractor you want it and the pc etc to stay on if you hit the estop but you also want it to know the estop is pressed via an input and pause the program to do it you use a 2nc estop button it has two switch circuits in it, one side for the control to let it know the estop is pressed and one side for the 24v circuit to energize the contractors for the laser and motors. you can run mains voltage to the control, pc, servo logic power via a normal circuit breaker (or fuse) no contactor required. Then for the laser and the motors you have a contactor for each. To engage the contactors and power up the laser and motors you energize them with 24v, in that 24v line you add the estop button, so when you hit the estop it interrupts the 24v line and it it kills power to the contactors for the motors and laser but the control, pc and servo logic stay on and dont loose where your at in physical position or program. At the same time you wire the other side of the estop switch to the estop input of the control so it knows the estop is pressed, (normally this is logic lever 5-24v fed from the control board.

@@weldchip Thanks for the detailed explanation! I have contactors for the motors now, I'll order a 2NC estop and see if I can make this happen.

i think its so you can use the mounting plate for passive cooling

I hear ya, that would be way more convenient! For all of my machines lately, I've been purposely not adding convenient power buttons as a safety measure, as I have 3 young boys that love to push whatever random buttons they come across. I also have my 240V outlets on the ceiling and leave everything unplugged when not in use, so hopefully it will be years before it would even be possible for them to turn on any equipment themselves.

@@diyfiberlaser Almost every main switch has a hole for a padlock so that no one can turn it on/off

@@LeoMGames_ oh really...yes, that's what I need : )

@@diyfiberlaser Ah I see. There should be many different designs for main switches which aren't that easy to turn on. You've definitely got the hard parts like wiring and layout figured out, looks really good. Personally like to build out actual electrical cabinets, because often they have optional cut-outs for (example) 120mm fans (good fans are dirt cheap), which if you put a filter on a magnetic square on the outside of the inlet it will keep your electronics cool (run better + longer lifetime) and the filter keeps everything mostly dust free. I do at least two of those filter/fan setups - one usually at the bottom blowing in, at the top blowing out. Many electronic parts are nowadays advertised as passive cooled but somehow they hold up way less long than with active cooling... Who would've thought

@@luke1811 The other commenter mention power switches with holes for a padlock, I could probably get one that requires a key as well...I need to do some more research on my options here. I'm planning on using the laser itself, to cut out metal panels for the lower enclosure...I will definitely add some holes for mounting fans on the rear side panels.

for sure...was justing using some I already had on hand

Thanks, it will be fully enclosed at the end, with fume extraction.

Not hard, you just have to get a different model Raytools controller for combo machines.

Adobe Illustrator...I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, I'm just familiar with it from my graphic design days...there my be free alternatives, do a search for free vector drawing software

Sorry no, they didn't give me any discount codes or purchasing links...you just have to get a quote through their website.

@diyfiberlaser got it. Also I would love your thoughts on something. How cam I contact you? Email?

It's down for me too...weird, I was on there last night. I don't have a sales contact.

You would have to get a quote from Leadshine. I don't know the approximate cost.