An Endurance 15 watt (real power output) water – cooled laser with an autofocusing system. Cuts 10 mm of wood (2/5″)
Endurance autofocusing laser system with a camera
Mounting on laser: Clamp by screws
Maximum width of the mounting area: 52 mm
Wavelength of laser diodes: 650 nm
Power of laser diodes: 5mW
Power consumption of laser diodes: 5 V
Camera resolution: 1920x1080P
Stepper motor driver: A4988
Compatible stepper motors: Nema 17 or equivalent
Microcontroller: Arduino Uno
Power consumption: 5 V via USB
Required number of USB ports on PC: 2
Required operating system: Windows 7/8/10
Possibility to install the control unit on the machine frame: Yes
Wire length from the control unit to the autofocus system: 1.1 m
Control board
Dimensions: 91x77x43 mm
Weight: 140 g
Autofocus system
Approximate external dimensions: 150x90x70 mm
Weight: 160 g
Endurance lasers developed a laser autofocusing system for diode, DPSS and Co2 lasers.
Now you can always remain in focus and the system will keep your laser in focus all the time you do laser cutting and laser engraving.
Autofocusing system circuit.
Download an Arduino sketch >>>
Download a software (Windows version)>>>
Testing firmware steps
Open COM port via terminal (Arduino IDE) serial monitor in tools) and type symbols
N – laser on
F – laser off
D – down 1000 steps
E – up 1000 steps
Electronics and wiring
An Endurance laser autofocusing system
How the autofocus software works
1. Install 2 red lasers with a camera to any Endurance laser.
2. Launch the program for working with the camera.
3. Start the console to control the Z axis to raise and lower the laser.
4. Connect the Endurance laser focusing kit to your machine and computer.
5. First, using the camera, set the minimum focus for the blue laser, alternately lowering and raising the laser itself. A painted or anodized aluminum plate is used for focusing. The Mo2 boxes use the focusing method. Mo1 boxes use Focus mode with Arduino.
6. After determining the optimal focus – 2 red lasers converge to a point.
7. Launch the program for determining the focus, connected to the camera for determining the focus.
8. We put on the working field of the machine the part for cutting or engraving.
9. We use the program and the control console in order to bring 2 red lasers into one point.
A program for automatic focusing is currently under development.
The basic principle:
2 red lasers shine at one point, with the focus adjusted, if defocus occurs, the distance between the 2 red lasers will increase.
The camera is installed in close proximity to the intersection point of the 2-diodes (red).
The data from the camera is transferred to a computer (version 1) and analyzed in the program.
The program shows the image from the camera and indicates the distance between two points.
If 2 points are connected into one, then the screen indicates that the laser is focused.
Method 1:
With this method, the user himself controls the focus of the laser and can independently raise/lower the Z-axis for focusing from a program, for example, LightBurn.
Method 2 is autofocusing from the program.
In this case, the stepper motor is connected to an external driver and controlled by an external signal.
For example Com port -> Arduino → Stepper motor Driver -> Stepper motor
In this case, 3 operating modes can be selected
Operating modes:
- surveillance (no signal is sent),
- focusing (focusing occurs only once),
- dynamic autofocus (continuous autofocus occurs as the laser engraves).
Focusing lasers must also be controlled from the Com port program.
For example: Com port -> Arduino -> Endurance Mo1 -> Focusing lasers
Other owls from the program can turn on, turn off, change the brightness of the focusing lasers.
If it is impossible to focus the laser, for example, after 2-3 iterations, the system gives an error that it is impossible to focus and the problem may be that 2 focusing lasers are misaligned, there may be a mirror surface or insufficient distance for the movement of the Z-axis.
The data from the camera should be possible: save as a picture or video in available formats. (to send for diagnostics)
Version 2
The data from the camera is transmitted to the Raspberry Pi and analyzed there.
Also, an external Z-axis driver is connected to the Raspberry Pi for focusing.
Similarly, there are 3 modes of operation described above, only, in this case, all processing and image output is carried out on Raspberry Pi
It is possible to connect an external screen and simple control and a choice of 3 modes of operation.
Controller: raspberry
Optical camera: Noir
Additional sensor: Ultrasonic rangefinder