Vectric with Shark CNC users.

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BKeith
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Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by BKeith »

The Next Wave shark CNC comes with Vcarve. Next Wave's customer support said they don't support using the 4th axis rotary with their laser. I read a article from last year about Vectric's laser software not currently support the Shark (that was 2021) because they use a proprietary software but were working with Next Wave on working out something that did support it.
I have not found anything since saying if Vectric's laser program will support the Shark now or not. I read an article from a couple months back from Next Wave that made it sound like Vectric's software would work with their machine now, but it's not listed in Vectric's list of supported machines. Since Next Waves forum is about useless for the Shark 500 series machines and Next Wave says they haven't written any post processor's, for it, I would see if anyone on here might have some answers about Vectric's program.
I'm trying to come up with a way to use a 4th axis rotary in conjunction with a Laser.

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Rut Row
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Model of CNC Machine: Next Wave CNC Shark HD520 w/ 3hp spindle
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by Rut Row »

Have you asked Nextwave's support about that?

BKeith
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by BKeith »

When I got the Laser Module (it's been a couple of months now) it plugs in with a ribbon cable type accessory port on the front of the control box. Well, so does their 4th Axis rotary I have, so you could not have both hooked up at the same time. The back of the controller had and empty slot, so I ordered their expansion port, but it came with a DB15 connector. The rotary has a DB15 that plugs into an interface module, that plugs into the control box with a ribbon cable connector. I called their tech support to see if I could bypass that interface box and plug the rotary directly into the DB15 expansion port I installed, because that would give me the capability to connect both modules at the same time. The tech rep had to go do some research and finally said it's not going to hurt it, try it and see if it works. However, you are still not going to be able to use both at the same time, because Next Wave has never written any post processors for the Laser to work with a 4th Axis Rotary. He couldn't give me any information on the Vectric software. I can't find any mention of Vectric's laser software supporting Next Wave's HD-500 series units or if it even supports a rotary. I tried to download their trial version to see and it's a catch 22 deal. It says go into the help menu and select the download trial version. My help Pro 11 update about a month ago with does not have that option in the Help menu, and there is no way I can find to download it from their site.

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martin54
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by martin54 »

You have a fully licenced version of vcarve pro do you not?
My understanding is that you would have to download & install the trial version of vcarve pro & the option to trial the laser module is in the help dropdown for the trial version of Vcarve.

You should be able to install the trial version even if you have a registered version of the software installed on the computer as far as I know although I have never tried it :lol: :lol:

BKeith
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by BKeith »

Yes, I have a licensed version of Pro 11. So far, I just keep going in a loop trying to download the Trial verson of the Laser Software. I haven't figured out where to get out of their loop to actually download it. I keep getting to instructions that go to the help menu and select it and I don't have that option. The darn things only $50, I'm about to the point of just purchasing it to see if it will do what I want. If it even mentioned rotary support, I would.

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adze_cnc
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by adze_cnc »

BKeith wrote:
Wed Aug 31, 2022 10:47 pm
I keep getting to instructions that go to the help menu and select it and I don't have that option.
Then you are looking at your registered version of VCarve Pro and not a trial version of either VCarve or Aspire. The laser module is included in the registered version but is only accessible when the appropriate license code has been entered.
 
Notice that title bar says VCarve Trial. Help menu laser module not activated
Notice that title bar says VCarve Trial. Help menu laser module not activated
 
Clicked on laser module in help menu to activate
Clicked on laser module in help menu to activate
 
Verified
Verified
 
Toolpaths available
Toolpaths available
4-two laser toolpaths.png (15.48 KiB) Viewed 2727 times
 
5-not so difficult.png

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martin54
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by martin54 »

It's not the trial version of the laser software you need to download, sorry if I didn't make myself clear enough. You need to download a trial version of vcarve (or Aspire) & install that on your computer. Once you have done that & opened up the trial version then under the help menu will by the option you are looking for :lol: :lol:

BKeith
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by BKeith »

I'm starting to feel dumber than dirt about now. I have a registered copy of VCarve Pro, but if I'm understanding this, I have to install a trial version of it to get a trial version of the Laser.
As for the laser coming with my registered version, that didn't happen. When I look at my registration on Vectric, it shows I'm registered with1 of 1 to my name and email address. In the modules block under my name, it's blank and I see no place to activate anything to do with the laser and the Laser does not show up in my tool paths.
Now, mine was an upgrade from Desktop to Pro, if that makes a difference.

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martin54
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by martin54 »

Yes as far as I know you have to download the trial version of either Vcarve or Aspire to get the trial version of the laser module. :lol: :lol:

As has been said the laser module is part of the licenced version so there is no extra download, the laser module will not show up & can't be used in the registered version until you buy a licence code for it & enter that code which you would do from the drop-down menu under the help tab :lol:

Just guessing here but the reason that you might have to download & install a trial version of the software to use the trial of the laser software may have something to do with the fact that you can't licence a trial version of the software, when you buy the software it is a complete new install & not simply a case of entering a licence code in the trial version to activate it :lol:

BKeith
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by BKeith »

Appreciate the help. I just said screw it and ordered it. There's been more than $50 worth of aggravation gone into already.
I now have those two laser Icons in the tool path menu. So, I will find out if it does what I need/want.

Mark Jones
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by Mark Jones »

I use my laser with my shark quite often. Did you get it working?
Mark Jones

ffloyd41615
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Model of CNC Machine: Next Wave CNC Shark HD520, Aspire 11.5
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by ffloyd41615 »

I am struggling with the laser and integrating it with my Shark HD520 Seems it has a somewhat different learning curve than using the spindle for carving.
I got the JTech laser because I wanted 14W instead. I had the same problem with the Vectric website. However, I only struggled for about 5 minutes before I just gave up and bought the Vectric Laser Module.

The JTech folks have been helpful. They had an "interface board" that routed the signal from the CNC controller to the Laser controller. Granted, this interface goes through the same port on the CNC controller as is used by the spindle. Since the laser is attached through the same port, the spindle must be detached when using that port for the laser. That isn't a deal killer because you don't want the spindle spinning with the laser attached. :D

I have been able to make a simple project in Aspire and create the toolpath (using JTech's postprocessor.

That is as far as I have gotten with this project. I still have questions about how to send a command to the laser to turn it on with low power, and use the laser "dot" to align the laser with an existing project.

My understanding is that the Cut&Fill toolpath works just fine with the Shark. The "Laser Picture" toolpath is problematic. The suggestion was to use NextWave's Ready2Raster to burn a bitmap picture.

BKeith
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by BKeith »

I haven't been on here for a while, but to give an update. I did buy the Vectric Laser Program but have never tried it. I was wanting to use the laser for rotary etching and Next Wave does not support that with any program because they have no Post Processors for the Laser so, I have not done anything with the laser. When I get on the downhill side of this giant learning curve just to use the machine and software, I might try writing a post processor, but that will be in the very distant future.

tim.tapp
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by tim.tapp »

New Wave now has a Shark CNC PP for laser using it with a rotary 4th axis.

BKeith
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Re: Vectric with Shark CNC users.

Post by BKeith »

Yep, thanks for posting that. Actually it's Next Wave, instead of New Wave. I had forgotten about this post and was about to make that comment. I've been using it a couple of months now and it works great so far.

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