M4 causes stutter in laser mode

[gcormier]

I'm using laser mode ($32=1).

Running this gcode, I get a smooth line.

G17
G21
G90
G0 X0 Y0 Z0

M4 S1
G0 X50
(M4 S0)
G0 X100
(M4 S1)
G0 X150
M5
M2

If I un-comment the M4's, I now get stuttering : https://photos.app.goo.gl/UFFNE4rZoNCdoB1R7

Is this my configuration, or a bug in grblHal?

[gcormier]

Info

0 - SLB_SPINDLE
1 - Huanyang v1
2 - Huanyang P2A
3 - Durapulse GS20, enabled as spindle 2, SDV
4 - Yalang YS620
5 - MODVFD
6 - H-100
7 - SLB_LASER, enabled as spindle 1, DLIRV, current
ok
$0=5.0 (Step pulse time, μs)
$1=255 (Step idle delay, ms)
$2=0 (Step pulse invert, mask)
$3=6 (Step direction invert, mask)
$4=0 (Invert step enable pin, boolean)
$5=15 (Invert limit pins, boolean)
$6=0 (Invert probe pin, boolean)
$8=0
$9=1
$10=511 (Status report options, mask)
$11=0.010 (Junction deviation, mm)
$12=0.002 (Arc tolerance, mm)
$13=0 (Report in inches, boolean)
$14=14
$15=0
$16=0
$17=0
$18=0
$19=0
$20=1 (Soft limits enable, boolean)
$21=1 (Hard limits enable, mask)
$22=79 (Homing cycle enable, mask)
$23=1 (Homing direction invert, mask)
$24=130.0 (Homing locate feed rate, mm/min)
$25=2300.0 (Homing search seek rate, mm/min)
$26=25 (Homing switch debounce delay, ms)
$27=1.500 (Homing switch pull-off distance, mm)
$28=0.100 (G73 pull-off distance, mm)
$29=0.0 (Step Pulse Delay, μs)
$30=255.000 (Maximum spindle speed, rpm)
$31=0.000 (Spindle Mode, )
$32=1 (Laser-mode enabled as spindle, boolean)
$33=1000.0 (Spindle Frequency, Hz)
$34=0.0 (Spindle Duty Cycle, %)
$35=0.0 (Minimum spindle speed, %)
$36=100.0 (Maximum spindle speed, %)
$37=0 (Deenergized Steppers, %)
$39=1 (Printable Command Characters, boolean)
$40=1 (Soft Limits Jogging, boolean)
$41=1
$42=2
$43=1 (Homing Locate Cycle, )
$44=4 (Axis Mask, )
$45=3 (Axis Mask, )
$46=0 (Axis Mask, )
$47=0 (Axis Mask, )
$56=5.0
$57=500.0
$58=-5.0
$59=1000.0
$60=1 (Restore Default Overrides, boolean)
$61=3 (Ignore Safety Door Signal, boolean)
$62=0 (Sleep Function, boolean)
$63=3 (Disable Laser on Hold, boolean)
$64=0 (Alarm on Startup, boolean)
$65=0 (Allow Feedrate Override, boolean)
$70=11 (Network Service, )
$100=320.000 (X-axis travel resolution, step/mm)
$101=320.000 (Y-axis travel resolution, step/mm)
$102=200.000 (Z-axis travel resolution, step/mm)
$103=19.753
$110=15000.000 (X-axis maximum rate, mm/min)
$111=15000.000 (Y-axis maximum rate, mm/min)
$112=6000.000 (Z-axis maximum rate, mm/min)
$113=8000.000
$120=1500.000 (X-axis acceleration, mm/sec^2)
$121=1500.000 (Y-axis acceleration, mm/sec^2)
$122=1500.000 (Z-axis acceleration, mm/sec^2)
$123=1000.000
$130=1260.000 (X-axis maximum travel, mm)
$131=653.000 (Y-axis maximum travel, mm)
$132=170.000 (Z-axis maximum travel, mm)
$133=0.000
$160=0.000
$161=0.000
$162=0.000
$163=0.000
$170=0.000
$171=0.350
$172=0.000
$173=0.000
$300=grblHAL
$301=0
$302=192.168.5.1
$303=192.168.5.1
$304=255.255.255.0
$305=23
$307=80
$308=21
$340=0.0 (Spindle at speed tolerance, %)
$341=0 (Manual tool change mode, )
$342=30.0 (Probing distance, mm)
$343=25.0 (Probing slow feed rate, mm/min)
$344=400.0 (Probing seek feed rate, mm/min)
$345=200.0
$346=1
$347=5.0
$348=2.500
$349=25.000
$370=0
$372=0
$374=3
$375=50
$376=1
$384=0
$392=5.0
$393=1.0
$395=3
$398=128
$450=1
$451=2
$452=4
$453=G4P0
$454=G4P0
$455=G4P0
$456=0
$457=2
$458=0
$459=2
$461=60
$476=1
$481=0
$484=0
$486=0
$511=7
$512=3
$513=8
$520=0
$521=0
$522=0
$534=0
$664=0
$665=1
$666=0
$668=1
$730=1000.000
$731=0.000
$733=1000.0
$734=0.0
$735=0.0
$736=100.0
$741=3.700
$742=-99.660
$743=0
$744=15
$745=0
ok

[gcormier]

[VER:1.1f.20230917:]
[OPT:VNMPZHS+2,128,1024,4,0]
[NEWOPT:ENUMS,RT+,HOME,ES,EXPR,SED,ETH,FTP,SD,YM]
[FIRMWARE:grblHAL]
[NVS STORAGE:*EEPROM]
[FREE MEMORY:134K]
[DRIVER:STM32F412]
[DRIVER VERSION:230828]
[BOARD:SLB_EXT_B5.0.11]
[AUX IO:3,4,0,0]
[WIZCHIP:W5500]
[IP:192.168.5.1]
[NETCON:Telnet]
[PLUGIN:MODBUS v0.14]
[PLUGIN:HUANYANG VFD v0.11]
[PLUGIN:HUANYANG P2A VFD v0.10]
[PLUGIN:Durapulse VFD GS20 v0.05]
[PLUGIN:Yalang VFD YL620A v0.02]
[PLUGIN:MODVFD v0.03]
[PLUGIN:H-100 VFD v0.03]
[PLUGIN:SLB Laser PWM switch v0.01]
[SPINDLE:SLB_LASER]
[PLUGIN:SIENCI Indicator Lights v1.0]
[PLUGIN:Bootloader Entry v0.01]
[PLUGIN:Macro plugin v0.03]
[PLUGIN:SLB Probing v0.01]
[PLUGIN:SwitchBank plugin v0.02]
[PLUGIN:SDCARD v1.10]
[PLUGIN:FS macro plugin v0.05]

[terjeio]

This is the first such report so configuration?

Anyway you have an old version, I am not going to go back to that to check:
[VER:1.1f.20230917:]

[gcormier]

Fair. Let me see if I can ask Sienci for help, it is on an AltMill with SLBEXT, and I think they did a fork of grblHal and are trying to re-integrate into the main branch with you?

[terjeio]

There is ongoing work to replace their fork with the upstream branch. Available now - also in the Web Builder. Some are already using the upstream version.

Setting numbers do not match 100% (most match) and will be reset to default on an update, backup and restore.

[gcormier]

Flashed latest. Same behavior, I am using PWM as Spindle 2 for my laser.

$$
ok
$0=5.0
$1=255
$2=0
$3=6
$4=0
$5=15
$6=2
$8=0
$9=0
$10=511
$11=0.010
$12=0.002
$13=0
$14=0
$15=0
$16=0
$17=0
$18=0
$19=0
$20=1
$21=1
$22=79
$23=1
$24=150.0
$25=4300.0
$26=25
$27=1.500
$28=0.100
$29=0.0
$30=1000.000
$31=0.000
$32=1
$33=1000.0
$34=0.0
$35=0.0
$36=100.0
$37=0
$39=1
$40=1
$43=1
$44=4
$45=3
$46=0
$47=0
$62=1
$63=3
$64=0
$65=0
$70=11
$100=320.00000
$101=320.00000
$102=200.00000
$103=250.00000
$110=15000.000
$111=15000.000
$112=6000.000
$113=500.000
$120=1500.000
$121=1500.000
$122=1500.000
$123=1000.000
$130=1260.000
$131=648.000
$132=170.000
$133=0.000
$170=0.000
$171=0.000
$172=0.000
$173=0.000
$300=grblHAL
$301=0
$302=192.168.5.1
$303=192.168.5.1
$304=255.255.255.0
$305=23
$306=80
$307=80
$308=21
$340=5.0
$341=0
$342=30.0
$343=25.0
$344=200.0
$345=200.0
$346=1
$347=5.0
$348=2.500
$349=25.000
$370=0
$372=0
$374=3
$375=50
$376=1
$384=0
$394=5.0
$395=3
$396=30
$397=0
$398=128
$461=60
$476=1
$481=0
$484=1
$485=0
$486=0
$490=
$491=
$492=
$511=1
$512=0
$513=0
$520=0
$521=0
$534=0
$535=02:08:dc:22:b2:d2
$536=1
$537=1
$538=0
$539=7.0
$590=1
$591=2
$592=4
$650=0
$673=0.0
$675=0
$676=3
$680=0
$744=7
$745=0
$750=1
$751=4
$752=1
$753=4
$760=0.0
$761=1.0
$762=2.0
$763=3.0
ok
$i
[VER:1.1f.20250626:]
[OPT:NMZHS2,128,1024,4,0]
[AXS:4:XYZA]
[NEWOPT:ENUMS,RT+,HOME,PROBES=3,ES,EXPR,TC,SED,RTC,ETH,FTP,FS,ODO,SD]
[FIRMWARE:grblHAL]
[SIGNALS:EP]
[NVS STORAGE:*EEPROM 16K]
[FREE MEMORY:139K]
[DRIVER:STM32F412]
[DRIVER VERSION:250627]
[BOARD:SuperLongBoard Ext]
[AUX IO:6,6,1,0]
[PLUGIN:Bootloader Entry v0.03]
[PLUGIN:SLB Probing v0.03]
[WIZCHIP:W5500]
[MAC:02:08:dc:22:b2:d2]
[IP:192.168.5.1]
[NETCON:Telnet]
[PLUGIN:FS stream v1.00]
[PLUGIN:FS macro plugin v0.19]
[PLUGIN:MODBUS v0.19]
[PLUGIN:HUANYANG VFD v0.15]
[PLUGIN:HUANYANG P2A VFD v0.13]
[PLUGIN:Durapulse VFD GS20 vv0.07]
[PLUGIN:Yalang VFD YL620A v0.04]
[PLUGIN:MODVFD v0.05]
[PLUGIN:H-100 VFD v0.06]
[PLUGIN:Nowforever VFD v0.03]
[PLUGIN:Keypad v1.42 (not connected)]
[PLUGIN:Macros v0.13]
[PLUGIN:WebUI v0.27]
[PLUGIN:RGB LED strips (M150) v0.05]
[PLUGIN:Feed override v0.01]
[PLUGIN:SIENCI Indicator Light v2.0]
[PLUGIN:Events plugin v0.08]
[PLUGIN:Odometers v0.08]
[PLUGIN:SDCARD v1.24]
[SPINDLE:PWM]
ok

[terjeio]

$9=0 disables PWM output for the primary PWM spindle and thus its laser capabilility. Set $9=1.

[gcormier]

Thanks for the help, two things

1. I set $9=1. Note it threw an alarm.

[MSG:]
$9
$9=1
ok
M104Q1
Alarm:14 - Spindle at speed timeout. Clear before continuing.
ok
<Alarm|MPos:0.000,0.000,0.000,0.000|Bf:128,1023|FS:0,0|S:1|A:>

2. Behavior is unchanged. Selecting PWM spindle and running test file still has stutter.
   

Also I confirmed $32 was still 1, and I power-cycled after setting $9.

[gcormier]

Additional settings info screenshot

[gcormier]

Another update. Have re-compiled with ONLY a PWM spindle.

$spindlesh finally reports a laser capable spindle, which was not the case previously.

$spindlesh
[SPINDLE:0|0|0|*DLIRV|PWM|5000.0,24000.0]
ok

Sample g-code still causes stutter.

[gcormier]

I don't think we should expect any further changes to grbl.

Vectric claims their grbl post processor is compatible with grbl machines. I don't have one to test, but presumably their postprocessed gcode is working on grbl ? I will try to find someone with a grbl machine to test.

[terjeio]

I have created a Grbl issue.

[terjeio]

Are you using a laser capable post-processor?

[gcormier]

Yes, I even wrote my own. However, Vectric PP does not support the output format as generate by lightburn. VCarve does not make the "last" power setting available, so when I tried to include Sxxx in the PP for cutting moves (G1), it did not add any.

I'm working with their support for more information as well and have sent them a link to this discussion. Support is engaging their development team.

I will try to run their stock PP "G-Code Laser Arcs (mm)" tonight.

Lightburn output

G00 G17 G40 G21 G54
G90
M4
; Scan @ 100 mm/sec, 20% power
M8
G0 X54.394Y32.32
; Layer C00
G91
G1 X2.5F6000S0
G1 X1.619S200
G1 X11.436S0
G1 X1.866S200
G1 X2.5S0
G1 X10.864Y0.1
G1 X-2.5
G1 X-1.023S200
G1 X-9.22S0
G1 X-3.188S200

VCarve/Vectric

G17
G21
G90
G0Z25.400
G0X0.000Y0.000
G0X34.057Y-62.799
G0Z6.350
G0Z2.540
G1Z0.000F12000.0
G1X54.057F12000.0
S0M4
S300M4
G1X54.697
M5
G1X60.716
S0M4
S300M4
G1X62.985F12000.0

[gcormier]

Both Grbl MM and Grbl Laser Arcs had the same behaviour.

Have not yet heard back from VCarve development team. I am hoping they are able to look at adding more post processor support to work with GrblHal.

[gcormier]

Vectric has updated their Grbl (mm) post processor to Version 7. This will properly output G1xxxSxxx on the same line, and it's now working properly in grblHal.