First time poster / noob here so please take it easy on me
I am trying to build a Laser Labeler / engraver without X & Y Plotter motors. Basically the idea is using a QWERTY keyboard for direct TEXT and NUM input, up to 8 characters and than press "PRINT" and the Laser turns on, beam is send to either 2XY Galvo Scanners or possibly, I believe Servos / Stepper Motors with Mirrors to write the TEXT out with the laser.
I've seen several projects online that use Arduino as ILDA interface coupled with Galvo scanners to run a pre written Laser show. However I need it to be a TEXT input -> PRINT -> LASER and Motors than burn the Letters/Numbers.
I guess my first question is is it possible to control servos or stepper motors based on direct input from a small QWERTY KEYBOARD?
I pretty much would like to build a Label Maker, instead of a cartridge printing on a Tape, I want the laser to print the characters.
Any help, suggestions, directions of what to use be greatly appreciated. I've looked for small qwerty keyboards online but couldn't find anything other than 9x9 keypad.
Character strings that you type on the PC keyboard could be sent via a serial connection to any Arduino to be plotted, engraved, etc. Likewise if the Arduino has a WiFi connection.
Directly reading a PC USB keyboard requires that the Arduino be a USB host, and there aren't many that can do that.
A final suggestion would be a touch screen to enter strings. Adafruit sells them for Arduino.
Edit: Any Arduino can read an old-style PS/2 keyboard. Get them at your local computer recycling shop. PS2Keyboard - Arduino Reference
How will your laser know which mirror to use? How will it move the beam from one mirror to the other? IT can't hit two locations without moving the laser. In addition, how do you intend to tell the laser to turn on.turn off. Many letters take several strokes.
Thanks for the reply. The laser does not need to decide which mirror motor to hit. The laser is static hitting the first mirror on a 90deg angel and than of the second. its only the two motors that create the output. #1 Motor tells the beam to go up and down #2 Motor B tells the beam to go left and right.
So theoreticality as an example
QWERTY INPUT IS "L"
THAN
MOTOR OUTPUT #1 5 STEPS DOWN (To Draw the "I")
WAIT 0.1
MOTOR OUTPUT # 5 STEPS LEFT to Draw the "_"
I know this is easily done with stepper motors and servos but from my knowledge, it is executed via a pre written program. I want the characters that are put in via the QWERTY keyboard to execute each Letter once you hit print up to 8 characters long.
Then it is up to you to develop a scheme to give the proper movement parameters to the mirrors for each letter you will be using. Then store those movements in an array that is indexed by the numeric value of each letter/number in your laser alphabet.
Great thanks for the help. Something for me to look into. I saw the PS2 add on boards. I want this label maker to be portable handheld so a PS2 Keyboard might be bit big for what i am trying to do.
If I can make it similar to this design that be perfect
Thanks Paul, my question is, is Arduino capable of using a smart QWRTY keyboard and a LCD to INPUT TEXT that can than be executed to pre programmed motor movement. The last time i've build something was like 20 years ago a little Turtle robot with an ATMEL chip but than it had to be pre programmed and than executed.
Is there any example projects of someone using a small keyboard to input TEXT that can control motors or is this something better suited for a raspberry pi?
I consider the IBM PS-2 keyboard smart, since it has a controller inside. I have one connected to an Arduino nano that takes text and converts it to CW, Morse code to send over a ham radio.
There is plenty of memory in the nano for that.
BUT! your problem will be the storage of the command structure to CONVERT each text character to the required laser movements. Until you spend some time conceiving of how you want to encode the movements for each character, it is a waste of time to worry about anything else. Until that is done and you know the storage requirements you cannot pick an Arduino board.
Surprisingly, most modern USB keyboards have PS/2 compatibility. If the keyboard comes with a USB to PS/2 adapter, then it should definitely have this capability. Keyboards that don't come with the adapter may also work, or not. I tested the six random keyboards and tenkeys (everything from the cheapest no-name junk to high end mechanical switch models) I had on hand and the only one that didn't work was the ~$1 tenkey I bought on eBay.
Note that the PS/2 adapter is not required. You can make direct connections to the USB cable of the keyboard.
But if you have easier access to an obsolete PS/2-specific keyboard then by all means use that one because it is great to find a use for electronics that might otherwise end up in the landfill.
