Feature Request: UI Fan Control

Community Support
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I would like a button on the UI to be able to turn the exhaust fan on and off. It would also be nice to have a timer in seconds associated with the fan button. This would be useful when I have cut acrylic and really want to clear the laser cabinet of any of that nasty smell before I open the lid.

And B.T.W. GF team thank you for building an awesome machine. I had only imagined that I would use it for some projects but as I get to know the GF I expand my projects every day. This machine just rocks!!!

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I agree. I made the same post around valentines day when I was trying to cut paper hearts. They said its in the hopper

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Someone on this thread can answer with more authority than I can, but are brushless fan motors damaged if they are immobilized?

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I don’t know if it would damage the fan, but remember the fan also cools the laser.

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Perhaps tape an air deflector to it then, so it still flows, but it’s not directed at the workpiece.

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I think he was referring to the air assist fan on the gantry. I was eyeballing the fan lead last night. A switch on that line, or a speed control wouldbe sweet.

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Yes. I was referring to the air assist fan

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Yeah, I was cutting paper leaves last night and the fan was a perfect leaf blower, stacking them up against the front door…

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The coils might overheat if they are not moving as there is no back EMF / inductance to limit the current.

They don’t mind the air passage being blocked though. They actually see less air resistance and spin a bit faster.

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Keep in mind it also blows out all the fires the laser keeps trying to start.

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Absolutely, thanks for the caution. Extra vigilance would be required for that reason. I noticed you have an extinguisher next to yours, as do I, but I haven’t seen anything I couldn’t blow out or snuff with my thumb. Next option would be to smother it with a rag. After that the squirt bottle. Extinguisher as a last resort.

@palmercr, I thought of blocking it last night, but decided against it because 1 - I didn’t know how that would affect the fan motor, and 2 - it’s not my machine. :grin:

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When you block the air flow to a fan it no longer has to accelerate air and push it forwards. It just rotates the air already in it and once that is moving there is little work to do. So contrary to what you might expect, blocking a fan lightens its load. You can hear the revs go up.

I discovered that 10 years ago: http://hydraraptor.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/lenzs-law.html

But as @chris1 states the danger with no air assist is a flame, so really you want to slow it down rather than stop it.

I can tell you which byte to patch in puls file: :smiling_imp:

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Thanks!
Yeah, I wasn’t sure if airflow was needed for cooling.

Damn handy you are. :grin:

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Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll pass them on to the rest of the team since it’s helpful for us to know how popular each one is.

I’m so glad you are enjoying your Glowforge. Happy printing!

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