LY Focus 0961 User Manual

(ooh, the irony…!)

The auto-focus module, part of a MOPA fiber laser, did not come with a manual. I was able to dig one up on Alibaba, consisting of a wiring diagram and fragments of English words and sentences intermingled with screenshots of the device set to Chinese (see below).

Yet it dawned upon me that this scripture beared some truth between its JPG-compressed pixels.

It follows an interpretation in contemporary English (i.e. AI slop).

1. Power & Wiring

Your autofocus controller can run on 12 V or 5 V, depending on which wiring diagram your unit follows. Both use a 6-core cable and include connections for:

• Focus button inputs
• Stepper driver pulses & direction
• Laser distance sensor power & signal

If your unit came pre-wired to the machine, you usually only need to supply the main DC input and plug in the stepper driver.

2. Button Overview

The module uses three buttons:

• Up

• Middle (SET / Focus)

• Down

Button roles change depending on power-up and mode, but the basic logic is:

Button	Short Press	Long Press
Up	Move Z-axis up / Increase value	Enter autofocus/Manual-focus selection
Middle	Confirm / Enter settings	Save parameter
Down	Move Z-axis down / Decrease value	Enter language settings

3. Startup Options

3.1 Change Language (Power-on + Down Button)

With the unit powered off:

1. Hold Down.
2. Power on.
3. The screen enters Language Selection.

Options:

• Chinese

• English

Release the button on your desired language.

3.2 Choose Focus Mode (Power-on + Up Button)

With the unit powered off:

1. Hold Up.
2. Power on.
3. Select Autofocus or Manual Focus Mode.

• Autofocus ON → Laser uses distance sensor to maintain focus.
• Autofocus OFF → You manually position Z-axis and store a fixed focus height.

Use Up / Down to change, Middle to confirm.

4. Entering the Parameter Menu

4.1 Accessing Settings

With the device powered off:

1. Hold the Middle button.
2. Power on → Enters Parameter Setup Mode.

You have ~5 seconds before it boots into working mode normally.

5. Parameter Settings (Menu Items)

Use:

• Up = Increase / Next
• Down = Decrease / Previous
• Middle (SET) = Confirm / Long-press Save

01 – Focus Distance

Default example: 280.0

This is the reference distance measured by the laser at perfect focus. You usually set this once using a known-good focusing card or gauge block.

02 – Focusing Speed (Pulse Rate)

Range: 500–2000 Default: 1000

Controls how fast the Z-axis jogs during autofocus adjustment.

03 – Jog Speed

Range: 500–2000 Default: 1000

Speed for manual Z movement using the Up/Down buttons.

04 – Stepper Pulse Setting

Default example: 400 pulses per revolution

Formula:

Pulse = (360° / motor step angle) × microstepping ÷ screw pitch

If unsure, leave at default unless Z-axis direction or travel distance is wrong.

05 – Acceleration

Range: 20–500 Default: 150

Higher values = snappier movement; excessive values may cause lost steps.

06 – Object Thickness

Default: 5.0 mm

Used in autofocus mode: Sensor distance + this thickness = focus target value.

If the measured distance exceeds this threshold, the controller assumes a new object is inserted, refocuses, and stores a new stable value.

6. Saving Parameters

After adjusting all parameters:

• Long-press Middle (SET)
• System saves and returns to Working Mode

7. Working Mode

After powering on normally:

• The module loads in ~5 seconds.

• The main screen displays:

  • Current Z-axis position
  • Measured distance
  • Focused distance reference

You can now manually move the axis:

• Up button: Move Z-axis up
• Down button: Move Z-axis down

To store the current manual focus position:

• Short press Middle → Saves focus reference

8. Laser Distance Sensor Logic

Data Update Speed

• When the surface is easy to detect → 0.1 s refresh
• When difficult (dark, glossy, angled surfaces) → 1 s refresh

This slow flash is normal. The device averages 5 readings for reliable autofocus.

After Focusing

• Laser returns to standard 0.5 s monitoring mode
• If object is removed, the module detects “no target” and waits
• When a new object appears, the unit re-measures and re-focuses automatically

9. Autofocus Mode Behavior

In autofocus mode the laser:

1. Continuously measures distance every 0.1 s
2. Compares with target distance (Focus Distance + Thickness)
3. Drives the Z-axis up/down until alignment is achieved
4. Holds position and returns to monitoring mode

If refresh is slow (~1 s), autofocus still works—just more leisurely.

10. Practical Setup Procedure (Recommended)

1. Install focal gauge or focusing card under laser head.

2. Enter Settings → Item 01.

3. Move Z-axis until your machine’s perfect-focus indicator aligns.

4. Press Middle to set that distance (e.g., 280 mm).

5. Adjust speeds only if the Z-axis feels too fast/slow.

6. Set object thickness to something reasonable, e.g., 5 mm, unless engraving very thin materials.

7. Save settings → reboot.

8. Test autofocus:

   • Place material
   • Press Autofocus button if in manual mode
   • Machine should seek proper height automatically.

Appendix: Original documentation