scanengine-3/docs/hardware/GENESIS_LASER_README.md

Genesis SLM MX 532 Laser Control Application

Overview

This application provides comprehensive control of the Genesis SLM MX 532 laser over serial port using the NXP I2C-over-serial protocol. It features a professional PyQt6 GUI with multiple tabs for basic controls, monitoring, advanced operations, and configuration.

Features

Tab 1: Basic Controls

• Current Control: Slider and numeric input for laser current (0-1023) with percentage display
• Power Control: Slider for power command setting
• Digital Controls: Toggle buttons for:
  • Shutter (Open/Closed)
  • Keyswitch (On/Off)
  • Remote Enable (On/Off)
  • Analog Input Enable (On/Off)
  • Current Mode (On/Off)
• Emergency Stop: Red button that immediately closes shutter, sets current to 0, and disables keyswitch

Tab 2: Monitoring

• Real-time sensor readings with auto-refresh capability (configurable interval)
• Displays:
  • Actual current reading from ADC
  • Interlock status (visual color-coded indicator)
  • LDD (Laser Diode Driver) enable status
  • Power supply glue input/output status
  • Head DIO status
• Laser information display (model and wavelength)

Tab 3: Advanced

• Raw I2C Packet Sender: Send custom I2C commands with hex input
• Packet Capture Log: Real-time log of all transmitted and received packets with timestamps
• Useful for debugging and development

Tab 4: Configuration

• Serial port selection with auto-detection
• Baud rate configuration (default: 9600)
• Connect/Disconnect control
• DTR/RTS control line settings
• About section with protocol information

Safety Features

1. All controls disabled until connected - Prevents accidental commands
2. Shutter confirmation dialog - Warns if opening shutter with current > 0
3. Emergency stop - Always enabled, immediately enters safe state
4. Auto-safe state on disconnect - Laser enters safe state when disconnecting
5. Settings persistence - Window geometry and last settings are saved

Protocol Details

The application uses the NXP I2C-over-serial protocol with this packet format:

Write packet:

[0x53] [I2C_ADDR] [LENGTH] [COMMAND_BYTES] [DATA_BYTES] [0x50]

Read packet:

[0x53] [ADDR_WRITE] [CMD_LEN] [CMD] [0x53] [ADDR_READ] [DATA_LEN] [0x50]

I2C Devices

• X9119 (0x52/0x53) - Digital potentiometer for current control
• PCA9555 (various addresses) - I/O expanders for digital control
• ADS7828 (0x90/0x91) - ADC for sensor readings
• AD5254 (0x58) - Digital potentiometer for limits
• M24C64 (0xa4/0xa5) - EEPROM for configuration storage

Installation

1. Ensure dependencies are installed:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

2. Connect the laser to your computer via serial port (typically /dev/ttyUSB0 on Linux)

3. Run the application:

   python genesis_laser_control.py
   

Usage

1. Launch the application

   python genesis_laser_control.py
   

2. Connect to the laser:

   • Go to the "Configuration" tab
   • Select the correct serial port from the dropdown
   • Verify baud rate is set to 9600 (default)
   • Click "Connect"

3. Basic operation:

   • Enable remote control using the "Remote: DISABLED" button
   • Enable keyswitch if required
   • Adjust current using the slider
   • Open shutter when ready (confirmation dialog will appear if current > 0)

4. Monitoring:

   • Go to the "Monitoring" tab
   • Enable "Auto-refresh" to continuously update readings
   • Adjust refresh interval as needed (default: 500ms)

5. Emergency stop:

   • Click the red "EMERGENCY STOP" button on any tab
   • This immediately closes shutter, sets current to 0, and disables keyswitch

6. Disconnecting:

   • Click "Disconnect" in the Configuration tab
   • Laser will automatically enter safe state before disconnecting

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

• Verify serial port permissions: sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER (logout and login)
• Check cable connection and power
• Verify correct port in Configuration tab
• Try refreshing ports list

Communication Errors

• Check packet log in Advanced tab for detailed TX/RX
• Verify baud rate is 9600
• Ensure no other programs are using the serial port
• Try power cycling the laser

Interlock Faults

• Check physical interlock connections
• Verify interlock status in Monitoring tab
• Ensure all safety covers are in place

Code Structure

The application is organized into several classes:

• SerialComm: Low-level serial port communication
• I2CProtocol: NXP packet construction and parsing
• I2CDevices: I2C device-specific functions (PCA9555, X9119, ADS7828)
• LaserControl: High-level laser control operations
• MainWindow: PyQt6 GUI and user interaction

Development

To modify the application:

1. Adding new I2C devices: Extend the I2CDevices class
2. Adding new controls: Add methods to LaserControl and corresponding UI elements
3. Custom commands: Use the Raw I2C Packet Sender in the Advanced tab for testing

License

See LICENSE file for details.

Support

For issues or questions, please refer to the main project documentation.