Full disclosure: I’ve already preordered the Pro. But this purchase is truly the best example of someone jumping and asking critical questions later. You guys just seems so… trustable.
Currently, when I need things laser cut, I create an AI file (in RGB, with each color delineating a different task - outside cut, inside cut, etching), and some sort of magic happens and I get back a panel with the file reproduced on it. Now that I’ll be getting my own Cloud based machine, I don’t really understand the information transfer to the machine… This is how I THINK it is going to work: I create the same file I always have, push the button that says “Make the Magic Happen”, the info from the file goes to the Cloud and back to the machine, and I get the same panel I got from the other dude.
Yes! With a magic middle step that you get to see the material on the bed and your cutlines on top of it. Then you drag them around to exactly where you want. Then you hit print, which sends it to the machine, and push the button on the machine to start the print. Make sense?
I assume it will shut off the laser while it pauses?
Would you consider a hardwired ethernet connection? Houses aren’t close in my neighbor hood but I do get lots of interference and at least 10 visible networks at the best spot in my house.
It shuts of the laser, stops the head, and generally acts like an obedient little robot waiting for its master.
3rd shot plastics arrived while we were at Maker Faire (which is fantastic news btw for our shipping schedule) and they don’t have a spot for ethernet, so it’s unlikely we’ll be able to add it, but I’ll put it in the queue to ask about. Thanks for the suggestion.
@ihermit2, You should be able to specify an operating channel from the wireless setup page in your router to minimize interference from neighboring networks.
It’s not in the current design. It’s been asked for often enough that our CTO is trying to find a way to squeeze it in, but since the plastics are pretty far along, it’s not looking promising.
I would definitely prefer and ethernet connection. We have enough cloud issues already. I live just outside of Fort Worth and I have 3 microwave dishes on my roof to have decent internet. Adding wifi just slows it down more.
Also… have you considered any kind of air assist to keep the cooling going?
Also remember that many businesses use certificates for wifi authentication - which you are unlikely to be able to support.
Debugging (which will happen) really needs a wired connection
And how do you fix a system with a bad firmware update over wifi? (chicken, egg, bootloaders, or 802.11 - which came first?)
I’d bet real money that your EE already has a USB port or two on the main board… they may not have a connector populated… but that is a solvable problem. Ethernet would be nice, but even using a web client to send data over USB is possible (which several CNC machines do).
Another vote for an ethernet port here! Home wifi is notoriously finicky, and I get the feeling that a lot of your users are going to be setting up their Glowforges at home.
@ccox: You’re right of course… but it’s inside the machine, which is the tricky bit! No problem getting access to it while the door’s open, but that’s less than useful.
I guess I should have thought this through… we’re about to move from the city to the country, and I’m not sure what the internet is going to be like out there. I may not be able to use this machine at all…
Fortunately it’s pretty robust; we’ve had terrible internet and, while it takes a minute to load, it works eventually. We’re also designing it to work with things like phone hotspots and the like. It’s not terribly data intensive right now.
Love the cloud idea for simple connectivity, especially from remote.
Also love the idea of ethernet, for 1.) when cloud isn’t reachable (i know, rare!) and 2.) future proofing, like if your cloud ever goes away…
One big question, that software running in your cloud. Would you consider making it available as a totally client side driver? I get that I might have to let the job crunch numbers a little more, but for future proofing would be nice, and also would be awesome to use this thing in my remote log cabin in the woods without any cell network.
sometimes that’s not good enough, especially in densely populated apartment building with interference all around in all different channels. If cheap inkjet printers come with Ethernet, I’d expect an expensive laser cutter to have one too, especially if you are going to want to appeal to schools and businesses that generally rely on Ethernet for management and reliability.
