FEATURE REQUEST: Repeat Last Print (Fast & Offline Compatible)

Community Support
1

Here is my idea:

  1. Start a print (as normal today)
    (all the remaining steps should work even if the Glowforge goes offline)
  2. Print Finishes normally
  3. Open the lid, take out the material, put in new material in the same location
  4. Close the lid
  5. Hold down the Glowforge Button (5 seconds?)
  6. Glowforge button begins to blink.
  7. Push the Glowforge button, which starts the same print again, without refocus, etc.

Repeat steps 2-7 as many times as you like until the Glowforge is rebooted. No need for a PC.

What do you think?

10 Likes
2

Often requested but it never hurts to ask again!

6 Likes
3

The prior responses have circled around the issue that anytime you open the lid/move material the likelihood that the head/tray/material will move goes up - so there’s a higher chance for 2nd prints to fail, but if folks are willing to understand that risk it would definitely be nice!

3 Likes
4

Right. I love my Glowforge, but it’s not like I trust the alignment I see in the GUI more than the jig I have to build for every “mass” produced product. Once I get the jig right, I want to be off to the races.

2 Likes
5

The problem is that the head of the :glowforge: moves - so you are accepting the risk that the relationship between the head, the tray/body, and your jig has not changed. You may be right, you may be wrong. If I’m working on something I care about I double check the alignment every time. I imagine someone who wants this feature is making items for sale or distribution where exact is important…if it’s not, great - if it is I’d suggest verifying

1 Like
6

I totally agree. The risk is there and should be able to be accepted in the interest of time.

7

I still don’t see how this applies :man_shrugging:t2: The coordinates in the bed stay the same no matter how the lid is closed, or if it was the same as last time. It doesn’t matter how the camera display changes. If you’re using consistent material, it should be no problem to hit print over and over and over.

8

If you bump the head while parked, the machine will not know and the next print could be off.

Of course, that is user error. Users who choose to use a feature like this would have to accept that risk.

I’m all for giving users more control and choices and I understand why this one comes up a lot.

1 Like
9

That is actually a great idea for a feature - thanks for the suggestion! We haven’t announced anything like that yet, but I’m going to send it to our product team with a note that it came from a customer request.

2 Likes