Glowforge Features promised / delivered

It’s been a long time since I ordered and there have been a ton of features talked about with the Glowforge. Is there a list somewhere of what was promised and where the product is currently? I tend to lurk on the forum, and don’t see every post.

My understanding is the following are not implemented (Please Correct If Inaccurate!):

  • Tracking of two sided cuts/engraves
  • Tracking of larger than single job projects (pro passthrough)
  • Continuous autofocus up to .5"
  • Use of the full workspace size
  • Camera accuracy
  • Support DXF files
  • Illustrator Plugin
  • Air Filters
  • Kerf compensation
  • Automatic tab slot correction for material thickness
  • Visually recognising common objects like smartphones and having pre-defined settings.
  • Recognizing corners and not over burning them
  • Multi pass 3D engraving
  • Large job buffering
  • Adding all catalog items advertised on the Glowforge.com website to the design catalog

Delivered:

  • Basic Units
  • Pro Units
    • Higher watt cutting
    • Advanced cooling
    • Laser Safety Locks, Glasses and Training
  • Warranties
  • ProofGrade Materials
  • Design shop
  • Variable Power Settings

Any other promised/delivered features you guys can think of? If possible link to where it was talked about by @dan or @glowforge team. Thanks!

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Continuous autofocus.
The full workspace size.
Camera accuracy.

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DXF files

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Can you link to it?

Kerf compensation.

Automatic tab slot correction for material thickness.

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Visually recognising common objects like smartphones and having pre-defined settings.

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These are incomplete?

More like non-existent I think. The first is easy. The second requires some method of designating tabs and slots in an SVG.

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Where was that ever promised?

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Still is on the main page:

9 . Precision within a kerf

The laser works by removing a hairsbreadth of material, called the kerf. Glowforge knows this and compensates, so if you draw two puzzle pieces, they’ll fit. Even better, the Glowforge can measure the material thickness so 3D objects slide together perfectly.

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If something has to go, I sincerely hope it’s the gadget image recognition. If they spend time on that which could be used for passthrough, flip & cut, etc, I’d disagree with their priorities.

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It isn’t hard with today’s computer vision libraries and deep learning neural networks but not particularly useful as you presumably know what you have put the machine, so could just select from a drop down list of presets.

More of a gimmick that I doubt I would use. But when I purchased it nearly two years ago the advertising said it already did all these things and still does. Plus it also says " It also supports presets for other materials you use regularly.", which would be very useful but it doesn’t do that yet either.

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Anything else that you guys see that was promised and either delivered or not delivered? Seems like a pretty short list of non delivered things. Much less than I was anticipating!

You seem to have put “Visually recognising common objects like smartphones and having pre-defined settings.” in the delivered list but it isn’t.

Another thing promised but not delivered yet is a fix for over burn in the corners.

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Well I admire your positive viewpoint, but the missing things are really significant I think.

My big concern is still that there is no accuracy in placement, no auto focus, no flip and cut.

When my email comes, I’m going to have to think long and hard about accepting if those things are not resolved then.

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Updated with those items, thanks! Anything else you guys can think of?

Looking at that list, I am less worried than I was before. Do I still have concerns, yes. But so far they seem to be delivering new features at a reasonable rate.

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Although there is grey scale to power engraving I don’t think the full 3D engraving has rolled out yet. I.e. multiple passes at different focus depths.

Can you link where it was promised?

Most of these promises are on the main page.

10 . 3D high-res engraving

Engrave complex, three dimensional curves with 1,000 DPI resolution. To get perfect detail and sculpt with real depth, Glowforge can carve away material with multiple passes, each one focusing more deeply than the last.

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