Suggestion: add grid overlay & image for precise alignments

Everything Else
,
1

I’ve seen a couple older threads and comments about the possibility of adding a grid to the Glowforge design space. Here’s my related suggestion and I’ll be working on a temporary solution that I hope to share.

It would be great if the Glowforge design space/editor had a grid overlay, potentially user defined or selectable grid size, and then have a ruler or matching one-time print of the same grid that could be placed in the Glowforge bed to ensure things are aligned. Basically if the grid in the design space/editor aligns with the physical grid in the machine things should be cut/engraved/scored accurately.

It would be nice if the grid in the design space/editor could be snapped to so things are perfectly aligned without question.

With all that in mind I’ll be doing some tests and seeing if I can build a few SVGs of grids that could be loaded into designs as an “ignore” element and used for alignment purposes. This same SVG could be printed once on a thin material or even printed on paper/cardstock at a print/copy shop to match the 12”x20” size of Proofgrade materials.

If you have additional thoughts, ideas, or just want to support this do let me know.

cc: @dan

8 Likes
2

The automated snapping and alignment takes care of a lot of what you’re saying but I do like the idea of a visual grid overlay.

There are lots of grid making extensions for chrome. I wonder if they might help in the meantime?

9 Likes
3

You should check out @MyDogsThinkImCrazy ‘s grids before starting from scratch. They nailed it :grin:

9 Likes
4

Oh thanks @deirdrebeth. I hadn’t located that post, definitely a good one.

It’s quite tricky to get things to line up in the Glowforge editor and in reality due to the oddities of the camera. It would almost be better to have a separate measuring device and no camera similar to CNC machines.

6 Likes
5

Now you’re in jig territory. When alignment is crucial, use jigs.

9 Likes
6

@evansd2 Indeed jigs are useful but when my Snapmark aligned designs are off it’s not good. Hence why I’m pondering and looking into more accurate placing methodologies. Knowing that something placed at coordinates of X 10cm Y 10cm it will do the same physically on the machine.

5 Likes
7

I use the existing coordinates quite successfully, but I also use jigs and sometimes the grid @deirdrebeth spoke of. In what way did your Snapmark fail?

5 Likes
8

This is exactly what a reusable corner jig will do for you, faster than snapmarks.

@eflyguy is an expert in this workflow.

5 Likes
9

@dklgood The editor aligns everything to the Snapmarks seen by the camera but the cut is off by 2mm.

I’m testing with a circular cutout. The material is simple cardstock with a design printed on it and Snapmarks. So everything should be cut precisely on the printed lines but alas they end up off. I even did a camera calibration again to be certain.

5 Likes
10

Double check that the design printed the exact size you intended. For print and cut items, I have had the printer create the problem, not the laser.

7 Likes
11

How did I completely miss that thread two years ago? Well off to do some reading.

5 Likes
12

Hmm which thread?

3 Likes