The Glowforge Talkshow #7 - "On Time with Possible Delays"

Dan had responded once to a question about if we can define a 0,0 by saying that the question is meaningless in terms of the glowforge.

Obviously there has to be a left/top most point to which the stepper motors can move the cutting head, and hopefully there are some limit switches in as a backup system. So there should still be SOME 0,0 point… but I see the idea that having a drag and drop interface and a camera making it reasonably pointless to bother showing anyone an actual grid upon which to measure, or including a numeric control for positioning (even if my brain does work by numbers and not images, and it kills me not to have them)

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I hope, like other applications, there is a manual override for camera registration and it prints as is from the file. Good point to ponder…I guess I just assumed since my “dumb” lasers do that…lol

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Yeah, I am torn on how to anticipate the Glowforge (glee or dread).

I like just loading a file and cutting without any drag and drop. Because it will always come out exactly the same.

But… I also hate having to position parts with my current laser (I have no alignment beam or anything, so have to cut a quick outline on thin paper, then place my part over that)

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I get the impression that there will be “work flow” adjustments for everyone to make if they are used to a cnc or other laser.

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In my case, the major change will be lifting and closing an actual lid :stuck_out_tongue:

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So no endstops.

Doesn’t sound like something the end user triggers.

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One of my lasers has a red dot but not the other…thankfully the one that doesnt is the one I use to cut Mylar so dont need to line amything, just stick in the 12"x24" sheet and hit go and it cuts from the file that is set up in Corel…it does have rulers though so its still possible to manually line up things

No off switch for the “Red Dot”?

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It comes on when the lid is open so you adjust your material but turns off when you close the lid

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Wait, what?! No lid on your laser?

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So, for most of the optical alignment systems we use at work, we don’t use hard stops. We use fiducials, either on the parts or on the fixture. Including the LPKF laser system for prototyping circuit boards. We are able to get extremely tight tolerances using this method. So my guess is they have fiducials that they use for homing.

I’m hoping we can add fiducials on to fixtures that the Glowforge can recognize. That way we can have high precision, repeatable results.

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It homes by vision from what I remember him saying. When the logo on the laser head is in the correct location it knows it’s homed. Unless they decide to change this

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Yup, no lid, and a shop vac that I magnet to the honeycomb (when there is room for it) as my sole ventilation.

It is SUPER OSHA compliant, let me tell you :stuck_out_tongue:

As a concession to the fact students would be around when I use it, I did put up some plexiglass along the side of the table where you can very easily lean over and cross the path between first and second mirror…

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:fearful::scream::astonished:living on the edge…???

The Glowforge software doesn’t recognize shapes and auto-align to them, so the easiest solution in this case would either be to drag the design into place in the preview, or create a circle of the proper size on top of the artwork, turn off the engrave step, cut out the circle in scrap, then turn off the circle & turn on the engrave, put it in & run the engrave. Sounds a bit complicated but we do it & just adds a few minutes to the process.

Oh wait, what @jacobturner said.

And to think I was worried about your acrylic lid.

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Please, no titanium tests, @jacobturner.

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With CNC stuff the goal is usually to “find” the part before starting the spindle. If the part (or stock) is clamped down securely, you just need to “tell” the machine exactly where the part is by “finding” sides/features of the part. This us usually done by touching the part with a measuring device of some kind (there are many types of “edge finder”).

I attempted to paint a word picture, but I think it got convoluted and I deleted it. Here’s a video picture that I think is concise…

With a part like that sprocket you’d also want to either locate a second point on the part and adjust your engrave appropriately or “clock” it in the vise/chuck. Clocking is when you rotate something so that it’s oriented exactly how you want it to be. Rotating a beverage can so the opening lines up with your mouth would be an every-day example of “clocking” something.

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I’ve got some surprises for Random Llama supporters coming this weekend! :smiley:

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Since I am not able to escape my duties as a bridesmaid this weekend. I will wear this T-shirt and be with you guys in spirit! LOL

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It’s ok, my surprise is 100% digital so everyone can share int he fun! :smiley:

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