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Webbased lasercutter control

Added by peteruithoven almost 9 years ago

Webbased lasercutter control, written in Node.js:
https://github.com/openhardwarecoza/LaserWeb
Only sad thing is that it's far from user friendly, quite a step back compared to visicut I'm afraid. But of course it's opensource, using web technology so there is a lot of potential.


Replies (5)

RE: Webbased lasercutter control - Added by jaap almost 9 years ago

Looks good. Let's see if we can get it to speak SimpleCode too!

RE: Webbased lasercutter control - Added by peteruithoven almost 9 years ago

Or find a way to try Smoothieware if the pins can be changed. I'm hoping they have a more recent grbl, and maybe a better way to keep it recent.

RE: Webbased lasercutter control - Added by jegb almost 9 years ago

seems like a fork of Chillipepr
I have tried this one and Inventable's "easel": http://easel.inventables.com/
to control CNC machine, the thing is they seem a bit toyish if you compared to LinuxCNC, and the experience benefit on controlling with the browser is lost when you need to start installing plugins to talk to serial.

All these work with the assumption that you will have Gcode interpreter on the machine controller side, as jaap mentioned, we are in SimpleCode for now.

Visicut & Laos seem to be pretty good solution and sufficient for fit for purpose.

The features that I would add that may take the Z axis into account are related to z (auto?) focus, 3d laser cutting or 4th axis for rotating table, but this is pretty much the value proposition of ready to lase solutions like Glowforge or more expensive machines, not for the diy.

RE: Webbased lasercutter control - Added by peteruithoven almost 9 years ago

Except for the face that there are hardly any developments?

The reason why I see potential is because there are many many more web developers than java or any other kind of developers. Most new digital fabrication devices seem to work with web based interfaces. (Check the latest Make magazine)

I would never ask people to run plugins or applications to talk to serial, you should always try to install those on a small computer (Raspberry Pi?) connected to the device. Then all you need is a browser on your own computer.
In the case of Laserweb I think you even host the website on that small computer, because it looks like it's a webserver that also does the serial communication.

RE: Webbased lasercutter control - Added by jegb almost 9 years ago

Agreed, web interface is handy. if LaOS would run gcode octopi-octoprint is a good solution, although I must admit that I may trust the 3d printer for few hours printing unsupervised, but leaving the cutter alone is not an option.

The main reason this would be great, is to have a better UI (or pendant) on a tablet for example near the machine.

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