Some ideas for the future
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 4:43 pm
I'd love to see support for wireless gamepads. The X-Box 360 controller is widely used and very versatile, but even support for the Logtech F710 would be awesome.
Simplify the jog speed changes on the gamepad. I think two buttons to raise or lower speed would be a lot simpler and more intuitive than the four setting buttons used now. The settings could be kept, just use (for example) left trigger to move down one level and right trigger to move up one level.
Offset macro recording. For the camera for instance: The user presses a button to record the present position, then move the machine so that the camera crosshair (or any other visual aid like a spot laser) is in the same spot and presses another button. The software records the offset between the two points. A button then allows automatic execution of that offset, so that if I place the camera where I want the spindle then press the "Execute Offset" button the spindle will move there automatically. (This can obviously be done manually but it's an action that will likely be used often so automation will save time)
Not to hype your competition, but Planet CNC's TNG software will record the camera position at max Z height, then again at minimum Z height and then automatically compensate for lateral motion based on the present height of the camera. This seems like simple math to me but I'm sure the integration is more complex. A nice feature to have but obviously not critical.
G-code macro for automated edge-finding/zeroing with a corner touchplate. These are pretty popular and very handy, and another example of something that can be done manually and saved as a G-code program but would be a lot faster automated.
Crosshair option in the camera view for visual centering. (I hear that's in the works.)
As mentioned earlier, keyboard shortcuts. Not only will they save time but for anyone using a PC, this will allow them to use a keyboard emulator with a gamepad to activate these shortcuts with pad buttons.
Keep up the excellent work!
Simplify the jog speed changes on the gamepad. I think two buttons to raise or lower speed would be a lot simpler and more intuitive than the four setting buttons used now. The settings could be kept, just use (for example) left trigger to move down one level and right trigger to move up one level.
Offset macro recording. For the camera for instance: The user presses a button to record the present position, then move the machine so that the camera crosshair (or any other visual aid like a spot laser) is in the same spot and presses another button. The software records the offset between the two points. A button then allows automatic execution of that offset, so that if I place the camera where I want the spindle then press the "Execute Offset" button the spindle will move there automatically. (This can obviously be done manually but it's an action that will likely be used often so automation will save time)
Not to hype your competition, but Planet CNC's TNG software will record the camera position at max Z height, then again at minimum Z height and then automatically compensate for lateral motion based on the present height of the camera. This seems like simple math to me but I'm sure the integration is more complex. A nice feature to have but obviously not critical.
G-code macro for automated edge-finding/zeroing with a corner touchplate. These are pretty popular and very handy, and another example of something that can be done manually and saved as a G-code program but would be a lot faster automated.
Crosshair option in the camera view for visual centering. (I hear that's in the works.)
As mentioned earlier, keyboard shortcuts. Not only will they save time but for anyone using a PC, this will allow them to use a keyboard emulator with a gamepad to activate these shortcuts with pad buttons.
Keep up the excellent work!