ScottW514
5dddea12ee
Add Next work item 9: the panic handler, control_12v removal, decay-mode state tracking, module build hygiene, SDMA/EPIT/GPIO probe guards and head_make_safe are code-complete and build-verified, with the bench check each one still needs and a note that the batch ships with a full image flash rather than a module hot-swap. kas/README: drop the control_12v residue (the node is gone), state that the buzzer driver is not part of ForgeFIRM, and record that the pre-SPDX LICENSE strings remain only in layers this build does not use.
OpenGlow/ForgeFIRM Firmware for Glowforge
Open-source firmware for Glowforge brand CNC lasers. ForgeFIRM replaces the cloud-dependent factory software on the stock control board — no hardware modification — and gives the machine a local controller, a local web control panel, and a standard Grbl interface.
What it does
Two controller modes, selected in the web panel and switchable while the machine is idle:
- GRBL mode — grblHAL runs on the machine and speaks Grbl 1.1 over TCP port 23, so LightBurn, UGS, and cncjs drive the laser directly. Motion runs on the board's own hardware step engine (SDMA + EPIT), fed live by the planner. M3/M4 dynamic laser power, coolant-flow verification, over-temp holds, and an operator button press to arm the laser for each job.
- Cloud mode — the machine presents itself as a stock Glowforge to the Glowforge web service, so the phone and web apps work as they always did. Optional, and off by default; nothing about GRBL mode needs it.
Around both modes:
- A web control panel on port 8080: machine status and position, coolant and fan telemetry, safety-switch states, camera view, machine settings, hardware diagnostics, firmware updates, and boot-slot management.
- Both cameras as MJPEG streams and full-resolution snapshots — the lid camera feeds LightBurn's camera overlay directly.
- Camera-referenced homing:
$Hfrom any sender runs the factory-style camera homing cycle through the Glowforge service, and the machine records where it is. - Installs alongside the factory firmware in the unused A/B rootfs slot, archiving every factory version first, so the machine can be switched back to stock at any time without the Glowforge cloud.
Hardware
The control board is common to Glowforge Basic, Plus, and Pro. The 5 MP (OV5648) camera modules are fully supported; the 8 MP (OV8856) modules found in "HD" units bind but do not capture yet — see the camera note in kas/README.md.
Roadmap
- Limit-switch homing as an alternative to camera-referenced homing.
- Camera lens calibration and bed alignment for the LightBurn overlay.
- Capture support for the 8 MP (OV8856) camera modules.
- Cloud mode: stream jobs into the motion ring during the run, lifting the job-length cap that buffering the whole job imposes.
A very important warning: this is experimental software. Use of this software could seriously maim or kill you or others, and voids your warranty. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Glowforge. Use it at your own risk.