Files
forgefirm/README.md
T
ScottW514 cc927aca5f Add laser-safety and regulatory documentation; scrub bench identity
- LIGHTBURN.md: mandatory "Before you cut" safety section; the
  walkthrough now reflects the firing machine (dry runs need the
  layer output off or M5; live first-cut instructions); the homing
  entry documents homing_mode and the gfcloud method; the machine
  address is a placeholder.
- README.md: condensed safety section linking the full text and the
  regulatory notes.
- INSTALL.md: "Regulatory and legal" section ahead of the install
  steps; routine updates route through the panel updater rather than
  the installer.
- BRINGUP.md: the release signing key is described as held offline
  (no on-disk path); bench address and credential notes removed;
  Next-work item 7 corrected (the installer embeds the production
  release key); status entry for audit remediation Phases 0-1; the
  GATE A kernel drills join the pending image-flash checklist.
- bench scripts: the target host comes from GF_HOST (or argv) instead
  of a hardcoded address.
- laser_stream_test.py: per-session controller runs with a hermetic
  cooling-verdict publisher; new assertions that every stream
  terminates with FIRE clear (including M3 held to stream end) and
  that no FIRE bit rides a zero-step gap; a cycle-churn session
  exercises the stop/start seams.

Audit findings D-1, D-2, D-3, D-5, D-10, D-12, B-10, and the harness
half of D-4/G-1.
2026-08-14 15:38:24 -04:00

72 lines
3.5 KiB
Markdown

# 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.
* [Latest Release](https://github.com/ScottW514/forgefirm/releases)
* [Installation Instructions](https://github.com/ScottW514/forgefirm/blob/master/INSTALL.md)
* [Build Instructions](https://github.com/ScottW514/forgefirm/blob/master/BUILD.md)
* [Connecting LightBurn](https://github.com/ScottW514/forgefirm/blob/master/docs/LIGHTBURN.md)
* [Community Support](https://community.openglow.org)
## What it does
**Two controller modes, selected in the web panel and switchable while the
machine is idle:**
* **GRBL mode** — [grblHAL](https://github.com/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**: `$H` from 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](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.
## Safety
**This machine contains a Class 4 CO₂ laser: it burns, blinds, and starts
fires.** Never defeat the lid switches or interlock, always vent the exhaust
outdoors, and never cut PVC or other chlorinated plastics. Never leave a
running job unattended — keep a fire extinguisher within reach. Read
[Before you cut — safety](docs/LIGHTBURN.md#before-you-cut--safety-read-this-first)
before your first job, and the
[Regulatory and legal](INSTALL.md#regulatory-and-legal) section before
installing.
**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.**