Most of the time, CNC machines are used for very precise and exacting. There is another way that allows for a more “hands on” approach to routers and mills that allows for a lot more creativity and freedom. The touchCNC these guys whipped up allows anyone to finger paint with a friggin router.
From the forum post the guys sent in, they wrote a simple Android app for a tablet that allows for router control via a touch interface. There are three parts to the software. An Android app sends finger positions to a java server running on the CNC computer. This server dumps gcode into a text file. A vbscript inside the router software keeps reading from the specified file. With all this, finger movements are translated directly into machine movements.
The controls are fairly simple, like a real-life representation of Microsoft Paint. Of course there’s a ‘tap GOTO’ command that moves the router to a specified position. The router bit is lowered onto the work piece with a ‘long tap’ and stays lowered until the finger is released.
You can check out the code for touchCNC, but the guys are working on a few additional features like converting the tablets gyro output to gcode. Until then, enjoy the videos the guys posted after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGr4-Wz8b6o&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8EaDFxyYQU&w=470]
There’s another demo video that shows off a much more refined version of the app that supports shapes, etc, found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLpZSTjCVJE
a bit of a better video showing what it can do: http://youtu.be/vLpZSTjCVJE
awesome app,what tablet is that?
Samsung galaxy tab, from google io
So how does “shake to undo” work on that thing? :-)
Sweet project!
I’d avoid breathing that MDF dust, the stuff is pretty toxic.
I’m with Josh on this one,
hook up an old vacuum cleaner with the mouth next to the drill :) much better for cleaning things up in the end.
Quite right. The next addition we’ve got planned for the machine is a dust collection system. For now, we all wear masks when doing any significant cutting.
So…. reading the headline I feared this would be some sort of horrific “Scared Straight” or “Blood on the Highway” story about router safety.
Thankfully I was wrong. I would much rather do this type of “Extreme finger painting with a router” than what my imagination conjured up.
Engrish again…*sigh*
Oh well, its a sign of a good coder if you screw up your sentences or can’t spell.
Great project, by the way. I bet if you’d used the Amazon Kindle you’d get a different outcome (Not happy with mine at all).
Thanks. I’m assuming you mean the Kindle Fire? I’ve been meaning to try it out on some other tablets but I don’t think anyone in our group has the Fire.