Is there a way of controlling the laser remotely with Lightburn? Yes

[DzzD]

I post it here because I can make a response to the original post wich give an incomplete/false answer.

Original post :

Is there a way of controlling the laser remotely with Lightburn?

Hi, I just wanted to know if there’s a way of controlling my laser (Ruida) remotely over the internet with Lightburn. I will be expanding the workshop, but it will have a separate room across the street. I was just thinking if there would be a chance of having a computer on ShopA with Lightburn and I could control the laser on Shop B, remotely. Leaving aside possible impracticality, just wanted to know if it was possible. Thank you

Solution :

Using any USB Laser & Camera Wireless easily

Hello, I was not sure of where I should do this post, so I apologize if it is the wrong place. So, I have searching a while for a way to make my Atomstack X30 Pro wireless including caméra used by Lightburn, and all the solutions I have found so far was absolutly non convenient. FluidNC => complexe and no caméra WebUI => Hugly, no camera and require to save file then upload Others… Well finally the solution was just to use a “Wireless USB Hub”, and this can be done really easily with a Rasp…

I use this and it work perfectly, could be a bit hard to setup for non-technical users.

It is applicable to any USB controlled device : laser, 3d printer, other CNC, USB Camera, etc…

[jkwilborn (Jack Wilborn)]

Lightburn does not support running any laser unattended. A laser should never operate without someone present in case of an emergency.

CO₂ lasers frequently catch on fire, especially in commercial operations. I have a 5lb CO₂ extinguisher right next to both of my machines. Someone needs to be physically near the machine for safety reasons.

I can remotely operate it, but it is unwise (I run over Ethernet). If you move it and some one/thing happens to be in there, you wouldn’t know it. Or if you run it and some animal gets in there… millions of not so good outcomes. Even with a camera, you can’t hit the emergency buttons or start putting the fire out without you being there.

Since it’s just another device on the network, yes, you can run it remotely.

In all practicality, dump the usb and run it over Ethernet anyway…

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However, having said that I work on my artwork in my room in the house and the CO₂ machine is in the garage. Send it to the machine and run it from the machines console.

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I connect via the Lightburn Bridge now… I used a $12 bridge from Amazon before I moved to the Lightburn bridge. If you have a wireless router that can be configured as a bridge, then it should work.

The Lightburn Bridge has a layer of code to help with the Ruida UDP communications. It seems to help sending files to the machine. If you have a PI, you can download the image and just run it on your own PI.

These are two options that work… this stuff is not worth burning your home down or losing any of your family … don’t run lasers remotely…

Just think about what you are doing… you get to live with the choices

[DzzD]

I’m a complete noob on the laser world but not an idiot and yes of course it’s very dangerous, and lasers are even more dangerous (fire of course but also gas, eyes etc…). A 3d printer can catch fire quite easily too if a sensor is faulty, and a lot of cheap lasers and 3d printers are sold all over the world with poor quality electronics etc…

So it’s good to be informed of all its dangers, anyway the question was not about safety and if the OP starts his work and leaves, it’s basically the same thing, so it’s better to explain how to use it remotely and what the dangers are of doing so than to say it’s not feasible.

Now that has been said, I don’t know anyone who stays near a CNC machine (3D printer, laser, milling machine, etc…) for 10 hours, 24 hours or more on long duration jobs…

Alarme, estinguisher, safety enclosure, fume exctractor etc…

My only heating for my house is a wood burning stove which is also very dangerous (monoxide, fume, fire…), but I dont stand next to it all the day long, I got a CO detector and an alarm.

I would be curious to know the percentage of people really staying full time near their CNC when it have to run more than let say two hours…

EDIT: in a way having a camera control & alarm make things safer, than saying stay near your CNC, because no one will do that, after some time they will be confident and will just leave

EDIT2: from a purely technical point of view, the solution I proposed is universal, does not need any change in software or device, is not propriotary, and can be reused later for any other devices. There is just a litlle problem that the drivers need to be signed but this should be done in the year I hope, at least I am working on it