as we delve into new capabilities at #NEHI we end up with some cool, weird equipment we (ab)use to our purposes that I really wish were more inspectable.

let me at the gcode console for the fiber laser. let me at the firmware. get your “make it easy to do these crafty things” software out of my way and let me run the machine. the extra layer on top for the folk who want or need that is great, and I commend you for releasing and maintaining it, but let me under the covers. I’ll sign a waiver. I am a known warranty voider and you sold me the things anyway. let’s just get this over with.

show me the numbers! or at least let me have access to read the sensors and show myself the numbers! numbers are important for this stuff!

this machine has a z-axis that is on two linear rails driven by a lead screw connected to a stepper motor.

nowhere that I’ve found does the software expose a way to calibrate the steps/mm for the z-axis, but I know for a fact that that can vary significantly between any two stepper motors of this type and grade.

whyfor you wanna give me precision equipment I cannot calibrate and verify as accurate?

let me do the thing and I will show and tell everybody how cool it is, I promise.

isn’t that how the current economy works?

you and I both know this device is chock full of open source licensed software, manufacturer persons. do we really have to do the whole “let’s bring in lawyers to send paperwork back and forth until your lawyer tells you that losing this in court will do horrible things and you capitulate and put up a stale git repo somewhere to get me off your back” thing? can’t we just skip to the “get me off your back” part without all the extra cost on both sides?
I mean, I’m not convinced that once I end up really pulling one of these apart I won’t find a hidden bigtreestech 3d printer control board with an sd card and a klipper installation stashed away somewhere. it’s okay. I’m not judging you. just let me in on the real. it’ll be okay.
@djsundog that'd probably be the ideal find, rather than vibe coded bespoke firmware running on some atmel chip that fell out of a dodge durango's entertainment console
@djsundog 50% of the reason for diving as deeply into electronics as I have has been to try and learn how to spy on exactly this sort of thing 😂