FluidTouch - Wireless FluidNC Pendant

[Fabien]

After a few weeks of using the FluidNC controller, the LR4 feels soooo much nicer to use, best “upgrade” I can recommend, definitely…
Thank you a lot for this work, using this controller feels great

Just some little nags/suggestions if I may, coming from FluidNC 2 tabley UI, I miss only a few things:

• When entering a work position (clicking on one of the XYZ coordinates), I think the value should be auto-selected. I usually enter the absolute coordinate I want rather than edit the existing one
• On that same screen, when entering a value, I liked it a lot that clicking the “minus” button would “invert” the current value rather than just adding a minus after the value
• Still on the same screen, when inputing a value, I’d really like to be able to “set” the value rather than “moving to” this value (eg: for setting the Z value without moving it)
• Very minor, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t really see the point in the “diagonals” jog buttons, I’d probably rather have a “Goto 0,0” shortcut here

Those are all just minor snags or “old habits” I had/liked with the fluinc tablet interface, but I wanted to kindly let you know about these suggestions

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

I appreciate the feedback. I should be starting on the next point release soon and am looking to see what updates should be made.

@Fabien

When entering a work position (clicking on one of the XYZ coordinates), I think the value should be auto-selected. I usually enter the absolute coordinate I want rather than edit the existing one

That was the intent of including the Clear button. Selecting text is a bit awkward on the display.

@Fabien

On that same screen, when entering a value, I liked it a lot that clicking the “minus” button would “invert” the current value rather than just adding a minus after the value

That’s a good idea. I’ll do that.

@Fabien

Still on the same screen, when inputing a value, I’d really like to be able to “set” the value rather than “moving to” this value (eg: for setting the Z value without moving it)

I’m not sure what you mean. Are you referring to setting offsets? Essentially “zeroing” to a specific non-zero position?

@Fabien

Very minor, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t really see the point in the “diagonals” jog buttons, I’d probably rather have a “Goto 0,0” shortcut here

Yea, I don’t use those much either. Not sure if I’ll remove them or not, but I do see value in adding a Goto 0,0 button somewhere.

[Fabien]

@jeyeager

That was the intent of including the Clear button. Selecting text is a bit awkward on the display.

Just to be clear, it works just fine as is
It’s just that I find myself almost always clicking the “Clear” button when I acces this menu.
Auto-selecting the value would skip a step (while still being able to click the value to select/edit)

@jeyeager

I’m not sure what you mean. Are you referring to setting offsets? Essentially “zeroing” to a specific non-zero position?

Exactly
Default button would move the machine to the desired poosition (as it already does), “set” button would define the current position as the entered value
I used that quite often to define a “z offset” by zeroing Z on the top of the part, and then defining that position as eg “Z=0.5”
Or when I’m a bit too fast,already bolted the stock to the table and I cannot access the spoilboard anymore… so I zero on the stock top and define Z as the stock thickness (eg 18mm)

Can’t find a good screenshot of the old UI, I’ll try and boot my MKS tinybee if I can

@jeyeager

Yea, I don’t use those much either. Not sure if I’ll remove them or not, but I do see value in adding a Goto 0,0 button somewhere.

Maybe have them linked to 4 macros defined by the user?
Lots of flexibility, users can use these to override speed, set spindle speed, goto 0;0, zero all axis, etc…maybe even going diagonals if they really want to
This would address a vast majority of people wanting this or that function on the jog screen rather than a separate one

[Angel_Octavio_Cruz_M (Angel Octavio Cruz Martínez)]

DISCULPA @jeyeager HAY ALGUN DISPOSITIVO DENTRO DE ALIEXPRESS QUE SEA COMPATIBLE CON TU PROYECTO , LA VERDAD ME INTERESA MUCHISIMO INTENTAR INSTALARLO Y COLABORAR

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

Can you not order direct from Elecrow? It ships from China.

It needs to be an Elecrow Crowpanel 7 Advance ESP32-S3. There’s a basic panel as well but I don’t recommend that.

[staffordj (Stafford)]

@jeyeager

The other item that makes sense but is a bit of a nuisance is that if you have a power switch connected so you can disconnect the battery, you need to have the switch on in order for the battery to charge.

Do you need a power switch? Is this to prevent the battery from discharging when it is not in use?

[Britt (Britt Percival)]

Yes, it keeps the battery from discharging. I didn’t have one initially and had to constantly charge the battery.

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

Yep, I have it setup to go into deep sleep but it still draws enough power to kill the battery.

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

I’ve got a few things on the way:

• Bart sent me a Doberman so I’m going to implement a USB CDC connection. That needs a board with an ESP32-S3 with a second USB plug.
• An updated board for connecting via UART so it can be flashed by disconnecting the RJ12 cable.
• A new board for battery monitoring that includes a switch and will still charge via USB with the switch off.

I’m also keeping my eye on @coinbird ESP-NOW changes. I might try implementing that soon too.

Being able to connect wirelessly via WiFi or ESP-NOW plus wired via UART or USB CDC seems pretty crazy but I like it.

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

Got the Doberman setup for working on USB CDC support. Wow, wiring up external stepper motors is a pain and I only have one. I have a new appreciation of the onboard TMC drivers on the Jackpot.

[Tokoloshe (Philipp)]

@jeyeager

Wow, wiring up external stepper motors is a pain and I only have one.

Haha, I started with a board with external drivers… My first Jackpot installation felt sooo much easier compare to that. I wrote the comparison with the Jackpot down here:

MPCNC Primo Schneewittchen Reanimated - Oldenburg, Germany

Dear @vicious1, I feel a bit insulted by the ease of the Jackpot’s setup. It took me a whole 10 minutes to slot the drivers, add the heatsinks, cut my power cord’s cable, crimp the ends, connect them with the readily crimped cables I bought from you, plug in the drivers and connect my mobile to the hotspot it opens. Then all the motors moved. I did not connect the endstops yet, because I didn’t have too much time and could not crimp the wires for the endstops, so homing does not work, but still,…

Now imagine you have a closed loop stepper with even more cables. Friendly tip: Don’t wire the enable. It’s just there to mess up your programs etc.

[Britt (Britt Percival)]

@jeyeager

Wow, wiring up external stepper motors is a pain and I only have one.

So all of that is only for 1 stepper motor? You would need 4 more of those for an LR4??

WOW

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

@Britt

So all of that is only for 1 stepper motor?

Yep. I’m using a cheap driver so I could run it at 12v, same as the board. But chances are on real machine, you’d run the steppers at a higher voltage so you’d need a second power supply. Then there are dip switches to set amps and microstepping, instead of it being set in the config. Blah.

[Tokoloshe (Philipp)]

You need to set the switches and the config. Double the fun.
My first one used 24V, the one now uses 36V for the drivers (though I could fo 48V) and 24V for the board, so yeah, I need two power supplies now. -_-

[Fabien]

@jeyeager

I’m also keeping my eye on @coinbird ESP-NOW changes. I might try implementing that soon too.

[Ron001]

here my test stand Corgi on 12v and 48v to steppers 3 reg end stops one npn prox.

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

@jeyeager

Got the Doberman setup for working on USB CDC support.

I’ve got some things to sort out but I’ve got it working. I needed to make some FluidNC changes because it was falling back to CDC ACM instead of using the CH340 VCP. (I didn’t know what that meant either before today.)

FluidTouch USB CDC WIP

[CesarH (cesar)]

God bless the 220v to dc transformers. Lol.

https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/1000va-single-phase-square-control-transformer-220vac-to-4-x-70vac-50-60hz-tr1000-a70-a220

[HouserDesigns]

Hi Jason! This is amazing. I was wondering if the Elecro CrowPanel 5.0 Panel would work?

By the looks of it, the hardware is the same (ESP32 S3 WROOM module 800 x 480 display)

I have a very particular use case / small desktop CNC that I designed and was about to do this very same thing with the “CYD‘ (cheap yellow display) and then I came across your project that just looks amazing.

I love the look of your UI kind of reminds me of the MainsailOS webui for those of us who also experiment with Klipper based 3D Printers.

Anyway… I’m rambling. Look forward to your response.

[jeyeager (Jason Yeager)]

@HouserDesigns

I was wondering if the Elecro CrowPanel 5.0 Panel would work?

Hey thanks. It looks like it uses a different display driver so it probably won’t work as is.