Control Panel¶

The Control Panel at the bottom of the Rayforge window provides manual control over your laser cutter's position, real-time machine status, and a log view for monitoring operations.

Overview¶

The Control Panel combines several functions into one convenient interface:

Jog Controls: Manual movement and positioning
Machine Status: Real-time position and connection state
Log View: G-code communication and operation history
Work Coordinate System (WCS): Quick WCS selection

Accessing the Control Panel¶

The Control Panel is always visible at the bottom of the main window. It can be toggled via:

Menu: View → Control Panel
Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+L

Connection Required

The jog controls are only available when connected to a machine that supports jogging operations.

Jog Controls¶

The jog controls provide manual control over your laser cutter's position, allowing you to precisely move the laser head for setup, alignment, and testing purposes.

Homing Controls¶

Home your machine's axes to establish a reference position:

Button	Function	Description
Home X	Homes X axis	Moves X axis to its home position
Home Y	Homes Y axis	Moves Y axis to its home position
Home Z	Homes Z axis	Moves Z axis to its home position
Home All	Homes all axes	Homes all axes simultaneously

Homing Sequence

It's recommended to home all axes before starting any job to ensure accurate positioning.

Directional Movement¶

The jog controls provide buttons for directional movement:

  ↖  ↑  ↗
  ←  •  →
  ↙  ↓  ↘

Button	Movement	Keyboard Shortcut
↑	Y+ (Y- if machine is Y-flipped)	Up Arrow
↓	Y- (Y+ if machine is Y-flipped)	Down Arrow
←	X- (left)	Left Arrow
→	X+ (right)	Right Arrow
↖ (top-left)	X- Y± (diagonal)	-
↗ (top-right)	X+ Y± (diagonal)	-
↙ (bottom-left)	X- Y-/+ (diagonal)	-
↘ (bottom-right)	X+ Y-/+ (diagonal)	-
Z+	Z axis up	Page Up
Z-	Z axis down	Page Down

Focus Required

Keyboard shortcuts only work when the main window has focus.

Visual Feedback¶

The jog buttons provide visual feedback:

Normal: Button is enabled and safe to use
Warning (orange): Movement would approach or exceed soft limits
Disabled: Movement is not supported or machine is not connected

Jog Settings¶

Configure the behavior of jog operations:

Jog Speed: - Range: 1-10,000 mm/min - Default: 1,000 mm/min - Purpose: Controls how fast the laser head moves

Speed Selection

Use lower speeds (100-500 mm/min) for precise positioning
Use higher speeds (1,000-3,000 mm/min) for larger movements
Very high speeds may cause missed steps on some machines

Jog Distance: - Range: 0.1-1,000 mm - Default: 10.0 mm - Purpose: Controls how far the laser head moves per button press

Distance Selection

Use small distances (0.1-1.0 mm) for fine-tuning
Use medium distances (5-20 mm) for general positioning
Use large distances (50-100 mm) for quick repositioning

Machine Status Display¶

The Control Panel displays real-time information about your machine:

Current Position¶

Shows the laser head's position in the active coordinate system:

Coordinates are relative to the selected WCS origin
Updates in real-time as you jog or run jobs
Format: X, Y, Z values in millimeters

Connection Status¶

Connected: Green indicator, machine is responding
Disconnected: Gray indicator, no machine connection
Error: Red indicator, connection or communication problem

Machine State¶

Idle: Machine is ready for commands
Run: Job is currently executing
Hold: Job is paused
Alarm: Machine is in alarm state
Home: Homing cycle is in progress

Work Coordinate System (WCS)¶

The Control Panel provides quick access to Work Coordinate System management.

Active System Selection¶

Select which coordinate system is currently active:

Option	Type	Description
G53 (Machine)	Fixed	Absolute machine coordinates, cannot be changed
G54 (Work 1)	User	First work coordinate system
G55 (Work 2)	User	Second work coordinate system
G56 (Work 3)	User	Third work coordinate system
G57 (Work 4)	User	Fourth work coordinate system
G58 (Work 5)	User	Fifth work coordinate system
G59 (Work 6)	User	Sixth work coordinate system

Current Offsets¶

Displays the offset values for the active WCS:

Shown as (X, Y, Z) in millimeters
Represents the distance from machine origin to WCS origin
Updates automatically when WCS offsets change

Setting WCS Zero¶

Define where the origin of the active WCS should be:

Button	Function	Description
Zero X	Set X=0	Makes current X position the X origin for active WCS
Zero Y	Set Y=0	Makes current Y position the Y origin for active WCS
Zero Z	Set Z=0	Makes current Z position the Z origin for active WCS

G53 Cannot Be Changed

Zero buttons are disabled when G53 (Machine Coordinates) is selected, as machine coordinates are fixed by hardware.

Setting WCS Workflow

Connect to your machine and home all axes
Select the WCS you want to configure (e.g., G54)
Jog the laser head to the desired origin position
Click Zero X and Zero Y to set this position as (0, 0)
The offset is stored in your machine's controller

Log View¶

The Log View displays G-code communication and operation history:

Log Contents¶

Sent Commands: G-code commands sent to the machine
Responses: Replies and status from the controller
Error Messages: Any errors or warnings from the machine
System Messages: Connection status and other system events

Log Features¶

Auto-scroll: Automatically scrolls to show latest messages
Search: Filter log messages by text
Clear: Clear the log history
Copy: Copy selected log text to clipboard

Using the Log for Troubleshooting¶

The log view is invaluable for diagnosing issues:

Verify commands are being sent correctly
Check for error messages from the controller
Monitor connection status and stability
Review job execution progress

Machine Hours¶

Rayforge tracks your machine's usage time to help with maintenance scheduling and usage tracking.

Viewing Machine Hours¶

The machine hours display shows:

Total Hours: Cumulative time the machine has been in operation
Job Time: Time spent executing jobs
Jog Time: Time spent jogging/moving the laser head

Maintenance Tracking¶

Use machine hours to schedule maintenance:

Clean Optics: Every 50-100 hours of use
Check Belts: Every 200-300 hours of use
Lubricate Rails: Every 100-200 hours of use
Replace Tube: Per manufacturer's specification

Resetting Hours¶

Machine hours can be reset when:

Performing major maintenance
Replacing laser tube or diode
Setting up a new machine profile

Data Loss

Resetting machine hours will clear all historical usage data. Record the value before resetting if you need it for maintenance records.

Machine Compatibility¶

The Control Panel adapts to your machine's capabilities:

Axis Support¶

X/Y Axis: Supported by virtually all laser cutters
Z Axis: Only available on machines with Z-axis control
Diagonal Movement: Requires support for both X and Y axes

Machine Types¶

Machine Type	Jog Support	Notes
GRBL (v1.1+)	Full	Supports all jog features
Smoothieware	Full	Supports all jog features
Custom Controllers	Variable	Depends on implementation

Safety Features¶

Soft Limits¶

When soft limits are enabled in your machine profile:

Buttons show orange warning when approaching limits
Movement is automatically limited to prevent exceeding bounds
Provides visual feedback to prevent crashes

Connection Status¶

All controls are disabled when not connected to a machine
Buttons update sensitivity based on machine state
Prevents accidental movement during operation

Workflow Tips¶

Initial Setup¶

Connect to Machine: Ensure proper connection
Home All Axes: Establish reference position
Set Jog Speed: Choose appropriate speed for task
Set Jog Distance: Choose appropriate distance for task

Precision Positioning¶

Use large distance for rough positioning
Reduce distance for fine-tuning
Use keyboard arrows for precise adjustments
Watch for warning indicators near limits

Testing and Alignment¶

Position laser over test area
Use low speeds for test cuts
Verify alignment with workpiece
Adjust position as needed

Monitoring Jobs¶

Watch the log view for command execution
Monitor machine status during operation
Check position updates for accuracy
Review error messages if issues occur

Troubleshooting¶

Jog Controls Not Working¶

Possible Causes:

Machine not connected
Machine doesn't support jogging
Machine is in alarm or error state
Soft limits preventing movement

Solutions:

Check connection status
Verify machine supports jog commands
Reset machine if in alarm state
Check soft limit configuration

Keyboard Shortcuts Not Responding¶

Possible Causes:

Main window doesn't have focus
Another window is active
System shortcuts intercepting keys

Solutions:

Click on the main window to give it focus
Close other windows that might capture keys
Check system keyboard shortcut settings

Movement Direction Reversed¶

Possible Causes:

Y-axis direction configured incorrectly
Machine orientation different from expected

Solutions:

Check Y-axis direction in machine profile
Adjust "Y-axis down" setting if needed
Test with small movements first

Log Not Updating¶

Possible Causes:

Connection not established
Log view disabled or hidden
Filter settings hiding messages

Solutions:

Verify machine is connected
Check log view is visible
Clear any active filters

Related Pages:

Work Coordinate Systems (WCS) - Managing WCS
Machine Setup - Configure your machine
Keyboard Shortcuts - Complete shortcut reference
Main Window - Main interface overview
Machine Settings - Device configuration