On the Software for a New CNC Router

 On the Software for a New CNC Router

An organization I run, Juneau Makerspace, has recently gotten a new CNC router, a big machine that will carve shapes out of wood from a digital file. We had our first class on how to use it the other day and it was my first introduction to the new machine. I've used older ones, so I was familiar with the process, I just needed to learn the ins and outs of the new software. All of that is just prologue to compare the old software I first used to the new version. The interface of the old software was meant for people who knew what they were doing. You had to set measurements and values yourself and were responsible for making sure the machine was cutting where you wanted it. The new software had a detailed step-by-step process built in that prevented the user from moving on to the next step without completing the current step, either by inputting they had done it or a sensor on the machine showing it had been completed. This was great as it meant it would be a lot harder for users to do the setup incorrectly and break the machine. It also meant you didn't need to know as much about the process.

Juneau Makerspace has had other types of equipment where newer machines with a more streamlined function have replaced older ones. Each laser cutter we've gotten has had fewer and fewer buttons on it. The first one had a control panel, the second a row of buttons, and the newest laser cutter has a single button on the machine to start the job. It's simple, easier, and requires less and less knowledge of what's happening under the hood.

I don't consider myself a stranger to computerized manufacturing. When I first got into them in college, 3D printing was the new hot thing and I even built a 3D printer from a kit. This meant I knew the machine inside and out, and understood how it worked. Of course, the 3D printing industry never took off, so my knowledge about their use stayed niche. The latest generation of 3D printers is just starting to automate a lot of things that used to need user experience. There's still a little ways to go, but in a few years, once they add a few more sensors to 3D printers, it'll be as simple as hit button, start job.

Perhaps I only feel like I have greater knowledge of these machines because I know the history of using them from before the automated current generation. Perhaps anyone who is just starting to learn about them has an equal chance of being as knowledgeable when it comes to diagnosing errors and fixing problems. This hypothesis can be easily tested by comparing them to appliances that I came late to, ones that already had just the one button when I learned how to use them. Ask me to repair a microwave or toaster oven, and I'd recommend just getting a new one. I don't know the insides of those machines, and they're so inexpensive it's not worth learning. On other machines, I've pushed myself to learn as much as I can, and I still prefer the expertise of others. I do as much of my own car maintenance as I can, but even that's limited to mostly putting air in my tires and replacing headlights. I know enough about the inside of my car to replace the oil and battery, but if there's a problem with the engine, that's beyond my pay grade.

Perhaps a car isn't as fair a comparison, as it is a far more complicated machine, requires tools I don't have, and fortunately doesn't break down often. Another machine with a single on button that I don't feel like I have adequate control over is my desktop computer. I built it myself with my own hands, with some guidance from a friend. I have even upgraded components to it over the years. It should be something I know inside and out, yet if there's a hardware issue, I wouldn't know where to start with it. I'll cut myself a little slack when it comes to software issues on a computer. Those are universal. The components of a desktop computer were well-established before I tried my hand at building one. I am just old enough to remember the early home computers having a few more buttons, though I don't remember what they did. Now there's just one, the power button. I was able to build mine because I was following step-by-step instructions. I have a general enough understanding of the parts to know what I want to upgrade, but yet again, that's done by instruction.

So when our new CNC router lays out step-by-step instructions on how to set up a new piece being worked on, I understand what it's doing and why each step is important, but for someone who's learning to use it for the first time, I can't help but worry that the machine will stay a black box, like my car engine, computer, or microwave oven. It's great that these machines will break less thanks to these improvements, but it's also a forfeit of control by the user. You can't truly control a system you don't understand. I'm glad I learned to operate some of these machines when they were still hard to use. As more and more of the systems of the world around us become complicated and the insides unknowable, it's comforting that for at least a little while there are a few I can still stay in control of.