docs: Initial core research and detailed BOM comparison

BOM-Evaluation.md

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# Bills Of Materials (BOM) Evaluation
+
+This document outlines and evaluates the Bill of Materials (BOM), pricing structure, and mechanical design decisions for two scales of the DIY/Semi-Professional Portable CNC Router:
+1. **The 1m x 1m Small-Scale Prototype**
+2. **The 4' x 8' (1.2m x 2.4m) Full-Sized Production Build**
+
+---
+
+## 1. Small-Scale Prototype (1m x 1m Working Area)
+*Objective: Low-cost, fast 3D-printable assembly, standard stepper driver electronics, safety/proof-of-concept testing.*
+
+### 1.1 Mechanical Design Decisions
+- **Kinematics:** 4-Belt suspended triangulation (simplifies initial testing).
+- **Core Carriage Sled:** 3D-printed PLA with 3 anchor points per corner (dual mount holes for up to 8 belts).
+- **Belts:** standard GT2 timing belts (6mm width, reinforced fiberglass) connected to 4 corner anchor pegs.
+- **Corner Anchors:** 3D printed with manual clamp handles.
+- **Spindle:** Dremel-style rotary tool (65mm body clamp adapter) or cheap 500W brushless DC spindle.
+
+### 1.2 1m x 1m Prototype BOM & Cost Structure
+
+| Category | Component | Description | Qty | Unit Cost ($) | Total Cost ($) | Source / Note |
+| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
+| **Electronics** | ESP32 NodeMCU | 38-Pin development boards with WiFi/BLE | 1 | $6.00 | $6.00 | Amazon/AliExpress |
+| **Electronics** | CNC Shield V3 | standard GRBL Arduino shield (adapted to ESP32 via jumper pins) | 1 | $10.00 | $10.00 | standard CNC breakout board |
+| **Electronics** | TMC2209 Stepper Drivers | Silent step resolution, up to 2.8A peak | 4 | $7.00 | $28.00 | BigTreeTech |
+| **Power** | 24V 10A DC Power Supply | Meanwell LRS-250-24 or similar | 1 | $28.00 | $28.00 | Meanwell |
+| **Motion** | NEMA 17 Stepper Motors | 59 Ncm torque, 1.8 degree step, dual shaft for spools | 4 | $14.00 | $56.00 | StepperOnline |
+| **Motion** | GT2 6mm Timing Belts | 6mm Width Fiberglass, 10m roll | 2 | $12.00 | $24.00 | Amazon/Gates clone |
+| **Motion** | 3D Printed GT2 Spools | Designed to fit NEMA 17 shafts | 4 | $1.50 | $6.00 | Self-printed PLA (approx. cost) |
+| **Hardware** | Skate Bearings (608RS) | For spool guide rollers | 8 | $1.00 | $8.00 | For friction reduction |
+| **Tooling** | Bosch Colt / Makita Body Clone | 65mm body trim router (e.g. vonhaus, katsu) | 1 | $45.00 | $45.00 | Amazon clone router |
+| **Z-Axis** | Mini Linear Slide Stage | Custom Z-axis lift with T8 lead screw & Nema 17 | 1 | $35.00 | $35.00 | Pre-assembled mini-slide |
+| **Mechanical** | Screws, Nuts, Spacers | M4 and M8 bolts/washers assortment | 1 | $15.00 | $15.00 | Local Hardware |
+| **Total Estimated Cost (Prototype):** | | | | | **$261.00** | *Budget-friendly POC build* |
+
+---
+
+## 2. Full-Size Production Build (4' x 8' / 1.2m x 2.4m Working Area)
+*Objective: Semi-professional woodworking, high-torque geared DC servos, closed-loop feedback, maximum rigidity, and constraint-locked 8-belt kinematics (Gordix style).*
+
+### 2.1 Mechanical Design Decisions
+- **Kinematics:** **8-Belt constraint-locked kinematics** (twin lines running to four corner wall anchors) to lock yaw rotation and prevent sled tipping/slipping over large cutting spans.
+- **Core Carriage Sled:** Heavy-duty, rigid CNC-milled 6mm aluminum baseplate (increases downforce, minimizes router vibration).
+- **Belts:** **High-tensile Dyneema/UHMWPE braided cords** (1.5mm - 2mm, tested for 300+ kg breaking load). Timing belts are prone to stretching/flapping over 4-meter spans; braided cord behaves as zero-stretch steel cable but wraps cleanly around spools.
+- **Spindle:** Commercial Makita RT0701C wood trim router (1.25 HP, variable speed 10,000-30,000 RPM, 65mm clamp body).
+- **Drive System:** Closed-loop DC geared motors with magnetic/optical encoders. Steppers lose steps when overloaded or if wood chips jam the path; closed-loop gear servos will fault/pause safely or apply corrective torque.
+
+### 2.2 4'x8' Production BOM & Cost Structure
+
+| Category | Component | Description | Qty | Unit Cost ($) | Total Cost ($) | Source / Note |
+| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
+| **Controller** | Custom ESP32-S3 Maslow 4 board | Custom PCB with ESP32-S3, closed-loop connectors, H-Bridges | 1 | $95.00 | $95.00 | Maslow-style customized board |
+| **Drive Motors** | Etonm ET-WGM58AE | Custom 24V DC geared motor + Planetary Gearbox + High-res encoder | 4 | $45.00 | $180.00 | Spec motor or planetary equivalent |
+| **Power** | 24V 15A DC Power Supply | Meanwell LRS-350-24 | 1 | $38.00 | $38.00 | Meanwell |
+| **Drive Lines** | 2.0mm Dyneema Cord | 100-meter spool (breaking strength 450 kg), zero-stretch | 1 | $35.00 | $35.00 | Marine/Climbing supply |
+| **Sled Body** | Milled Aluminum Sled Plate | 6mm clear anodized aluminum base baseplate | 1 | $75.00 | $75.00 | LaserCut/SendCutSend custom sheet |
+| **Motion** | Custom Machined Spools | Aluminum or high-temp PETG reinforced spools with line guides | 4 | $8.00 | $32.00 | Custom lathe-bored or heavy PETG |
+| **Spindle** | Makita RT0701C Router | Wood Router, 1.25 HP, 120V AC, very reliable | 1 | $110.00 | $110.00 | Makita |
+| **Z-Axis** | Linear Rails + SFU1204 Ball Screw | Dual linear rails (12mm) + active ball-screw lift stage | 1 | $65.00 | $65.00 | AliExpress custom stage |
+| **Z-Axis Motor** | NEMA 17 Stepper + TMC2209 | Handles active vertical wood carving | 1 | $25.00 | $25.00 | Standard stepper |
+| **Anchoring** | CV-Joint Corner Brackets | 3D-molded steel swivel joints for frame corner anchors | 4 | $12.00 | $32.00 | Custom swivels |
+| **Dust Collection** | Dust Boot + Hose | 3D printed active vacuum nozzle wrapping Makita body | 1 | $20.00 | $20.00 | Custom |
+| **Hardware** Assortment | Assorted Locknuts, T-nuts, M4/M8 | Stainless steel fastners assortment | 1 | $30.00 | $32.00 | Assorted stash |
+| **Total Estimated Cost (Production Sled):** | | | | | **$737.00** | *High reliability semi-prof build* |
+
+---
+
+## 3. Detailed Software & CAM Decisions
+To keep our DIY portable design isolated from closed ecosystems, the entire pipeline is structured on open software.
+
+```text
+  [ CAD Styling: Fusion360 / Onshape / Inkscape ]
+                         │
+                         ▼
+  [ CAM Toolpaths: Kiri:Moto / Estlcam / OpenBuilds CAM ]
+                         | (Generates standard G-code .nc)
+                         ▼
+  [ Web Control GUI: Web Interface hosted on ESP32-S3 Server ]
+                         │
+                         ▼
+  [ Motion Controller: FluidNC Custom Kinematics on EPS32 ]
+```
+
+1. **CAD Modeling:** Standard 3D CAD modeling (Onshape or Fusion 360). Flat vector exports from Inkscape/Illustrator for 2D profiles.
+2. **CAM Software:** **Kiri:Moto** (Free, open-source browser-based CAM) or **Estlcam** (cheap, highly detailed woodworking toolpaths). These generate standard Cartesian G-code (`.nc` or `.gcode`).
+3. **Firmware Interpretation:** **FluidNC** captures Cartesian coordinates. The custom kinematics engine translates `(X, Y, Z)` Cartesian points into respective belt lengths for the 4 or 8 motor spools.
+4. **Active Calibration Loop:** Using the Maslow 4 code structure, the router automatically calibrates. By spooling all belts completely in to their hard limits, the machine records the "absolute zero spool tension", then pulls itself to the workspace center to calculate the exact distances to the physical corner frame anchors. No manual measuring tape is required.

README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# CNC Router Project - Core Research & Comparative Analysis
+
+## 1. Executive Summary & Design Goal
+The goal of this project is to research and evaluate the design of a highly portable, cost-effective CNC router for semi-professional and DIY woodworking. Traditonal gantry CNC systems require massive frames, expensive linear rails, ballscrews, and a large dedicated workshop footprint. 
+
+This project pursues a **rail-free, multi-belt/cable-driven suspended or surface-riding kinetic motion system**. 
+The final design should merge the portability and workspace flexibility of **Cubiio X** / **Gordix** with the open-source firmware accessibility and robust DC servo architecture of the **Maslow 4**.
+
+---
+
+## 2. Competitive Landscape: Comparative Analysis
+
+| Feature / Metric | **Gordix** (Muherz) | **Maslow 4/4.1** (Bar Smith) | **Cubiio X** (Muherz) | **Maker Made M2** | **Cubiio** (Laser Only) |
+| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
+| **Motion Concept** | Rail-free, surface-riding sled | Flat-rigid-surface riding sled | Rail & Ballscrew compact robot | Frame-suspended sled | Fixed head laser projector |
+| **Kinetic Drive** | **8-Belt** drive system | **4-Belt** drive system | **4 Timing belts** + linear rails | **2 Roller chains** | None (optical galvo) |
+| **Belts / Chains** | 8x High-stress fiberglass timing belts | 4x High-tensile braided Dyneema/UHMWPE line | 4x Gates rubber timing belts | 2x Metal roller chains | None |
+| **Drive Motors** | 8x Sled-mounted motors (calculated) | 4x Sled-mounted 24V DC geared servo motors | 4x Independent stepper/geared motors | 2x Frame-mounted DC geared motors + encoders | Gauges / galvos |
+| **Workspace Capacity** | Up to **4' x 8'** (1.2m x 2.4m) | Up to **4' x 8'** (1.2m x 2.4m) | Up to 4' x 4' (1.2m x 1.2m) | Up to 4' x 8' (1.2m x 2.4m) | Sized by lens focal limit |
+| **Sled Rotation Control** | **Constraint-locked** by 8-belt geometry (Prevents yaw) | **Sled rides material**, yaw resolved mathematically | Standard Cartesian inside frame | Gravity & heavy sled-mass pivot (2-point) | Fixed |
+| **Weight** | ~4.3 kg (very portable) | ~7-8 kg | Moderate, highly integrated | Very heavy (sled + steel chains) | ~1.5 kg |
+| **Spindle / Cutting Head** | 3-in-1: Wood router (Makita body), 10W Laser, Pen | Wood router (Makita RT0701C / Bosch 1617) | Customized miniature spindle plus 10W laser | Standard Wood router (Dewalt/Makita) | laser diode |
+| **Software & Firmware** | Gordix Studio (Proprietary / Closed CAM Web Tool) | **FluidNC (Custom ESP32 branch)**, fully open-source | Proprietary G-code sender / parser (restricted lines) | Makerverse / GRBL | Cubiio App |
+| **Homing & Calibration** | Self-calibrating / anchor reference | **Self-calibrating** (spooling tight to frame anchors) | Manual alignment | Manual/Chain measurement calibration | Optical calibration |
+| **Est. Retail Cost** | ~$1,700 - $3,000 USD | ~$650 USD (Kit form) | ~$1,250 - $1,900 USD | ~$600 USD | ~$400 - $800 USD |
+
+---
+
+## 3. Core Mechanics & Kinematics Study
+
+### 3.1 Understanding the 4-Belt vs 8-Belt Kinematics
+1. **The 4-Belt Limitation (Maslow 4 / Cubiio X):** 
+   - A 4-belt system pulls the sled toward the four corners of the workspace. If the anchor points for the belts are not at the exact mathematical cutting center of the router spindle nozzle, the lateral pulling force induces **yaw rotation (sled rotation)**.
+   - Sled rotation introduces substantial mathematical calculation complexity (since the rotation angle changes dynamically across the workspace) and can degrade dimensional accuracy. 
+   - Additionally, near the corners, a 4-belt system loses tension on one or more belts, causing sag, loss of downforce, or physical slippage.
+2. **The 8-Belt Triumph (Gordix Concept):**
+   - Gordix utilizes an **8-belt architecture** where a twin pair of belts splits to each of the 4 workstation corners. 
+   - By running **two parallel belts to each corner**, the system creates a rigid geometric lock that naturally **constrains yaw (sled rotation)** without requiring software mathematical triangulation of rotational drift.
+   - Sled orientation remains perfectly constant relative to the cutting boundaries, keeping tension balanced across the entire 4'x8' workspace.
+
+### 3.2 The Levitating 3D "Sky Spider" Concept
+During research of the Maslow community archives, an intriguing alternative design was documented: **"Project Sky Spider"** / **"M8 Concept"**.
+- Standard sled designs must **ride directly on top of the woodworking piece**. This introduces challenges with friction, wood chips jamming under the sled, scratching the surface of delicate veneered materials, or getting stuck on pre-carved pockets.
+- The **Sky Spider** concept uses 8 highly tensioned belts (or 4 pair in vertical-opposing 3D diagonals) to **float and hover the entire CNC routing head in 3D space** over the material. 
+- **Mechanical requirements for suspended operation:**
+  - Redesigning spool anchors with ball-joint (like a **CV joint**) to rotate freely in 3D.
+  - Adding a robust, heavy outer boundary frame.
+  - Using longer Z-axis lead screws to drop down into the material from the hovering carriage.
+
+---
+
+## 4. Software & Firmware Strategy
+An open-source, highly customizable software stack is a hard requirement for this DIY/semi-professional project to avoid the limitations of proprietary systems like Gordix Studio or Cubiio.
+
+### 4.1 Recommended Firmware: FluidNC
+- **FluidNC** is the undisputed gold standard for ESP32/ESP32-S3-based kinetic motion controllers. 
+- It is a highly optimized rewrite of **GRBL-ESP32** utilizing a modular, C++ architecture.
+- **Why it fits our project:**
+  - FluidNC supports web page uploading, Wi-Fi Direct (AP Mode), Bluetooth Send, and Telnet on top of standard hardware serial over USB.
+  - It handles multi-axis motor groupings, custom kinematics (such as `wallplotter` or CoreXY), H-bridge drivers directly, and SPI/I2C communication.
+  - Since the **Maslow 4 firmware** is a direct fork of FluidNC, porting the mathematical kinematics for a custom 4-belt or 8-belt kinematics into FluidNC is well-documented and highly achievable.