What is Maslow4?
Maslow4 is a large format CNC router. That means it’s a robot which lets you cut full sheets of plywood without having to break them down into smaller pieces. Maslow4 is affordable, open source, and actively developed by an incredible community.
Maslow4 attached to our shop’s concrete floor
Maslow4 comes as a kit which includes everything that you need to start cutting except for a Dewalt DW611 router and a flat surface to attach to.
(or Dewalt D26200 in 240 volt)
How does Maslow4 work?
Maslow4 uses four independently controlled steel reinforced belts to control its position while cutting. Each belt is controlled by a DC servo motor. The belt spools up around a central drum and passes between a pair of toothed rollers as it extends out. The roller which engages the belt’s teeth contains a high precision magnetic encoder which precisely measures the length of the belt allowing us to control the belt’s length to within 1/100th of a mm. Each spool has enough space to fully retract the belt for storage, and enough belt to cover a greater than 4’x'8’ work area when extended.
Each of Maslow’s 4 independent servo axes is driven by a powerful 24 volt motor coupled to a durable planetary gearbox which gives it the power that it needs to operate in either a vertical or horizontal orientation at speeds up to 2,500mm/min. Each servo axis has current feedback allowing the controller to detect when the belts are taut which is used during the automatic homing and calibration process.
The depth of the cut is controlled by two stepper motors with lead-screws which raise and lower the router as it moves. Maslow4 has 50mm or 1.9 inches of z-axis travel.
Maslow4 attaches to any flat rigid surface from horizontal surfaces like floors up to nearly vertical surfaces. It needs at least 15-20 degrees of angle off vertical to work correctly.
Maslow4 user interface
How do I control Maslow4?
You can connect to Maslow4 from any Mac, Windows, Linux, i-OS, or Android device via WiFi, USB C, or Bluetooth. To connect via WiFi just connect to the “Maslow” WiFi network that the device creates when powered up and open any web browser (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge…etc). You do not need to install any software. No internet connection is required, but if you have WiFi in your shop you can connect Maslow4 directly to your shop WiFi to control it from any computer on your shop network. Maslow4 uses industry standard g-code files so you can use it with any CAD/CAM software that you prefer (SolidWorks, OnShape, Fusion360, Autocad, FreeCAD, Ilustrator…etc). Maslow4 has enough internal memory to store hundreds of files, so if your computer goes to sleep, you close the window, or for some reason the connection is lost, Maslow4 will not be interrupted.
If you live in a country with electrical outlets different from the ones in the US, you will need to find a cord which looks like this. The included power supply will work with 110-240 volts.
Maslow4 Technical spec:
Speed: 2,500mm/min (100ipm) x/y, 300mm/min (11ipm) z
Precision: +-0.5mm (1/64in)*
Work Area: 1.2x2.4 meters (4x8 feet) x/y, 65mm (2.6 inches) z**
File type: GRBL standard G-code (.gcode, .nc) files
*Note that for Maslow type machines there are really two forms of precision that we care about. The first is repeatability…ie if run the same file twice how closely will the machine follow its past motions. The second is accuracy…because Maslow relies on a precision understanding of its anchor point’s positions if it is calibrated badly shapes can come out distorted. The automatic calibration process exists to address that issue. With both of these taken into account, we expect shapes cut with Maslow4 to be within +-.5mm of how they were drawn on the computer.
**Note that this is sort of an arbitrary statement. Maslow4 works within the bounds of its anchor points, and depending on the positioning of the anchor points a lot of different work areas are possible. For example 5’x5’ is also possible if you want a bigger square work area, or if Maslow4 is connected to the corners of a work bench then a smaller work area is possible. Generally the limiting factors are that the machine needs to be at least 1 foot from the anchor points to cut, and it can’t go so far from any anchor point that it runs out of belt.
Maslow4 electrical requirements:
Electrical: 120-240 volts, 50-60Hz, <1 Amp*
*See note above for international plug compatibility
Maslow4 space requirements:
Maslow4 can attach to any flat rigid surface so there isn’t a defined amount of space that it needs. When packed up for storage Maslow4 is 350mm (14in) across and 280mm (11in) tall. If you connect Maslow4 to an existing shop floor or work bench it won’t take up any additional space. If you would like to build the frame shown in the video, that frame is 12' feet, by 2’ by 7’ tall.
