Explore Features Enterprise Blog

Clone this wiki locally

Using Grbl
paulkaplan edited this page 18 days ago 20 revisions
This wiki is intended to provide various instructions on how to use Grbl. Please feel free to
contribute and help keep this page up-to-date!
After flashing Grbl to your Arduino, connecting to Grbl is pretty simple. You can use the
Arduino IDE itself to connect to Grbl. Experiment or play with it, just to see if you like it.
Other serial port programs, like CoolTerm or PuTTY, work great too. The instructions are
pretty much the same.
Open up the Arduino IDE and make sure your Arduino with Grbl is connected to your
USB port.
Select the Arduino's Serial Port in the Tools menu, as you would normally with an
Arduino.
Open up the 'Serial Window' in the Tools menu.
If you are using Grbl v0.9, make sure to change the baud rate from 9600 to
115200.
Once open, you should see a Grbl welcome message like Grbl v0.Xx ['$' for
help] . This means all is good! You're connected!
Make sure you change the "No line ending" drop-down menu to "Carriage
return". If you are using any other serial port program, you must do the same.
If you haven't received the welcome message or some garbled characters, make
sure that the baud rate is set at 9600 (or 115200 for v0.9+).
From here, you can simply start sending Grbl some g-code commands, and it'll perform
them for you. Or, you can type $ to get some help on what some of Grbl's special
commands are or how to write some of your machine settings into Grbl's EEPROM
memory.
When have started to feel comfortable with g-code/CNC and you're ready to run a whole
g-code program, we recommend that you use one of the many great GUIs that users
have written to stream your g-code programs to Grbl and to fully harness all of Grbl's

grbl / grbl

Clone in Desktop
Getting Started (For New Users.)
Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
1 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM
capabilities.
NOTE: Check out ShapeOko's Wiki. It has the most up-to-date and comprehensive list of
Grbl GUIs.
How to Stream G-Code Programs to Grbl
Universal G-code Sender (UGS) [Java Cross-Platform]
Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
2 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM
A full-featured GUI, developed by @wwinder, that streams, g-code visualizer, and has
complete control and feedback functionality for Grbl's higher level features. It's written in
Java, which means it can be run on any Java-capable machine including the
RaspberryPi! The Grbl group works closely with this project and highly recommend using
this GUI. If you find any issues or would like to request more GUI features, @wwinder
has done a wonderful job in completing many of the requests.
Easel [Browser-based CAD + CAM + Grbl controller]
Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
3 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM
Easel is a web based project developed by Inventables specifically for us with the
Shapeoko + Grbl. It is an all-in-one package for design (including SVG imports), toolpath
generation and machine control. In addition to 2D design tools, Easel lets you preview
your toolpaths in 3D before sending them to your machine. Easel is in constant
development by the Inventables team. You can request features or report issues through
the feedback button in the app.
GRBLweb [Web Browser]
Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
4 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM
GRBLweb is a web based GCODE sender and controller for GRBL. Multiple serial
devices can be connected to control multiple machines.
There is also a pre-built Raspberry Pi image based on Raspbian running GRBLweb
available here.
Maintained by retired computer professional @gerritv, GrblPanel is a GUI that
implements more advanced features and functionality commonly found in production
machines like Haas, Fanuc, etc. All of the required tools for setting up and running a
milling job are neatly arranged and designed to be easily accessible based on
decades-old accepted workflows in machine shops. GrblPanel currently only works in
Windows via .Net v4.5, but will eventually be updated for cross-platform use through
[Mono](http://www.mono-project.com].
NOTE: If you are having difficulties with streaming to Grbl, we will ask you to use
this Python streaming script to eliminate the GUI you are using as the source of the
issue. Before posting to the issues thread, please use this script to run your g-code
GrblPanel [Windows]
Python Streaming Scripts (Officially Supported by Grbl)
[Cross-Platform]
Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
5 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM
program.
Included with the source code and officially supported by Grbl, two Python streaming
scripts are supplied to illustrate simple and more complex streaming methods that work
well cross-platform. These scripts don't fully support all of the Grbl's features, but are
intended more as a way to compare or troubleshoot other garden variety or newly-written
GUIs out there. These are located in the 'script' folder on the main repo. Note: The
streaming scripts require the pySerial module installed.
Install the pySerial module.
Download simple_stream.py Python script.
Open the script in a plain text editor and change the following line to reflect your
system:
s = serial.Serial('/dev/tty.usbmodem1811',9600)
In place of /dev/tty.usbmodem1811(Mac), you should put the serial port device
name of your Arduino. This will be different for each machine and OS. For example,
on a Linux system this would look like /dev/ttyACM0. Or on a Windows machine,
this may look like COM3.
The script looks for and reads gcode from a file named grbl.gcode, you should
create this file and put the gcode you want to execute in it. Or simply change this
name in the script to your needs.
Open a terminal/command window and change directories to the location of the
Python script and execute the Python script with the following command:
./simple_stream.py (Mac/Linux) python simple_stream.py (Windows)
You should now see the gcode being streamed to grbl along with 'ok' messages and
your machine should begin moving.
The other, more advanced streaming script stream.py has command line arguments and
does not require modifying the script itself, unlike simple_stream.py. The main
difference is that stream.py uses a character counting scheme to ensure the Grbl's serial
read buffer is full, which effectively creates another buffer layer on top of Grbl's internal
motion queue. This allows for Grbl to access and parse the next g-code block
immediately from the serial read buffer, rather than wait for the 'ok' send and response in
the simple_stream.py script. This is very useful for motions, like curves, that have very
rapid, short line segments in succession that may cause buffer starvation, which can lead
to strange motion hiccups. In other words, it ensures a smoother motion. Use this script,
if you are not afraid of command line or are experiencing weird motions.
Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
6 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM
A simple graphical user interface: https://github.com/jgeisler0303/grblUI. Programmed in
Java, using rxtx for serial communication. Should theoretically run on Linux, Mac and
Windows alike. Apparently some problems on Mac. Any feedback, tips and tricks
appreciated (Issues or Wiki in grblUI). Check out the ready to use jar in the Downloads.
A graphical G-Code Streamer: https://github.com/cody82/grblgui. Programmed in Java,
using rxtx for serial communication and OpenGL 2.0 for rendering.
Notable features:
It displays the job duration and remaining time to complete in minutes.
It displays current speed.
You can toggle feed hold and enter G-Code commands.
It displays the buffer status graphically on the toolpath!
In development:
Simulate the milling process and display the resulting model.
Currently under development in C# https://github.com/nm156/CNCInfusion
https://github.com/downloads/OttoHermansson/GcodeSender/gcodesender.exe
http://www.contraptor.org/forum/t-287260/gcode-sender-program
Other than CoolTerm or PuTTY, Linux and Mac systems have a great lightweight serial
emulator called screen that's either built in or easily installable (apt-get install screen)
through the terminal interface.
If your device is connected on /dev/ttyACM0 (for Mac, /dev/tty.usbxxxx), type screen
/dev/ttyACM0 115200 to connect to the device at 115200 baud. There you'll be connected
Other GUIs
grblUI
grblgui
CNCinfusion [Windows]
Gcode Sender [Windows]
Serial Emulators:
Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
7 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM
to Grbl. To exit
To get out of the screen interface, simply press Ctrl-a followed by a k .
Status 2014 GitHub, Inc. Terms Privacy Security Contact

Using Grbl grbl/grbl Wiki GitHub https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl
8 of 8 10/25/2014 12:44 PM