Imagine using a router to cut a pattern on a sheet of plywood and cutting it out perfectly, freehand, even if you stray from the line. Sounds impossible? The Shaper Origin is a new handheld CNC router that aims to help you do just this.
Shaper calls the Origin an “auto-correct” for your hands, but it seems to be much more than that.
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See Also: ShopBot Handibot | Computer-Guided Position-Correcting Router
Using the Shaper Origin requires a little bit of setup.
First, you must apply “ShaperTape” to the surface of your material. Shaper says this about the tape:
ShaperTape is a uniquely patterned tape that allows Origin to very precisely know its position. Apply it randomly to your workpiece around the area you wish to cut. When you’re done, just peel it off and recycle it.
And no, you can’t just print your own tape or labels. They say that printing your tape won’t provide the same dimensional accuracy.
Once your tape is in place, load your design to the tool and you’re ready to start cutting. Move the Origin router around your workpiece, following the pattern on the screen as best you can.
The router spindle is connected to its own 3-axis control system inside the machine, allowing it to automatically correct for any errant movements you make. It does this by using it’s “vision” to locate itself exactly on the work piece, which is why you need the special tape.
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If you stray from the path, the Origin can move the spindle independently to continue to follow the path. If you stray beyond its ability to adapt, it will quickly raise the bit so you don’t ruin your work. Once you move the Origin back into position, it’ll just continue right where it left off. You can even go to another part of the design and it can figure out where it is and what it needs to cut.
The Origin accepts SVG files, and also supports files created by programs like Inkscape, Illustrator, Sketchup, Solidworks, and AutoCAD. You can transfer your own designs to the tool wirelessly or via flash drive, you can also download designs from their “ShaperHub” right on the tool itself. You can even create a design right on the tool itself.
You can use the 14 pound Shaper Origin on pretty much any material that you can use a normal router on. It has a 1/4″ collet so it can accept most 1/4″ router bits.
As for accuracy, the control system can keep you to within 0.01″ of your path.
And just so you don’t make a huge mess of your shop, the Origin can be connected to a vacuum for dust collection.
When it finally ships, the Origin will cost $2100.
Want to be among the first to buy one? It’s also available right now for presale, and there were several different discounted packages to choose from. As of now there’s just one package left. For $1500 (28% off the expected retail price), you get the Shaper Origin with router spindle, 2 rolls of 150 ft ShaperTape, a quickstart guide, a 1/4-inch upcut spiral bit, a 1/8-inch upcut spiral bit, engraving bit, tool change accessories, and a 1 year free subscription to Autodesk Fusion 360.
Shaper is only doing a limited run of the first generation Origin. Delivery is expected to start sometime in September 2017. They say you can get a full refund up until the day the product is shipped to you.
Pre-Order(via Shaper Tools)
Check out one of Shaper’s demo videos that explain how the Origin works. They have dozens of other videos on their channel.
First Thoughts
I’ve known about the Shaper Origin for a while, but was hesitant to post about it because it was something you might find at select venues like Maker Faire, and there was no product available. There have been hundreds of cool sounding products I’ve followed that never made the step from prototype to marketable product.
So what’s changed? For one, they have tools on pre-order and a tentative delivery date. Second, they are actually releasing a few out in the wild to some prominent YouTubers, like Jimmy Diresta and Applied Science.
With a traditional CNC, no matter how large of a machine you buy, there’s always a project that you want to make that is too big for the machine. The Shaper Origin doesn’t have a size limit. Shaper says that the “Origin tackles projects of any size,” but there has to be some practical limit of how far the machine can see. But, I think the practical limit is probably based on what material you can buy. For example, in their demo videos you can see that it can handle a full sheet of plywood.
The engineer in me loves the precision of CNC, but the amateur woodworker misses the connection with the tools and the materials. You setup a CNC and just let it run while you go do something else. With the Origin you don’t set up the cut and walk away, you’re an integral part of the process. You move the Origin around the material and it acts as a high tech router bearing following a virtual pattern — you are providing the motive power, it provides the precision.
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BonPacific
It’s a very interesting tool from an engineering perspective, but I’m struggling to find a compelling enough use-case for full production. It seems they are having the same questions, if they are only doing a limited run.
Benjamen
My understanding is that they are only running a limited quantity because this is a pretty complex tool that’ll probably need a lot of support for the first version. They don’t want to have to do that for a million machines.
I’d say this first generation is more of an open beta. Unless you are an early adopter you might want to wait for the next few generations. Hopefully the price will come down a little too when they can get their number up.
Koko The Talking Ape
I always thought it would be cool to have a shaper mounted on wheels, that could pilot itself over a sheet of material to cut out whatever you needed. The material would have to be supported very securely, of course. It would navigate using something like this tape, or even a tape stuck to the walls of the workshop.
Maybe not ultra-precision, but it wouldn’t need those giant, expensive overhead rails to control x and y movement.
Matt
Here it is:
https://printrbot.com/shop/printrbot-crawlbot/
Koko The Talking Ape
Fantastic! If I had a nickel for every time I had a bright idea and discovered somebody else had already thought of it, I would have… about 6 nickels.
But I was imagining a cutting tool mounted on wheels, that would sit on the material itself, and trundle around, cutting as it goes.
This printrbot thing evidently navigates by measuring how much cable it has traversed in one axis. The cable that you string along the sides of the worktable as part of the setup allows it to move in that axis, and apparently also lets it know where it is in that direction. (It knows where the cutting head is in the other axis in much the same way, though that belt/cable is preinstalled, inside the beam.)
That means that if the cable stretches, or is mis-installed, or is not entirely parallel, then it will lose navigation.
I am imagining a tool that navigates purely by observer its surroundings. Even if its wheels slip, it will know that it has slipped, and will not cut until it is in the right spot.
But again, the precision might be low.
Benjamen
The tape doesn’t have to be on the work piece, as long as it’s in the same plane? and the origin can see it to position itself. (I haven’t found anything that says it can be on the wall next to it, which I think would solve some problems, but create others.) Evidently the tool will tell you if it can’t see enough of the tape and tell you to put more down.
From watching the videos they sure seem to need a lot of tape. I’d hate to be working on a project and run out of it. To me this seems like the biggest limiting factor.
Koko The Talking Ape
Theoretically, to solve the equations that describe the thing’s position, you need only four points, not lines, and only three points, if the thing is willing to calibrate itself at the start of every job. (Three points would tell it is at one of two possible points in space, one of which can be ruled out once it starts moving.) But that would require measuring angles, rather than distances.
And perhaps the tape reduces the processing load on the computer, or the precision requirement of the cameras. In that case, you could simply put the tape on the ceiling, where nothing would block it.
With more advanced processing, wouldn’t need tape. It would learn the configuration of your workshop, and navigate that way. At the start of each job, it could check to make sure you haven’t moved anything, or changed a light source.
Or the tool could come with three (or four) little radio or audio transmitters, that you would attach semi-permanently to your walls. It would allow a kind of GPS inside your workshop. The tool would do a calibration routine, while listening to the chirps as it moves around. Then it would be all set. Audio is slower, so the arrival time changes more as the tool moves, so it would reduce the required accuracy of the clocks. (But what if the humidity changes, which would change the speed of sound? So, again, a calibration routine before every job.)
Drew M
I want to know why they didn’t point the camera up and track dots on the ceiling.
Benjamen
Probably because ceiling height is really variable (not to mention what it your shop doesn’t have a smooth ceiling) and if the tape is on the work piece you don’t need to worry about the work piece moving around on you and ruining the cut.
Koko The Talking Ape
Yes, but a clever device could account for a sloping or bumpy ceiling, if it is allowed a calibration run before it starts cutting. The important thing is that the ceiling doesn’t change, and (possibly) that the device’s view of the ceiling isn’t blocked. But even those things aren’t absolutely necessary, though the device might need to be a bit smarter.
JG
I want it to succeed but I cannot for the life of me envision any practical use for it considering the price.
Bolt
Could be good for for somebody that wants a CNC but doesn’t have room for one.
Nathan
other than the tape thing (which is mostly to avoid having a coded table), it would be a hand held CNC machine. thing is for the price can’t you buy a DIY cnc table.
biggest advantage here is portability and the ability to mill on something larger than your normal table space. IE you have a 8ft x 3 ft plank for an entry way you want to carve.
you’d need a really big table to mill it – or you could use this practically in place on a set of saw horses. without relying on any additional fixtures. the cost of the tape worries me
Larry W
I will have one of these!!!
ca
I liked their prototype with the DeWalt router better; made me think you could use any router with it. I’m skeptical of the accuracy. Anyone who has used a router freehand knows they have a tendency to walk themselves around. I’m not sure the computer can react to this quickly enough.
Kent
I used an early prototype of it about a year ago. I cut out a map of the USA, about the size of a smart phone. There was absolutely no way I could have done it by hand.
It cut remarkably well, and the position was extremely accurate. It was simple to use (I also have many hours of time with a regular handheld router).
It’s not something I’d buy, because I don’t do that kind of work very often, and have access to a DMS 5 axis router at work with a 4×8 bed.
However, I think a guy could make some decent cash by being able to customise doors, cabinets, etc *onsite* at a client’s house. “for an extra $100 I’ll engrave your family name on your front door”.
For the right person, this could be a fun tool or money maker. I wish them well.
Jimmie
I won’t go so far as to say it’s a product in search of an audience but it does seem to be a very niche product.
However, this technology might be useful to make large CNCs more affordable and space-efficient. Since the spindle platform appears to have the ability to correct for inaccurate positioning, you could get away with using much cheaper positioning mechanism. Imagine a 4×8 CNC with 0.01″ accuracy that folds away when not in use…
Kevin
The big difference between this and a fixed CNC is that (most) fixed CNCs can also cut in the Z axis. So far, this cannot. It is fixed depth. This is a bigger issue than it may seem, both because the mechanism has to get more complex to move the router head in the Z axis, and because the 2D screen representation is no longer adequate to show a design that has contour to it.
I think these issues can be addressed, but the versatility is limited until it can do that, and understand the profile of a router bit—which is another Z axis issue in itself.
Cory Sexton
How big of an image can I programs into the shaper? I just built a twin Murphy bed and I want to put the biggest rose possible on the face.
Stuart
I’m not aware of any limits as long as the tape application guidelines are followed. I double checked and couldn’t find any relevant specs. You could check with Shaper customer service in case there’s an official or unofficial workpiece size limit.