.png){kind=spacer}
Onefinity CNC — Buying the Redline HMI vs Using My Computer: Which one is right for you?
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
In this video, Christy talks about what to consider when trying to decide if adding the Redline HMI screen to the cart is a good plan or if you should just use your computer. She demonstrates using the Onefinity CNC Apprentice with both her Dell laptop and her MacBook Air computers. If you're looking to learn about the Redline CNC HMI or how it compares to just using your laptop, this video will help you get started.
Watch below 👇
She'll cover:
• Pros of using the Human-Machine Interface (HMI)
• How to access the HMI remotely over wifi using a web browser
• How to download the free RealTime CNC software for computer-based control of your CNC
• How HMI vs. Computer stacks up against CNC dust
• Pros of sticking with your existing computer
• Advantages of using a touchscreen laptop for a fun, tactile user experience
• ...and more!
🔹 PRODUCTS & TOOLS USED IN THIS VIDEO
Redline HMI Addon:
🛠 Machine:
Onefinity CNC Apprentice
Onefinity CNC Gen 2 Elite Foreman
Should you buy the 15” Redline HMI or just use your laptop?
Let’s get into it:
NO ONE is saying you need the HMI; we understand that it is an additional purchase and you may need to stick to a budget. We get it. We’ll talk about how using your laptop does the job, But first… here are the main advantages FOR adding the HMI to your cart.
Pros for HMI: Top 5 Reasons to get the HMI
The experience:
-The HMI is a 15” “human machine interface” — so it basically is a computer that mounts very easily on this included bracket. The display is really crisp and brightly lit with user-friendly controls. It’s very tactile with it being touch screen activated and is just downright enjoyable to use. Most importantly, you know it has all the ports you’ll need for all the connection points to link it to power, the motion controller, and extra connections like the USB for a wireless joypad if you use that or perhaps a plug & play wifi extender like this one. (More on that later)
The Freedom:
With the HMI, your personal computer isn’t tethered to the machine and you can use it away from the machine for other things while the CNC works. We’re seeing customers purchase HMI’s more often than not because they simply don’t want to have a computer that has to be stationed by the CNC at all times, limiting its use. Another positive of The HMI is that it doesn’t need more horizontal space to use it like a laptop would. Work space can sometimes be a premium and having a dedicated spot for the laptop be nearby could be a limiting factor. The HMI is built to can handle the dust too!
The Convenience:
If you would like to keep the computer you already have inside and don’t want to utilize a flash drive for opening files to carve, you can enjoy the convenience of accessing the HMI’s user interface via a web browser on your personal computer. To do this, you will need a strong wifi connection on your HMI. A very easy way to make your wifi signal stronger is to utilize a USB wifi extender like this one. It is an easy purchase from amazon and instantly works when you plug it into your USB port — no need to do anything with the CD-ROM that comes with the purchase other than through it in the trash! Access your main menu, select config, and then tap on the network tab. This will allow you to find your home’s wifi, enter your password, and get connected.
Next, you simply Open a web browser tab on your personal computer and type in the IP address that you see on your HMI screen. Now you can access controls on your computer so you can work on things indoors in the comfort of an office (or a couch!) and not have to deal with transferring the laptop in and out of the workshop when you need to load a file since you can do this remotely.
The HMI is streamlined and organized.
The Safe Bet:
Lastly, I don’t know about you but my laptop can bring on a blue screen of death with little to no warning. It sometimes does updates when I least expect it, forcing a restart and it can be unpredictable. Keeping a computer plugged in would be essential to make sure you don’t experience battery loss to mess up a carve too. No sort of update or low battery will interrupt your carve when you are using the HMI because those things just don’t happen with this set-up.
So let’s talk reasons why you may be considering just using a computer or laptop and forgoing the HMI purchase at this time.
Pros for PC:
1. If you already have a spare computer that you can keep connected to your CNC at all times, you can save money by not needing to buy the HMI right off the bat, knowing that you can always see how it goes with the computer at first and could add on the HMI later.
2. Uses the same RealTime software so you get virtually the same user experience on your laptop, it’s just a horizontal or landscape experience as opposed to the vertical or portrait look on the HMI.
3. Using your PC would be familiar if you are already used to using your computer to design and want to stay with that same workflow. It’s even more fun if your laptop has a touchscreen so you still get that fun button-pushing experience as you would with the HMI!
4. Finally, If you are wanting to buy a laptop for multiple functions, this would be a good excuse to kill two birds with one stone: control the CNC and still have the flexibility to use the laptop in a traditional manner when the CNC is not in use.
So here’s what I’ll leave you with to consider. It really all comes down to this…
The HMI is very dependable and streamlined. Long carves would require keeping your computer tethered to the machine and during those long carves, you would be without your computer or stuck next to your CNC. Can you imagine working from home and having to do a google meet or teams meeting while running your CNC?
However, The computer experience with the free to download Realtime CNC software is made to mimic the HMI experience and I do personally think it’s really neat that you can easily download the software to either PC, Mac, Linux, or Raspberry Pi and install within moments. I quite like using my touchscreen laptop while using my Apprentice CNC. And even super cool features like Power Loss Recovery and Jump to Line are available for you to depend on whether you are using the HMI or a computer. So you really just need to decide what makes sense for your space and your budget.
Whatever you choose, pairing your Onefinity CNC with the HMI or simply downloading the RealTime CNC Software to your computer, we feel pretty confident that you are going to see the value and get closer to reaching your goals for yourself or your business. So don’t sweat the choice too much. Let us know in the comments if you have questions and be sure to subscribe to the Onefinity YouTube channel now to stay in the loop! See ya next time.
