Hands-On Embedded Programming with C++17

Example – Machine controller for a laser cutter

One of the fastest and most accurate ways to cut a wide range of materials is using a high-power laser. With the price of carbon dioxide (CO₂) having dropped sharply over the years, this has led to widespread use of affordable (cheap) laser cutters as shown in the following image:

While it's perfectly possible to operate a laser cutter with nothing more than just a basic enclosure and the stepper motion control board that move the head across the machin bed, from a usability and safety point of view, this is not desirable. Still, many of the cheap laser cutters one can purchase online, however, ...