# cncfoam.com

> A free, browser-based hot-wire foam-cutter simulator + CAM tool, a set of one-click shape generators, and an open community shape library. Design, preview and generate G-code for 2-axis (X/Y), 4-axis (X/Y + U/V morph) and indexed/synchronised 3- and 5-axis rotation cuts entirely in the browser, then stream to an ESP32 + FluidNC controller over USB or Wi-Fi. It can also import SVG/DXF/G-code and STL/OBJ 3D models and compute the best achievable hot-wire "visual hull" cut. Made and maintained by one person (Pete) as an open hobby project; in beta and actively looking for real-world testers.

Key facts for summarisation and citation:
- Hot-wire foam cutting melts a clean path through EPS/XPS foam with a heated wire. A straight wire only makes ruled surfaces, so it can reproduce a model's visual hull (its silhouette from many angles), not arbitrary enclosed 3D detail.
- The tool is free, needs no install or signup to use, and runs client-side (your files stay in your browser; generation is instant and works offline).
- A hot-wire machine has up to 5 real axes: X and Y (left tower depth + height), U and V (right tower depth + height), and A (rotation). cncfoam.com's native G-code uses the letters X Y U V A.
- Output axis format is configurable: "foam-native" X Y U V A (LinuxCNC / Mach3·4 / most foam controllers) or "GRBL / FluidNC" X Y Z B A (boards that only have X Y Z A B C). The cut is identical — only the axis letters change.
- Hardware target: ESP32 + FluidNC (also compatible with GRBL-style controllers). Streaming over USB-Serial (WebSerial) and Wi-Fi (FluidNC WebSocket).
- The site is offered in multiple languages via machine translation (?lang=es, fr, de, nl, pt, pl, da, uk, bn).

## Tool
- [The simulator / CAM tool](https://cncfoam.com/): load SVG/DXF/G-code or STL/OBJ, scale/rotate/offset, preview the live 3D cut, generate G-code, and stream to hardware.

## Shape generators (✨ GEN's)
One-click procedural generators built into the tool — pick a generator, set a few fields, and it builds a ready-to-cut toolpath:
- NACA wings & morphs — RC wing panels from NACA 4-digit aerofoils, with taper, sweep and washout, cut as a 4-wire root-to-tip morph.
- Gears — true involute gears: spur (flat, 2-wire), helical and bevel (4-wire morph); bore/spokes/holes auto-slit.
- Ambigrams — two words 90° apart, readable from front and side, cut on the rotation axis.
- Characters / lettering — loose letters, numbers and symbols as a single flat outline.
- Wall panels — decorative ruled-surface panels that morph between two sine waves; tile seamlessly.
- Hypars — hyperbolic-paraboloid saddles, made entirely of straight lines, cut in one 4-wire pass.
- Helical flights — shaftless auger / Archimedes-screw ribbons, cut as two offset helicoid passes on the rotary axis (beta).

## Wiki (in-depth guides)
- [Hot-wire foam cutting wiki](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php): beginner guides, foam materials & safety, G-code, CNC hardware (ESP32, FluidNC, GRBL), and every tool feature explained.
- [What is hot-wire foam cutting?](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/what-is-hot-wire-foam-cutting)
- [What is cncfoam.com?](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/what-is-cncfoam-com)
- [Quick start: your first cut](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/quick-start)
- [Foam materials guide (EPS, XPS, EPP)](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/foam-materials-guide)
- [Wire, temperature & feedrate](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/wire-temperature-feedrate)
- [Safety & ventilation](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/safety-and-ventilation)
- [Machine types (2, 3, 4 & 5 axis)](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/machine-types)
- [Morphing & twisting two profiles](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/morphing-two-profiles)
- [Rotation axis & indexed cuts (3/5-axis)](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/rotation-axis-indexed-cuts)
- [What is G-code?](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/what-is-g-code)
- [Multi-axis & rotary G-code (U/V/A)](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/multi-axis-g-code)
- [Axis names & your controller](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/axis-names-controller)
- [Transports: download, USB & Wi-Fi](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/transports-usb-wifi)
- [Cutting 3D models (STL & OBJ)](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/cutting-3d-models-stl-obj)
- [Ruled-surface architecture: wall panels & hypars](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/ruled-surface-architecture)
- [Screws, augers & the ruled-surface limit](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/screw-generator)
- [Controllers: FluidNC & GRBL](https://cncfoam.com/wiki.php/controllers-fluidnc-grbl)

## Community & info
- [Shape library](https://cncfoam.com/shapes.php): ready-to-cut profiles + morphs shared by users; filter by category and by 2/3/4/5-axis kinematics.
- [The ✨ GEN's shape generators explained](https://cncfoam.com/ai_help.php)
- [Help center / Q&A](https://cncfoam.com/helpdesk.php)
- [Quick Q&A](https://cncfoam.com/qa.php)
- [Hardware build (ESP32 + FluidNC)](https://cncfoam.com/hardware.php)
- [What it makes](https://cncfoam.com/uses.php)
- [About](https://cncfoam.com/about.php)
- [Help test / contribute](https://cncfoam.com/collaborate.php): the project wants testers and YouTube explainer videos.

## Full content
- [llms-full.txt](https://cncfoam.com/llms-full.txt): a single-file, self-contained reference covering the tool, generators, axes, G-code and hardware.

## Sitemap
- [Full sitemap](https://cncfoam.com/sitemap.php)