v0.1.9 Controller Expansion Update
New controller families, portable machine profiles, expanded artwork support, and workflow improvements.
Beam Bench v0.1.9 is the largest public beta update yet. It expands machine support beyond GRBL, adds portable machine profiles and custom job G-code, improves controller diagnostics and the console, and broadens artwork import support.
Downloads
- macOS: universal
.dmg, Developer ID signed and notarized. - Windows: signed x64 NSIS setup
.exe. - Linux: x64
.AppImage.
Download the latest build from beambench.com.
New controller choices
- FluidNC and grblHAL over serial or TCP network connections.
- Generic GRBL-compatible mode for unidentified or rebranded GRBL-compatible firmware.
- Standard Marlin, Snapmaker 2.0, and Smoothieware over serial connections.
- Ruida RDC6442S over Ethernet/UDP with native vector and raster jobs.
- Lihuiyu M2/M3 Nano over USB for stock K40-class CH341 controllers in M2-compatible mode.
Every new controller choice is labeled Experimental. Use it normally and report any controller-specific problem through Help > Report a Bug.
Connection behavior
- The Connection screen now separates Serial, Network, and USB transports.
- Auto-detect activates a named adapter only when the controller provides matching identity evidence.
- If detection is inconclusive, Beam Bench asks you to choose a controller instead of silently falling back to GRBL.
- Exact matches and explicit choices connect without extra Experimental confirmation prompts.
- Controller identity, connection details, capabilities, and bounded protocol diagnostics are included in the normal bug-report workflow.
Machine setup and control
- Machine profiles can be exported and imported as portable
.bbprofilefiles. Imported profiles receive a new identity and stay inactive until you review them. - Machine profiles now have multiline Start G-code and End G-code editors for commands that should run around every generated job.
- The G-code console shows raw replies live, removes duplicate sent-command entries, and clears retained history when you choose Clear.
- Toolbar macros have always-visible numbered badges so multiple saved macros are easy to distinguish.
- Serial profiles and connections now offer 921600 baud for VMS LX2b controllers, with a bounded retry from 115200 when a GRBL controller is silent.
Artwork and libraries
- Art Libraries can insert PDF, EPS, PDF-compatible AI, and PostScript AI artwork from shared
.bbartfiles. - PDF and PDF-compatible AI imports preserve standard RGB, grayscale, and CMYK paint colors, reuse matching color layers, and create safe Line layers for new colors.
- Beam Bench PDF exports include the source layer colors.
CLI and release tooling
- The Local API and standalone CLI can connect to explicit Serial, Network, and supported USB controller choices, including Auto-detect flows that need a controller selection.
- Release builds now include versioned, architecture-checked standalone CLI archives with SHA-256 checksums.
Not included
Trocen, TopWisdom, and galvo controllers such as EZCAD, JCZ, or BSL remain deferred. Other Ruida models, Ruida USB, and unverified Lihuiyu variants are not silently treated as compatible with the first exact rows.
Report controller problems
Use Help > Report a Bug if a controller does not connect or a machine action behaves incorrectly. Include the machine and controller model, firmware version if known, connection type, and what happened. Reports from this release will shape narrower compatibility rows and regression fixtures.