--- title: My Introduction to CNC - 3018 Desktop Router | daily.dev description: A hobbyist sets up a Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver CNC router to cut thin polycarbonate sheets, using CNCjs as the control interface, FreeCAD for design, and... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/my-introduction-to-cnc---3018-desktop-router-h81xwklea twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: My Introduction to CNC - 3018 Desktop Router | daily.dev og:description: A hobbyist sets up a Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver CNC router to cut thin polycarbonate sheets, using CNCjs as the control interface, FreeCAD for design, and... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/my-introduction-to-cnc---3018-desktop-router-h81xwklea og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/h81xWklea.png og:image:alt: My Introduction to CNC - 3018 Desktop Router og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # My Introduction to CNC - 3018 Desktop Router **[apalrd's adventures](https://daily.dev/sources/apalrd)** · 2 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary A hobbyist sets up a Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver CNC router to cut thin polycarbonate sheets, using CNCjs as the control interface, FreeCAD for design, and grbl as the firmware. The post is the first in a series, with future plans including a 3040 size upgrade and running the machine standalone on a Dell Wyse 3040 thin client. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### What software do I need to run a Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver CNC router? The Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver uses grbl as its firmware and can be controlled via CNCjs, a browser-based CNC controller. FreeCAD is used for designing parts and generating toolpaths. The machine connects to a laptop or control computer over USB, though standalone operation using a thin client like a Dell Wyse 3040 is also possible. _Makers setting up their first CNC router track software choices and workflow tips on daily.dev._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [A desktop CNC router with 710W spindle tested with UGS and Easel software](https://daily.dev/posts/a-desktop-cnc-router-with-710w-spindle-tested-with-ugs-and-easel-software-mrlo19lj3) · CNX Software · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Smart milling, 4-axis module, and 5W laser engraving](https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee) · CNX Software · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Tips To Model Your Next CNC Cabinet In CAD Before Buying Anything](https://daily.dev/posts/tips-to-model-your-next-cnc-cabinet-in-cad-before-buying-anything-sndh8m1bs) · Hackaday · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/my-introduction-to-cnc---3018-desktop-router-h81xwklea) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"My Introduction to CNC - 3018 Desktop Router","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/my-introduction-to-cnc---3018-desktop-router-h81xwklea","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/my-introduction-to-cnc---3018-desktop-router-h81xwklea"},"datePublished":"2026-08-11T08:54:04.384Z","dateModified":"2026-08-11T09:23:48.321Z","description":"A hobbyist sets up a Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver CNC router to cut thin polycarbonate sheets, using CNCjs as the control interface, FreeCAD for design, and...","image":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/posts/997ddcd473855143734392a9276a63ff?_a=AQAEuop","thumbnailUrl":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/posts/997ddcd473855143734392a9276a63ff?_a=AQAEuop","isAccessibleForFree":true,"articleSection":"apalrd's adventures","inLanguage":"en","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180}},"author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"apalrd's adventures","logo":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--4zkx8dRj--/f_auto,q_auto/v1786438309/logos/apalrd?_a=BAMAMicg0","url":"https://daily.dev/sources/apalrd"},"commentCount":0,"discussionUrl":"https://daily.dev/posts/my-introduction-to-cnc---3018-desktop-router-h81xwklea","interactionStatistic":[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":0},{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"CommentAction"},"userInteractionCount":0}],"keywords":"","timeRequired":"PT2M"} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://daily.dev"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"apalrd's adventures","item":"https://daily.dev/sources/apalrd"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"My Introduction to CNC - 3018 Desktop Router"}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/my-introduction-to-cnc---3018-desktop-router-h81xwklea#faq","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What software do I need to run a Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver CNC router?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 PROver uses grbl as its firmware and can be controlled via CNCjs, a browser-based CNC controller. 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