Firmware
The firmware is the program installed in the machine's electronics board. It receives the commands from HotWire4X, turns the motors and heats the wire. The ones on this page are adapted to hot wire cutting. For example, their heat output can drive a separate power supply for the wire, their STOP button stops the motion and cuts the heating, and ordinary push buttons are enough. A 3D printer or milling machine firmware does not have these settings. Each board's page details what changes.
Staying up to date
This is where releases and updates appear. If you already use HotWire4X, bookmark this page: keeping to the latest version is a condition of support, because an anomaly already fixed in a published version is not revisited on earlier ones.
Previous versions are not published. If an update causes you a problem, write to
contact@hotwire4x.com before trying to go back: it is the problem that needs handling,
not the version.
Choosing the right file
On Windows there is only one possible choice.
On Mac, you need an Apple chip (M1 or newer): Macs with an Intel processor are not supported. To check: Apple menu ▸ About This Mac. “Chip: Apple M…” means Apple Silicon.
If you are unsure about your computer or your electronics board, the System requirements page answers before installation rather than after.
First launch
HotWire4X is not digitally signed: Windows and macOS therefore display a warning the first time you run the installer or the application. This is expected.
On Windows, if the message “Windows protected your PC” appears, click More info, then Run anyway. On Mac, the steps depend on your version of macOS: they are set out in the manual, in the chapter Installation, activation, first launch.
The firmware must match your board
Firmware is not an accessory: it is the program that runs inside the machine’s electronics board, and it drives the heating. Using the one meant for another board does not give degraded operation — it gives nothing at all.
Each board has its own page, covering wiring and firmware setup step by step: BTT SKR Pico · Mega 2560 + RAMPS · IPL5X.