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Originally Posted by P-Dog
Is this Visual Mill software just like a 3d modeler where you could output the file as a list of coordinates, and then put in the G-codes? What I am looking for is something that can take an already complete code in a text file, with G-codes, and have my computer display the graph of where the cutter would go. Im trying to input code, and get graph, not input model, and get code. Can Visual Mill do that? It sounds like it might require some special software from Haas, since it is using their G-code system, but if Visual Mill could do that then great.
If there isn't any such program for the computer, then any of you hardcore C programmer 1337 people hacker types out there wanna make me one? 
And yeah, sanddrag, they are very expensive. Mine was about 30 thousand or so. Worth every cent. |
In CAM software, you typically import a solid model (though most let you create them in-program) then layout toolpaths. There are tools to make a tool piece follow a contour on geometry, cut out a pocket, face, just about any milling operation you could want. You can then output to a NC file using a specific plug-in for your specific mill. The NC code generated will even contain the tool switch codes (if your mill has a tool changer).
Of course CAM packages are expensive, which makes sense considering industry's reliance on them. If I bought a $30k mill, I probably wouldn't mind spending 2 or $3k more on a piece of software to make that mill really useful.
Greg