Hi,
My team has purchesed an old CNC Router that uses MACH3.
There are 2 problems I don’t know how to solve bu I think both of them are connected to the software that converts DXF files to GCode.
We currently use DXF2GCODE that I found in google…
We don’t know how to adjust the height of the material, DXF is heightless but I want to set the height by the material I put inside the table of the machine.
We don’t know how to set the diameter of the tool we are working with. There is a place to change tool in MACH3 but I don’t think it affects the motion profile.
Yarden:
I am not familiar with the DXF2GCODE software but your assumption that is where the issue resides probably correct. MAC3 is a solid CAM program but it needs something else to generate the tool paths. Those paths are directly related to the bit size and type as well as the material thickness with the speed/rate needing to be adjusted based on the bit and material.
I would invest in one of the better known software programs to generate tool paths. We use Vectric Cut2D. You can find out about them and the costs
at http://www.vectric.com/products/cut2d.html
If your work area is bigger that 24"x24" you will need the pro version.
If you want to do fancy plaques and 3d carving you will need to upgrade to VCarve.
You can download trail versions of all this but they will only output a small part of the gcode.
Use Autodesk Inventor HSM, Fusion360, or or HSMWorks for Solidworks to generate your toolpaths. These programs are free for students and schools, and light-years beyond DXF2Gcode
I would suggest you start with a .stp file rather than a .dxf file. Step files contain the full solid surface model, where the older .dxf are a wire frame model.
As part of the First CAD software licensing; the are some CAM packages available free as well. Autodesk Fusion is one option.
299 uses HSMworks with great success. 1072 is planning on using MasterCAM but we’ll see if we stick with it.
HSMWorks’ 2D options lets you select contours to cut and adjust feed depth and finishing pass size. You can store your tools in a tooling file. I didn’t have much fun with V-carve and it generated some really sub-optimal toolpaths for cutting parts out, but it can work with some effort.
Yarden, there are many CAD-to-G-Code generators out there; HSM and HSMworks are good, I use Vectric V-Carve Pro, and there are many others at prices from free to very expensive. You do get what you pay for, but above a certain point (about US$1000) the curve tends to flatten for general-purpose programs.
These programs should always compensate for the bit diameter, as well as allow you to specify speeds and feed rates, as well as define complex motion paths
You CAN also write G-Code by hand, but this can get awfully difficult for anything but the simplest of tool paths. Good to know, though, since you can then ‘touch up’ software-generated tool paths.
When I bought MACH3, I god a program called LazyCAD (also by Artsoft) that was useful for some work. They call it “Beta version” and “Use at your own risk” because it does have some bugs, and it is not supported at all. But it was free…
I completely agree with Sanddrag. HSMworks is great. We have just started using it and it works really well for our workflow since it’s integrated into SolidWorks.
I am also searching for such a code which converts simple dxf files to GCode. Please could you share this code (or a download link) with me?
Thanks in advance.
We have also switched to Fusion. Has a very nice CAM engine that is constantly being updated. The only thing it doesn’t support is nesting, but other than that it’s quite powerful.
Currently using Fusion 360 because we do both the CAD and the CAM , but have used ESTLCam in the past (+$30). Very impressed with what it can do and the creator is constantly updating and supporting his product. Very quick to reply when I had any questions or needed some help. It is capable of doing trochoidal milling. You can download a 30 day full function trial and check it out. Pretty simple but powerful program for CAM
That ESTLCam looks pretty neat. For me I think that Scorchworks python program worked perfectly. I was weary of having a CAM software that had too many bells and whistle more than what I needed. The end goal of that project was to have a functioning NC machine gantry. It was a plus that we were able to put a pen on it, and draw some stuff.
Offtopic side note: I was also able to use a MIDI2Gcode script to sort of make music with my NC machine. The twang of the aluminum frame kind of stole from the frequencies of the stepper motors.
1678 and 5458 uses Cut2D Pro 8
Cut2D is the MSPaint of CAM software, super simple, quick to pick up and run with, can’t do anything fancy with ease. Biggest plus is that it comes with a part nesting feature to get all your DXFs laid out quick and easy.
We use Estlcam. We have found it to be very student friendly. 7th grade FTC kids even took to it. Try it for free and if you like it give the dude some money. He put allot of effort into it.