CNC software

Does anyone know any CNC subtractive software that works with the arduino generation 2 reprap electronics?

Thanks,
drummerboyx

Hi

I am not sure what you are looking for.

If you fitted a dremel on a reprap it would work like a CNC using the host.

G00 X10. Y10. moves head to position at top speed

G01 Z-5. F100 would move Z down 5mm at 100mm a minute drilling a hole provided you start the dremel.

G00 Z0 would move Z back out of the hole.

I suspect what you are looking for is something to generate the subtractive move G code.

In which case you are looking for a CAM package or if you have a CAD package that generates DXF you could use a DXF Gcode generator. Search google using "dxf to gcode" and you will get a lot of hits. Be warned they are unlikely to generate usable code without some work on the post processor. This is the tranlator stage that tailors the G code to the different flavours of G code. G code can vary slightly between different CNC controls with Fanuc being accepted as the de facto standard

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Regards

Ian

Thanks! I'm just looking for somthing that I can load a stl or other 3d software and then control my reprap using arduino. With that dxf to gcode software, how do I load it into the host software and use it for subtractive milling.

Thanks,
drummerboyx

OK

You are looking for a 3D CAM system. Take a look at cut 3D:- [www.vectric.com]

I don't know of any free or open source CAM software but I bet it's out there somewhere.

This will load STL files and produce G Code. To use Host hit the Load Gcode button.

Load the file produced by the CAM software (You may have to alter file the file suffix)

Check the Print on G-Code Reprap radio checkbox.

Hit the Print button.

This should work but I have not tested it.

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Regards

Ian

EMC2 is the "gold standard" for open source CAM. I would be interested in hearing if anyone has interfaced it to the Gen3 electronics... because if nobody else has, I'm going to have to do it myself.

[www.linuxcnc.org]

thanks! I'll try that out.

There's been some work on using EMC with RepRap:
..."When we have already a CNC machine and want to be able to use it as a 3D printer like RepRap, we just need to add the plastic extruder and his controller to the CNC. The 3 motor axes of the CNC will be controlled as normal by EMC2 and the same normal hardware controllers. "
[objects.reprap.org]

Then there's the separate issue of taking the DXF and slicing it, figuring out how the toolhead is going to move, which is what the CAM software does.

Hi

EMC is CNC software not CAM. It controls the axis movements from a G Code file as does the Host. It has the additional controls for cutting such as support for spindles and threading on a lathe which of course the Host software does not have.

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Regards

Ian

Ok, I guess the right question is "what CAM software can produce Gen3 electronics/5D firmware-compatible G-Code for subtractive machining"?

I have never actually used any CAM software, so I don't even know where to begin. If the answer is "most can, you just have to configure them", then that's great. I have access to PRO/Engineer here, so if it can do it, I can always just use Linux commands to copy the GCode directly to the serial port the Arduino is listening on.

You are right - the answer is "most can, you just have to configure them"

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Regards

Ian