WHAT CNC SOFTWARE ARE YOU USING

Discussion on usage, viruses, problems, tips and tricks.

Moderator: hbartel

Post Reply
User avatar
o1moregil
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Midland Texas

WHAT CNC SOFTWARE ARE YOU USING

Post by o1moregil »

There is alot of software out there for cutting KCAM,CNC Pro,DeskNC, TurboCNC, Mach3, Foamworks etc. etc etc., and being close to finishing my machine I would like to know what are you guys using
thanks!
ptsullivan
Posts: 232
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2002 1:04 pm
Location: USA

Post by ptsullivan »

A lot of home built machines use GMFC.
It will do 95% of what you want to do, the other 5% is probably going to cost some real cash.
User avatar
o1moregil
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Midland Texas

Post by o1moregil »

THANKS PETE! ILL CHECK IT OUT
Tim Treneff
Posts: 105
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 12:46 am
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by Tim Treneff »

We use GMFC. It's more expensive than some of the other ones and for good reason.

If your using windows you need to be careful to find a package that can deal with interrupts like mouse movements without destroying the stepper movement. GMFC has custom drivers that do this.
User avatar
o1moregil
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Midland Texas

Post by o1moregil »

I got my cnc running a cuple days ago and I'v tried a cuple of trial versions and I'v notice that all cut the top first, is this ok? what I have read for the past few months is that an airfoil should be cut bottom first, correct?
thanks
Gil
ptsullivan
Posts: 232
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2002 1:04 pm
Location: USA

Post by ptsullivan »

For CNC you cut the top first. Template cutting usually is bottom first so that the cut foam will settle into
the shucks and "compensate" for the kerf of the hotwire. It does not really compensate, it replaces one error
with another error but it is good enough for most applications, definitely good enough for combat. Any decent
CNC cam software will modify the tool path to compensate for the kerf and GMFC does this rather well. Cutting
the top surface first leaves the work in place WRT the reference surface (the top of the table.)
There are quite a few conceptual differences between template cutting and CNC cutting. The top first vs bottom
first is just the beginning.

Post some shots of your machine.
I have built 4 different machines with a few different people and am currently building a new one for myself.
The one Terry and I built has cranked out uncountable wings/fuses for combat, slope and even sport flying.
It has been a very prolific machine. The machine I built with my brother is up in northern California and It
is now in the hands of the guy who cuts all the Battle Floyds. That machine was stable at 10 mm/Sec, we found
that the foam became the limiting factor in cut speed, in the past it was always the machine.

-Pete
User avatar
o1moregil
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Midland Texas

Post by o1moregil »

thanks for the info Pete, I will post some picture of it soon
User avatar
o1moregil
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Midland Texas

Post by o1moregil »

Image

Image
User avatar
o1moregil
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Midland Texas

Post by o1moregil »

there you go Pete, Project was around 400 bucks , I'v seen some pretty nice set ups with linier bearings and stainlees steel rods, If I were to make the towers again I will go that rout
Post Reply

Return to “Computer related issues - user supported”