I have been designing a 3-axis 2.5D mill for some time now and the software has been troubling me quite a bit. The conversion from turbocad's (v7 or v12) .dxf and sometimes .plt files formats are not accepted by mach 3 - the g-code will only will be bout 10 lines long.

Also 3d plt drawings will transfer into mach 3 only as flat drawings, this is similar to what a friend is expirenceing.

Dan

Mach3 can only convert 2D flat drawings, not 3D. If you can post a problem .dxf I'll take a look at it.

What version of Mach3? Are you using LazyCAM?

I have attached a simple text drawing, I am using v 1.83.027 mach3, and never seen lazycam.

This mach3 was given to me to try out and what's got me interested in CNC.

well I'd prefer to use the software i'd already have but maybe I can be steered towards something better here's what I have:


servo motors
turbocad - very accustomed to
would like 2.5 D milling with servo software feedback
altera fpga

You can't convert text to g-code with most .dxf converters. I don't use TurboCAD, but you can try exploding the text, or maybe they have a tool to convert text to lines or polylines. Regular text won't work.

Newer versions of Mach3 no longer have the .dxf importer you're using. They have a basic CAM program called LazyCAM. You can download and try the newest version from www.machsupport.com Mach3 is free to use for up to 1000 lines of g-code, btw.

One other thing, Mach3 can't do anything with servo feedback, other than possibly display actual position, if you modify the stock screens and add some VB script.

well, turbocad font works fine if you explode it. if you set up your feature with layers. (different depth cut for different layer) you can use lazycam as 2.5d setup pretty easily.

Mach3 is free to use for up to 1000 lines of g-code, btw.

Actually, their web site now states 500 lines of code, however, in trial runs, I am only able to do 250.

It was 1000 lines when I posted that. It's since changed to 500. You shouldn't be limited to 250 lines, though. Are you using subroutines maybe? Are you sure it's only doing 250? If it is, post the code and I'll look at it.

Thanks, but I have already deleted it. It was working kind of buggy anyway (Vista?) so I was not so pleased with it. I am getting the CAM plugin for Turbo Cad. Too bad it's only 2.5D, but it will be enough to start with.

MACH3 was doing more than 1000 lines of code with their demo files, but when I used LaxyCam, it would only export 250 lines. That was barley enough for one letter.

LazyCAM now will export only 50 lines of code, unless you pay for the license for it.

Right now, the CAM pugin for TurboCad seems ideal (I can get it for free).

I use TurboCad almost exlusivley for drawing, so it seems a logical choice.

I am using EMC2 for machine control and just got that working today. I dont have a wiring diagram for the motors, but they are working. I'm not sure if they are woring in the right direction however.............

I just hope that EMC will be able to read the gcode that TurboCAD/CAM produces.

I have enough electronics to build 2 machines; one small and one medium. I'm going to start on the small one first and I would be happy to get it to draw with a pencil.

I will then focus on the larger machine to do larger engravings and router work. I will probably need a true 3d gcode generator sometime in the future for carvings.

The main goal, and my reason for starting this project was to engrave on curved survaces (i.e. drums). I would buld the x axis as some sort of rotory table that will turn the drum as opposed to the traditional linear motion.

I'm buying the Tormach mill and I noticed I can get Turbocad Pro with the CAM plug-in for $495 with the machine. What is the difference between this and Turbocadcam 3.0 which can be bought on this site for $299?:
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/market/marketdisp.html?PartNo=

Blumpie,

I am considering getting the cam plugin for turbocad (I have until 1/31/8 to get it for $199). Have you had any luck with turbocad's cam plugin and EMC2?

Thanks,

Skip
www.ShopFileR.com

I use TurboCad/Cam (v12) with Mach3 for both my (mini/micro) lathe and mill. For the most part, I really like it. One of the best things is that the Drawing and Gcode setup are in the same file. The actual gcode is saved to a seperate file, but I don't have to convert the drawings to dxf like I do with partmaster. What I don't like about turbocad/cam are some of the paths it creates. It mills a LOT of air and on the lathe, it seems to cut curves backwards. Finding postprocessor setups for Mach3 Mill and Lathe was impossible. In the end, I just worked on them until I figured out what worked on each. Note: Turbocad/cam will not do an A axis. It only does 2.5d milling. It can not rotate a round object while it cuts. I use Partmaster for that and only that. I hate partmaster, but I needed a 4th axis.

Thanks jmdelta!

I will go ahead and order it this week. I just upgraded from Turbocad 10.2 to 14.2 so I guess I will go the whole route and save some $$$ while i am at it.

Skip
www.ShopFileR.com

As a newbie to cnc I have been looking for cad program to go alond w/ my cnc bridgeport. If any body can advise me I would appreciate it. My goal is to draw my part and have it converted to G code for the Mach 3 Mill. I was thinking of using a flash drive to hold the programs.
Vinnie

I have attached a simple text drawing, I am using v 1.83.027 mach3, and never seen lazycam.

This mach3 was given to me to try out and what's got me interested in CNC.

well I'd prefer to use the software i'd already have but maybe I can be steered towards something better here's what I have:


servo motors
turbocad - very accustomed to
would like 2.5 D milling with servo software feedback
altera fpga
i got lazy cam from cnet as free download but could not get it to work with turbo cad v15 pro got download rhino cam with cam plugin got it to work by turning t cad files into dxf a bit fiddley instead of selecting with left mouse button click with right explore and then open with rhino ps got a freebie website trial put some welding and cnc bits on it its all lower case www.smgdesign.net type in top browser at http will get you straight there best regards from the uk stugod:drowning:

i am using v 15 turning files into dxf,s and sending to rhino with rhino cam 2 plugin using in demo mode at the moment i got free prog simplycam from cnet(download.com) it,s real easy to use prog. it has a few simple images you can vectorize images edit the profiles i got the hang of it in acouple of hours. ps got a free trial website all lower case got some cool tcad stuff on cnc controler gas axe welder etc any way have a butchers www.smgdesign.net type in top browser at http will get u straight there:withstupi

jmdelta,
You state that you are using TCC with Mach3 on both your lathe and mill. Care to share your machine setup info from TCC so we have a starting place to work from? I've just started, and I keep having to hand edit the code to make it work in Mach.