mach3 problem

[cicio]

hi can some one tell me why when i go to mach3 , file ,open dxf file ok
the the window comes up load file ,i select the dxf file then go to load g code a little window comes up saying it cannt be done9( error mach4) .
has any one had this problem
regards cicio

[ClaudioG]

Hi Cicio

I'm not an expert on Mach3 but I'm pretty sure you cannot open a dxf file directly in Mach3. You will need to open it in SheetCam (or another CAM program) and create a gcode file then load that into Mach3.

LazyCam (Mach3's free cam program) can import dxf's and then create gcode.

Try and download LazyCam here;

http://www.machsupport.com/artsoft/d.../downloads.htm

Not too sure if the latest version is compatible with your older version of Mach3.

Just remember the basic steps to CNCing;

1. Design your work in a CAD or Drawing Package
2. Use a CAM program to convert the drawing to gcode
3. Load the gcode into Mach3 and run the job

Cheers,

Claudio

[ger21]

Sounds like you're using an old version of Mach3 before LazyCAM. Newer versions no longer have the old .dxf importer. Not sure if anyone's still using that version.

[nemesis]

Originally Posted by cicio hi can some one tell me why when i go to mach3 , file ,open dxf file ok the the window comes up load file ,i select the dxf file then go to load g code a little window comes up saying it cannt be done9( error mach4) . has any one had this problem regards cicio

cicio, don't waste your time.

LazyCam is barely worth the CPU cycles it takes to run it.
When you import the dxf, you get what it decides.
If that isn't what you need, tough.
There is very little you can do about it.

Get yourself a decent CAM program.
I have trialled rhino, edgecam (and the free version freemilll) and solidworks/solidcam.

Solidworks/cam is by far the easiest and most functional IMO. Full integration - no searching for the 'right' version of DXF.
- BTW the most common problem I had is that Lazy cam needed a specific version of dxf file to import - try 2000)

As claudio says:

1. Design your work in a CAD or Drawing Package (SolidWorks)
2. Use a CAM program to convert the drawing to gcode (SolidCAM)
3. Load the gcode into Mach3 and run the job (MACH3 all the way!)