Where do I begin?

[twooten]

Hi,

I work at a metal fab shop and operate the plasma burning table. I would like to learn how to draw a design in some application, convert the drawing into the appropriate g-code that I can save to a floppy, put the floppy into the machine and have it cut my design. I have a few floppies that I brought home from work to look at. The file extension on these files are .mp. The g-code seems simple enough and I'm sure I can learn to write it by hand but before I get too involved with this I want to know what you all think. Should I use some particular application for generating the code or where do I begin.

Thanks!

Tim

[Torchhead]

The key is to determine what "dialect" of g-code it understands. Most plasma tables don't get fancy with a bunch of special G-codes.

Start by downloading SheetCAM demo (www.sheetcam.com) Take a drawing in DXF format that you can get out of most drawing or CAD programs and import into SheetCAM.

If you have access to the popular graphics program CorelDraw I have free artwork in CDR format on my support forum on yahoo.

While writing g-code by hand is a handy skill set it certainly gets tedious. With modern low cost CAM programs it's a lot more fun and productive to draw/import clipart for what you want to cut, bring it into Sheetcam and define the cutpaths (with automatic lead-ins) then just hit one button and let it spit out hundreds of lines of code in the blink of an eye.

If you send Les of SheetCAM a sample program from the machine he can tell you which Post to use or even write you a special one if needed.

Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com

[twooten]

Thanks Torchhead, I have downloaded SheetCam and went through the tutorial. Looks like an awesome program. I'm saving to a floppy and will try it out in about 4 hours when I get to work.

I don't see a way for me to attach a file here so I am pasting the g-code from one of the floppies I know works on my machine.

-----------------------------
G70

G91

G00X60.000Y49.000

G41M15

F112.5

G01X0.000Y-0.500

G01X0.000Y-48.000

G01X-59.500Y0.000

G01X0.000Y48.000

G01X59.500Y0.000

G01X0.250Y0.000

M16G40

G00X-0.250Y49.313

G41M15

G01X0.000Y-0.500

G01X0.000Y-48.000

G01X-59.500Y0.000

G01X0.000Y48.000

G01X59.500Y0.000

G01X0.250Y0.000

M16G40

G00X-60.250Y190.687

M00

G00X0.000Y-288.000

M02

----------------------

I do have access to CorelDraw but how can I access your Yahoo support forum?

Thanks a million, this is gonna be fun!

Tim

[millman52]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CandCNCSupport/

Then you'll have to join.