Newbie- Software

[hacksaw44]

Hey guy's,just trying to get a grip on things here and would like to know what you guy's think about software? I have heard of Turbo Cad Pro and Mach III.Maybe there are others? Also do you just design on here then transfer to the cutting software or is this all I need? I want to build a CNC Router table and a foam cutter as well. I like the table from Joe.Any help would be great.

[matth]

At the most simple you need three pieces of software:

• CAD
• CAM
• Machine Controller

CAD to generate your design, CAM to generate toolpaths from your design (GCode) and the machine controller to use the GCode and drive the machine.

There are many many different software combos out there. I use:

Rhino (For more complex 3D designs)
Visio (For simple 2D layouts)

Sheetcam (for 2.5D toolpaths)
VCarve (for general 2D and engraving work)

Mach 3 (to drive my machine)

Understanding how all the software works and interelates was my biggest herdle when I started with CNC.

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by hacksaw44 Hey guy's,just trying to get a grip on things here and would like to know what you guy's think about software? I have heard of Turbo Cad Pro and Mach III.Maybe there are others? Also do you just design on here then transfer to the cutting software or is this all I need? I want to build a CNC Router table and a foam cutter as well. I like the table from Joe.Any help would be great.

I use via cad from punch software and really like it.
Mach 3 to control most of my machines, although Deskcnc is nice to run my router and it imports a lot of different file types in the cam portion.

I just downloaded and installed a copy of Gsimple that I found on a thread and it looks good at first glance and the price is definitly right. (read free).

The nice thing is that it is a new version and runs under Vista. Since my laptop for all of my cad,cam and testing is Vista, it is important that all of my programs are vista compatable.

I didn't care for turbocad v11 and 12. I tried the latest download V15? and wasn't impressed with it either.

Matth has outlined the basic way to go from drawing to part.

[hacksaw44]

Now I have to decide which unit to build. Looking at the joe2006 or 200? ,or the one on ebay put out by Pilot Pro.Would like to have a 4X4 table. CD is $24.99.ooks pretty good.I like the plotting pen to. I should be able to build it.Building two rocketbelts and could use it to cut parts. What do you think.What did you guys do?

[Caladin]

Hi all,

I'm new to CNC, but I'm an old visio hand from way back for whipping up charts and stuff for software documentation...

What do you do in visio fro 2d work?

I can see if for fonts on boxes and lines, and maybe circuits and such... but do you really use it for pretty stuff? if so what and how? can you post an example of something?

I just not able to picture it to do something that's not text and simple lines.

I've never used it to export DXFs so i mgiht be totally missing something obvious... so please enlighten me, I'd love to use my old skills in my new hobby.

Thanks,

Eric-

[jdell42]

Deciding what software you need depends largely on what you want to design and cut. I have Solidworks and sheetcam but quickly found VCarve meets 90% of my needs quicker. Solidworks is now only used to design assemblies and mating complex parts.