Engraving line drawings in EdgeCAM

[Brainbanana]

Hello there-

I am new to EdgeCAM, and I am trying to figure out how to create CNC programs for engraving. I had an old outdated product called XCAM until just recently, we upgraded to Windows 7, and now it won't load XCAM. The company is out of business anyway, so the boss says get a new program. So, I have EdgeCAM 2010 R1 now, but I don't know how to use it. With my old XCAD, I would create line drawings in AutoCAD, and open them as DXF files in XCAD. Then, I would just choose engrave, and it would bring up my screen to select my parameters, etc... Then I would export it as a .NC file to a disc. Then, I would load the .NC files onto my Anilam MK3300 CNC. Then, I would convert them to conversational format, and I was good to go. Now, I am having trouble figuring out EdgeCAM. I don't have any manuals, so I'm out of luck there. I just want to take line drawings, and create CNC programs out of them. Can anyone help me? I know I'm a noob, and I apologize if I sound completely dense, but EdgeCAM is a completely different animal than the old XCAD software I had. Thanks for any tips or anything anyone has to offer.

oh yeah, and I love this emoticon

Peace
Jon

[inflateable]

Have you paid for it yet? If not, seriously, get a different cam package.
Edgecam is powerful, yet incredibly frustrating, difficult to use, unstable, poorly supported and has the worst training and help literature i've seen on any software ever.

Once you 'get' it, it's ...not bad. But why go through that pain?

If all you do is engraving, I have to recomend millwrite. Cheap, easy to use, specificly meant for engraving work and it's and rock solid.

[CAD122333]

Do the tutorials in the help menu first then contact you reseller and ask for a copy of freeware, there is a very helpful pci program that will make all your lines continuous by dragging a box with your curser and highlighting the lines that you want joined. This works much better then the continuous feature found in the drop down menu. Then when you switch the program from the design side to the manufacture side ,select the machine that you want to use ( this controls how your nc program will come out and what comands will be available for use ) then select a cutting tool (no machining operations will be available until a tool is selected , drilling operations need a drill bit selected to be available). and if all you are doing is engraving lines the slotting operation is the best choice.

[Tribor]

Hello Jon,

In the Edgecam very easy to make engraving toolpath, only you can know some step.

1. Open the dwg or dxf file
2. Setup the zero point
3. Go to Machining, and select a post-processor.
4. Select a tool
5. Use the slot milling cycle.

If you send me a mail with an example dwg to tribor@freemail.hu, I help for you, how to made the engraving toolpath with Edgecam.

Regards,

Tibi

Originally Posted by Brainbanana Hello there- I am new to EdgeCAM, and I am trying to figure out how to create CNC programs for engraving. I had an old outdated product called XCAM until just recently, we upgraded to Windows 7, and now it won't load XCAM. The company is out of business anyway, so the boss says get a new program. So, I have EdgeCAM 2010 R1 now, but I don't know how to use it. With my old XCAD, I would create line drawings in AutoCAD, and open them as DXF files in XCAD. Then, I would just choose engrave, and it would bring up my screen to select my parameters, etc... Then I would export it as a .NC file to a disc. Then, I would load the .NC files onto my Anilam MK3300 CNC. Then, I would convert them to conversational format, and I was good to go. Now, I am having trouble figuring out EdgeCAM. I don't have any manuals, so I'm out of luck there. I just want to take line drawings, and create CNC programs out of them. Can anyone help me? I know I'm a noob, and I apologize if I sound completely dense, but EdgeCAM is a completely different animal than the old XCAD software I had. Thanks for any tips or anything anyone has to offer. oh yeah, and I love this emoticon Peace Jon