Which Software - Curved Surfaces

[cwoodall]

I'd like to hear comments/advice on which software does a good job of creating curved surfaces that can then be converted to G-code for machining with a DIY CNC router. Specifically, guitar, mandolin, violin, front and back plates. For example, I use a board 11/16" thick, approx. 11" x 16". I know the contour of the outside (top) and inside (bottom) of the 11/16" thick piece. I know the x/y/z coordinates by transverse section measurements. I use AutoCAD 2000 all the time, but not a lot of 3-D work. Let's say money is not an obstacle, I just want a straightforward software that does the job. Again, I need to generate the drawing of the plate, and the G-code for the toolpath............any help?????

Thanks,

Curtis

[turmite]

If money were not an issue I would jump all over Mastercam! In my case......
...money is always an issue! One of the things I have done just recently is to farm out a lot of my modeling and gcode.

Mike

[dcarr]

I had a customer that was using VS3D to carve mandolin bodies.
He would first scan an existing body using the scanning feature of his router.
The scanning collected a "point cloud" of 3D coordinates.
I showed him how to triangulate the points to produce a continuous relief surface in VS3D. Then he would modify ("sculpt") the surface and generate the tool paths (G-Code). It seemed to work well (but I haven't corresponded with him for a while).

Anyway, I think VS3D could do the job.
http://www.DesignsComputed.com/vs3d

[ChrisJ]

Based on your description, Rhino3D will do a good job of modeling those surfaces.
For a CAM package to generate Gcode, you need 3D CAM. Many to choice from. Demo as many as you can.

I use OneCNC. The Professional and the Expert versions can do both, your 3D CAD and your CAM. It is a hybrid (surfaces and solids), similiar to Rhino3D, so you should be able to model what you describe above very easily.

Chris

[ynneb]

You could try here for some free beta software http://www.rainnea.com/cnc_toolkit.htm

If you read halfway down that page you will see what I mean.
I hope this helps.

[cwoodall]

Well, I pretty much knew there were quite a few choices and it appears that all the above will get me there. I hear lots of chatter from other forum posters about Rhino3D. Are there any packages that would allow the user to (and maybe I'm thinkin' way out in left field) select/specify a chunk of material to machine, say a plate of aluminum of the size I mentioned in the first post. Affix it to a "virtual" mill/router and run the g-code/toolpath to see what the end results are? That sure would be a sexy way to keep from chewing up a lot of expensive tonewood.

Thanks,

Curtis

[ger21]

Originally Posted by cwoodall Well, I pretty much knew there were quite a few choices and it appears that all the above will get me there. I hear lots of chatter from other forum posters about Rhino3D. Are there any packages that would allow the user to (and maybe I'm thinkin' way out in left field) select/specify a chunk of material to machine, say a plate of aluminum of the size I mentioned in the first post. Affix it to a "virtual" mill/router and run the g-code/toolpath to see what the end results are? That sure would be a sexy way to keep from chewing up a lot of expensive tonewood. Thanks, Curtis

Rhino is probably you're best bet for modelling. Look at RhinoCAM to create the g-code. It should do the "virtual machining" you're looking for as well.

[dcarr]

VS3D has "virtual machining" which shows you what the piece actually looks like after each pass (you can see all the tool grooves left in the surface by the cutting pass). And the grooves, for example, will have the correct shape based upon the type of bit specified (ball-end, "V", etc.).