Free CAM: cam.py

[FritzX]

Hi,

hobbyists, who don't want to spend money on CAM software may try cam.py

cam.py is developed and copyrighted by Prof. Neil Gershenfeld from the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), but free for, quote, "experimental and personal use".

cam.py generates G-Code from *.svg, *.dxf, *.cmp,*.sol,*.plc,*.sts,*.stc,*.gtl (Gerber) und *.jpg files.

cam.py runs best on the Linux OS, but it should run on MS-Windows with Python installed also...

Regards,
Fritz

[Ed_R]

No Python, Sorry.

[FritzX]

No Python ?

You can download it for free from python.org, it's free software released under the General Public License

Regards,
Fritz

[Ed_R]

Man, I've loaded my poor machine down woth so much crapola over the last couple days it's not funny. What's Python DO anyway? IA Linux Emulator?

[FritzX]

No !

Python is something like Java from SUN, but it's free...

It's not only running on Linux or MS-Windows, but on nearly all known hardware platforms...

[wholepair]

I had looked at this a while ago and decided that it wasn't a good fit for my needs. I like that it is free, and I think the fablab people are doing some pretty cool s#$%. As far as cam.py goes, the user interface seemed difficult to navigate(for me), and there isn't allot of documentation available for it.

There isn't anything that it can do that I can already do with other tools. There are other posts at CNCzone about free python code for making nc code.

Like this one:
Image (Greyscale) to GCODE

[rippersoft]

FritzX,

Thanks for posting about cam.py. I am always on the hunt for new/free/better software and Python is OK to use.

RipperSoftware.

[j m]

Not very used to python

When I try and run the program I get

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Python24\cam.py", line 45, in -toplevel-
import sys, Image, ImageDraw
ImportError: No module named Image

This is from just copying and pasting then in the [ idle python (GUI ) ] then RUN / RUN MODULE

Any help greatly appreciated
james

[wholepair]

I vaguely remember having to figure this out myself when I was playing with cam.py - It sounds like something you would run into when doing an include in a C program. Maybe I can recall what I did if I talk my way through it again...

Apparently the line "import sys, Image, ImageDraw" is throwing an error when it can't find the "Image" module.

I have an Image.py and an ImageDraw.py in this directory on my drive. C:\Python24\Lib\site-packages\PIL\

I don't think these modules come with the Python IDE you get from python.org and you need to go get them.

AHA!!!! - I remembered

What you need is the PIL -
Python Imaging Library

Author: Secret Labs AB (PythonWare)
Author_email: info@pythonware.com
Description: Python Imaging Library
Name: PIL
Url: http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil
Version: 1.1.5

Go to the above Url and get it - it installs all the necasary files for the PythonImageLibrary...
I have this "PIL-1.1.5.win32-py2.4.exe" and it must have come from that site. I don't know what OPSYS you work in. But I ran it in XP, and the error you(same one I had) went away.

If you get cam.py to do anything cool tell me how you like it.

And remember what was said earlier:
"experimental and personal use"

[j m]

Thanks jeffery
All sorted downloaded python imaging library and it runs now
Thanks james

[wholepair]

Ghosting it up again!

[FritzX]

Originally Posted by wholepair There isn't anything that it can do that I can already do with other tools. There are other posts at CNCzone about free python code for making nc code. Like this one: Image (Greyscale) to GCODE

I'm sorry, all I wanted was to give hobbyists a link to a freeware cam system...

Regards,
Fritz