Noob Cad Question with Pics

[Cartierusm]

Howdy, I think I've got the process correct. Design a part in CAD then load that file (which file I don't know stl, dx?, NC??) into a CAM program to set start points, cut parameters, IPM, etc... Then load that file into Mach 3 to actually control the CNC Router.

OK if that part is correct then the question I have is about CAD. I'm totally confused with designing a part in CAD. I have tons of experience in graphic design and find designing in Photoshop, Illutrator, Quark, InDesign etc... easy as pie, but when I open a CAD program (currently I have BobCAD & VisualMill) it seems like drawing parts with dimensions is not so straight forward, seems very archaic compared to illustrator. So I figure it's gotta be something I'm doing, because every time someone asks a question in a forum and a senior member answer he all ready drew up a 3D rendering, which leads me to believe it's probably a lot easies than I think.

So where do I start, is there a tutorial about using CAD to design parts for CNC router? I've looked everywhere but seems to find only seriously technical articles.

Pictured is the CNC router I just finished and the final bearing arrived this morning.

[The Man]

There are training videos that came with bobcad version 21....Thats how i
learned.All cad is similar it just hard to work the cam side with the cad drawing.Book,and cd is the only way to learn.

[ltmquik]

Originally Posted by Cartierusm Howdy, I think I've got the process correct. Design a part in CAD then load that file (which file I don't know stl, dx?, NC??) into a CAM program to set start points, cut parameters, IPM, etc... Then load that file into Mach 3 to actually control the CNC Router. OK if that part is correct then the question I have is about CAD. I'm totally confused with designing a part in CAD. I have tons of experience in graphic design and find designing in Photoshop, Illutrator, Quark, InDesign etc... easy as pie, but when I open a CAD program (currently I have BobCAD & VisualMill) it seems like drawing parts with dimensions is not so straight forward, seems very archaic compared to illustrator. So I figure it's gotta be something I'm doing, because every time someone asks a question in a forum and a senior member answer he all ready drew up a 3D rendering, which leads me to believe it's probably a lot easies than I think. So where do I start, is there a tutorial about using CAD to design parts for CNC router? I've looked everywhere but seems to find only seriously technical articles. Pictured is the CNC router I just finished and the final bearing arrived this morning.

The keg of beer or ? is a good start! LOL

[Cartierusm]

LOL...that's just my wine fermentation tank. All though inside I do have a custom built kegerator with 4 beers on tap....yummmm. Right now I have a hefeweizen, a porter and a scotch ale (8%).

[3D Robotica]

Originally Posted by Cartierusm Howdy, I think I've got the process correct. Design a part in CAD then load that file (which file I don't know stl, dx?, NC??) into a CAM program to set start points, cut parameters, IPM, etc... Then load that file into Mach 3 to actually control the CNC Router. OK if that part is correct then the question I have is about CAD. I'm totally confused with designing a part in CAD. I have tons of experience in graphic design and find designing in Photoshop, Illutrator, Quark, InDesign etc... easy as pie, but when I open a CAD program (currently I have BobCAD & VisualMill) it seems like drawing parts with dimensions is not so straight forward, seems very archaic compared to illustrator. So I figure it's gotta be something I'm doing, because every time someone asks a question in a forum and a senior member answer he all ready drew up a 3D rendering, which leads me to believe it's probably a lot easies than I think. So where do I start, is there a tutorial about using CAD to design parts for CNC router? I've looked everywhere but seems to find only seriously technical articles. Pictured is the CNC router I just finished and the final bearing arrived this morning.

Welcome to the madness. As a 10+ graphic designer myself I find it's just easier to design in Illustrator (if it's 2.5D, of course), exporting as DWG, and importing into my CAM software (VisualMill). Your accuracy is not going to get hurt. Use CAM software for CAM ops, I say.
For 3D I'm having a blast using Google's SketchUp , I can use ProEngineer, and, if I had it, Autodesk Inventor (my fav). But SketchUp is just more fun and kiss easy.

[Splint]

Originally Posted by Cartierusm Howdy, I think I've got the process correct. Design a part in CAD then load that file (which file I don't know stl, dx?, NC??) into a CAM program to set start points, cut parameters, IPM, etc... Then load that file into Mach 3 to actually control the CNC Router.

STL is stereolithograph file, a 3d shape made from a a series of points with lines meeting at the points to form a bunch of triangles, an stl file is usually the end result of digitising an object to create a cad file.

DXF is a generic Autocad file type (cad).

There are many other cad file types. IGS or IGES and STP or STEP are generic types which are compatible with most cad and cam programs. There are others such as MCX MC9 (Mastercam), DWG DXF (Autocad), X_T X_B (parasolid files), PRT ASM (ProE), 3DM (Rhino), SLDPRT (Solidworks), the list goes on and on.

NC is a G-Code file, which is the instructions for Mach 3 or other machine controller.

The CAM program is Computer Aided Machining or Computer Aided Manufacturing, it is used to create the NC file which is the toolpaths, speeds and feeds, tool change etc.

Originally Posted by Cartierusm OK if that part is correct then the question I have is about CAD. I'm totally confused with designing a part in CAD. I have tons of experience in graphic design and find designing in Photoshop, Illutrator, Quark, InDesign etc... easy as pie, but when I open a CAD program (currently I have BobCAD & VisualMill) it seems like drawing parts with dimensions is not so straight forward, seems very archaic compared to illustrator.

The issue here is that you come from a graphic arts background where you make pictures look like they are 3D by shading, stretching etc. With CAD you are making drawings which actually ARE 3D so you MUST have dimensions. I have a friend who is a graphic artist who is learning Rhino at the moment and it took him a while to get use to the idea of making something that is 3D rather than something that looks 3D. He's moving along pretty well with it now.

Originally Posted by Cartierusm So where do I start, is there a tutorial about using CAD to design parts for CNC router? I've looked everywhere but seems to find only seriously technical articles.

Generally speaking the tutorials which come with the software should be enough to get you going.

Hope this helps
Splint

[Cartierusm]

Thanks for all the responses.

3D Robotica, how do I export from illustrator and are there any special things I need to do in illustrator or in visialmill when importing. I tried importing a file from illustrator into bobcad and it said the object was HUGE.

[3D Robotica]

Originally Posted by Cartierusm Thanks for all the responses. 3D Robotica, how do I export from illustrator and are there any special things I need to do in illustrator or in visialmill when importing. I tried importing a file from illustrator into bobcad and it said the object was HUGE.

From Illustrator to VM:
First I paint everything white, no strokes. This is very important (why this makes a difference is beyond me. I can guess why, but it doesn't matter, it's what works).
I select everything I want to export, go File/Export..., choose file type DWG (AutoCAD), check on "Selected Only" (also very important), hit OK.
Of course, all this will get you is flat outlines to import into VM. Yes they do import obscenely large. Don't know why. Haven't used BobCAD, but it should be a similar process.