3D tool path!!!!!????

[ombosko]

HI EVERYONE.

WHAT A GREAT PLACE FOR SMALL PEOPLE LIKE ME

THIS IS MY FIRST LETTER. CAN ANYONE HELP TO SOLVE A MYSTERY ABOUT THINGS ON THIS LINK.

http://sjet.wordpress.com/2008/07/08...ce-milling_02/



HOW TO GET 3D SINGLE CURVE (or 100 of them ...they are called ISO curve) IN TO DeskCNC or Mach3 (to have 3d tool path!!!!! OR HOW TO TELL MACHINE TO FOLLOW SEPARATE LINES LIKE ON THIS LINK.
(hope it is posibile on 3 axis machines)
MANY THANKS

Ombosko

[yohudi]

Hi there,

the gmax/CNC_Toolkit combination will excel at this task..

There has recently been a Creative Toolpath Control conference at MIT where use of gmax and CNC_Toolkit to these ends was one of the main topics. Rab Gordon the toolkit author flew-out from Scotland to attend.

Suggest you visit the link below.. and the website in my sig....

http://www.cnc-toolkit.com/gallery.html

There are some pictures on the webpage above that show results of this type of toolpathing on some superb metal goods.

How does it work ?

Fairly easily actually... gmax has probably the best spline or path maniplulation tools and controls you can imagine... there are infinite ways to quickly and simply shape and replicate a spline or groups of splines in 3D space.

CNC_Toolkit will gcode a spline of ANY shape for up to 5 axis cutting inside gmax. The reulting code will load straight in to Mach control software. CamBam will also gcode a 3D toolpath of this type, but you would need to desigh the path shape(s) in another CAD type app and then import as .DXF to CamBam. The gmax/CNC_Toolkit option is, in my opinion, better for this task as it represents an integrated solution.

Hope this helps

Danny