CNC Toolkit and GMax

[studysession]

OK -

I am new to a lot of this. I downloaded the CNC Toolkit and the files have a .mse extension. How do I install these?

Also since GMax is not offered as a free download anymore. Where do I download it from?

Is this GMax the same thing?
http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax

Thanks!@

[ger21]

Yes, you can get GMAX from Turbosquid. Be prepared for a VERY steep learning curve if you've never used 3D Studio Max.

[studysession]

Originally Posted by ger21 Yes, you can get GMAX from Turbosquid. Be prepared for a VERY steep learning curve if you've never used 3D Studio Max.

Thanks - How do you install the *.mse files from the CNC Tool kit?

[ger21]

Never tried CNC Toolkit. You might want to join their Yahoo group.

[studysession]

I joined the group and posted there. Just no reply yet and was HOPING someone here has used it and was familiar with it and was able to help and give advice.


Thanks

[yohudi]

Originally Posted by studysession I joined the group and posted there. Just no reply yet and was HOPING someone here has used it and was familiar with it and was able to help and give advice. Thanks

Well that's where you're in luck then... because I know at least enough about it to get you going and also where to find the best reference material re using it... I'm a member of the CNCToolkit Yahoo group as well, but IMHO it can be a bit of a slow process getting a response to questions there...

CNCToolkit is a maxscript.. the programs (3dsmax and gmax) allow a set/s of external instructions to make calls upon the 3dsmax or gmax core functions for purposes other than those originally pre-built into the software. Rainea, the author of the toolkit, has addressed the matter of deriving GCode from both lots of the software. There are some restrictions in the toolkit running under gmax, it was a freebie, so it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the 3dsmax software.

to get the toolkit working.....

First: just copy the contents of the download into your 3dsmax/scripts directory.. or your gmax/scripts directory.

Next, run 3dsmax/gmax. Look to the right of the screen and you will see a thinnish grey panel that runs the full length of the window. This is the "max" control panel area and it's here that you adjust parameters for many of the "max" functions.

Look to the top right of the control panel and you'll see some tabs. In 3dsmax one has a picture of a hammer on it.. and I think it's the same in gmax. There are only about 2 tabs in gmax so it should be really easy to spot. Click on the hammer to take you to the Utilities control panel.

On the Utilities panel you'll see a button marked "Run Script". Press it and browse your scripts directory for a file called 4.03.mse. This is the latest version of the free beta CNCToolkit software. Select the file and press "OK".

The CNCToolkit control panel should now popup in the centre of your 3dsmax/gmax screen.. da daaaaaahhhh!

To make use of the toolkit functions:

Unfortunately NOT so easy as getting it installed.. but not that hard either..

If you've not used 3ds or gmax before don't worry, it's not as hard as it might look initially. I've pretty much grown up with the 3DS/max software since it's MSDOS version 1.0 back in the 80's. It has excellent modelling features and is a lot more freeform and intuitive than many of highend packages.

Focus on spline modelling to start with. Learn how to make complex shapes in 2D before worrying about 3D. Most if not all through cutting jobs only use the 2D functions in max and also CNCToolkit. The Mach2 toolpath in the picture at the link below was generated entirely by the 2D max functions and CNCToolkit.... the link to video of the machine cutting it is also below

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...9&d=1168819886

Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoYoQwRnIKU

Let me know how you get on with running CNCToolkit. If you have any 3dsmax or gmax questions I should be able to help out there too. Definitely in the case of 3dsmax. I pretty much run it every day... gmax is not that different as far as I know..

best of luck... and STICK WITH IT.. When you get your GCode generation running this way then it's so easy it's unbelievable....

[yohudi]

Originally Posted by studysession I joined the group and posted there. Just no reply yet and was HOPING someone here has used it and was familiar with it and was able to help and give advice. Thanks

Just checking to see how you got on with CNCtoolkit.... as I've noticed there was no reply or response to the info I posted here....

don't give up on max or the toolkit.. it's a useful way to work ...

[studysession]

Sorry -
Been working on my DIY CNC Router build. Once done will be using the tool kit.

I am building a 48" x 48" 6 axis router from 8020 aluminum. Going slow but it is going. Thanks

[yohudi]

Originally Posted by studysession Sorry - Been working on my DIY CNC Router build. Once done will be using the tool kit. I am building a 48" x 48" 6 axis router from 8020 aluminum. Going slow but it is going. Thanks

Hi.. glad to hear you will be using the tool kit... it's great once you get used to this way of coding.

re your 8020 build... I'm about halfway through a similar build myself... at the functional 3 axis stage at the moment.. cut area (X)1800mm x (Y)1400mm x (Z) 200mm. see my build log at the link below. Will increase the cut area to (Z)300mm when I go to 6 axis... using the same rotary drives as rainea used on his machine... that's the machine generally under discussion at the CNC toolkit forum btw.

doing some actual work with my existing 3 axis setup to pay for the 6 axis upgrade (hopefully anyway).

build log link

Yohudi's Build log - Time to get stuck in

[studysession]

Nice looking setup.

[roboticscnc]

Hi, is there any way to convert iges, step, stl or similar files so they work in Gmax? The CNC Toolkit is the only software I can find that does 4 axis toolpaths but I can't spend time recreating drawings that are only compatible with Gmax. There are also some 3D models I would like to use but they are all .max format, which Gmax doesn't support either.
I've done an extensive search on the web for conversion programs but I can't find anything suitable.
Thanks,
Glen.

[yohudi]

Originally Posted by roboticscnc Hi, is there any way to convert iges, step, stl or similar files so they work in Gmax? The CNC Toolkit is the only software I can find that does 4 axis toolpaths but I can't spend time recreating drawings that are only compatible with Gmax. There are also some 3D models I would like to use but they are all .max format, which Gmax doesn't support either. I've done an extensive search on the web for conversion programs but I can't find anything suitable. Thanks, Glen.

Hi There,

You Can convert .STL and .MAX files to .3DS using 3D Exploration 1.5. see the link below to download it. This did used to be hosted at David H. Smiths Gmax support site... but the site no longer exists... If the link below doesn't work I do know of a couple of other places you can still find this online as part of other downloads...

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...2&d=1210930947

3D Exploration conversion is quite intelligent... if the file exceeds .3DS format limits of 64,000 faces per object it automatically and seamlessly divides the object into 64,000 face groups. These can then be reunited inside Gmax using the Editable Mesh Attach function.

As for .IGES and .STEP I'm not aware of anything that does these formats directly... but you could always look for something that will take them to .STL format.. and then apply 3D Exploration 1.5 again...

Edit:

BRL_CAD is a FREE option for the above.. it's open source and according to the documentation it will open IGES and Convert to .STL see the link below to download

http://sourceforge.net/projects/brlcad/

If you have 2D content you need to get into Gmax the best route is via .DXF.. Gmax will import .DXF files directly...

Hope this helps

Danny