Rhino to G-Code

[Splint]

Is anyone interested in taking on this idea as an open source project? I would suggest a collaborative effort may be the prefered way to go rather than leave it all to one person. The growing interest in the area of simultaniuos 5 axis machining at hobby level plus the many benefits of it opperating inside Rhino make this a very worth while project.
If there's anyone who might be interested regardless of scripting experience in getting involved please speak up.

Splint

[sdantonio]

If you go to the Rhino web site there are a couple of usenet newsgroups listed. There is a pluggin group. I have thrown a few questions out there and have had a few people respond by creating excellent pluggins for me at no charge. Either that, or they respond with excellent suggestions of where to start.

Steven

[Dan B]

If anyone wants to do this, I would be more then happy to explain the principles in greater detail.

For what it's worth, my simultaneous engraving is done with RhinoScript, and the drilling is accomplished with VB6.

Dan

[Splint]

Thanks Steven, and Dan, yes an expliation of the code and princaple would be a big help. I'm still learning VB so I'm not ready to tackle this on my own but I think it is an exceptionally worth while project, hopefully some more experienced people may be interested in getting involved.

Regards
Splint

[DaveW]

I am hoping to port SmartLister over to Rhino.

I cannot afford to spend the time on it without getting paid.

If someone wants to hire me for this project I believe the task can be done.

David Wishengrad
MillLister, Inc.
805-404-2142

[project5k]

ok, i read all this, and all i got was a bunch of buzzing and clicking.. now my head hurts...
but i think i got the part that answered my question.. i was trying to go from rhino to mach 3 and was getting a bunch of junk, now i know i need to go through somekinda cam software.. maby mad cam, or rhino cam or something of the sort, we'll see what i can find on the super cheap.

[sdantonio]

maby mad cam, or rhino cam or something of the sort, we'll see what i can find on the super cheap.

Rhino lists a free CAM on their site along with a whole lot of other third party addin's and plugins. It's really cheep and (both price and what it does), no roughing steps, no smoothing steps etc (if I remember right). Just one cut to final dimension. But at least it will get you started. MadCAM will run you about $650 the last time I looked and RhinoCAM (virtual Mill) is much more expensive than that.

[ger21]

ok, i read all this, and all i got was a bunch of buzzing and clicking.. now my head hurts...
but i think i got the part that answered my question.. i was trying to go from rhino to mach 3 and was getting a bunch of junk, now i know i need to go through somekinda cam software.. maby mad cam, or rhino cam or something of the sort, we'll see what i can find on the super cheap.

You CAN go straight to Mach3, or Mach3's LazyCAM, but only with a 2D drawing, just lines and arcs. If you want to do 3D, a free way is to go to www.cncportal.com and try freemill.

[pointcloud]

I just got Rhinocam plugin for my rhino. I got the 4axis module too.. Well worth the money... I will invest in the pro as I have the cash.. I have bobcad too, I like the rhinocam much better.. I also have the bobart pro X and the rhino art (they through it in with the other). Rhino art beats bobart in my book as well..

How big is your project? how many axis would need to be in the code?

I used the free stuff and IT was harder than working on saterdays for some extra green...

pc

[project5k]

650 huh... yea thats not gonna happen.. for right now i really just need full 3-d, but i know that i have desires, plans and asperations for a 4th axis.. i have some killer designs that could only be done 4th.. but thats on down the road for now... i think i'll go try the freemill and see what that does for me, and then decide if i need a second job to support my cnc habbit... all this and i dont even have a running machine yet... geesh

[pointcloud]

3-d Work will require a 4A or you will be doing a lot of work setting your machine up to get the UNDERSIDE of your 3-D work.

Have fun.

pc

[project5k]

ok, i dl'd the freemill, looks like it will handle what i want to do for now... but im getting stuck at the post processor stuff...which one do i pick, im going to be running mach 3.. and im building my own bipolar drivers...they connect directly to the parallel port...