I've been a cnc machinist since 2004 and been a user of GibbsCAM since 2005.
I've always been fascinated by threads, and have machined all kinds of wierd styles and sizes over the years.
I've seen solutions for machining the 'single point threading' way with plain tools in MasterCAM and EdgeCAM + RopeCAM is a standalone windows programs that does similar. But the all require you to draw or provide the thread numbers yourself.
Well, I was tired of looking up thread data, and finding numbers to draw the thread profile, so over the last 5 years I have developed a new plugin for GibbsCAM that enables you to easily program custom or large threads in GibbsCAM.
The plugin will use a plain lathe tool (groove insert usually) and segment the entire thread profile with several synchonized threading cuts (G32/G33)
This way, you can easily thread a large 1 or 2 TPI thread with a simple grooving tool, instead of using a full thread form insert that usually implies the risk of shatter.
Re: New GibbsCAM plugin for threading custom threads.
I'll throw out a testimony that this plugin is the cats meow. Really works nicely, put together very well and is easy to use! Definitely makes programming odd threads a breeze, use to take me days to program some of the odd threads we do and now can do it very quickly. Plugin will process the threading operations faster than my computer will render them in simulation.
Well worth the asking price, and Cato is very quick to help out if you have any issues or questions on plugin.