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View Full Version : Hey CNC guys, I have questions!


superdave013
10-26-2005, 08:20 AM
So I have this old cnc mill with a Bandit control (1986 vintage). The thing seems to work as I can jog it around and have written some simple (very simple) programs.
I can run the crap out of a manual mill but this cnc is a new thing for me. I do have all the manuals and am making headway (slowly).
But I need some kind of CAM software. Right now I'm pretty good at drawing in 2D AutoCad. I have a bootleg of Solidworks and can get around in it but I really have not put the time into learing it well. I understand I could get some CAM add on program for the solidworks but would it work with my bootleg copy?
What I would love is some type of program that I can import my Autocad drawings into and generate the G code. But at this point I'll be intrested in just about anything I can afford.
All the programs like Mastercam and the likes are out of reach price range wise. And I only have an old knee style mill so I don't need all this 3rd, 4th and 5th axis stuff really.
So please school me up on a direction to look. Thanks!
spectras only
10-26-2005, 12:48 PM
SD , just talked to the foreman at our R&D machine shop ,and he recommends the Gibbs CAM they use with their CNC machine . He said it's the easiest to learn .We have more machines at the main shop , but those prolly are more advanced than what you need . Hope this helps .
superdave013
10-26-2005, 03:25 PM
I have heard only good things about Gibbs. Also heard it's spendy. I guess I'll have to buck up for what ever I get anyway. I just shoot them an e mail asking for a sales guy to contact me.
It does sound like it would be the quickest learning curve with my AutoCad (only) background.
DJ Sound Technique
10-26-2005, 07:07 PM
We do 3 axis cnc work with SmartCAM cnc, it is not the best but gets the job done, we have used it for 10+ years. We import AutoCAD .dxf files and code directly from that to our machine. The trick with any package is making sure the post processor that writes the g-code is set up for your machine.
http://www.smartcamcnc.com/index.asp
SummitKarl
10-26-2005, 07:39 PM
got a free one I can e-mail you, very easy!!!
PCNC it's a G-code editor, tool path display, and 4 axis controller,
knowing G-code First!!! makes the CAM stuff easy to learn
superdave013
10-26-2005, 07:55 PM
got a free one I can e-mail you, very easy!!!
PCNC it's a G-code editor, tool path display, and 4 axis controller,
knowing G-code First!!! makes the CAM stuff easy to learn
now that sounds like just the ticket I'm looking for. Please send to: sweetperformance@sbcglobal.net
thank you so much
superdave013
10-26-2005, 07:57 PM
We do 3 axis cnc work with SmartCAM cnc, it is not the best but gets the job done, we have used it for 10+ years. We import AutoCAD .dxf files and code directly from that to our machine. The trick with any package is making sure the post processor that writes the g-code is set up for your machine.
http://www.smartcamcnc.com/index.asp
lol, do you think any of them go back that far? my set up is came up just after the stone age. lol
but I hear what your sayin.
Thanks for the input.