Author Topic: PCs for CNC  (Read 3184 times)

Online Vixen

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #15 on: August 30, 2018, 04:57:34 PM »
Hello Roger

By Jove he's got it!!!!

Yes the CAD and CAM can live on the 'office' Widoze PC. The USB stick is the most convenient way to transfer the g-code file to the machine shop LinuxCNC machine. The LInux desktop (file manager etc) is very widowesque in the way it operates. The LinuxCNC is a stand alone program. You can control it by the mouse or by the keyboard. I much prefer keyboard entry.

This is my latest mill installation. I have positioned my mouse underneath the keyboard shelf and outside of the vertical panel, this keeps the majority of the chips out of the works. The vertical panel, which can be MDF or perspex or whatever you have, provides most protection and also somewhere to mount the shelves. The flat screen monitor sits on top of the small form PC. You can even see my blue USB stick. The spindle VFD inverter also sits on the (invisible) perspex mouse shelf.

Mike



It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline dieselpilot

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #16 on: August 30, 2018, 05:06:39 PM »
Is that a VMC-100 missing the turret?

Online Vixen

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #17 on: August 30, 2018, 05:16:18 PM »
Is that a VMC-100 missing the turret?

Yes it is, well spotted.

Hand-draulic tool changes are now twice ten times quicker than with the turret.

Mike
« Last Edit: August 30, 2018, 05:26:10 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Stuart

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #18 on: August 30, 2018, 05:18:37 PM »
Roger don’t forget fusion 360 cad/cam it’s free for hobbiests just need to sign up every year but you don’t loose your work if you do it in time cons it’s cloud based and needs a internet con to work . But you can go off line for a few days

As is the case there are many answers to questions

Stuart
My aim is for a accurate part with a good finish

Offline Roger B

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #19 on: August 30, 2018, 07:31:08 PM »
Thank you Mike  :)

I am being very pedantic about this as once I install the CNC kit on the mill it is disabled until CNC works. Previous day job experience has involved the 'Oh you need one of these as well, it costs XXXX and is on 6 week delivery'  :toilet_claw:
Best regards

Roger

Online Vixen

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #20 on: August 30, 2018, 07:48:20 PM »
Hello Roger

Very wise, it's better not to burn your bridges too soon.

Perhaps your best bet would be to buy a CAM program like CAMBAM or even Fusion 360 and learn how to use your CAD and CAM packages together, to create your tool paths and conversion into G-code. Wait until you have got the hang of that, before going onto the next step.

You could then instal LinuxCNC on the workshop PC and run simulated machining operations, before going onto the final step of disabling/ converting the mill.

Take it one step at a time. Master each one in turn.

Cheers

Mike
« Last Edit: August 30, 2018, 07:54:04 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline kvom

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #21 on: August 31, 2018, 12:41:04 PM »
I second using CamBam.  You get 40 executions in the free trial, and by not shutting down the program you can get a lot of mileage out of each execution.  By using Camotics (a free CNC simulator) you can machine your parts to visually verify the results.

Offline Roger B

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #22 on: August 31, 2018, 01:47:38 PM »
'Perhaps your best bet would be to buy a CAM program like CAMBAM or even Fusion 360 and learn how to use your CAD and CAM packages together, to create your tool paths and conversion into G-code'
Another thing I didn't know  :)  :) That looks to be a good way to start  :ThumbsUp:  :wine1:
Best regards

Roger

Offline kvom

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Re: PCs for CNC
« Reply #23 on: August 31, 2018, 07:37:42 PM »
One other piece of software I use is G-Wizard, a program for calculating tool feeds and speeds.  This has saved me a lot of broken tools.

 

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