Not sure if this will be a useful response, but in the interest of not
omitting an option....
I write my G code manually. This gives me the ultimate control over the
process. CAD and CAM are both very mature now, but I still prefer to
write the programs myself. This wouldn't be an option for someone doing
a lot of job shop work, with the need to input customers' CAD files or
quickly create a CAD file from a concept sketch and then quickly spit
out the G code using a CAM program, but I'm not running a job shop and I
don't do much one-off work. My methods also wouldn't work for mold
makers, but my parts are usually fairly simple 2.5D parts. I write G
code that is used for ongoing production. The same programs are run
daily. The time required to write the programs isn't much when
amortized over the life of the program.
Writing the G code is almost incidental to designing the parts. It
feels like I'm writing G code in the background as I'm designing the
various parts of a machined project. The design and development is what
takes time. I doubt I'd proceed any more quickly if the back end to the
design process was CAD/CAM instead of typing G code.
I also save the time it takes to learn new CAD and CAM software, which
is fairly significant.
I visualize the parts by previewing them in LinuxCNC as I write the G
code. The design process is very iterative and the G code runs on the
production hardware, so tight fitting parts can be optimized as the
program is written. I get a better feel for the design process when I
can tweak as I'm designing. I avoid designing an entire project only to
realize at the start of production that a part in the middle of the
design process can't be made to work and the project needs to be redesigned.
For complex or repetitive coding, I'll use one of the python scripts or
PyCam. Andy's lathe macros would be a great choice if you wanted a
conversational programming process for shop lathe work.
Writing G code is also a necessity when I make a custom production tool
that's controlled by LinuxCNC. There is no CAD or CAM that will
generate G code to pick up a part on the spindle that's serving as a
mandrel, move the spinning part across a pair of razor knife cutters to
precisely trim the rubbery parts to length, then move the part to a U
shaped fixture protrusion that is used to pull the parts off the spindle.
I use FreeCAD to design more complex 3D parts to be 3D printed. They're
working on FreeCAM, and when that's ready for prime time (or near
enough), I may use that open source tool chain to generate G code for
LinuxCNC. Until then, I'll continue to write the G code manually. I
always enjoyed RISC assembler programming for microcontrollers, for a
lot of the same reasons I prefer to write my own G code. Simple tools
for simple minds, eh?
Many people now use Fusion360. There was a very attractive introductory
deal to lure people back away from SolidWorks and similar 3D parametric
CAD programs that had been gobbling up market share. I've witnessed
these marketing driven software product cycles before. Enough people
have now switched to Fusion360 that the door is about to slam shut. It
won't be long before people are held hostage to the CAD files they
created and they can be abused and exploited. AutoDesk got me on that
one before. I'm not falling for it again, no matter how nice Fusion360
looks.
On 07/24/2018 12:17 AM, John Dammeyer wrote:
Mini Poll here if possible
I use WIN-7 and design with AlibreCAD and use MecSoft AlibreCAM to make the
G-Code. As I get closer to getting the Mill converted I could do like I have
with the CNC router and run WIN-XP and MACH3.
Or continue on the path I started with LinuxCNC.
So what OS and CAD/CAM software are users of LinuxCNC working with?
Thanks
John
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