Hi Dave, On Fri, 2009-08-14 at 13:29 -0400, d...@umich.edu wrote: > Bert, > > I am very excited that you are working on a dxf exporter for pcb! In my > opinion, this will open a very large area of pcb fabrication to > do-it-yourself people. I am sure it will draw thousands of cnc people to > the geda tools, also. When it is working, I know everyone at cnczone.com > would like to hear about this. Also, let Phil at pminmo.com know. I am > sure he would gladly add/feature it on his > pminmo.com/millingpcbs/milledpcb.htm page. >
Thousands of users ... that would be something. I better hurry up then :-) and put some effort to it again > > I have made a start for a dxf exporter HID at: > > > > http://github.com/bert/pcb-dxf-hid/tree/master > > > > but somethings have come in between. > > > > If you would like to take development further do not hesitate to clone > > and/or send patches, you are welcome :) > > > > If you are willing to open an account on github, you and I can even > > share pull requests very easy by means of the github "fork queue" (a > > web-based tool monitoring forked of repo's). > > My programming experience extends to assembly language for avr and pic > microchips, and some basic html, so currently I can't jump in and help > with the coding. Also, a question, which will betray my ignorance: what > does 'HID' mean? Human Interface Device? > Yes, I think so, DJ Delorie choose it, don't know if it's suiting. I'm not a computer science or electronics engineer myself either. > > > > Generating a cnc file (g-codes/m-codes) without dxf would be faster in > > any case and less error prone, why not code a cnc exporter ? > > > > Or does one need an intermediate format like dxf which describes the > > positive shapes, and not the inverted (copper to remove) shapes and > > traces. > > > > Maybe inverted Gerbers are a better starting point. > > > > I think generating the dxf file would be better than generating g-code. > That way people can decide on how they will machine the pcb traces in > their own 2.5 axis cam software. They can put tool changes where they > need them, they can program tool offset, decide depth of cut, decide > what is 'island' and what is 'ocean', and any number of other functions > - all in the cam software. Then the cam software will generate the > g-code, which is specific to each person's machine and their preferred > machining process. > > Granted, these comments are based on my current understanding of the > cad-cam-nc software toolchain. I do not have a machine working yet, but > I have wired up a controller box and have x, y, and z steppers moving > using emc2 software. I am half way done building a cnc lathe and I am > modeling my cnc mill design in Rhino 3D. > > Thanks, > Dave > > > FWIW, I want to do a DIY cnc router for pcb and front panels someday ... My goal with the pcb-dxf-hid was/is to achieve some sort of 3D model in FOSS software that can read/parse DXF and do 3D presentation/modeling (Blender and brl-cad comes to mind). Anyways, I have ample spare time to do serious coding on this one, maybe things will change after this summer, who knows ? Kind regards, Bert Timmerman. _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list geda-user@moria.seul.org http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user