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G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Tangential CAM program
« on: August 05, 2015, 10:52:18 AM »
I have a plotter table with tangential knife and scoring tools, which I have been trying to run via the tangential settings in Mach3, however tangential control in mach3 is apparently completely broken and the only way to get around these problems is to include the rotational commands in the G-Code. This is not a difficult thing to do, but many of the profiles I need to cut are complex and re-coding them by hand would be labor and time intensive. I am currently using CAMBam, which is important because I have to be able to load a DXF and assign individual lines to toolpaths/tools, I have looked at some other software (sheetcam for instance has settings seemingly set up for my specific situation) But they group lines from my DXF files oddly and I can't seem to get any of them to work. My CAD Software (Rules by AlphaCorr) generates a DXF with line colors to show what is a score and what is not, but this does not show up as layers or anything else in any CAM programs I have tried.
So, my question is: Does anyone know of a good CAM program that will generate the A Axis inputs for a tangential toolpath (including lifts between angle adjustments) and still allow me to assign individial lines from a single layer DXF to their own toolpaths?
Specifics on my setup: I am running a 90"x50" Alpha Merics cutter/plotter table, recently the electronics fried themselves and we replaced everything but the rails and the frame. It is going to be used to prototype folding cartons (paperboard boxes) Performing both cutting and scoring. It works well (I'm still fixing some backlash and motor tuning issues), but the goal is to be able to train someone who is not an experienced CNC programmer to use it.
This is my first post, though I hope to become a regular.
So, my question is: Does anyone know of a good CAM program that will generate the A Axis inputs for a tangential toolpath (including lifts between angle adjustments) and still allow me to assign individial lines from a single layer DXF to their own toolpaths?
Specifics on my setup: I am running a 90"x50" Alpha Merics cutter/plotter table, recently the electronics fried themselves and we replaced everything but the rails and the frame. It is going to be used to prototype folding cartons (paperboard boxes) Performing both cutting and scoring. It works well (I'm still fixing some backlash and motor tuning issues), but the goal is to be able to train someone who is not an experienced CNC programmer to use it.
This is my first post, though I hope to become a regular.