Hello and happy new year to all.

I have just purchased me 1st CNC machine.

I was really excited but at first and now my head hurts.
I hope there are some experts out there who can help.

I intended to buy a small & really cheap machine to learn and then once i got used to the process of making things with the machine i would go and buy myself a proper one.

The aim is to cut 5mm thick MDF.
What i want to cut is 2mm - 5mm round circles. about 2 - 3mm deep.
Just small circles which arranged together to make shapes.
Such as stars or hearts.

What i have.

I have just downloaded a trail version of mach3 as the instructions said you will need to software.
Thats all the the instructions told me.

took me ages to learn that i need a design software and then i need another software which will convert that file to g - codes which i can then import to mach3 and export to the machine.

However i am having difficulty sending the design to the machine.
I imported the g - codes which i got from a software called sheetcam.
But i dont know the next step. HOW DO I SEND THIS DESIGN TO THE MACHINE SO IT STARTS TO CUT.

Below is a link to the machine i purchased.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRILLING-MILLING-SIMPLE-OPERATION-CNC-3020-ROUTER-ENGRAVING-MACHINE-PERFECT-l5-/181021225260?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&hash=item2a25b4b12c

If anyone has the time to help me out i would really appreciate it.
Ill offer a custom made t-shirt if anyone wants one. hehe thats my business so i dont mind.

Thank you for reading.

You will need to configure Mach3 for your machine. Please download and read the manual for Mach3.
CNC is not plug and play so there is a learning curve.

RICH

Hi Rich,
Thanks for that.

The machine did come with a few settings that needed to be changed. I made them changes.

I can now control the movement of the drill bit part.

So i can move it up down left right and forward backwards.

What i cant seem to find is a button which sends the design to the machine.

I will have a look at the design.

Regards

Hi Rich,

I was playing around with the sheet cam software and when i save as a g code file i get the following error.

Post processing...
WARNING: part circle has no active operations
Post processing completed with 1 warnings


Have you come across this before?

Vik

Vik,

Unfortunately you'll have to contact SheetCam about a proper post processor for your particular machine to work with Mach 3.

Dave

That warning implies that you did NOT apply any operations to the Part in SheetCam so there will be nothing to cut.

CNC is a 3 part process, the hard part is you have to learn all 3 at the same time to get any work done.

Cad    (drawing)
Cam   (convert drawing to Gcode)
Machine set up and control 

(;-) TP