Risto: So far, the answers to your question about generating 5-axis g-code appear to sidestep the core difficulty ---
In general, knowing the 3D geometry of a part tells you next to nothing about making the part. If the part is complex enough to require 5-axis machining, then it is likely to be complex enough to require a true CAM (computer-aided machining) program to generate usable g-code no matter what exchange file format you use to extract the part definition from your CAD program. These CAM programs depend heavily on knowing the available machining operations and the kinds of features that result from them. Most of us get away with trivial g-code generators because we are cutting trivial (from a programming perspective) 2-1/2D parts that can be aligned with the Cartesian axes of our machines and our cutting tool can only go up and down. To give a simple example of my concern, suppose I want to create a TinkerToy hub, basically a cylindrical pillbox with a thru-hole along its principal axis and eight radial blind holes equally spaced around the circumference of the cylinder. An apprentice machinist ought to be able to whip one of these out "by inspection" of a shop drawing, even if all he or she has at hand is a drill press, a vise, and a basic knowledge of layout. I could emulate the same process on a manual 4- or 5-axis milling machine (3 Cartesian axes + a rotary table + possibly a rotary head) but to automate the process I have to be able to tell my g-code generator what motions and operations are available on my machine, which are useful for creating the features of this part, and which g-code cycles are needed to execute them. Previously on this list, we have mentioned CAD/CAM program suites such as Synergy (www.webersys.com) [MS Windows and Linux] and Alibre Design/CAM (www.alibre.com) [MS Windows only] because they provide many good capabilities and because their full capabilities can be evaluated freely. To my limited knowledge, neither provides for 5-axis machining operations but your mileage may vary. A quick Google search turned up FeatureCAM (www.featurecam.com). It looks very, very good. It also looks very expensive (typical for industrial software), and apparently it uses a dongle-based license key system (gack! I swore years ago that I'd never touch a dongle again). Sorry if I'm bloviating, but with the wide readership of this list, you never know who understands the limitations and strengths of various software strategies being discussed. Good luck. Regards, Kent PS - By sheer coincidence, only last week I was at our local Borders Bookstore thumbing through a newly available book entitled "Secrets of 5-Axis Machining" by Karlo Apro and published by Industrial Press, October 2008 (ISBN13: 9780831133757, ISBN: 0831133759, BINC: 9570839). It was too expensive, about $55, for me to buy on a whim, but it contains very handsome illustrations of 5-axis processes and comes with a CD containing "avi files, high quality illustrations, and sample parts", to quote from Borders website. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SF.Net email is Sponsored by MIX09, March 18-20, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The future of the web can't happen without you. Join us at MIX09 to help pave the way to the Next Web now. Learn more and register at http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;208669438;13503038;i?http://2009.visitmix.com/ _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
