I think the bottom line with FreeCAD is that is working fine if you need to make one part and 3D print it. But it is not quite ready for complex machine design or making parts with subtractive machine tools (lathes and mills) But it covers maybe 90% of hobbyist use cases. This email list where (we assume) everyone has access to CNC is kind of the exception in the hobby/maker world.
If you are making a living at this, just buy a license for a top-tier product. Time is money. On Mon, Sep 21, 2020 at 10:42 PM Frank Tkalcevic < fr...@franksworkshop.com.au> wrote: > I was impressed that FreeCAD could import lots of different CAD formats. I > tried to use the CAM (Path) on an old STEP file, but I couldn't work out > how > to orient my part, and set the origin to the bottom-left top corner of the > box stock. Reading the forums, it seems that isn't possible (talk of local > coordinate systems, but no implementation). > > -----Original Message----- > From: Todd Zuercher [mailto:to...@pgrahamdunn.com] > Sent: Tuesday, 22 September 2020 4:51 AM > To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) > Subject: Re: [Emc-users] SPAM: Re: freecad, latest, starter tut? > > Generating g-code with Freecad is a bit of an arduous process. Especially > for the first time. After you've made your 3d model, you have to convert > that drawing into a part, then you have to create a Job amd set up your > tool > library, then add the tools to the Job, then configure the machine driver, > then create all of the machining tool paths (using the Path Workbench.) > Then only after you've created your tool paths, can you output g-code to a > file. (The only g-code I've made with Frecad was using version 0.18.) > > Todd Zuercher > P. Graham Dunn Inc. > 630 Henry Street > Dalton, Ohio 44618 > Phone: (330)828-2105ext. 2031 > > -----Original Message----- > From: Gene Heskett <ghesk...@shentel.net> > Sent: Sunday, September 20, 2020 11:09 AM > To: emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: SPAM: Re: [Emc-users] freecad, latest, starter tut? > > [EXTERNAL EMAIL] Be sure links are safe. > > On Sunday 20 September 2020 10:04:48 Martin Dobbins wrote: > > > freecad has an export menu that claims to do gcode, but it does not > > create the code, nor does it report any error I understand when going > > thru the motions. freecad screenshot attached. A simple torus shape, > > 50mm in diameter, 35mm tall, with a 28mm center hole. > > > > Good morning Gene, > > > > I've looked through the midden heap of my drag knife folder and I have > > been unable to locate a file with g code. This bugged me because I > > *know* I saw readable g code from that project, then i remembered how > > I had seen g-code (on screen) which is pretty much as described in > > this video: > > > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWU621P0gZk > > > > I know I expected to have human readable code at the end of this > > project (pity I didn't complete it) because I'm working on a desktop > > that is not connected to the CNC so I expected a text file at the end > > that I could edit and rename to a .ngc file to transfer to the CNC > > machine. > > > > If you can wait, I'll have a go at replicating the torus you made and > > see if I can send the g code. If that works I will (try) to tell you > > how I did it. Later today, I hope. > > > > Martin > > Not that big a hurry Martin, I don't have the motor in hand yet that I plan > on using. I have found it from other vendors so all is not lost. > This vendor I now recall burnt me several hundred dollars when I bought a > 6040 mill for my Christmas present almost 2 years ago. I had to ditch the > electronics and replace that whole box and its contents. Around $400 of an > $1200 purchase. Runs nicely now exceptfor an actual speed tally on the > water > cooled spindle which has no encoder, so its displaying the commanded speed > to the vfd. Ought to be an echo from the vfd, but I don't know how to > acquire it for linuxcnc. Cheap clone vfd. > > In the meantime I've found that freecad treated my diameters as radii, so > the posted image is too big by 2x for xy. Its a 50mm diameter pipe, 35mm > long, with a 28mm diameter bore. Makes sense, but big dummy at work. :-) > > Thank you Martin. > > Cheers, Gene Heskett > -- > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: > soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." > -Ed Howdershelt (Author) > If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable. > - Louis D. Brandeis > Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene> > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > -- Chris Albertson Redondo Beach, California _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
