INTRODUCTION

For experimenter (hobbyist) or student

Overview of topics covered in book

Examples are 3-axis but ….

DIY, retrofitted, or factory-built machines

USING A COMPUTER

The basics

Copy or cut and paste

Software use instructions

Summary

CNC CONCEPTS

Toolpath

G-code

Axes, origin, and coordinates

Toolpath vs. cutter

Which direction relative to what?

Conventional vs. climb milling

Methodology

SOFTWARE

Overview

CNC software

Bit map draw programs

Vector draw programs

CAD programs

Converters

CAM

G-code interpreters

CNC MACHINE OPERATION

Generic CNC machine and G-code interpreter

On-screen user interface

Jogging

Rapid Height

Tool library

Running G-code files

E-Stop and Limit Switches

G-CODE

G-code commands and concepts

Rapid travel at maximum feed rate = jog

Current feed rate

Modal commands

Interpolation

Absolute coordinates

Driving the tip of the tool

Creating G-code using a text editor

Firing up a G-code interpreter to execute a G-code file

G-code examples

Setting up for experiments

Rapid travel at maximum feed rate = jog

Linear interpolation

Straight

Right angle

Diagonal

Circular interpolation

Circle, larger circle in XY plane

Arc in XY plane

Add Z axis

Arc

Circle

Arc using “r” value

Toolpath

Cut and paste

Programming style

Instruction placement

Comments

More complex moves

Upper/Lower case

Use of tabs

Line numbers

G-code generated by CAM programs

Complete command set

SCANNING AN IMAGE

Creating a bit map file

CREATING DRAWINGS

Basic concepts

Pencil Sketch

Draw programs

Vector vs bit map

CorelDraw Essentials

CAD programs

AutoSketch

File formats

Machining and woodworking

Art

Sign making

Printed circuit boards

USING A BIT MAP DRAW PROGRAM

CorelDRAW Essentials

Tools

Rectangle tool

Delete – procedure

Outline tool

Fill tool

Freehand tool

Shape tool

Text tool

Zoom tool

Moving the scales – procedure

Kidney example

Adots example

USING A BIT MAP IMAGE CONVERTER PROGRAM – BIT MAP TO G-CODE

Image file to G-code for engraving

Image manipulation

How images are converted by DeskCNC

Kidney – engrave using outline image

Engraving – using DeskCNC G-code interpreter

Kidney – engrave using filled image

Kidney – contour using filled image

Contouring – using DeskCNC G-code interpreter

Kidney – pocket using filled image

Pocketing – using DeskCNC G-code interpreter

Adots examples

Adots – engrave

Adots – pocket the objects

Adots – pocket around the objects

Adots – carve

USING A CAD PROGRAM

CAD concepts

AutoSketch

Getting started with AutoSketch

Drawing size

Origin

Precision

Grid settings

Toolbar locations

All-In-One toolbar simplified

Snap modes toolbar simplified

Snap modes

Draw a straight line

How to delete an entity

Edit>Undo

Line width

Zoom tool

Moving the scales – procedure

Draw a rectangle

Draw a circle

Draw an arc

Trim options

Edge

Round (or fillet)

Bevel (or chamfer)

Trimming by defining a channel (object trim)

Offset and parallel entities

Angles – polar coordinates snap

Drawing off the grid

Picking off coordinates using the Inquire tool

Explode function

DXF file format

Examples

Link

Picking off link example coordinates

Rotor

Pulley

Routing curves

Vertex – based editing

Summary

USING A CAM PROGRAM – DXF TO G-CODE

DXF partial part drawing file to toolpaths and G-code

  using DeskCNC

DeskCNC CAM features, definitions and use rules

Definitions

Rules and guidelines

Direction

Effect of direction on pocketing a single closed

region

Compensation for contouring operations

Conventional vs. climb milling

Tool size and X Y step over selections for

pocketing operations

Pocketing out to in vs. in to out

Select>Select Single

Two different directions – same part

Combining chunks of code – apend

Rules demonstration examples

Open region such as a straight line or an arc

One closed region such as a circle

Two closed regions, one inside the other

Three closed regions inside a fourth closed region

Four closed regions – floating

Three regions “concentric”

Practical Examples

Straight line

Milling

Plasma cutting

Arc

Circle

Contour – follow line, cut outside, cut inside

Pocket

Rough only, integral number of passes

Rough plus finishing pass

Square – contour outside

Single pass

Rough plus finish pass

Circle within a square – follow the lines

Circle within a square – contour inside the circle and

   outside the square

Two directions

Circle within a square – pocket between

As is

Add finishing pass to pocket operation

Add contour pass around square to remove

corner projections

Drill four holes

Link – contour

Contour Z-step roughing vs. side of end mill

roughing.

Rotor – pocket

Pulley – cutouts

APPENDIX A – DeskCNC

DeskCNC modes

DeskCNC view controls

Art mode

Machine, Edit, and DXF modes

DeskCNC – viewing DXF file information on-screen

View – show directions

View – information tags

DeskCNC Tool Library

DeskCNC make a part procedure

DeskCNC view and edit G-code

APPENDIX B – OTHER BOOKS FROM SQUARE 1 ELECTRONICS

Easy Step’n

Future CNC Books

PIC�  Microcontroller Books

APPENDIX C – SOURCES

Sources

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Copyright 2005 Square 1 Electronics
This page last updated August 11, 2005

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