G-Code Files

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rdwesley
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G-Code Files

Post by rdwesley » Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:26 pm

I am trying to use other software that creates G-Code Files (Scan2Cad), and can't seem to get the software to open a .cnc or .nc file. Anyone have any luck with any other software or file types? This program seems to work pretty well, but the GoFab Program will not recognize the file types, even though they are G-Code files.

Thanks,
Robert

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Dave
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by Dave » Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:22 pm

I just spent some time with Scan2CAD and went through some of the tutorials but couldn't get it to produce useful gcode of any kind. I'm new to it so I might be doing something wrong, but looking at the files it produced, it was adding a pierce point for every single line (literally hundreds of pierce points to cut out a simple outline). If you have a workflow you know works for plasma cutters, I can look into it more, but if you're just trying to vectorize images and export to gcode, I can show you how to do that with inkscape (which is free).

If you post the .nc file you're getting out of Scan2CAD I can look at it and see if it's doing the same thing my files were doing (hundreds of pierce points).

rdwesley
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by rdwesley » Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:18 pm

Hi Dave, I spent a lot of time with Scan2Cad thinking it would be a great program, and have attached some of the output files, all which seem to check out in a g-code viewer CNC Discriminator, but the Gofab Software will not read it for some reason. I have attached an example file I created with Scan2Cad. Had to change the name of it to attach it.. Just delete the .jpg. Any help you could do in Inkscape would also be great. I have done a few files in inkscape, but it is so many steps, and I don't really know how to edit files in there either. Thanks for your help!

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Dave
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by Dave » Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:57 pm

I didn't see the file. You can email it to me at davep@armadilloarmor.com if attaching doesn't work.

There's an inkscape tutorial from the GoFab guys here: http://gofabcnc.com/inkscape/

I always keep an .svg file around that's just a 4'x8' empty canvas with the plasma cutter and orientation points already in it and always start with that:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3ZPq0 ... sp=sharing

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Dave
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by Dave » Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:37 am

Looked at the files you sent me and they're not much better. Talked to Ryan and it looks like the issue with GoFab is the spaces between the parameters and values:

N22790 G01 X 126.12065 Y 533.79694 Z -0

should be

N22790 G01 X126.12065 Y533.79694 Z-0

This is the first program I've seen that does that. ncviewer.com doesn't like it either. It doesn't have hundreds of pierce points, but it does have way more commands than it should because it's not sending any arc commands, just line commands. Did you see that Scan2CAD costs $50 a month for the 'lite' version and $90 a month for 'pro' ? I'm kind of floored by that, it doesn't even do half what Inkscape does and Inkscape is free. Scan2CAD doesn't even seem to have 'undo.'

Sorry for the hard sell on Inkscape, but I think you'd be happier long term if you went that route instead of trying to make Scan2CAD work. If you tell me exactly what you're trying to put together I can do a quick video of how to do that in Inkscape and post it to youtube. If you're dead set on Scan2CAD, it might be awhile before it can be made to work.

Ryan Lindsey
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by Ryan Lindsey » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:40 am

I got the Go Fab App to disregard the spaces, so it can successfully read the Scan2Cad files.

However, the bigger issues I’m seeing with those 2 files are the shear quantity of commands (like Dave mentioned) and the physical dimensions. These files aren’t specifying whether the values are in Millimeters or Inches and the values are huge. So big that even in Millimeters, these “bottle openers” are about 50 Inches wide. When a file doesn’t specify whether values are in Millimeters or Inches, our software assumes the values are in Inches meaning our software is trying to process a design that’s 1,260 Inches wide! Since Scan2Cad splits standard movements in to so many “micro” movements, it makes processing a file like this very difficult.

I’m sure there are settings in Scan2Cad that can address these issues, but I’m not familiar enough with that program to know how.

Inkscape is definitely worth trying if you haven’t already. If your working with DXF files, then Fusion360 and SheetCAM are both great.

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Dave
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by Dave » Mon Oct 01, 2018 10:59 pm

I made a video of my general process when using Inkscape as well as adding pierce points and work around for some common issues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjAEUaYy6IU

Hope it helps!

rdwesley
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by rdwesley » Tue Oct 02, 2018 2:04 am

Dave,

Many thanks. That was an excellent tutorial, and I have a much better understanding of how to use inkscape now. I did subscribe to your channel, so if you have more helpful tips/tricks, please post. It was very beneficial.

GregSmith
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by GregSmith » Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:40 am

I had a similar problem while using Fusion360. I got around it by saving my drawing as a dxf file, then transferring it into sheetcam. I then use sheet cam to generate the gcode. The gofabcnc app has been reading it perfectly. I was hoping to be able to use the cam software in fusion360 for gofab, but this workaround is not much of an inconvenience. Sheetcam is free and easy to use.

contractcreativity
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Re: G-Code Files

Post by contractcreativity » Mon Nov 05, 2018 5:37 pm

Does anyone have a list of acceptable G and M commands?
I am using BobCAD, which has been working perfectly. I tried to get the table to just pierce holes in places to mark the spots. This issued a tool change command and also re specified the coordinate system. The table followed the program great until the tool change and then continued to follow the path as a dry run.
BobCAD will adapt their post processor to work with our system if we can tell them what codes it recognizes.
Help!


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