[Chino Haynes]

Ok all of you who are running a cnc. I have had my cnc for almost 1 year now and love it.

The have the speed, direction of cuts and spindle speed at a comfortable level. I have doubts about how I am getting my countertops from autocad to cam to cnc. Right now I measure 95% of my projects and template 5% with my lt-55. Once I measure I draw the counters, drop edge, splashes, cutouts and fixture holes on AutoCad. Then I position them on my sheet location template i have on autocad. Once that is done I open up the file in my cam program (visualmill basic) and set one piece at a time. Meaning the direction (conventional or climb). ONE BY ONE. From drop edge to splashes to countertops to cutout. I do this every single time with every job. BORING. Am i doing things properly? Any examples of how anyone else is doing it or what CAM software they find easier…PLEASE let me know. Thanks

[Andy Graves]

I use AlphaCAM to do all the drawings and then I assign tool, tool path and cutting information.  The software does everything and there is no requirement to transfer information to allow the CNC to cut the file.

AutoCAD works like what you say where you have to export the file and then assign tooling instructions.

Downside to AlphaCAM is the price.  It is more expensive than the other programs.

[Seth Emery]

My employer has RouterCIM CAM software. It runs right inside of AutoCAD, so there is no need to export dxf’s/dwg’s. There is also a function in the program called “DO-IT”. This allows you to specify a tool and cutting information for different layers. It makes your everyday cut cycles automatic and saves a lot of time. You can check out the program here: http://www.komo.com/Pages/router-cim.htm. I have no clue how much it costs, but can say I’ve been pretty impressed with what it can do.

What brand of CNC do you have? Does it have a Fanuc controller?

Have a nice weekend,
Seth

[Chino Haynes]

Andy- wish I could visit and see exactly what steps you take and how long it takes. I know there is better way then the way I am doing it.

Seth- I have a ShopSabre and what exactly is Fanuc? Sorry, I am learning as I go.

[Seth Emery]

I’m no expert either. The controller is what reads the G-code and translates it into movements. It looks like yours may be proprietary to ShopSabre. KOMO uses a GE Fanuc controller. The reason that I was asking was because I wanted to see if there is a post-processor for RouterCIM that is available for your machine. Your G-code may or may not look a lot different from the G-code that I am using. Will your CAM software allow you to retrieve cutting information from a previously cut piece and/or save cut information so you don’t have to set up the parameters every time?

[Steve Lefebvre]

I draw in autocad and layout the parts on my sheets, and then put the “sheet” onto a template of my router table. This template shows every single table feature, pop up pins, bolt holes, and the grid. Close the file and start Mastercam. Open the ACAD template directly in Mastercam Router. A few clicks to set up the job parameters and then I select CONTOUR, CHAIN. Click on each part where I want the bit to start and click DONE. A screen pops up and I select the tool and change any parameters that I think I may want, like lead in and lead out and then I hit POST. At that point I can see the tool path and even do a run through on the screen. When there are times when I want to onion skin I can go to the operations screen and copy the first OP and just change the depth parameter so the second OP cuts the part all the way through. I can also change to a different tool at that time too. I don’t know about Alpha Cam but I do know that I can have a ton of tools in my library to choose from.

[Tim Jendro]

I draw everything in AutoCAD and the solid surface tops get programmed with Router-CIM and the hard surface tops get programmed with Alphacam. We have a Komo router in our solid surface shop and Router-CIM came with that. Our hard surface shop has a Northwood router and came with Alphacam and StoneVision. We are happy with both systems and even though it would be possible to program both machines in either software, we haven’t bothered to get a post for either CAM system to output to the machine in the other shop. The key for us has not been the CAM system, but the CAD system. For all of our purposes, AutoCAD is the way to go and we use CT Toolbox (an AutoCAD add on) to do the bulk of the drawings for us. We get different types of templates and AutoCAD with CT Toolbox is the most efficient way for us to create our cnc profiles and shop drawings. We get cardboard and stick templates from customers and builders that we digitize. We have had E-Template for about 6 years and still sometimes use that, and now we have 2 – LT 55 laser templaters in the field.  All things considered, our workflow from whatever form of field measure to the shop goes very smoothly.

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