Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] SuperCam & PCB Trace Milling Software

> My goal is two sided boards, 4" x 6" or so, with PIC or 8051 processor
> projects.

The 8051 is a fantastic chip, the PIC's I know very little about.

I also have a 4-axis Cy545 design in mind (in OrCAD), that

> I'd like to be able to do. Otherwise, it's wirewrap time!

Nothing wrong with wirewrapped circuits. I have wirewrap circuits operating
for more than ten years. I found them good for pre-laying out a board. I
think
engraving a double sided board would be a registration nightmare, but do
able.
Neat thing about wirewrapping is that the wire around the post forms
microscopic welds that are even better than solder.

Small boards like

> Far Circuits routinely does would be reasonable (Yes if Far has them, I
> BUY them).

I must admit to being a programming hermit, what is Far Circuits? Do you
have a
URL with more info?

>
> DXF into Gerber, That SHOULD be available soon from ViewCompanions.
> What are you doing with the Gerbers? Sending them out?

I design my boards with AutoCad then export the a DXF file for each layer.
Then I bring the DXF files into CirCad and export them as GERBER. I then
email the gerber files to A.E.C. Boardman, http://www.aecbman.com I found
that I could get a etched PCB for less then the cost of a bare wirewrap
board.

>
> I'm still running 4-phase MAXNC Driver/motors, do you support them?

Yes, SuperCam has three different direct phase control pinouts, one of them
is
the MAXNC configuration. It also has Half and Full step modes for the TAIG
controller, which is the similar to the MAXNC mode. The URL for the
different
parallel port pin configurations is at
http://www.super-tech.com/root/supercam/scpinouts.htm
I recently added a step and direction pinout that matches the NIST EMC
pinout
for step and direction, but not the limit switch sense part. This is not
reflected in
the website but is in the Demo version of SuperCam.

>plan to upgrade to bigger motors and step/direction;

Bigger motors but why bother with step/direction, consider making just
bigger amplifier's
for the bigger motors. The MAXNC direct phase control method works on
bigger motors
just like it does on small ones. If you got the moxy to make a circuit like
you described earlier
a circuit with sixteen 5 amp switches might be a snap. Otto's method of
direct phase
phase control is about as simple and cost effective as possible.

but I just spent my

> budget on a CNC rotary table, tilting angle table, and other goodies!
> I'm REALLY anxious to get the rotary table under CNC. Are you doing
> 4-axis?

I have had a few users use SuperCam with rotary tables, but that is mostly
for artistic work.
Carving wooden banisters, engraving on round things, one even told me he
puts pictures
on stone columns I haven't seen that though. I have yet to get the burning
desire to
implement the 4th axis. Quess you could say I lack the inspiration when it
comes to that.
What killer application do you see for a 4th axis? What are you going to do
with it when
you get it working? Since SuperCam can have different step sizes for each
axis the ability
to use a rotary table is in someways already a part of SuperCam.

>I haven't seen your website for a while.

I know it's been along time since we spoke. The main website,
http://www.super-tech.com
has more than 50 mb of pictures and movies of machines, it's just not as
well organized
as I would like yet. It's like a programming project in itself. I have
been in a programming
frenzy for about 18 months and part of that was learning Visual Basic
database and ASP progamming.
There is now a web page for each command in SuperCam, the index is at
http://www.super-tech.com/root/supercam/cmmds/default.asp. There is also a
web page with
links to each pull down command.
http://www.super-tech.com/root/supercam/sc_pulldown_menus.htm

Dennis