Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] SuperCam & PCB Trace Milling Software

Dennis,



Dennis Bohlke wrote:

>
> > 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.

Check out the PIC's, they will surprise you! VERY compact for small
applications that need a bit of code, a bit of memory, I/O and even
A/D's!

>
> 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.

Yeah, a good wrap with 1 and 1/2 turns of insulated wire, and 10 or so
turns of bare WW wire will give you close to 40 "welds". Better then
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?

http://www.cl.ais.net/farcir/

Only thing I don't like is that you can't order via email or website.
Projects are mostly from HAM magazines. Good man to do business with,
stands behind his boards. Boards ARE 1 or 2 sided, NO Thru-hole
plating, 'tho. Low cost. "Fred", as I recall.

>
> >
> > 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.

Lot less work, too! I need to see how the Width parm works in .DXF
files. So you do the "layout" of the board in AutoCad? That could work
for Vector CAD/CAM, too! Seems like it would be more work then a PC
layout package, like Eagle? Have you tried Eagle? I printed out the
118 page manual, BOY is it DEEP! Gotta know about all kinds of stuff.
I'm used to just drawing the schematic, and turning the layout over to
the "board guys". OK, I think I (or the tech's) wire wrapped all of my
designs before they went to boards, but I've only played with layout a
little. Mostly to layout the sockets for the wirewrap!

>
> >
> > 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.

Thanks, I found the pinouts, so should be no problem there.

>
> >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.

I suppose all I'd have to do is use bigger darlington's, and a similar
design. Even though the CY545's can do 4-phase, I have other hardware
that expects step/dir, or cw/ccw. A simple darlington design would
probably still be L/R, and not a chopper. Although not needed for
Sherline, the higher power of bipolar drives could be useful elsewhere.

>
> 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 don't know about killer app, but I have some parts that are greatly
simplified if they are made on a rotary table. some crankshafts come to
mind, and of course gears. I have a need for some bevel gears for a
robotic "hand". I've built a hand (end effector) before, using nylon
gears, that had to be machined and assembled with timing belt pulleys.
And cutting cams/camshaft would be a breeze. Although some of that work
CAN be done with CNC. I have some ring designs that would be great to
engrave on the rotary table.

>
> >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

Yes, it has been a while since we spoke. Took me a while to get enough
stuff together for CNC. And my plans have changed several times. Still
changing!

Movies? I'll have to look for that! What's the Visual Basic DB and ASP
for? Product? or do have several "hats"? Yes, I have a website, and it
needs a lot of attention! Always something more interesting to do!

Alan May the Swarf be with you!