Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Hand jive --> CPNC

ron ginger wrote:

> Let me do it by example. My friend Roland has a Lagun Mill with an
> AcuRite Mill Power control. He does 2 kinds of work- repairs and
> building parts for models from plans in magazines. Neither type of work
> comes with CAD drawings, and he has no CAD or CAM software, in fact he
> doesnt even have a computer except for the one inside the AcuRite box.
>
> I watched him mill a cylinder head for a motorcycle. The job was to mill
> around the head, an irregular shape of about 5 sides. Clamp it down on
> the table, make it flat, but no worry about location on the table. Push
> the jog buttons until the tool is over the place he wants to start. Push
> the 'learn' button so the control remembers this point- dont care what
> the coordinates are, just want to remember the point. Jog to the next
> point, and hit learn agian. Repeat 4 or 5 times until he has described
> the path he wants to cut. Push <home>, then <run> and watch the machine
> move the path. If its OK, lower the tool and push again. Job done.
>
> No dimensions, no trig, no CAM, no CAD, just a part done, a happy
> customer, and a few folding green notes in Rollies pocket. And no
> turning hand wheels. Its faster to hit the jog buttons and have the
> table move under servo power. There are handwheels on the machine, but
> he hasnt unfolded the handle on one since he got the machine.

Yup, this sounds great! I'm pretty sure this could be coded into the
Tk/TCL GUI that is the latest operator interface to EMC. Pretty much
all the information is available to the GUI as to move start and end
points, etc. It would be a VERY useful feature.

> With the right software you can design the part, and run the job faster
> than you can open a CAD package, draw the part, delvelop the tool path,
> export the Gcode, load the machine driver program, and run the part.

This is MOST definitely true. I do most of my work WITHOUT CAD,
using a bunch of small programs that rough and finish various standard
shapes. You just enter the actual measurements.

Jon