Re: How to go from 2.5 D to real 3 D ??

Hi Fred, Rab and others,

So what I see is I can cut 3D with a tabletop machine, using MaxNC,
CNCpro, Master5 or something similar, as long as I do it with a lot of
little line segments.

We do plenty of arcs in XY plane (G17), and perhaps some do arcs in XZ
or YZ (G18, G19) as well. As far as I've learned, arcs must be in one
of these planes, unless line segments are used to generate an arc.

Are there controllers (and CAD programs) that can generate true arcs in
other then these defined planes? I can see how to draw an arc in CAD,
and then rotate it in an axis. I don't recall any Gcodes (NIST, RS274)
that hint at a way to revolve, or define a plane in either then the
mutually perpendicular planes. I have no idea "how they do it".

So far, my CNC needs/interests have been met by "edged" surfaces. I
anxious to experiment with "water line" cutting, and smooth contours.

Alan KM6VV