What do we want?

Hello again,

I spent Wednesday at a machine tool show here in Fort Lauderdale. I talked to a lot of vendors and got demos and useful
information. I also saw some very heavy duty machines doing cuts that I thought would be impossible. After that, I like to update
my previous comments and questions about "What do we want".

In my previous initial thread I had three phases of development and software but now I think we really need just two: Machine
Control and CAD-CAM.

MACHINE CONTROL: Virtually every machine at the show uses G-codes as input to control the machine itself. There are many types of
machine controllers both custom and general purpose that are used for retrofits. In some cases they can be used by manually
cranking the hand wheels and using the display as an expensive DRO or they can be used with jog buttons or dials for manual feed.

A feature that is added to many of the machine controllers are called "Conversational programming". These are basically a prompting
mode for producing very simple tasks as a hole circle, pockets and so on. Usually, what is created in this mode can be saved and
reused. Right now, I am ignoring the motion controller hardware and issues of servos vs steppers. I am only referring to the user
interface and how it is used. An other observation was that the machine controller portion of the software is designed for limited
keyboard/mouse use and often set up for function buttons to push and then to supply the desired numerical value. No CAD & mouse
functions at all!

There is one exceptions to that all machine controllers accepts G-codes; Accurite only does "conversational programming". I see
that as a very large limitation.

Based on the above, what options for machine control do we have that will accept G-codes?

Free-Shareware: EMC and ???? (please fill in)

Commercial Low cost: .................

Commercial Expensive .................
(as you see, this is a work in progress)

CAD-CAM:
I saw several demonstrations of CAD-CAM software: Feature-CAM, Esprit, Master-CAM, Gibs-CAM. The typical cost for a 2.5 axis
system is $5,000 and for the full 3-axis surface version it is about $12,000.

All were basically set up for an office environment with a full keyboard and a mouse. They all emphasized how easy it is to create
a part and it was. There are lots of smarts in the program to help in the process. In all cases, after the part /process was done,
a simulation can be run to show the machining of the part. The programs generate G-codes which is then sent to the machine
controller on the floor.

A little more details about them. The programs internally generate a generic tool path output. That generic internal listing is
then converted to a specific flavor of G-codes that applies to the hardware motion controller by what they call a post processor.
Typically, they have hundreds of versions to choose from. (There is even an Accurite output version) Extra post processors can be
added and there is an editor included to create custom versions from scratch or to modify one that is close to the desired result.

The simulation is done on the generic internal file. That is significant to understand since if the created post processor is
defective, the end result will not match the simulation. Apparently all simulators are independent plugins mainly written by three
companies: VeriCut, NSee and Solaris. These companies also sell very extensive freestanding simulators that can include the whole
setup including tooling and clamps and so on.

One gray area that I was referring to in my previous post and that is still not clear to me. When I design a product, I do not
design a part, I design many parts working together. Very high level programs will allow all kinds of simulation (I wish I had one
and the time to learn how to use it....) but the above mentioned programs might not be able to do that. They might be more intended
to use to import a "one part" file from the "big" program and then create a tooling (G-code) output for just that part. Or if a
drawing is received, use the program to create the part in software and then machine it.

What free/shareware programs will do this?
What low-cost programs?
I have listed several of the expensive ones.


To me, it really looks like a very good splitting point:
CAD-CAM with G-code output that can be customized.
Machine Controllers that understands regular G-codes.

What are your thought and suggestions?

Bertho Boman
Vinland Corporation