Re: SOFTWARE

Woodknack,

I believe the previous posted answers misunderstood your question.
The solutions proposed by them will involve at least TWO different
S/W (that's SoftWare) products. I think you are asking for a SINGLE
program that will:

1)Draw the part.
2)Use the part geometry to create a toolpath.
3)Use the toolpath to drive the motors of your machine.

There are a few "all in one" packages. Most are expensive. I can't
think of ANY truly low cost programs that perform ALL three steps
above in ONE program. BUT,...

Lcam, by Larry Kenny of Larken is a very good "all in one" program.
Not cheap, tho. (from 3-800 bucks, depending on version)

I CAN think of LOTS of TWO program solutions, which fall into two
categories. First are the "pairs" that come from a common source
(written by the same individual or company) and are designed to work
well together.
One of these is cheap (Dancad/cam used with DanCAM OR Danplot). It is
shareware and a free download is at www.metalworking.com; shareware
section). It works well, but is "dated" to say the least. Many have
begun their "Home cnc" careers with this program, including Dan Mauch
and myself. And it is still making parts for many around the globe.
Also in this group, under the relatively "inexpensive" category,
would be DesKAM used with DeskNC (a few different "types of DeskNC
are offered by Carken).
Microkinetics offers several 2 pkg. solutions.
There are others, if you search for them.

Next up are the "two program" solutions that are NOT written by the
same person or company. Frankly, there are so many different
solutions in this category that the best advice would be to search
this groups archive where most have been discussed over the years.
(The previously posted answers to your question are of this category)

Finally, you have the "3 program" solutions: These will range in cost
from free to VERY expensive, and again are too numerous to post in
this reply. And these too have been discussed at length by this group
in past (and future) threads...

Hope this helps.

Ballendo

P.S. To give you a bit of a starting point, here are a FEW popular
choices: (the numbers 1,2,3 are references to the programs' ability
to do the steps outlined above)

NOTE: This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, or in any
particular order. BUT it WOULD BE a useful thing to HAVE such a list
available to the group?, and as comprehensive as we could make it!
Maybe with a F/$/$$/$$$/$$$$/$$$$$ (dollar signs for digits; like
income, defining 'x-digit' pricing) like restaurant listings?

(others mentioned above left off this SHORT, INCOMPLETE list)
Intellicad (1)free
Vector (1,2)
Master5 (2,3)
Ace converter (2)
Flashcut (2,3)
CncPRO (3)
AhHa artisan (2,3)
EMC (3)

> > On Tue, 08 Jan 2002 00:14:25 -0000, "woodknack" <wjdupont@h...>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >Is there any software out there that does it all? Something I

can

> > >make a part in and it will do my tool path then I can machine

it.