Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: TurboCad CAM???

Ballendo,
Your missing my point just a teeny bit. That's clearly because I do not
relate my ideas and thoughts too well via a keyboard (you've seen that in the
past).

See my reply to Jon E.

> >>>The after-sales support for all the non-standard G code
> flavors will kill you. It takes time to build your "library" of gcode
> flavors; and in the meantime, you are "buggy" to users whose code you
> don't yet know.<<<<

Not sure about that. Is DesKam buried in Support issues with their program ?
I d'loaded it thru the years and must say it certainly is not a bad option
for someone starting out. It handles all of the direction, tooling, offset
stuff pretty well for a measly $250. It has a G-Code editor, and 3d views for
so little money.

Tie his development to an existing drawing program and suddenly you have a
"new" Cad/Cam kid on the block. Surely you realize I am not thinking this
reaches any level a $12K program reaches. With Deskam as my example, I am
going to assume that the program is the work of just one man over a few
years. I can easily see how fast some company like TC could apply a lot more
than one man to the task of adding CAM and succeed. Not only succeed, but
considering the brute capability they have brought to the market at the $99
level, the Cam aspect will likely be affordable.

Look too, at the capability being offered by STLWork, MillWizard and
DeskProto for under $300 !! Heck, some under $200 !!! Are they buried with
support issues ? Can't be. Or the price would be TONS higher. Why ?

I think an awful lot of the "unknowns" in the super secret Cad/Cam market of
5 years ago are now known by programmer types that now look for programs to
"make". they are now applying what they learned in school. I do not know much
about programming but clearly, the software applications that assist in that
regard have become far more intuative making more and more possible.

So, Sure, there are these "G-Code variations", but even that slowly
disappears as more machines are retrofitted with newer controls. Looks like
these under $300 programs are able to create code to run quite a variety of
machinery. On the budget side of controls, Especially this new "bursting at
the seams" PC Control market, I doubt I would find all that much variation
between Ah-ha, FlashCut, Master5, Etc. At least not enough to keep me from
running a file !
Clearly, anyone you may know who is thinking of creating their own G-Code
Controller would be shooting for the most common and useful output capability
in order to "hit" more machines.

> Lastly, the "translation" you speak to in your post forgets a few
> things; some of which you mentioned about hpgl earlier. A part
> outline is NOT a toolpath, by a long shot!!! Cutter width, tip
> geometry, feeds/speeds, cut direction, etc.,etc.

Hopefully you may understand just "What" I am getting at in regards my
viewpoint of "that Translation". Remember The Cad/Cam programs where you
"draw" your offsets ?? Lots of the hobbiest fellows are STILL wrestling with
such issues. Eventually they will get tired of it.

I am just reflecting on how much nicer things would have been if I could have
used a g-code equivalent of the hpgl techniques, right out of an existing
program under the "cut color" - "cut selected only" options.

Not much can convince me it would be a real difficult issue to add to a
program like AutoSketch, Corel Draw, or Drawing Board. I don't see why it
can't be done with a generic "Print" driver either. (keep in mind..... I am
speaking of the RAW XY locations logged in text) Adding all the extra Feeds,
M's etc. is the easy part in a decent visual G-code editor. NOT so easy in
hpgl.

Nowdays, I think it is super foolish to wrestle with anything but a program
MADE for doing the job. Of course back then PTC, SurfCam, TurboCNC and the
like were NOT giving away their stuff, and VectorCam, Dolphin and Deskam did
not exist or were available at an affordable level. See how things have
changed ??


Chris L

>
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Ballendo
>
> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Chris L <datac@l...> wrote:
> > What I really want to know is, if it really is so hard to add CAM
> > possibilities to a CAD program, especially if it is just 2-1/2d.
> >
> > In my feable mind, I clearly see, and have seen hpgl output work
> for years
> > across MANY programs. hpgl output is nothing other than X,Y
> locations with PU/<snip>
>
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