Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] PCB routing with CNC milling machine....

Kim Lux wrote:

>I'm sick of wiring circuits by hand !
>
>I've got a circuit board layout package that will generate a Gerber or
>PostScript file. How does one get the Gerber file into GCode ?
>
>

The Gerber file IS "gcode", alias RS-274D. It is in a very specialized
style,
with suppressed leading zeros and no decimal point. The original Gerber
photoplotters used off the shelf CNC controls to move thew XY stage,
and therefore were programmed in Gcode. But, you probably want to
cut the circuit traces with a cutting tool, not draw the pattern by flashing
light onto litho film.

That takes a conversion program, there are several around.

>Has anyone produced one off PCB boards on a CNC mill ? How satisfied
>were you with the result ? I'm not talking about surface mount stuff
>here, just DIPs, T0220s, TO3s, etc. I'm just sick of point to point
>wiring !
>
>

It is a slow process. The commercial machines (LPKF, Quick Circuit) use
a 50,000 RPM spindle, and a pretty expensive carbide V-cut tool that wears
out quickly.

Somebody posted a message a while ago saying they were doing PCBs
for something crazy like $1/sq inch. You can't even get the blank
material for that little. I saved the file somwhere, but I can't find it at
the moment. If I turn it up, I will send a message.

Jon