Re: Producing G code from a scan

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Bob McKnight"
<bobmcknight@c...> wrote:

> CorelDraw will run an HPGL (hewlett packard graphics language)
> plotter. What would it take to have the router understand HPGL?
> The plotter looks like an x y axis router with a pen for the z

axis.

> the router runs off step and direction signals for a stepper motor
> router. The HPGL would probably only be useable in the router
> for light duty work (the pen is very light duty).
>
> bob mcknight

Bob your gonna confuse the poor guy. Yes, Corel will drive a
plotter, IF you have a Windows HPGL driver for your specific plotter.
It will not plot a bitmap. Trouble is, that the generic HP driver
that used to ship with Windows stopped working in Windows 2000 and
above.

The original question was what was the easiest (most direct) way to
get from a hand drawing to g-code.

What you can do is Export from Corel in HPGL format (plt file) and
then Import that into either MACH2 directly or into a CAM program to
apply the toolpaths. For simple shape cutting a two step process can
work great. If you need to add things to your toolpath like lead-ins
then its a lot easier to do that in a true CAM piece of software.

The first engraving software I bought from Microkinetics would only
take an HPGL file. It soon was abandoned for software that let me
import from Corel in it's native vector format and convert to the
industry standard g-code to move the motors.