Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Producing G code from a scan

I think I got it. From Corel Draw, go to the plotter in HPGL
From Corel Draw, go to the router thru dxf to g code
and then to step and direction to the stepper driver. I feel
like maybe I need to identify where the computer, software, firmware?
router are in the process.
I draw something with Corel Draw on the computer. Then I can print it
on the plotter with the HPGL driver software. The plotter has
everything inside to get the pen going.
If I want to engrave the same design in plastic on the router. I have to
convert the vector description in Corel Draw to dxf (corel draw does
this?). Now I am lost, I have a dxf file in the computer. a big hole?
and then I have a driver board that has a step and direction input
to move the router and a power supply to run the stepping motors.
On my MaxNC which I am not very good with but it does run the demo
program quite well. I just come off a parallel port to the driver board.
and the 4th axis which I have just about finished runs off the other
parallel port, I hope with the software supplied with the driver board.
from MaxN I have an old computer on the MAXNC. It is a selfcontained
desktop cnc controlled milling machine.
A newer computer has the HP plotter hooked to it. The router will go
on to this.
In the mean time the manual shop is functioning, thank goodness.

bob mcknight

PS Does anybody know of any metalworking clubs in the Phoenix AZ
area???


--- 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.





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