very basic cad cam software

**GEOFFREY** · 21-02-2015

I use alphacam and that uses "join", but I believe the same thing in autocad is "unite". Most other peoples DXF files that I use need to be cleaned up a bit AND JOINED to arrive at complete geometries. G.

**charlieuk** · 21-02-2015

I think im slowly figuring it out! I think I have managed to get the g code in to mach 3 however it seams that the z axis is going the wrong way ie when it should be cutting it raising up and when its not its going down towards the table? I assume there is machine setting some were that need to be changed? I cant see anything along the top at the moment but will have another look with a fresh head tomorrow. thanks

edit just realized I needed to say - depth of cut.

**Clive S** · 21-02-2015

Originally Posted by charlieuk

I think im slowly figuring it out! I think I have managed to get the g code in to mach 3 however it seams that the z axis is going the wrong way ie when it should be cutting it raising up and when its not its going down towards the table? I assume there is machine setting some were that need to be changed? I cant see anything along the top at the moment but will have another look with a fresh head tomorrow. thanks

edit just realized I needed to say - depth of cut.

Your Z home zero should be at the top and all Gcode Z moves going -ve Clive

**Clive S** · 21-02-2015

Originally Posted by GEOFFREY

I use alphacam and that uses "join", but I believe the same thing in autocad is "unite". Most other peoples DXF files that I use need to be cleaned up a bit AND JOINED to arrive at complete geometries. G.

Geoffrey (We met at the model show last year) Thanks. Join does work in autocad I don't think unite does. When I use autocad using join it appears to be able to join only one arc at a time (I must investigate further) but in Aspire you can just select all objects and join the lot at once. Clive

**EddyCurrent** · 21-02-2015

Charlie, CamBam has a 'join' feature too, also set your depth of cut to a negative value for Z to go down.
Juist tried loading the your dxf and you are correct, it's in too bad a shape for CamBam to open, you could easily have drawn those in CamBam.

**GEOFFREY** · 21-02-2015

Hi Clive, yes it was nice to put a face to a name after meeting you last year. Alphacam also allows you to put a box around a drawing to join and form a closed geometry, but if the break is too large it will not join them and lines/arcs need to be extended/trimmed before the join can be completed. That is what I meant when I said "cleaned up". I have never used Autocad, but suspect that most of these programs are basically very similar. For me tha advantage with Alphacam is that when a drawing is completed, the cutter paths can be put on in the same program and the G code is then automatically output and post processed to suit the machine. I like it nice and simple - I suppose that suits my mind!!! G.

**EddyCurrent** · 21-02-2015

Charlie, I've attached the cb file, you need to set the depth of cut, spindle speed, feed rates, etc. The biggest tool that would do all of it was 3mm diameter so that's what I used.
Also you're drawing was way out in no-man's-land, it's best to make drawings around the X0, Y0 position.

**charlieuk** · 21-02-2015

Hi guys many thanks for all the help, I used auto cad to draw it as it was what I was most familiar with and I was struggling a little with drawing in cambam. I found the problem in auto cad it was some if the chamfers are not linking up for some reason but some are ( it's the ones that go from a circle to a straight line) I have generated what I think is the correct code so will try running it in some foam first and see what it does and allso compare it against what you have given me eddy ( many thanks for that much apresiated)