Conversational program

[deakin]

anybody here have a stand alone 3d conversational milling program? looking for reviews thks

 

[JimDawson]

I'm not exactly sure what you are looking for. Maybe a bit more description would be helpful. What is it you want to do?

 

[DavidR8]

I don't tend to have conversations with my CNC, more like terse standoffs
(I'll see myself out now...)

 

[PNW_Guy]

The only one I have used is the SouthwesternIndustry/ProtoTrak system, but it's deeply embedded into the controller. I've never heard of a standalone conversational CNC interface, although I'd be thrilled to find one.

I think the biggest problem is the post. Whatever program you use needs to write good post processing GCode to make it work.

 

[deakin]

I'm not exactly sure what you are looking for. Maybe a bit more description would be helpful. What is it you want to do?

not sure how else to put it. g code writer maybe? canned programs for basic operations?
stand alone as in not part of the control software that came with a particular machine
pretty sure i already have my answer which would be "no"

 

[DavidR8]

I did a google search for conversational g code and found this:

The 10 Best G-code Editors (Online & Offline) | All3DP

 

[JimDawson]

not sure how else to put it. g code writer maybe? canned programs for basic operations?
stand alone as in not part of the control software that came with a particular machine
pretty sure i already have my answer which would be "no"

I think the closest thing to what you want is a CAM program. The real problem with a generic canned cycle generator would be getting it to output compatible G code for a particular machine. While basic G code is pretty much the same across the board, most systems want the G code in a specific format or may have other special requirements for a particular machine or controller. That's why there are machine specific post processors required for every CAM program.

You might look at CamBam. http://www.cambam.info/ It's a reasonably simple 2.5D CAM program. I have it installed on my CNC mill just for quick and simple routines that I don't want to process through Fusion 360.

 

[slodat]

All of Centroid's controls have a built in conversational feature called Intercon. You can run run Intercon on any PC and run the program on the machine. There's a limit of the number of blocks in the free version of offline Intercon. I just ordered the $159 offline Intercon dongle. I really like Intercon on my CNC lathe. On my Centroid powered mill and router, I use CAD/CAM and I haven't used Intercon.

 

[deakin]

i've been looking at cnccookbook seems there is no, that i have yet found, good instructions. like most things with computers you are expected to know most stuff going in

 

[Shotgun]

Have you tried ChatGPT?


Write some g code to put 4 holes on a 5 inch circle

Certainly! Here's an example of G-code that would position the tool to drill 4 holes on a 5-inch circle using X and Y coordinates:


G90 ; Set to absolute coordinates
G21 ; Set to millimeters (or use G20 for inches)

; Define circle parameters
G00 X0 Y0 ; Move to the center of the circle
G00 Z5 ; Move to the clearance height (5 units above the workpiece)

; Drill first hole
G01 Z-5 F500 ; Move down to the drilling depth (-5 units) at a feed rate of 500 units/minute
G01 X2.5 Y0 ; Move to the first hole position on the circle (5-inch radius)
G00 Z5 ; Move back up to the clearance height

; Drill second hole
G01 Z-5 F500 ; Move down to the drilling depth (-5 units) at a feed rate of 500 units/minute
G01 X0 Y2.5 ; Move to the second hole position on the circle (5-inch radius)
G00 Z5 ; Move back up to the clearance height

; Drill third hole
G01 Z-5 F500 ; Move down to the drilling depth (-5 units) at a feed rate of 500 units/minute
G01 X-2.5 Y0 ; Move to the third hole position on the circle (5-inch radius)
G00 Z5 ; Move back up to the clearance height

; Drill fourth hole
G01 Z-5 F500 ; Move down to the drilling depth (-5 units) at a feed rate of 500 units/minute
G01 X0 Y-2.5 ; Move to the fourth hole position on the circle (5-inch radius)
G00 Z5 ; Move back up to the clearance height

G00 X0 Y0 ; Move back to the center of the circle
Please note that the actual values for feed rate (F), clearance height (Z), and hole positions (X and Y) may need to be adjusted to suit your specific machine and workpiece. Always double-check and verify the G-code program with the appropriate machine and perform a dry run or test on a scrap piece before running it on your actual workpiece.