Tool path simulation?

Mach3, free demo version if the code is relatively small.

"Pete C." fired this volley in news:49875436$0$25099$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.usenetmonster.com:

I think EMC2 has one built into the interface. You'd have to 'build' a simple fake machine for it to run. But that software is free, and pretty easy to understand.

LLoyd

------------ Depends which G code dialect you want, if you want a simulator, or just a line backplotter, if you need macros, etc.

for basic lathe/mill/wire/water see

also demos at If you come across any others that are free/cheap please post or email me off list.

Unka' George [George McDuffee]

------------------------------------------- He that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils: for Time is the greatest innovator: and if Time, of course, alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?

Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher, essayist, statesman. Essays, "Of Innovations" (1597-1625).

"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

You mean a simulation on the screen? EMC2 will do that, along with actually controlling a machine. But you don't need the machine control part active to do the simulation.

The price is certainly right -- free. And the license is the GPL.

The only thing which you may not like is that it runs in linux (actually, it comes packaged in linux, so you don't have to get that separately, and it is available for download as the BDI (Brain Dead Install) which you simply burn on a CD-ROM, and then stick it in an old PC of whatever speed you want where you are willing to say goodbye (or "good riddance" :-) to the Windows which was on it.

Enjoy, DoN.

"DoN. Nichols" fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@Katana.d-and-d.com:

It also comes as a "Live CD" version which will run on your present PC without installing it.

LLoyd

--You got a URL handy?

steamer fired this volley in news:4987b0d9$0$1635 $ snipped-for-privacy@news.sonic.net:

Get thee on the downloads, and download the iso image of the Live CD disk. Burn the image. You can then run it from CD (with limitations, like not being able to save back to it, etc.) or install it.

There are a number of "pre-built" pseudo-machines in there that will allow you to exercise your G-code sequences, and see the tool path develop on the control console.

LLoyd

emc2 googlegooglegoogle second hit:

There are two live versions using two different versions of Ubuntu to deal with older and newer hardware.

Wes

Or do like I do... edit the g-code to zero at the beginning and end of the run, and just turn your controller off and run it. (make sure your relative zero is set before loading the code also).

Does not require the removal of Windows. The one I downloaed partitioned and insalled next to windows, and at boot time i can select which OS to boot to. For very simple stuff I still use Mach 3.

alt.machines.cnc added to distro list for specific question:

Are any of the "money players" using EMC2/linux in their shops?

----------------------

------------- Downloaded the ISO image, burned the cd, and installed Hardy Heron. [Much better graphics than the earlier unbutu distro I was running.]

I now have some questions:

#1. My main interest at the present time is turning. I have not been able to get any of what I think are lathes to display a simulation. Any suggestions or does someone have a generic turning center file they can share.

#2. I have considerable turning cnc code [generic g text] that I developed in windows that I would like to import to EMC2. I can read the files as text in linux but can't seem to get these to import into EMC2. Any suggestions.

#3. Does EMC2 support any type of tool library?

FWIW -- I no longer have access to real cnc machines [retired] but I would like a good emulator/simulator.

Unka' George [George McDuffee]

------------------------------------------- He that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils: for Time is the greatest innovator: and if Time, of course, alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?

Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher, essayist, statesman. Essays, "Of Innovations" (1597-1625).