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cnc programming

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Dr_Doggy

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hey guys just wonder where i could learn to program a cnc machine??

also
i was wondering about an xy plotter or whatever, if i were to build a printer with steppers , it would be easy to do horizontal lines and plot the black dot as it goes across the line, doing each row at a time,

but i have seen printers,plotters that will do a shape and then another shape ignoring the logical function of going from top to bottom, but how would i do a code like that, and software for it?

i figure it would be similar to the way mirrors for laser shows would spin for the 3d animations
 
You could learn G code w/ on line tortorials, I use a software called "Gibbs" , much easier.
 
G&M code is universally run by cnc machines, generally consisting of position and tool comands.
Mach3 seems to be a popular software package for smaller cnc machines, it can be used with various platforms and theres plenty of info and assistance on the web for it.
 
As previously stated, CNC machines use commands called "G codes" and "M codes". You should be able to find plenty of on-line resources which describe those commands.

X-Y plotters use a language called HPGL to move the pen around on the paper, drawing lines in vector format instead of raster format like a printer does. HPGL = "Hewlett-Packard Graphic Language" You should be able to find on-line resources for HPGL as well.
 
Search Electo Tech for inpout32. That is a .DLL that lets you use the parallel port on Windows XP.
 
cool ima start learning this cnc stuff, just cos i want to know


but as for the hpgl is that a software or a driver? if i were to build my own xy plotter with steppers though , how does the hpgl relay info,, ie does it relay logical coordinates and instructions, or does it drive the stepper bridge dirrectly,

(i wasn't able to find the software)
 
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HPGL isn't software or a driver. It's the language most all plotters understand. The processor hardware receives the HPGL command from the host computer (ie. your pc), interprets it, then controls the motors to move the pen to the desired location on the plotter table.

HPGL and G-code are similar in that they are essentially a set of commands used to control the x-y motion of a machine. G-code also controls a third, vertical z-axis, where HPGL controls motion in two dimensions only: x and y.
 
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