ANYONE USING BOBCAD - CAM

[KEVIN KANHAI]

IM A NEW PERSON TO CNC PLASMA CUTTING AND LOOKING FOR SOME HELP WITHT BOBCAD CAM SOFTWARE .I BUILT A CNC PLASMA CUTTING TABLE AND I REALLY NEED HELP WITH DESIGN ,ANY ONE USING BOBCAD - CAM .I WILL LIKE TO BECOME A PAYING MEMBER TO BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD DXF FILES .DO I HAVE TO DOWN LOAD THE FILES TO BOBCAD OF TO THE MACH 3 MACHINE DRIVER ...IM LOST PLS HELP

ANY INFO OR VIDEOS WILL BE APPRECIATED
SEND TO ... uniquemetalconcept@yahoo.com

[metalman4u]

I'm using Bobcad. I've used it for over twenty years with several CNC machines. We have a love / hate relationship with Bobcad. I hate the newer versions. We use version 21 for most plasma cutting jobs now.

I don't use Mach3, but you will need a post processor for the CAM part of Bobcad to configure the G-code the way that Mach3 wants it. Someone else here or on a Mach3 forum or a Bobcad forum may be able to help you configure the post processor. If you just got the Bobcad software and have tech support from them, they should be able to provide you with the proper post processor.

In general, you download a dxf and open it in Bobcad. Then do any cleanup and tweaking to suit your needs. You might have to generate an offset cut path to compensate for half the kerf thickness (not sure how Mach3 handles offsets). Then from the cut path, Bobcad's CAM portion of the software, with the proper post processor installed, generates the G-code file. Mach3 then translates the G-code into the motion control for your plasma table.

Don't hesitate becoming a paying member. It's the best $20 you'll ever spend, doing plasma cutting.

[gorders1]

Hi Kevin aussie guy here been using bobcad for round years now. V24 at moment, the one thing I like about it is it will generate machine code direct from drawings and in the order you want etc. I also use mach3 which buy the way I love it is so user friendly once you know wat you are doing. Between the two of them I have no problems running my router, lathe, milling machine and soon to be plasma cutter. If you have any questions etc feel free to contact me and i ill try and help. Bobcad does have a post processor editor in v23 which i couldn't find in v24, so i used the v23 editor to edit a processor file to suit my needs and it works perfectly. I do run a smoothstepper via usb on computer and now they have sorted out the backlash adjustment problem it works great on chinese lathe and mill. Be aware of bobcad though, they rang me and offered me 3 seat upgrade to v24 last year at a very god price, which i took and the following week released v25. As a consequece the next time they ring me guess what im going to tell them and it starts with f and ends with f. cheers for now talk soon.

Also in bobcad you simply tell it what diameter tool you are using and to offset left or right or none and it works out everything for you, no need to offset any part of the drawing. Once the code is generated load the nc file into mach3 and away you go sort of.