Basic CNC help

Jonesy · 07-13-2012, 01:26 PM

Need some help related to CNC's.

Have a Bridgeport at work with a digital controller with X and Y servos. Manual Z. I can do some basic programming via the screen but it is very time consuming and tedious. I contacted the company that made the controller (its old, mid 90's) and the program for it only runs on windows 3.1 and is still $5k.

Not doing anything fancy at all. Just repeated hole patterns, angled slots, a few radius cuts, and some basic pocket designs.

So any suggestions on a basic G-code, tool path program that I can use?

Yotajunk · 07-13-2012, 01:42 PM

I may be off base with this but... Have you tried doing a search on www.practicalmachinist.com? There is a lot of good info on there. Might have what find what your lookin for

Jonesy · 07-13-2012, 01:46 PM

I've looked on a few different forums, but most of the stuff is way over my head. I haven't looked through that forum yet, so I'll give it a go. Thanks.

JeffK5 · 07-13-2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonesy

I've looked on a few different forums, but most of the stuff is way over my head. I haven't looked through that forum yet, so I'll give it a go. Thanks.

That's the Pirate of machining forums ..10% super knowledgeable guys < 90% web machinist dumbasses.

biggin69 · 07-13-2012, 02:32 PM

Pater may chime in on this....

JeffK5 · 07-13-2012, 01:48 PM

You can retrofit almost any knee mill to ProtoTRAK EMX 2axis conversational control for a reasonable price. It's super easy to program and offers a ton of features..and damn near every machine shop,tool shop or gauge shop in the world has a couple.

Southwestern Industries, Inc is the place to look at.

Jonesy · 07-13-2012, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffK5

You can retrofit almost any knee mill to ProtoTRAK EMX 2axis conversational control for a reasonable price. It's super easy to program and offers a ton of features..and damn near every machine shop,tool shop or gauge shop in the world has a couple.

Southwestern Industries, Inc is the place to look at.

It has a SWI Trak A.G.E 2 already on it. Basically just an older version of the EMX you suggested. I was hoping I could make this work for me, for the limited amount of CAM stuff we do.

JeffK5 · 07-13-2012, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonesy

It has a SWI Trak A.G.E 2 already on it. Basically just an older version of the EMX you suggested. I was hoping I could make this work for me, for the limited amount of CAM stuff we do.

We've got atleast 20 of the A.G.E 2 machines out in production area where I work..great little control for simple stuff. With basic math skills you can do arcs , hole patterns , contours ,

What exactly can't you do with your current machine? You will not find a simpler machine to manipulate than a model 2..

Jonesy · 07-13-2012, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffK5

We've got atleast 20 of the A.G.E 2 machines out in production area where I work..great little control for simple stuff. With basic math skills you can do arcs , hole patterns , contours ,

What exactly can't you do with your current machine? You will not find a simpler machine to manipulate than a model 2..

I currently program on the pendant for basic stuff. I'm currently trying to do a couple back to back radiuses and can't get the programming right. I draw all my stuff up in autocad beforehand anyhow, so a program that I can import a DXF file into and it will create the tool paths and g-code for me would be great.

JeffK5 · 07-13-2012, 03:14 PM

I'm no programming genius .. I draw all my projects up on Autocad and enter them in like you.

Don't you just need a post processor to convert you CAD DXF file to a readable format that ProtoTRAK excepts?

I do all my 3D work in Mastercam..and suck at it... but we have to post it and convert it to G-code so the TRAKs understand it.

07-13-2012, 01:26 PM	#1
Jonesy Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Piner, KY Posts: 141	Basic CNC help Need some help related to CNC's. Have a Bridgeport at work with a digital controller with X and Y servos. Manual Z. I can do some basic programming via the screen but it is very time consuming and tedious. I contacted the company that made the controller (its old, mid 90's) and the program for it only runs on windows 3.1 and is still $5k. Not doing anything fancy at all. Just repeated hole patterns, angled slots, a few radius cuts, and some basic pocket designs. So any suggestions on a basic G-code, tool path program that I can use? __________________ JT Jones 83 Toyota - beater 87 Toyota Truggy

07-13-2012, 01:46 PM	#3
Jonesy Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Piner, KY Posts: 141	I've looked on a few different forums, but most of the stuff is way over my head. I haven't looked through that forum yet, so I'll give it a go. Thanks. __________________ JT Jones 83 Toyota - beater 87 Toyota Truggy

07-13-2012, 01:42 PM	#2
Yotajunk Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 12	I may be off base with this but... Have you tried doing a search on www.practicalmachinist.com? There is a lot of good info on there. Might have what find what your lookin for

07-13-2012, 02:32 PM	#5
biggin69 Really??? Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Cincy Posts: 678	Pater may chime in on this....

07-13-2012, 01:48 PM	#6
JeffK5 Tiny Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Colerain Posts: 798	You can retrofit almost any knee mill to ProtoTRAK EMX 2axis conversational control for a reasonable price. It's super easy to program and offers a ton of features..and damn near every machine shop,tool shop or gauge shop in the world has a couple. Southwestern Industries, Inc is the place to look at.

07-13-2012, 03:14 PM	#10
JeffK5 Tiny Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Colerain Posts: 798	I'm no programming genius .. I draw all my projects up on Autocad and enter them in like you. Don't you just need a post processor to convert you CAD DXF file to a readable format that ProtoTRAK excepts? I do all my 3D work in Mastercam..and suck at it... but we have to post it and convert it to G-code so the TRAKs understand it.