[joerom]

hello Tom,you are right about Supercam for first time users.I am able to post directly from Mastercam to Supercam,and I am an abssolute beginner.But,I must say here,that with all I heard about Mach3,I gave it a try,because it was a free download,and I wanted to see what it was all about.I just can't get Mastercam to post to Mach3.I must be doing something wrong,but I don't know what,because they say it should.But,the thing is,that with Supercam I did not have to do anything special,so,I don't see any reason to get some other software.Am I wrong,Joe.

[commander45]

Hi Joe........
I am presuming that you are the Joe building the machine.
And again i am assuming that your question relvolves around ease of use and configurability to hardware.
Let me assure you that Dennis designed the software to work in concert with Autocad and Corel draw , "notice how Supercam looks like autocad ?" even down to the commands and drop down menus.
He also created the software to be infinitly configurable with any step size or encoder count.
As an example the stepper mill i retro fitted is direct driven with a 5 to 1 lead screw , and the servo mill i retro fitted is driven with a 6.2 pulley and belt to a 5 to 1 lead screw .
When setting supercam up for these two dissimilar ratoi`s i used a starret last word tenths indicator to a repeatability of a tenth !.
Oh, by the way supercam allows you to compensate for backlash as well allowing this precision.
Do the math , supercam allows you to define stepper size or encoder count and the resulting ratio`s to sixteen places to the right or left of the decimal point , far better than the mechanical resolution of 99% of the machines out there.
I have put many many hours on these mills with little problems either with the controllers or the software.
O`h did i tell you that with his classic version you can "digitize" objects , very usefull when making molds.
I have digitized many items , supercam out puts the digitized item as g-code.
One of the files is 90 megs long, lets see a haas digest that !
This file when converted to dxf face comes out to a little over 500,000 points.
I also use the bmp import to make lithophanes and photo engravings.
Dennis is puting this version out to the public to market it make no mistake , and i don`t think you would go wrong with his controller or his software , again by the way , you can use many different controllers with parallel port imput as long as you can give him the proper pin out for step and direction signals for supercam to send to the controller.
I have known Dennis for ten years , he taught me how to build and use computers and other wizardry as well .
Hope this helps you make a decision.
Tom

[joecnc2006]

Hi Joe........
I am presuming that you are the Joe building the machine.
And again i am assuming that your question relvolves around ease of use and configurability to hardware.
Let me assure you that Dennis designed the software to work in concert with Autocad and Corel draw , "notice how Supercam looks like autocad ?" even down to the commands and drop down menus.
He also created the software to be infinitly configurable with any step size or encoder count.
As an example the stepper mill i retro fitted is direct driven with a 5 to 1 lead screw , and the servo mill i retro fitted is driven with a 6.2 pulley and belt to a 5 to 1 lead screw .
When setting supercam up for these two dissimilar ratoi`s i used a starret last word tenths indicator to a repeatability of a tenth !.
Oh, by the way supercam allows you to compensate for backlash as well allowing this precision.
Do the math , supercam allows you to define stepper size or encoder count and the resulting ratio`s to sixteen places to the right or left of the decimal point , far better than the mechanical resolution of 99% of the machines out there.
I have put many many hours on these mills with little problems either with the controllers or the software.
O`h did i tell you that with his classic version you can "digitize" objects , very usefull when making molds.
I have digitized many items , supercam out puts the digitized item as g-code.
One of the files is 90 megs long, lets see a haas digest that !
This file when converted to dxf face comes out to a little over 500,000 points.
I also use the bmp import to make lithophanes and photo engravings.
Dennis is puting this version out to the public to market it make no mistake , and i don`t think you would go wrong with his controller or his software , again by the way , you can use many different controllers with parallel port imput as long as you can give him the proper pin out for step and direction signals for supercam to send to the controller.
I have known Dennis for ten years , he taught me how to build and use computers and other wizardry as well .
Hope this helps you make a decision.
Tom

Well everything you mentioned above I already have it in Mach3, bmp import, backlash comp. plus leadscrew mapping, import dxf, etc. etc.

No i am not the one building the machine, I designed it for others to build in the DIY world. I have all my software in place so I'm not the one who needs to make a diecision.

As far as the autocad look to it, I never cared for the old style dropdown menus, thats why i always cusomized and utilized the two letter key comand in autocad, that style went away over 8 years ago, I have used, acad 2000, 2000i, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and now 2008, this was one thing that made me think the old feel of supercam was not for me.

I know you guys have used the program for many years, but I would work on updating the programs look to be competative in the market if that is your plan, I guess those who have used it has not owned other software and tried others because you do not know the other software's capability,

If you like SupercamXP and comfortable with it, then thats good to stay with it.

Joe

[Ed Cairns]

I have taught Technology Ed. in a High School environment. When my daughter was taking an AutoCad course in High School I realized the disconnect that existed between what was on the computer screen and actual fabrication.
To bridge this gap I designed and built a relatively inexpensive XYZ table in my garage. With a background in electronics I was also able to design and build microstepper drives for the table.
The key to all of this was to find software that would sit between AutoCad and the XYZ table. On the internet I found the SuperCam software and purchased a copy.
It was easy to set up to my design and its similarity to AutoCad's command structure made it an almost seamless interface between AutoCad itself and the XYZ table. It's dollar value I believe puts a powerful software package within easy range of High School budgets.
This should provide for a powerful education tool that allows the students to connect their AutoCad design to actual fabrication.

[joecnc2006]

This Thread aprears to be taking over by 1st time posters for the sole reason to promote SuperCam, This thread was started to give Ideas for different software which is available not a discussion for SuperCam.

Can a moderator close the thread, and move it to the proper Software section where i feel it belongs. that way if people want to post about the software they can do it in its proper place.

Joe

[Ed Cairns]

Joe,

Yes I am a first time poster - but as you can see from my previous photos I obviously have some ability to fabricate both the hardware and the electronics as well as write the code that controls the microsteppers.
As for the Supercam product - it does what I need at a price that schools can afford. Yes there are other options for CNC control out there such as http://www.linuxcnc.org/ but I do not believe that this would be as easy to adapt to a classroom environment. Other software packages tend to be very expensive when working within a limited budget. If you know of a reasonably priced software package to drive an XYZ table, I'd be interested.

[ger21]

I'm not going to close the thread, but, unfortunately for Dennis, I actually think these guys are actually going to deter people from trying it.

[vcooney]

Fine...I'm sold on V-carve pro

[Ed Cairns]

I am new to this CNC zone and I am intrigued by all of the collective experience within this site. The idea of building your own CNC machine from a mechanical and electronic point of view is no small task. It's interesting to see how other people have solved various technical problems.

And yes, alot of individuals have indicated there software preferences I guess dependent on their own requirements and budgets.

But to ask for a thread to be closed because individuals have expressed a specific software preference in response to a general request for suggestions on which software to drive Joe's table is dissapointing. One does not encourage debate on a subject this way.

Do other people have suggestions on software packages and can they give reasons what they like or dislike about a given package?

I would imagine if this is a thread for "Do it yourself" types that cost will be a factor?

The school district that I'm working with is planning to build there own XYZ routers for use within the Technology Ed program.

This will allow for service and support of the tables to exist within the classroom as well as significantly lowering the cost of importing this technology into the classroom.

Different machine designs, electronics drive units as well as software will be evaluated for use within the classroom.

[ger21]

If you know of a reasonably priced software package to drive an XYZ table, I'd be interested.

By far the most popular control software used by members here is Mach. Over 10,000 registered users and only $159.
Fully customizable and unbelievably powerful.
http://www.artsoftcontrols.com/artsoft/index/index.htm

[Ed Cairns]

By far the most popular control software used by members here is Mach. Over 10,000 registered users and only $159.
Fully customizable and unbelievably powerful.
http://www.artsoftcontrols.com/artsoft/index/index.htm

Gerry,

Thanks for the suggestion. I took an albeit fairly quick look at the site. How much knowledge of CNC code do you need to use this package? Is there a Graphic interface? Supertech looks like AutoCad so students (and myself) take to it very quickly. Would this be true of the Mach Product? Again, in a do it yourself world we all have expertise in different arenas, mine is electronics. CNC code I may learn but the Mach screen images at the Mach website are somewhat overwhelming?

Would this be a good startup software package for DIY designed XYZ table?

[joecnc2006]

But to ask for a thread to be closed because individuals have expressed a specific software preference in response to a general request for suggestions on which software to drive Joe's table is dissapointing. One does not encourage debate on a subject this way.

Well i may have mis spoken in saying can you please close the thred, It just seemed to me this thread was getting off course from the, "Software for Joe's Machines" and seemed to be getting to a point of debate or promotion of SuperCam, I do not disagree with promoting it, it does seem like a good program for a solution for some. I just wanted to possibly Have SuperCam open up a spot in the Software section here and it can be discussed further there for those interested in learning more about the program, No doubt he has put alot of work into the program.

Joe

[joecnc2006]

Gerry,

Thanks for the suggestion. I took an albeit fairly quick look at the site. How much knowledge of CNC code do you need to use this package? Is there a Graphic interface? Supertech looks like AutoCad so students (and myself) take to it very quickly. Would this be true of the Mach Product? Again, in a do it yourself world we all have expertise in different arenas, mine is electronics. CNC code I may learn but the Mach screen images at the Mach website are somewhat overwhelming?

Would this be a good startup software package for DIY designed XYZ table?

Mach is a controlling software not a cam package, it does have wizards built in, and also comes with LazyCam, which is a simple Cam package.

Also there is a plugin for GMax if anyone is interested called CNC_Toolkit, I have not look to much into it but they do have a yahoo group and webpage.

I use V-Carve Pro, PhotoCarve and Cut-3D for all my needs, yes it is a little more than some simple programs, But it does provide alot of Power to the DIY world which i would compare to alot of features ArtCam (its my understanding one of the programers came from DelCam). for the price and all the features you get with V-Carve pro its hard to beat for the price.

Joe

[ger21]

Would this be a good startup software package for DIY designed XYZ table?

I would say that over 90% of the homebuilt machines you see on this site are using Mach3 to control them. It may look a bit overwhelming, but it's very simple to use. There are a series of tutorial videos on their website to help get you going as well. Also, the screens are fully customizable, and in your environment, it may be worthwhile to create simplified screens for your students.

[TCGliderguy]

As the guy who started this thread, I would definitely agree about >But to ask for a thread to be closed because individuals have expressed a specific software preference in response to a general request for suggestions on which software to drive Joe's table is dissapointing. One does not encourage debate on a subject this way.<

I don't think there is even a debate going on here.... I asked about software. Dennis stepped up and offered what (for me) is a very appealing solution... .and some other folks stepped up and said they use SuperCam XP and they like it.....

If it is possible to get a separate section started for SuperCam... I'm all for it. What does it take to make that happen? I'd certainly enjoy a place to ask dumb questions, specifically about SuperCam.

Taylor 'who should have steppers turning leadscrews by next week' Collins

[Dennis Bohlke]

Taylor

I just did what it takes to sponsor a forum for SuperCamXp. I emailed a purchase order and promised to pay for it.

The new forum will be under: Machine Controllers Software and Solutions

The title will be: Super Tech Controllers, SuperCam & SuperCamXp

The text will be: CAD combined with Machine Controllers

That’s where we can have in-depth discussions on how to use SuperCamXp and other solutions I have to offer.

Dumb questions will be allowed and welcomed.

I didn’t mean to sing the virtues of SuperCamXp to loudly and cause a ruckus.

Apparently combining CAD with machine control really is a new idea to many.

Dennis
http://www.super-tech.com

[TCGliderguy]

That's great news, Dennis. I'm not sure where the "ruckus" came from. You stepped up and offered a solution to exactly what I was asking about. Some of your customers stepped up and said they like your products....

No puppies were kicked, no bad language was used.... and my stress level about CNC software was greatly reduced. I have every confidence that I am going to be able to cut basic shapes, engrave text, and control my new machine from the get go. As my needs become more sophisticated, I'll buy the VCarve package, and continue to use SuperCam.

See you on the new forum!

-Taylor

[Ed Cairns]

Any of the software suggested within this thread will drive an XYZ system. All of them seem to be very polished products. The software that an end user selects is going to be a function of what that user wants to do with the machine.

In my case its very important that the human interface to the software is intuative and able to generate results quickly. (High School students tend not have a long attention span.)

So to be able to go seamlessly from AutoCad to actual fabrication is a real strength of SuperCam. In most cases the students are already familiar with AutoCad.

The other software packages, from what I have learned by visiting their respective websites, have strengths as well, but for my application within the school system, SuperCam seems to be a good solution.

To those who have responded to my posts thanks for the different points of view and the web links.

[joecnc2006]

Taylor

I just did what it takes to sponsor a forum for SuperCamXp. I emailed a purchase order and promised to pay for it.

The new forum will be under: Machine Controllers Software and Solutions

The title will be: Super Tech Controllers, SuperCam & SuperCamXp

The text will be: CAD combined with Machine Controllers

That’s where we can have in-depth discussions on how to use SuperCamXp and other solutions I have to offer.

Dumb questions will be allowed and welcomed.

I didn’t mean to sing the virtues of SuperCamXp to loudly and cause a ruckus.

Apparently combining CAD with machine control really is a new idea to many.

Dennis
http://www.super-tech.com

Dennis its great to hear you starting the new forum section, you will definately get more hits in the section, and look forward to seeing more of the software and discussion.

Joe

[dertsap]

mach is the closest thing to the real deal , its a well setup and professional software ,they didn t miss a punch with it , it accepts subs ,macros , the spectrum of gcodes is excellent , the interface is that of a professional system and looks like a professional software .it's a lot of software for the price .
emc2 is free and becoming a killer software as well , the software is smooth at high and low feeds , well interfaced and a fair assortment of gcodes , with the use of "crossover " alot of windows software such as bobcad can be run on ubuntu (many still don t yet) , ive reinstalled the latest emc on my system and i love it

though i admire Joes build i had done my own thing but within the same type of budget
the is a wealth of free or cheap stuff out there and google is the greatest one of all .i find it impossible to carry the idea in my head that i would spend a fortune on software when i was able to build a system so inexpensively.

i never buy from someone who knocks on my door ,

unless its girl guide cookies