superdave013
10-26-2005, 08:20 AM
So I have this old cnc mill with a Bandit control (1986 vintage). The thing seems to work as I can jog it around and have written some simple (very simple) programs.
I can run the crap out of a manual mill but this cnc is a new thing for me. I do have all the manuals and am making headway (slowly).
But I need some kind of CAM software. Right now I'm pretty good at drawing in 2D AutoCad. I have a bootleg of Solidworks and can get around in it but I really have not put the time into learing it well. I understand I could get some CAM add on program for the solidworks but would it work with my bootleg copy?
What I would love is some type of program that I can import my Autocad drawings into and generate the G code. But at this point I'll be intrested in just about anything I can afford.
All the programs like Mastercam and the likes are out of reach price range wise. And I only have an old knee style mill so I don't need all this 3rd, 4th and 5th axis stuff really.
So please school me up on a direction to look. Thanks!
I can run the crap out of a manual mill but this cnc is a new thing for me. I do have all the manuals and am making headway (slowly).
But I need some kind of CAM software. Right now I'm pretty good at drawing in 2D AutoCad. I have a bootleg of Solidworks and can get around in it but I really have not put the time into learing it well. I understand I could get some CAM add on program for the solidworks but would it work with my bootleg copy?
What I would love is some type of program that I can import my Autocad drawings into and generate the G code. But at this point I'll be intrested in just about anything I can afford.
All the programs like Mastercam and the likes are out of reach price range wise. And I only have an old knee style mill so I don't need all this 3rd, 4th and 5th axis stuff really.
So please school me up on a direction to look. Thanks!