SeymourDumore
Diamond
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2005
- Location
- CT
OK, so just as the title says, I am taking the liberty of trying to shine a light onto a not-so mainstream machining related product: NC-Plot/SketchNC
Just like some of the forum members here, I am a very very happy and satisfied user of NC-Plot.
It has been a life saver in a shit ton of cases.
If you are a user, there is no need to explain.
If you are not, then feel free to ask when and how.
This post however is not about NCPlot!
It is about another piece of software NCPlot ( aka Scott Martinez, aka metlhead ) is working on, which is SketchNC.
Scott started it a few years back. In my view it wasn't even ready for an Alpha back then, let alone Beta.
But!
There is an update to his efforts as of 06/05/19, and SketchNC is now at v.1.00.19
The original ( v.1.00.00) was barely (if even that) good enough to hint at where he's trying to go, but the update is definitely a a huge step!
Does it ( in it's current form ) work for those on a shoestring budget? Nope, not by a shot.
BUT!
It is NOT ALL THAT FAR AWAY from being able to provide a typewriting CAM solution for someone with G-code and machining knowledge!
Just for the record:
I write most of my Mill programs from a solid model using FeatureCAM. ( active permanent maintenance on Inventor and FeatureCAM )
I write the oddball Mill programs using solid model to DWG, and then AutoCAD and BobCAD V21. ( ACAD is a given from the maintenance, BobCAD V21 is now defunct )
I write ALL my lathe programs using solid model to DWG, and then AutoCAD and Bobcad V21. ( see above, but note that BobCAD is now DEFUNCT )
I write ALL of my Wire EDM programs using solid model to DWG, and then AutoCAD and Bobcad V21. ( see above, but note that BobCAD is now DEFUNCT )
At the same time,
I use NC-Plot to verify, check or edit all of the programs written for all of the above machines.
AND!
I have re-written a Wire EDM program using the new SketchNC, manually edited it, verified it using NcPlot, and then ran it on a production part.
End result was identical!
With a little attention from Scott, SketchNC could become one of the fastest tool to create 2D code for either 2 axis lathes, mills, WEDM, waterjet, laser, or ....
In any case, if you are familiar with NcPlot, please go back and check out SketchNC and report back either here or on the NcPlot forum.
If you are not familiar with anything NcPlot has to offer but looking for a solution a problem you may or may not have, check out NCPlot.com.
Just like some of the forum members here, I am a very very happy and satisfied user of NC-Plot.
It has been a life saver in a shit ton of cases.
If you are a user, there is no need to explain.
If you are not, then feel free to ask when and how.
This post however is not about NCPlot!
It is about another piece of software NCPlot ( aka Scott Martinez, aka metlhead ) is working on, which is SketchNC.
Scott started it a few years back. In my view it wasn't even ready for an Alpha back then, let alone Beta.
But!
There is an update to his efforts as of 06/05/19, and SketchNC is now at v.1.00.19
The original ( v.1.00.00) was barely (if even that) good enough to hint at where he's trying to go, but the update is definitely a a huge step!
Does it ( in it's current form ) work for those on a shoestring budget? Nope, not by a shot.
BUT!
It is NOT ALL THAT FAR AWAY from being able to provide a typewriting CAM solution for someone with G-code and machining knowledge!
Just for the record:
I write most of my Mill programs from a solid model using FeatureCAM. ( active permanent maintenance on Inventor and FeatureCAM )
I write the oddball Mill programs using solid model to DWG, and then AutoCAD and BobCAD V21. ( ACAD is a given from the maintenance, BobCAD V21 is now defunct )
I write ALL my lathe programs using solid model to DWG, and then AutoCAD and Bobcad V21. ( see above, but note that BobCAD is now DEFUNCT )
I write ALL of my Wire EDM programs using solid model to DWG, and then AutoCAD and Bobcad V21. ( see above, but note that BobCAD is now DEFUNCT )
At the same time,
I use NC-Plot to verify, check or edit all of the programs written for all of the above machines.
AND!
I have re-written a Wire EDM program using the new SketchNC, manually edited it, verified it using NcPlot, and then ran it on a production part.
End result was identical!
With a little attention from Scott, SketchNC could become one of the fastest tool to create 2D code for either 2 axis lathes, mills, WEDM, waterjet, laser, or ....
In any case, if you are familiar with NcPlot, please go back and check out SketchNC and report back either here or on the NcPlot forum.
If you are not familiar with anything NcPlot has to offer but looking for a solution a problem you may or may not have, check out NCPlot.com.