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Hey y'all, a long time ago I used to design parts and code CNC routers for a woodworking company. Left to pursue graphic design, and am now a professional designer. Which is great and everything, but I really miss being able to build things with that kind of precision. So, I'm going to attempt building a small plotter using printer parts, then when I have the building and programming down, I'll upgrade to a larger CNC router with a trim router spindle.
So the problem is that I can design lots of stuff in Illustrator, but don't know how to get it into g-code. Oh, and it's all on a Mac. If I buy a PC netbook, can I design on my Mac in Illustrator, export the DXF into some other program on the PC, and get G-code out of it? Then I can just use the same netbook to run the CNC router? Or can I run a router from a Mac laptop with appropriate software?
G-code is the generic name for a plain-text language that CNC machines can understand. Using a modern-day desktop CNC machine and software, you’ll never have to enter G-code manually, unless you want to.
Gah, sorry for the rambling question, I'm really excited to get into CNC again, but it's been a long enough time that I've forgotten quite a bit.
EDIT: Does anyone have experience with Mach 3? It says that I can import a DXF file and it will generate G-code. And it's freeware.... too good to be true?12 comments
Universal G-Code Sender is a Java based, cross platform G-Code sender, compatible with GRBL and TinyG/g2core. Use this program to run a GRBL or TinyG/g2core controlled CNC machine.
Online documentation and releases: http://winder.github.io/ugs_website/Discussion forum: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/universal-gcode-sender
Technical details:
*JSSC or JSerialComm for serial communication
*JogAmp for OpenGL
*Built with Netbeans Platform
*Developed with NetBeans 8.0.2 or laterDownloads
These are the nightly builds of the most recent code with the latest features and bug fixes. For stable releases visit the downloads page.VersionDescriptionUGS ClassicThe nightly build of the classic version with a clean and lightweight user interfaceUGS PlatformThe nightly build of the next generation, feature packed version based on the Netbeans PlatformSony Reader For MacRunning
Make sure you have Java 8 installed.
Download either UGS Classic or UGS Platform and unzip the .zip file.
*For UGS Classic simply double click the jar file. On some platforms you may need to run the included start script.
*For UGS Platform run the start script: bin/ugsplatformScreenshotsUGS Platform
UGS Platform main window
Customizable panel layout
Menu actions with customizable keybindings
Menu with plugins
One of many pluginsUGS Classic
UGS Classic main window
UGS Classic with visualizerDevelopment
For development the Maven build tool is used.Start the application
UGS Classic:
UGS Platform:Execute all testsBuilding the self-executing JARBuild a UniversalGcodeSender.zip release fileE-reader For MacDevelop via Intellij
If you are more used to Intellij, you can also build, run and debug it there:
*Run mvn nbm:run-platform -pl ugs-platform/application once via terminal to build everything
*Import the Source, File -> New -> Project from existing Sources
*Setup a new 'Run Configuration', Java Application, with following settings:
*Main Class: org.netbeans.Main
*VM Options: -Dnetbeans.user=$ProjectFileDir$/ugs-platform/application/target/userdir -Dnetbeans.home=$ProjectFileDir$/ugs-platform/application/target/ugsplatform/platform -Dnetbeans.logger.console=true -Dnetbeans.indexing.noFileRefresh=true -Dnetbeans.dirs='$ProjectFileDir$/ugs-platform/application/target/ugsplatform/ugsplatform:$ProjectFileDir$/ugs-platform/application/target/ugsplatform/platform:$ProjectFileDir$/ugs-platform/application/target/ugsplatform/ide:$ProjectFileDir$/ugs-platform/application/target/ugsplatform/extra:$ProjectFileDir$/ugs-platform/application/target/ugsplatform/java'
*Program arguments: --branding ugsplatform
*Working dir: $ProjectFileDir$
*Use classpath of module: ugs-platform-app
*There is a runConfiguration in the repository, which should be available after importing the projectChangelog
1.0.9 -> 2.0
*Constant memory! Optimized every part of UGS to run in a fixed amount of memory, no more slowness because a file is too large.
*'Cancel' now issue a feed hold and soft reset to stop the machine faster.
*Macro substitutions. Use {machine_x/y/z} {work_x/y/z} to substitute the current machine/work coordinates, {prompt|name} can be used to ask for values in a popup dialog.
*UGS now queries GRBL for its current state and settings in order to configure itself in a more intelligent manner. (Thanks Phil!)
*Improved gcode parser. Heavily refactored and validated with a new suite of unit tests, the gcode parser is now much more powerful than before and can be augmented customizable command processors.
*Controllers can now be added and configured with a JSON file, see resources/firmware_config
*Added restore default buttons on settings pages.
*Plane selection support: G17, G18, G19
*Setup wizard for CNC controllers
*Improved support for TinyG / g2core
*Improved web pendant
*Added command line support
1.0.8 -> 1.0.9
*Many performance improvements.
*New serial library: JSSC
*Updated 3D library.
*Maven build script (Thanks nitram509!)
*TinyG support enabled.
*XLCD support.
*Bug fixes: INCH/MM jog units, visualizer fixes (crashes and OSX support), 'Null stream' error, localization crashes,
*Translations: French, Greek, Dutch, Italian
1.0.7 -> 1.0.8Mac Tools Code Reader
*PendantUI server - connect to UGS with your smartphone or tablet. (jvabob)
*Translations: German, Spanish, Italian, Afrikaans
*Many bugfixes and stability improvements.
1.0.6 -> 1.0.7
*Many improvements to code architecture to allow future support for multiple firmwares (TinyG, Marlin, Smoothie, etc).
*New menu bar! Now new features can be added and existing features are more configurable.
*Additional on-the-fly gcode command preprocessing:
*
*truncate and round long decimals to configurable length.
*
*enforce max command length.
*
*remove whitespaces.
*
*expand small arcs to G1 commands.
*New option to save preprocessed gcode file to a file.
*Visualizer navigation controls - pan and zoom with the mouse wheel. (michmerr)
*Visualizer Support for radius arcs (phlatboyz sketchup plugin gcode now displays correctly)
*New single-step mode.
*New colored status indicator.
1.0.5 -> 1.0.6
*3D gcode visualizer!
*
*color coded line segments
*
*real time tool position
*
*real time gcode buffer position
*Due to popular demand, RaspberryPi support.
*Complete all-in-one release, 32 and 64 bit linux/windows/mac + RaspberryPi
*Settings saved between runs (thanks lazyzero)
*Advanced GRBL control, new buttons for GRBL 0.8c features (gcode check mode, homing, etc)
*Major backend refactoring to make code more stable and testable.
*Unit tests added, over 1300 lines of unit test code.
1.0.4 -> 1.0.5
*Job duration estimate now displayed when running a file.
*Real-time machine position display for GRBL v8.0c.
*Display for most recent GcodeComment.
*Bug fixes - no more dropped commands!
*Overhauled the GUI to display more information.
1.0.3 -> 1.0.4Mac Reader For Windows
*The step size spinner now goes to less than 1.
*New buttons on the manual control page for common functions.
*Manual X/Y coordinates can now be modified with arrow keys.
*New start scripts added to release zip files.
*Changed speed override to a percentage rather than absolute.
*Bug fixes.Adobe Reader Mac Os
1.0.2 -> 1.0.3
*Manual jogging mode, control machine with buttons in the UI.
*Automatically skip blank lines and comments when sending a file.
*Bug fixes.
1.0.1 -> 1.0.2
*Grbl version checking.
*Real-time pause/resume commands used for Grbl v0.8.
*Comment filtering - parses out comments before sending commands.
*Bug fixes.
1.0 -> 1.0.1
*New distribution jar - Application no longer requires RXTX to be installed!
*Added table view for file streaming.
*Added Pause/Resume button.
*Usability improvements.
*Many bug fixes.
*Renamed package to com.willwinder.universalgcodesender.
