What software ?

[jahn]

ShapeOko is an open hardware project.Is there also any CAD/CAM open software I can use with ShapeOko?

[Burke LaShell]

The wiki isn't complete, but it's a start...
http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Advanced_Software

If you're new to CNC, Google SketchUp + PhlatScript is free, powerful, and easy.

[CptanPanic]

It looks like phlatscript only does 2d flat stuff. Is this right?

[edwardrford]

Yes, phlatscript is 'just' a 2D CAM plugin. It'll get you 'flat' parts.

For 2.5 - 3D CAM operations there are a list of available packages here: http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Cam

I have used pyCAM before and find it the easiest of that list. I believe someone else on the forum (louis maybe?) is also using pyCAM as well.

For windows, have a look at CAMbam. it's not open source, but there is a free version. The 'pro' version is paid for, but you can trial it for 40 uses. After that it still works but is limited to 500 lines. If you like it, the price is very reasonable for all the features that it offers.

-Edward

[RedOko]

I use a bunch of program for CAD and CAM.

for CAM
Pycam - limited but good as a starting point and for text engraving.
Cambam - after 40 uses your limited to 500 lines.
would like to try EMC but I don't have a parallel port to use

I suggest learning some basic Gcode programming as well. I don't know how you will set-up you machine, but with an arduino you will also need a way to stream them using grblhoming (love the jogging function), gcodesender, CNCinfusion (great visual tool tracking). Note that grbl is still under heavy development and some gcodes are not supported.

If you learn how to G-code manually, you can make do with 500 lines with cambam and just paste each step in Notepad to make one long program.

For CAD, too many to list.
My favorite but I have no access to one is Inventor. High end (expensive) one like proe, catia, solidworks etc. I heard good things about Alibre but haven't tried it yet, cheapest one IIRC is $200 for single part design.
For freeform one, try google sketchup, 123D by autodesk, blender, did I mentioned they are FREE!

[DrRob]

I've been trying PyCAM a bit. It took quite a lot of effort to get it installed (see: http://sourceforge.net/projects/pycam/f ... ic/4468053). There's a fair bit to learn about to use it - it's not a piece of software you can install and then just use by guessing (maybe true of CAM software in general, not just PyCAM). I was surprised at how long it takes to calculate toolpaths.

I also installed MeshLab, which so far I use only to convert .dae files from Sketchup into .stl for PyCAM.

At some point I'm going to try out OpenSCAD, because I like the idea of programming designs.

In an ideal world I'd like a single piece of software that combines everything, and lets me use a variety of approaches in combination according to the task in hand.

And I'd like it to be script-, mouse- and voice-controlled, so I can point at things in a design while saying, "Apply the cog script, centred at the intersection of this [points] line and that [points] arc, with a radius of 20mm". Please.

Rob.

[CptanPanic]

With all the new shapeokos going online soon. Maybe someone like cambam can give us a group discount.

[edwardrford]

I've talked to CAMbam about that. I think due to the low price, there isn't much room for discounting. I was just asking about offering it through the site so, I'll email them back and see what can be done for a group of say 10 seats.

CAMbam is powerful, with all the features you'd need (pocketing, profiles, etc) but most important is how easy it is to figure out. I've found that because I figured CAMbam out (and learned the proper termonology) I can now go into most other CAM programs and reproduce the results. Prior to learning CAMbam it was all foreign to me. But, that won't help our non-windows using friend out.

The ultimate destination would be to standardize an open source tool chain. It's available now (several variations really), but fractured and not well documented. If anyone is interested we (interested parties) could start a small focus group and help work out the process(es)?

[AtomSoft]

As i never really used Cambam i cant comment on it much but it does look pretty. $150 isnt too much also. If i use this and make some $$$ from products developed ill definitely buy a license but until then. 40 uses will have to do (38 for me now )

Im off to find some cambam tutorials now