Software to create file for Cnc plasma/laser?

[BBC71Nova]

Can anybody suggest software that is affordable or even free that would be sufficient for creating files that a laser/plasma shop can use? My immediate need would be to create a layout to cut out my table top. If that works out, I could see maybe some small jobs in the future. Note this would be personal/hobby type stuff.

I'm gonna check with the cutting shop but I have heard dxf is the file type or at least one of them?

Thanks!

 

[raboyto2]

2D or 3D?

Some people in your position either pirate or use a student version of AutoCad, SolidWorks, Inventor, SolidEdge etc.

If its pretty simple stuff your after, Google Sketch-up is free.


Sketchup to export as a DXF file:

 

[bwringer]

You might take a look at the free software offered by eMachineshop.
http://www.emachineshop.com/

It's fairly easy to use, fast, and it looks like you can export a DXF file:
http://www.emachineshop.com/machine-shop/Exporting/page295.html

 

[RPH]

Which end of the process are you trying to accomplish?
Drawing- cubify invent is cheap and will create stl files, turbo cad for $100.00 does a nice job of drawing and has many file formats.
Writing code for the cnc program. deskproto- cheapest one your going to find. Personal license fee is $327.00. And that is cheap. Most other packages start at $1000.00 and very quickly rise. This software will write the code the tool path will follow. If you think you will write this code by hand do understand I have tool paths for carvings that run in excess of 50,000 lines. Anything complex and you will what this piece of software.
For running the cnc operation I use Mach3. It's getting long in the tooth. It requires windows xp and a parallel printer port. It's cheap at about $150.00. Will not work with USB or eithernet. There are other providers for this end of cnc. But Mach3 is a veteran of the low cost cnc software and works well. Let me know if I can help anyway possible.

 

[BBC71Nova]

Thanks guys. Yeah all I was wanting to do is 2D. I was thinking it might save the shop some headache if I could provide a file to use or convert from versus a paper sketch.

I'm gonna talk to the cutting shop again this week and ask what they'd prefer as well. If I end up just trimming the rectangle and rounding the corners I may be able to just communicate that verbally. However, if I end up going with slots of some sort then I think a better drawing would be huge help.

 

[RPH]

Any software that saves the file as a .dxf format will work for you. A lot of people here use sketch up and it was mentioned that it saves in that format. It's free so you have nothing to lose. Take that file into the shop and their system will convert the drawing into an excutable nc file. PM me if you would like to more about the process involved.
Good luck!

 

[Johnny chaos]

Check out c and cnc he has a lot of cool stuff. I use Corel draw and then export to DXf tool