On 1/20/2014 10:30 PM, Dave Covert wrote: > No non-Cartesian stuff for me yet! Whew! I think I will be sticking with > your MachineKit and doing my own cape (my business partner has done many > PCBs more complicated than a stepper/driver cape) > > What does LinuxCNC use as its input file for a print or a route? I > understand the concept of G-code as it applies to cutting with a router or > laser in 2D, and I know G-code has control of the Z-axis as well to elevate > the head for printing, but I don't understand where all the 'layered' > G-code comes from when you want to print a 3D shape.
It's still G-code, but some of the extra axis (ie: ABCUVW) are used to control the extruder(s), and custom M codes are used to do things like turn fans on/off and set the extruder and bed temperatures. The G-Code is produced by a slicing program (essentially CAM for a 3D printer). Be warned that the RepRap world uses non-standard G-Code (only the X/Y/Z moves follow the standard), so you need to either use a slicing program that outputs valid RS-274 G-Code for LinuxCNC, or post-process the RepRap flavor G-Code into real RS-174/ISO-6983. I recommend post-processing the RepRap gcode. It doesn't seem like the non-RepRap code paths get much testing in the various slicing programs, and I've seen a variety of goofs, glitches, and outright bugs when trying to output anything but RepRap flavor G-Code. The post-processing is pretty easy, I typically just use a sed script and substitute A for all the E axis moves, and P and Q for the parameters (typically S in RepRap G-Code). Example slicing utilities to generate printing G-Code from a 3D model include: Slic3r Cura KISSlicer Skeinforge Each one has it's pros and cons. I personally use Slic3r most of the time, but if Slic3r is having problems with a particular model I will sometimes use one of the others. -- Charles Steinkuehler [email protected] -- For more options, visit http://beagleboard.org/discuss --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "BeagleBoard" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
