http://diylilcnc.org/forum/tags/cad Free, open-source plans for a low-cost 3-axis CNC mill by Taylor Hokanson and Chris Reilly. Sponsored by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. en-US Thu, 17 May 2012 23:22:35 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://diylilcnc.org/forum/search.php http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/how-do-i-make-stuff-based-on-mathematical-functions#post-1042 Mon, 14 May 2012 14:26:27 +0000 Chris 1042@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>T4b, great question! Off the top of my head, I know you could use Maya's MEL scripting feature to generate curves/geometry from math functions. If you are a student, the <a href="http://students.autodesk.com/">educational version</a> is free. You could also use <a href="http://www.processing.org">Processing</a>; depending on what you want there are a few <a href="http://www.processing.org/reference/libraries/">libraries</a> that could work: DXF Export for 2D, Surfacelib or Modelbuilder for 3D. </p> <p>Definitely show us some photos if you are successful! </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/how-do-i-make-stuff-based-on-mathematical-functions#post-1040 Sat, 12 May 2012 17:30:14 +0000 T4b 1040@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>I've been searching for a good solution to draw graphs of mathematical functions in CAD programs but have found none. For example a sun dial can be described in a few functions, or a parabolic reflector could be generated from a parabola.<br /> For the sun dial I successfully used gnuplot to draw the graphs, put them into a dxf and engrave them on a piece of plastic. But it's really not that great; there are inaccuracies in the dxf files generated by gnuplot (for a reason I don't know).</p> <p>So I wonder how you guys would do this? </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files/page/2#post-873 Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:53:48 +0000 Taylor 873@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>All,</p> <p>I've just posted a zip file containing 7 separate DXFs to the <a href="http://diylilcnc.org/downloads">downloads page</a>. You can also grab the files directly <a href="http://diylilcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/DIYLILCNC_v103_DXF.zip">here</a>.</p> <p>Mess with the material and let me know if any problems/requests pop up. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/where-are-the-cad-files/page/2#post-872 Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:27:30 +0000 Taylor 872@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>All,</p> <p>I've just posted a zip file containing 7 separate DXFs to the <a href="http://diylilcnc.org/downloads">downloads page</a>. You can also grab the files directly <a href="http://diylilcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/DIYLILCNC_v103_DXF.zip">here</a>.</p> <p>Mess with the material and let me know if any problems/requests pop up. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/where-are-the-cad-files/page/2#post-871 Sat, 08 Oct 2011 13:06:22 +0000 Flanders 871@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Hy there. I have serious problems to use the dxf Files in Autodesk Inventor or in AutoCAD i am using the 2012 Version. Did someone have these Files in dwg or in a working dxf file??<br /> Thanks </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-847 Fri, 09 Sep 2011 20:08:56 +0000 Taylor 847@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Thanks for your patience everybody! We're doing a talk in NYC next week, then there should be more time for file management at the end of the month. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-846 Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:20:11 +0000 at2marty 846@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>I personally use Fedora 15 for my OS and use a program called DraftSight for viewing and editing DXF and DWG files. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-836 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:41:17 +0000 T4b 836@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>"I can't open files for cutting the DIYLILCNC parts either."<br /> Not completely true, I never waited long enough, now I did for at least an hour and now it finished loading and I can look at the file. Qcad lags, though.<br /> Well, better than nothing. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-835 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:50:42 +0000 T4b 835@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>These DXFs open flawlessly in qcad and the svg one in inkscape, don't know what program I should try with ".AI".</p> <p>I can't open files for cutting the DIYLILCNC parts either. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-832 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:38:18 +0000 Taylor 832@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Hmm - let's try a new set. SVG should be easy, though I can't export that directly out of Rhino. Try <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3548427/test_filetypes.zip">this batch</a> and let me know what you get. I also added one extra curve for kicks. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-830 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:57:10 +0000 jstults 830@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>None of the programs seem to recognize DWG formated files; is there a tool to convert them to DXF? I tried Inkscape, OpenOffice Draw, Qcad and Blender (which needs an external script of some sort). </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-829 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:35:20 +0000 Taylor 829@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@jstults,</p> <p>I've also noticed that DXFs really tax Inkscape and Pycam (like you said, taking forever to open). I thought it was an issue specific to each application, but perhaps it's an OS thing? Anyhow, with your help perhaps we'll track down the best file type and improve the way we export the design. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-828 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:23:18 +0000 jstults 828@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Taylor, thanks for the test files; I will try them out with the various programs. I got the dxf in the zip file to open in Qcad (I just let it run overnight, so I'm not sure how long it took); <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101235888084767733315/DaytonDiode?authkey=Gv1sRgCN6azZH0rJWm-AE&amp;feat=directlink#5641505117994551762">screenshot</a><a>.</a> </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-827 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:39:47 +0000 Taylor 827@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@jstults,</p> <p>Sorry to hear about your difficulty! I just got back from a conference/demo, so my Linux box is still packed up. I'll look into this by the end of the week, and try to repost some additional file types if that helps.</p> <p>In the meantime, I had a peek at your screen grab. It looks like the program you're using is only rendering circles and arcs. This sounds like a DXF import/export issue. I've just knocked out <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3548427/DWGs.zip">three simple DWGs</a> for you to test. Try each and let me know if they render funny. They should all give you an inch-UOM design that <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3548427/test_grab.tiff">looks like this</a>. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/linux-recommendation-for-reading-editing-files#post-826 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:56:17 +0000 jstults 826@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>I tried to open the dxf file in a couple different programs. </p> <p>QCAD became unresponsive after spinning for 20 min, and did not successfully open the file. PythonCAD crashed immediately on trying to open the file. OpenOffice Draw seems to open the file (no error messages), but the only thing that shows up is a box with no drawing in it. </p> <p>Any other ideas for software to try in Linux? I'm running Fedora, so I'd prefer something packaged for that OS, but I'd install from source at this point. Thanks for any tips/pointers. </p>