Help with novamill and CAM gcode

[zlittell]

Hello my name is Zack. I am a student and our university has a denford novamill that no one has used in years. It has a denstep controller and the V2 milling software. I am wondering what post processor I can use to output gcode from featurecam to work in the VR milling software.

This should be possible am I correct? I see a lot of people doing conversions to mach3 as their control software what benefit does this have? Just the ability of a more attainable newer software?

I have tried the fanuc m0 post processor to no avail so I am wondering if anyone can help me out.

Example gcode using the Fanuc 0M post processor.
errors on 4 line because of too many codes on a single line
then every so often wants file 9099.fnc or 1011.fnc to be in the same folder and i have no clue what this file even is.
it also likes to complain about bad arc end points which i am just going to assume is because i have the settings in the screen shot wrong.

Code: Select all

%
O0001(MISC TOP COMPLETE)
( 5-30-2012 22:19:21 )
G00  G17 G40 G49 G80 G94
G91 G28 Z0
T1 M6
G00 G54 G90 X16.575 Y0.53 S5820 M03
G43 H1 Z1.0 M08
Z0.1
G01 Z0. F131.0
X-1.575 
Y2.635 
X16.575 
Y4.74 
X-1.575 
G00 Z1.0
G91 G28 Z0 M09
G49 G90 X0. Y0.
M01

T2 M06
G94
G00 G54 X0.4291 Y4.4435 S7000 M03
G43 H2 Z1.0 M08
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y2.7985
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y1.5565
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
X0.8431 Y4.242
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y3.828
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y3.414
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y3.0
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y2.586
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y2.172
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
Y1.758
G81 G98 Z-0.1316 R0.1 F14.2
G80
G91 G28 Z0 M09
G49 G90 X0. Y0.
M01

T3 M06
G94
G00 G54 X0.4291 Y4.4435 S7000 M03
G43 H3 Z1.0 M08
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y2.7985
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y1.5565
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
X0.8431 Y4.242
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y3.828
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y3.414
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y3.0
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y2.586
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y2.172
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
Y1.758
G83 G98 Z-0.5501 R0.1 Q0.125 F13.1
G80
G91 G28 Z0 M09
G49 G90 X0. Y0.
M01

T4 M06
G94
G00 G54 X0.5917 Y1.5565 S7000 M03
G43 H4 Z1.0 M08
G81 G98 Z-0.0218 R0.1 F7.6
G80
G91 G28 Z0 M09
G49 G90 X0. Y0.
M01

T5 M06
G94
G00 G54 X0.5917 Y1.5565 S7000 M03
G43 H5 Z1.0 M08
G83 G98 Z-0.525 R0.1 Q0.0625 F6.6
G80
G91 G28 Z0 M09
G49 G90 X0. Y0.
M01

T6 M06
G94
G00 G54 X10.284 Y3.1902 S2482 M03
G43 H6 Z1.0 M08
Z0.1
G01 Z0.01 F24.8
X11.284 Z-0.0629 
X10.284 Z-0.1357 
X11.284 Z-0.2086 
X10.284 Z-0.2814 
X11.284 Z-0.3543 
X10.284 Z-0.4271 
X11.284 Z-0.5 
X9.1006 F49.6
Y2.8097 
X11.284 
Y3.1902 
G03 X11.0646 Y3.4762 I-0.296 J0.
X10.7072 Y3.5232 I-0.3574 J-1.3337
G01 X8.7676 
Y2.4767 
X11.617 
Y3.5232 
X11.0559 
G02 X10.7676 Y3.6897 I0. J0.333
G03 X10.4792 Y3.8562 I-0.2884 J-0.1665
G01 X8.4346 
Y2.1437 
X11.95 
Y3.8562 
X10.4792 
S3819 
X10.404 Y3.8935 F45.8
G03 X10.3211 Y3.9062 I-0.0829 J-0.2622 F22.9
G01 X8.3846 F45.8
Y2.0937 
X12.0 
Y3.9062 
X10.2211 
G03 X10.1381 Y3.8935 I0. J-0.275 F22.9
G01 X10.0629 Y3.8562 F45.8
G00 Z1.0
G0 G91 G28 Z0 M09
G49 G90 X0. Y0.
M30
%

I would really love to use this machine but it needs to accept gcode created from my inventor parts.

Also can anyone recommend any readings on the basics of CNCing. Such as setting up tool offsets and how to set up the reference point and stuff.

[Denford Admin]

Someone has asked about featureCAM here:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1867

Maybe worth PM-ing them to see if they ever got one from DelCAM ?

You can point Delcam them to this if they'll create a post for you, or at least tell you which of the standard ones is nearest:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1370

As for help, start with the Help menu in VR Milling v2...it will be worth downloading the latest version from here:
http://website.denford.ltd.uk/index.php ... -downloads
You could open the .zip file and just view the help files eg, Mill.hlp

[zlittell]

I PMd the OP from the other topic you linked the other night and am still waiting on a reply. I currently have no maintenance agreement with Delcam so asking for the post processor is not possible.

Maybe I can convince them to do it since I am a student but I doubt that.

[Denford Admin]

Some things to try:
1. Make sure the output is metric with 3 decimal places (eg 25.400)
2. Disable macros - this should get rid of the errors where it's looking for program 9099.fnc
3. Definately turn off cutter comp - let the CAM output compensate for cutter diameter as VR Milling 2 will more than likely not do it the same as intended.

If you are then only left with errors about too many g-codes, then you may have to live with that, just edit the program and insert a new line between the list of codes...
G00 G17 G40 G49 G80 G94
becomes:
G00 G17 G40
G49 G80 G94