Forgive me. I am new to CNC ownership and forum use. I have been designing plywood parts, converting my 2D files to .ai files, and sending them to a local sign shop to cut for about 20 years. I have the cad software that I need for that. I have been verbally specifying Z depths for drilling and shallow rout-out areas for them to program into their CNC. I picked-up a pre-loved Pro 6060. What do I need to run the CNC from my files?
21.1, NEMA34, Legacy CRP800 CNC Controller.
On a scale of “Just get it done” to “serious hackage” there’s a wide range of options. The most popular around here are VCarve Pro (which Avid can sell you) or Fusion360 (free to use up to a point). On the more hackage side are FreeCAD (they seem to have simple/common things working reliably) to things like PyCAM. OnShape recently announced a CAM add-on but I haven’t heard any feedback about it yet.
Your own CAD package might have a CAM option you’re not aware of, too…
Looks like Avid sells a couple of options; Cut3D might be suitable for you.
Yeah, my 2-cents:
Fusion 360: Free, super powerful, high learning curve, complete CAD, better toolpaths.
VCarve: $$$, start with “Desktop”, easy to learn, essentially 2D, limited in what it can do for toolpaths.
Corbin
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Since you mentioned 2d files Vectric cut2d probably will work for you… Vcarve is expensive but worth it.
to PlyGuy
Take your time to organize your tool database (and backup)…get your cutting info from the manufacturer that you bought your bits from like Whiteside,Spetool,RIP cnc, Amana …you will save allot of time once organized.
I suggest you take look at this https://moi3d.com/
I use it for all my 2d and 3d cad work…it is fast.