Cad/Cam software for Linux

Hello!

Loking for opinions on what is a good Cad/Cam package for Linux, either free or reasonable. I want to be able to do milling of various materials and circuit boards.

Thanks,
Kevin

I use a variety of software on linux and Mac OS X that is open source for toolpath generation. My favorite at the moment is called HeekCAD/HeeksCNC. It's really alpha at the moment and can be a pain to install. So, that being said, if you're into circuit board milling, you might look at gcam:

gcam.js.cx/index.php/Main_Page

For just plain old 2D drawing, I like Qcad a lot now. It seems to come stock with most linux distros (or you just install it from Synaptic in Ubuntu).

I also run some windows applications under a program called 'Wine' which is a windows emulator. I have Autocad 2000, Rhino3d, Progecad, Vectorcam, and a few other programs working with it. Of course these aren't open source.

If you haven't already checked it out:

wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Cam

has a lot of good links to related cadcam software for linux.

I hope that helps a little.

Dan

Thanks Dan, This is some great information.

I am just about done with windows on a personal use basis. Too many virus's and crap! So I thought while I am setting up my cnc machine I would go Linux all the way.
I actually have autocad 13 but don't know if I want to use windows or if I do it want be on the machine computer.

Kevin

For 3D milling I really like Pycam:

pycam.sourceforge.net/

There is not much documentation (which I try to work on) but the program is quite self explanatory, just let the mouse hover every now and then.

I'll make a screencast shortly.

As far as I know this is the only open source CAM package that can handle .stl files.

Keep in mind that it requires Python of a specific version which lead me to install it in virtualbox, on linux 10.04/emc

Actually, HeeksCNC can handle *STL files as well. It uses OpenCAMLib for it's algorithms.
Dan

I know it's been a while since the question was asked, but I thought I'd make my recommendations in case they help anyone else searching the forums as I was (for something else).

I use Debian Squeeze. On this, I use VariCAD for general 2D and 3D design; it can export STL, STP and DRW and there is a 30 day unlimited trial.
I then use MeshCAM (this one is not free, but again there is a 30 trial period), which runs just fine under Wine.
Then I use LinuxCNC (obviously) which is fantastic; thanks to everyone who has contributed; it has completely revived my old Denford CNC.

For PCBs, I use KiCAD (free) for schematic capture, and PCB layout. From this, I export gerber plot and drill files which I then import into pcb2gcode (free) to generate gcode for track isolation engraving and drilling.