EMC2 is great! Next project: CAM ??

EMC2 is a fantastic program for everyone, especially hobbyists. I was wondering if this team was going to work on making an open source FULL 3D CAM program?
I find that the opensourced CAM programs that i've found just dont seem to really cut it, no offense. (i can't even imagine how difficult it would be to create a program like that) I am greatful though that people have contributed free CAM software.

What do you think? Would it be something that could be done in the near future?

Have you looked at heekscad?

code.google.com/p/heekscad/

Rick G

cool, i didnt know that heeks CAD made g-code.

wow this is great!! Opensource FTW!

but seriously, i think that EMC2 IS WAY better than MACH3. I haven't even got Mach3 to run the gcode, too many errors pop up talking about spindle not being on, and the emergency stop keeps turning on and i have to un-push the "button".

EMC2 is so simple, just load the gcode, EMC2 shows the tool path, Home all the axises, and then just push start.

One more question: If the zero for my gcode is set to the middle for x and y of the material, and z is at the top of the material, and i MANUALLY move the cutter to that point. if i click on the homing for all the axi, will EMC2 Move my machine? or is it that HOMING just that if i pause it during the milling, and click HOME, then it will just move the tool to ZERO?

^hope that makes sense. sorry if this answer is somewhere in the wiki for emc2, i haven't really read much of it.

Well, i guess i've got some reading to do. Thanks

This may be repeating what i said before,

In the CAM Software, when i'm making the gcode, i set the ZERO to be the middle of the x and y, and the Z axis is on top of the material. To set everything up, i'd manually move the mill so that the cutting tool is at that spot. I dont have any homing switches, or limit switches (i odnt want to use them, and i dont have to worry about crashing because i wont be milling objects the size of the travel yet; can worry about it later).

This might be wrong, but this is what i want the procedure to be:

Make the g-code with the "zero" at the middle of the material for x and y, and the top of material for z.
Place material on mill
Manually position the cutting bit
Make EMC2 set the current position it is in, as "zero"
Start processing the g-code; when it reads the code to go to -1x, it literally moves to cutter 1 inch to the left

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|........................X..........................| That X is the location of the zero on the CAM software, AND also the position of the cutter on the mill (manually positioned).
|....................................................| Dots are just because spaces would collapse after saving this post
|....................................................|

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Im going to load up EMC and see where it goes when i press Home. I haven't used it in a bit so i guess i have forgotten some important parts.

Thanks.

EDIT: Okay, so i tested it out with a g-code file that had the Zero set to the middle and top. When i homed all the axi it moved EMC's Cutter to that Location. Will that also send data to my driver board and move the machine? Or is it just moving EMC's Virtual tool that's on the screen?