[dubble]

Hi everybody,

I've developed a software recently which generates milling path from Gerber files for isolation PCB milling.

The software is Beta version and probably will remains beta for a while, because at the moment I don't have time to further work on this project.
Because the software is a freeware and it is beta, it may contains bugs, so everybody should use it on his own responsibility.

I just liked to let you know that this software was released and that you may used it: http://cncdrive.com/Software/PCBMill.zip

The software is freeware and anybody may use it for any purpose.

I hope that you guys out there who are using your machines for hobby or for running your small businesses will find this software useful!

Cheers,
Balazs

[Burnit0017]

Greetings , I am new to milling pcb's. I am currently using PCBxpress to create the pcb layout, print the layout, export the layout as a .dxf file. The .dxf only exports the hole locations. Then I use TurboCad to redraw the traces. Then I use LazyCam to generate the G code.

What is Gerber file and is there any freeware that creates it?

[dubble]

Hi,

Gerber is an industry standard file format for PCB manufacturing.
Most of PCB designer softwares can generate gerber files from the PCB file
and all PCB manufacturers using Gerber files to fabricate PCBs.

You may read more about Gerber files forexample here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerber_File

[Burnit0017]

Greetings, Thanks for the heads up. I was able to download and install your software. It looks easy to use. I am trying to drill holes in the PCB, but I keep braking bits. Can you suggest spindle speed and plunge rate? Thanks again and best regards.

[dubble]

I advice to set the spindle to the highest possible RPM.
You know on industrial PCB drilling machines there are air spindles with really high over 50k RPM.
Probably you don't have an air spindle at home, but a 20-30k RPM would be good to have.
What diameter of holes are you drilling?

In general if the drill bit has low diameter, the machine construction should be robust and vibration free, because a small buckling of the Z axis may break the drillbit.
Also too low feedrate of the drilling in the material may cause a burning and damage of your tool and a too high feedrate may also damage the tool, so try to find the midway.

[Jay C]

Burnit,
I drill at 5 IPM with success. These are carbide PCB drills made for FR4 and epoxy. I usually drill at 18K RPM.

FWIW,
Jay

[Drools]

Ditto whay Jay said.

[dubble]

Hi guys,

I made some printscreens from pcbmill generated milling path.
See pictures:



Some zooming to see the tool-offset:





BR,
Balazs

[RomanLini]

Greetings, Thanks for the heads up. I was able to download and install your software. It looks easy to use. I am trying to drill holes in the PCB, but I keep braking bits. Can you suggest spindle speed and plunge rate? Thanks again and best regards.

I saw your photos in the other PCB thread Burnit, looks like you have really bad runout of your spindle. That would be the cause of the broken drills.

[Jesse B]

Just installed it and took a peek. Looks pretty good, nice and simple.

Just wondering, what language did you program it in? It looks like VB to me, but I'm unsure (haven't used anything else in Visual Studio which it looks like it came from).

Thanks,


- Jesse

[Burnit0017]

Greetings, I using TinyCad and Freepcb to create a Greber file and I receive a Unhandled exception error stating that StartIndex cannot be less than zero is there a solution to this problem?

[eSilviu]

Hi everybody,

I've developed a software recently which generates milling path from Gerber files for isolation PCB milling.

The software is Beta version and probably will remains beta for a while, because at the moment I don't have time to further work on this project.
Because the software is a freeware and it is beta, it may contains bugs, so everybody should use it on his own responsibility.

I just liked to let you know that this software was released and that you may used it: http://cncdrive.com/Software/PCBMill.zip

The software is freeware and anybody may use it for any purpose.

I hope that you guys out there who are using your machines for hobby or for running your small businesses will find this software useful!

Cheers,
Balazs

Please, see the attached pictures:
- exported bottom pads and vias layers from an Eagle PCB.
- your software is not displaying well all the pads
- free online gerber viewer is showing board ok

But I think is a great idea to make a gerber-to-gcode converter!

[tyo]

thank you all...
but i have some quest.
can i use the output G-code of PCBMILL at EMC2..???

[dubble]

Please, see the attached pictures:
- exported bottom pads and vias layers from an Eagle PCB.
- your software is not displaying well all the pads
- free online gerber viewer is showing board ok

But I think is a great idea to make a gerber-to-gcode converter!

eSilviu,

I think that your pads have a hexagonal shape, this is yet not supported in the PCBMill. You should get warnings about it while the contour is generated. Unknown and not supported aparture shapes are ignored by the software, that's why some pads not translated and not shown at all. If you like to get a correct code from PCBMill, change the pads shape to circle or oval.

Probably later I will add some more apartures, but now I have no time to work on it unfortunately....

Cheers,
Balazs

[dubble]

thank you all...
but i have some quest.
can i use the output G-code of PCBMILL at EMC2..???

Yes and you may customise the output codes in the "settings" menu if needed.

[dubble]

Just installed it and took a peek. Looks pretty good, nice and simple.

Just wondering, what language did you program it in? It looks like VB to me, but I'm unsure (haven't used anything else in Visual Studio which it looks like it came from).

Thanks,

C# and unmanaged C++

[Yello]

Is PCBMill still supported? I have V1.0 (seems to be latest and only one).

It makes some errors though. Screenshot and G-Code attached.

The screenshot shows the original Gerber left, and in blue the output from PCBMill.

[dubble]

Hi Yello,

No, there is no new version.
And PCBMill was never supported. It is a free software, downloadable "as it is".

[Yello]

Well then, I installed Line Grinder. It converts nicely.

Of Itself So - Line Grinder, Gerber to GCode Isolation Milling

[dubble]

Great. Thanks for the info.