[poppy8989]

how can you turn a drawing in auto cad 2012 in to a program to run on a cnc mill?

[Web Goblin]

You will need a cam program such as Sheetcam TNG, there are many others, to convert the drawing into whatever code the cnc mill understands. In the cam program you would process the contours to what was required ie pocketing, drilling or milling then use the post processor to convert the job to a cnc file that your mill understands. There is more to it than this but it will give you an idea of what needs done.

[DareBee]

You can use math and a pencil and write it on a piece of paper.
Then type it into the controller.

[victorofga]

you have several option..

there are free solutions, also very expenses solutions..

the first could be ger21 vba plugin for autocad.. this is a very cool thing because after you drew toolpath one click and its convert to gcode your drawing...

http://home.comcast.net/~cncwoodworker/AC2GC.html

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my simple solution draw out the required vectors, polyline or 3dpoly format.. and save as dxf..

only exemption, that no arc or cirle, also no spline...

this dxf can be converted with accutrans to xyz file.. thats it... you add header and start to cut on your cnc

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another solution is a from an engraver..

http://lindsayengraving.com/other_in...ode/index.html

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very possible a number of lisp program out there.. that converts your drawing to gcode..
basically your vectors becomes the tool paths.. this way you can generate toolmovements otherwise camprogram migth can not do..

darebee is rigth.. those the best tools.. paper and pencil, they never fail never obsoloted.. you migth add windows notepad.. and you have a complete cam solution of these 3 components...