G-Code Writer for Surface Milling

In this video, we will walk through how to setup a Grasshopper definition that will write the G-code for surface milling on a 3-axis CNC milling machine. When surface milling - the contouring engine is crucial. For speed reasons, I found the C# contouring definition written by Giulio Piacentino' works extremely well because it allows the user to specify a step distance (tool path offset). After we have generated the contours (or tool paths) we can subdivide each curve, using the evaluate length component, to create a series of points which will guide the CNC mill head in order. Because we now have data structures, we can weave formatted text strings that have been derived from the point data into a G-code that will control the CNC mill.

As in the previous example, we have formatted our text strings to work with the opensource CAM software, Shopbot. You can download a free version of the software here: http://www.shopbottools.com/controlsoftware.htm.

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Tags: CNC, Fabrication, Grasshopper, Milling

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Comment by Wade Martin on March 12, 2012 at 8:55pm: Hi Andy,

Thank you, I'll see what I can do. In the past I have just copied G-code between the header and footer but seems this may work.

thanks again, Wade

Comment by Andy Payne on March 12, 2012 at 11:07am: Hi Wade,

I posted a similar definition (not quite like the one shown in this video, but very close) on my website: http://www.liftarchitects.com/journal/2010/11/8/surface-patterns-wi...

Comment by Wade Martin on March 12, 2012 at 10:28am: Andy,

could you please post "G-code write?"

Thanks, Wade

Comment by H on October 3, 2011 at 12:10pm: Great work!

Comment by Jason Brouwers on August 18, 2009 at 6:21am: Outstanding work Andy... I am very new to grasshopper but would like to give this a try. Have you considered adding a process whereby you can drag a rectangular(or other shape) selection across a section of the surface and only generate the G-code for that selection - just an idea. I have Rhino and use Cut3D for CAM but Cut3D can't do this - it generates G-code only for the whole surface. Once again well done.... cheers, Jason