CNC in operation

For those of you having already worked with plotters in the office, the CNC machine made by GOCNC will be understood quickly. GOCNC works identically and uses the same machine language which was earlier used by the plotters of HP.

I prepare the templates or graphics on Corel Draw, a professional software which has basically nothing to do with CNC machines. However, this software is able to save the established graphics on the required format of a PLT-file. The PLT-file can then be uploaded on the software of GOCNC and the CNC machine is ready to start working on templates and graphics.

Since I do not use my CNC machine every day, I made my own checklist how to prepare the machine for the job once PC and CNC machine are switched on.

The following check list makes sure that nothing gets missed in the preparing process and that the outcome corresponds to the expectations:

1. Start program of GOCNC on PC

2. Load PLT file onto GOCNC program

3. Define milling depth

4. Define milling speed

5. Calibrate CNC machine "Referenzfahrt"

6. Define zero point (left below)

7. Save zero point

8. Start cutter and dust collector

9. Start program and supervise progress

When cutting aluminium I do apply a cutting depth of 0.5 - 1.0 mm and for wood 2.0 mm per loop. PLT files saved by Corel Draw are not optimised. That means that the machine does a lot of no-load operations. With a program called ReaConverter PLT files can be optimised to save machine time.

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