i woud like to build pcb plotter in xy kinematic or corexy cinematic. Mechanic is nto a problem, but generating g code is. I dont know how to get g code from kicad that will run plotter. I serched the internet and i dont find the solution. So i decided to ask here. If i understnad corectly kicad output is gerber. Is tehre eny program who convert gerber to plot g code or to hplg and then to g code.So i can draw traces with water resistent ink like stadler or somthing. and aditional snag is that corexy kinematic neds soem difrent g code as ordianry xy kinematic to.
Both flatcam and copper cam have been mentioned 100+ times on this forum, and there are also command line programs such as pcb2gcode.
Apart from that, KiCad can also export the DXF or SVG format, and then you can import this in some other software which can generate only the outlines, add radius offset and such. For the software it does not matter much whether you are milling, or drawing with a pen.
You may also want to have a look at some youtube videoās. For example, Marco Reps has made some PCBās by exposing a per-sensitized PCB with an UV laser.
If i udnerstnad corectly, most programs for milling put out isoaltion miling around the track. I need to get some sort of g code to plot a pen over the pcb.
I foudn one guy who makes pcb in program and output it to hpgl format, then he uses anotehr program to covnert this to g code i dont knwo whitch.
As for corexy kineamtic. I think g code is one pile of stuf then you need to put this g code to controler in witch program is in there and this program need to talk to stepers how to get to the positions witch g code order it to go. so in cartezian coordiant system xy it is difrent moving of stepers as on corexy. So if i udnerstand thsi corectly, only adwino uno has one program form hit hub witch can do this. I didnt fidn enything else.
It woud be nice to have one controelr and filmwere program on controler who can run corexy.
Yes, thatās how Isolation routing usually works.
Have you tried outputting HPGL directly from: PCB Editor / File / Fabrication Outputs / Gerber? It has an option to generate HPGL, and you can also specify the pen thickness.
Maybe you can use the HPGL directly for your plotter thing, but converting it to G-code is also very straight forward (Unless some of the āadvancedā HPGL features such as framing is used, but thatās unlikely.)
Letās say youāve watched my Video and duplicated it or, understand how to get the PCB into FreeCAD and can do the things the video shows to pump out Gcode.
The only difference between my YouTube Video and the Video Below is my having changed the Profile-Contour from āOutsideā to āInsideā thus, there wonāt be any Isolation. I didnāt bother with anything beyond what you see (shape, contour Holesā¦).
Then, after the steps shown, I saved the GCODE and show it Opened in some useful software (Candle) to verify it.
Further, knowing my 3D-Printer only accepts .gcode file extension, I renamed the file extension from .nc to .gcode and opened it in 3D-Printer software and made a short videoā¦
Of course, it does nothing other than follow the Gcode but, Iāve done this years ago with a Pen (mounted on the Printerās head). Naturally, I set the appropriate Heights and Depth of Cuts (in FreeCAD) for the Ink-Penā¦ I did Not bother to do it hereā¦ but, you get the ideaā¦ The Tool shows it following the Gcode (imagine it being an Ink Penā¦)
Thank both to help me with this. So if i understand this corectly.
option
kicad to gerber to g code to controler miling
kicad to svg to g code to kontroler ploting
2.) option
you can draw on eline, but if it is thiker as pen, you need to draw it twice. But if you use inside miling option you wil get two pases and thiker pen colur on the board. So i dont need to komplicate with this only plot program g code stuf.
Can i ask some stuf about hardwere.
If i build corexy i need some sort of program to run this g code so g code will be read, and controelr wil move 2 stepers to go where g code said it need to go.
So it seams only adwino is compatible to run this stuf. If i buy arduino and put this on
Then core xy wil run, ten i need only to spuply the right g code and this is it. Is tehre mutiple standardy for g code output. Thsi is probably known in industry as ( some dokoment i cnad t remember now). Is tehre posible to run corexy on eny otehr controelr device and so on. I heard that emrlin for 3 d printing is sutable but you need to set it up and it is not good option.
I dont have problem with xy kinematic, but tis corexy it seams realy compact and small and like it.
Is there eny problems if i post ehre what i am building and peopel can help and tld me to what is wrong and so on. So if some otehr guy come along he will have easier path. I have no idea about al of this stuf. Ibuild two cnc machines, but arduino and al this programs are realy nerving me.
So if i udnerstnad corectly. for cortesian cnc ploter i need cortezian program on controler for core xy is only arduino with loded program form this site or merlin. If i udenrstand this corectly.
Woud you guys build corexy or cortezian cnc xy kinematic system. I ask becose i have noidea what problemy i can get going corexy path.
Thank you wery mutch for your insights, it was relay eye opener. THank you wery mutch.
This Forum is about Kicad and itās usage. Kicad is for PCBās and Schematicās and resulting output to be used in appropriate Software/Tools.
Sometimes Kicadās output is used for other indirect purposes, for example; I also use Kicad to generate Gerber Files for Guitar Pickguardās and use the Gerber in either CopperCAM or FreeCAD to get the Gcode for Milling the Pickguard (itās like a PCB Shape/Contour without any Traces/Padsā¦
Regarding your X/Y Plotter, I canāt help you. As I said, Iāve done Pen-Plotting using 3D-Printer and Kicad has nothing to do with it.
Building a Plotter might be Fun and needed by you for a reason, thatās O.K. but, not likely to get help hereā¦ try the sources you referenced.
I also made a pcb project by myself with a simple cnc 3018 method
By exporting a dxf file and creating a gcode of grbl
With the estlcam program, it worked for me for drilling
And cutting the edges
As for the copper pattern, I can print it with pdf. The problem is
The size is not the same as the designed file. Iām not sure if itās my printer
Or if I set something wrong
Regarding the 3018, this is my YouTube video for itā¦ may be of interest. Also, check out my Vidās on CopperCam and FreeCADā¦ (copperCAM is free for small projectsā¦ I think thereās a limit to the number of Pad/Trackā¦ but, It my favorite PCB Milling toolā¦
Click the āmoreā to read more info and you can set Play Speedā¦
