Gcodetools - Inkscape's CAM extension

Hi every one!

We have made new version of Gcodetools!
Here are new features:

• Lathe machining
  Creates trajectory for lathe machining for selected path. There are several options available:
  1. Fine cut width - width of fine cut. Allows to make smooth cutting.
  2. Fine cut count - a number of fine cuts.
  3. Fine cut calculation function - Fine cut can be calculated by offseting the original path or by moving it upwards.
  4. Standard axis remap - changes standard lathe axis XZ to specified ones.
• Engraving
  Calculates trajectory for engraving paths with cone, spherical or arbitrary shaped cutters. Uses tools library to define cutters shape.
• Tools library
  Stores different tools inside the drawing. Allows multi-tool machining.
• Multi-tools machining
• Orientation system
  Calculates transformations (move, scale and rotate) according given two or three dots with coordinates.
• Post-processing
• Other small improvements
  Additional export parameters
  Separated interface
  Tool alignment checking
  Drilling
  etc...

Gcodetools is freely available here: www.cnc-club.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35

I am not getting any output to the .ngc file
path is set to /home
extension appears to be working fine.
this is in ubuntu linux that is not working.

I tested on another windows machine and it works fine.

~*Brian VanDiepenbos

Path should be your home dir or any other directory in which you have permissions to write.

hmmmm... Gcodetools usually raise an Exception if it can not write to file, or in case of other errors...

Glad to hear that. If you'll got any questions or suggestions do not hesitate to write them .

Hello Nick,
I just had to change it from /home to /home/brian
now it writes file fine.

Great job with the gcode extention for Inkscape, I Love it!
This is a very powerful option for EMC2
I am going to be trying out all of the features.


~*Brian VanDiepenbos

>> Select one of the active tabs - Path to Gcode, Area, Engraving, DXF points, Orientation, Offset, Lathe or Tools library.

Just do what is says .

Gcodetools has a lot of functions so it needs a radio buttons or something like that to select the certain function. So we have decided to use the name of the currently opened tab at it's form.

So if you want export Path to Gcode, open path to Gcode tab and Press Apply.
If you need Engraving open Engraving Tab and press apply.

Such way you can run several functions from one extensions window. And when you press apply from "non functional" tabs such Preferences or options Gcodetools raises an exception asking to choose proper tab.

PS in windows you have to put extension's files into C:\Program Files (x86)\Inkscape\share\extensions\ (probably you'll need admin wrights to do it) or in your own user settings directory, something like C:\Documents and settings\user\application data\inkscape...
On ubuntu it's /usr/share/inkscape/extensions/ and /home/nick/.config/inkscape/extensions/ .

Yeah, engraving is a little bit of that .

It was developed to make a Gcode to cut out thin places and sharp corners in precutted with cylindrical bit ornaments. And it shown up that if the path is thin enough to cut it with the shaped bit with one pass, this function creates suitable trajectory. So most of text, and ornaments can be cut with only one pass.

Even if tutorial is outdated main steps should be the same.

One tip, try to break paths appart as much as possible - it'll save calculation time. For example if you want to engrave text after it's better if all letters are separate paths.