CAM idea I want to share, looking for feedback

Hello All,

I have spent the past few weeks trying to learn the Qt library. I am by no means a programmer, but still I am driven by what I see is a fundamental need in the linux community for a simple CAM program that non-programmers can use. Now I know that there have been a couple of apps ported to Linux from the Windows world but they seem to be either several versions behind, or not really supported. At least the last time I looked.

So I thought to myself that maybe I could try writing such a beast. I may be way over my head here, but at the very least I want to try and do something, if nothing else for the learning experience.

So I have been looking at the QGraphicsView and QGraphicsScene classes thinking that these are the ones that I would need to use. I also realize that the computer coordinate system if flipped compared to the cartesian plane (well the Y axis is). And there are probably many other things to take into consideration. And that leads me to the following:

1) I know there are some Qt programmers here. Would anyone like to do a project like this? Or maybe lend some helpful advice?

2) What would this project look like. As a simple program I would like to have the following functionality to start with.

* Open and import a DXF drawing
* Set the work area position (for example x0, y0 is the center of the workpiece and z0 is on the surface)
* Select a machiing operation from a list (profile, drill, pocket, engrave ...)
* Select the geometry to create the above toolpath for. Keeping in mind feed and cut rates as well as cut dpths
* Save the resulting G Code with any needed specific code in the header to run on the machine (set units, set plane, etc)

Anyway, I am open for ideas. As a beginiing programmer, I thought I could start small and build on it. Would love to see a CAM program (Even a simple one) written in Qt. Would be nice to have an app that runs on all platforms.

Looking forward to hearing your feedback, good or bad!!

Regards,

Joe

Hi

Have a look at these topics

www.linuxcnc.org/index.php/english/forum...d-cam/27145-qcad-cam

www.linuxcnc.org/index.php/english/forum...the-openscam-project

There is also the libreCAD project, which is a fork of QCAD but moved to Qt4

I am a big fan of not re-inventing the wheel, what seems to most need improving is the CAM side of QtCAD/CAM

You might want to consider collaborating in an existing project, to improve it

regards

I did one small program in the past that I have several clients with that:

Reads a DXF and outputs the GCode for different controllers (or specific code for each user) as they want the code to be. This program is normally only for profiling or drilling. No pockets or milling complex parts.
This was I skipped the most complicated part (the CAD it self) and wrote a simple program to maintain that still does what people want: to be simple.

Perhaps you could look at pycam, they are currently porting it over from python to QT. Instead of re-inventing the wheel you help improve an existing one.

pycam.sourceforge.net

Regards.

Steve.

I think you all have very good points. After digging more, it really is beyond my ability. (Hey, admitting it is half the solution, correct?)

At any rate, This community has given a lot to me and I do want to give something back. I will take a look at pycam and see if I can help. I have contacted the author of OpenSCAM as well, and am trying to offer help there where my skills will allow.

Thanks for the feedback and more importantly the reality check!!!



Joe