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It's been a while since I posted last. JetCad3 is a parametric CAD/CAM
package I've been building solo for machine shops — plasma, fab, router, laser,
mill — cross-platform on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Lots has landed. This has been in active development for just over 12 years now.

The QtPlasmaC post is fully built out and tested — native G2/G3 arcs (not
linearized unless you want them, it's a post option), material blocks, [spot]
small-hole spotting, M62/M63 THC envelope, M67 hole-velocity reduction. Also
bundled: a plain LinuxCNC Plasma post, Mach3/Mach4, FLCNC/FangLing, ProMach
StrikeCommand, FastCut G7. No post for your controller? An AI Import & Convert
turns a SheetCAM .scpost or Fusion .cps into a JetCad3 post.

Next step is deeper: JetCad3 as a DISPLAY in your LinuxCNC ini — full
CAD → CAM → control in one window. Our GcodePilot workspace already does this
for GRBL/FluidNC (live DRO, Z probing, wireless pendant, mid-cut Run-From-Here,
virtual plate squaring, firmware AVTHC). LinuxCNC is where it goes next — and
I'm looking for LinuxCNC plasma test users. My only LinuxCNC machine here is a
VMC, not a great plasma proxy. If you run QtPlasmaC and want to help, reach out.

THE SUITE — ALL LIVE TODAY

---

  • Design — 2D vector for signage and machine prep. Unlimited free, no account.
  • Drafting — full parametric 3D modeling with editable history, plus built-in
    Sheet Metal: base → flanges/hems → EZ Bend hand-fold reliefs → true flat
    pattern → auto-nest → post plasma/laser, all in one program. No DXF
    round-trip between four packages.
  • Plasma — top-down sheet CAM: DXF/SVG/SheetCAM import, genetic auto-
    nesting, Common Grid shared-line arrays, geometry-based cut rules, live sim.
  • Router — 2.5D nesting-first CAM; GRBL and MASSO posts.
  • Laser — palette-driven cut/engrave; G-code and Ruida output.
  • Mill — Fusion/HSM-style setup milling: high-speed dynamic clearing and
    new stock-aware rest machining. Posts GRBL, FluidNC, LinuxCNC.

Also built in: 2,000+ copyright-free fonts (live previews, offline cache),
straight/arc/circle layout, ready to cut or engrave.

Free/Hobby needs no account and follows the SheetCAM scheme — up to 500 lines of
G-code per post. That's the main gate, and it covers a lot of real hobby work
for free. Every workspace and tool is in the free login; I'm not gating
features. The ask is simple: if you're making money with it, support the project
so I can keep improving it. A free online account (for filing issues/requests on the community forum)
and an unlimited hardware HASP license are also available if you don't like monthly or yearly subscriptions (I don't like them, I'd rather own the software. Lifetime Updates are included with Unlimited Licenses, no version freezing like many other systems)

ROADMAP

---

  • Bevel cutting for Plasma
  • LinuxCNC control integration (DISPLAY in the ini, JetCad3 becomes the interface like Gmocappy or QtPlasmaC for Plasma, Mill, Router, Laser, etc)
  • Internationalization / multi-language
  • HVAC library + 3D-sketch wire-based duct builder in Drafting
  • Tube/rollcage: auto pipe coping + unbend, inline scribing (bend lines,
    orientation) straight to the pipe cutter
  • Rotary Jet Cutting workspace for tube notches — with "NotchMaster," a
    conversational tool that builds 3D tube notches ready to cut

Feedback from this forum has been some of the best I've gotten. Keep it coming —
and if you're a LinuxCNC plasma operator up for testing, please reach out.

 

Why do you need 210 VDC?

Normally you would use rectified 220V for the DC bus to run for 220V  motors

Are the motors 150 VAC?

I'm hoping to catch the eye of some of the experienced retrofitters here so I can learn some things. I'm in the process of retrofitting a Deckel FP4a with STMBL drives and LinuxCNC, it was originally 3 phase, but I want to run it on single phase 220, but not being an electrical engineer, I'm stumbling on the power supply for the drives.

I know I need to supply my motors with ~210VDC via a capacitor-smoothed DC bus, I'm just trying to find the best, safe option of doing so without breaking the bank, causing a fire, or killing myself and all my equipment, so I need to learn more.

From what I understand I have 3 options:

• An isolation transformer to drop the 220VAC to 150VAC, rectified to ~210VDC, but this needs an odd ~5KVA transformer that is likely very expensive and may be hard to source. I have the original, monstrous 3 phase transformer, but I have my doubts that it would work effectively in a single phase capacity.
• A skookum switch mode power supply that can handle the load of the 3 axis motors (2x 1.5KW, x1 1.75KW) and spindle (1.5KW). This is also likely to be expensive and hard to source.
• Direct rectification of the 220VAC to ~310VDC, very simple, but potentially quite dangerous, though I don't fully understand the risks and potential failure modes.

How are others handling this situation for their machines?


For a little background, the machine came to me free in a broken state, the original drives were questionable and the controller was non-functional, the machine is physically in great shape. I chose the STMBL drives because they can handle the resolvers in the stock Industrial Drives brushless axis motors and spindle motor, I couldn't find a decent, off-the-shelf drive that was cost competitive and they seemed like the ideal solution, provided I can power them.

I use DeskCNC for toolpathing, and it does do that for circles, but I do so many repetetive shapes, although not necessarily the same amount each time, that I simply write my own code I can reuse just by changing the number of repeats. I love it this way cause i can change stuff in seconds, but when it comes to circles in 4-axis mode, it's tougher

For the 7I97/7I97T, you need to set offset mode true for all PWMgens:

setp hm2_7i97.0.pwmgen.00.offset-mode 1
setp hm2_7i97.0.pwmgen.01.offset-mode 1
setp hm2_7i97.0.pwmgen.02.offset-mode 1
etc
also dither should be enabled:

setp hm2_7i97.0.pwmgen.00.dither 1
setp hm2_7i97.0.pwmgen.01.dither1
setp hm2_7i97.0.pwmgen.02.dither 1
etc
 

I've finally got my 7i97T running and I am at the point to test driving the spindle of my Lathe. The Simodrive 611 LT Module expects +-10V for running the spindle cw or ccw at certain speeds.
im not sure about my wiring, since I always get -10V and the spindle only turns one direction at full speed.

On TB3 analog0 i have enable +- on the first two pins. Then 10v+- on the third and ground of my 24V Powersupply on the fourth pin.

I did similiar retrofitting before and every time i ran into this, problem is: I cant remeber the solution.

I read somewhere about "spindle mode" and dithtering etc. Where can I read that up and how would I know what to look for ?

I have previously used 485 dongles but I think the mesa board connection is a cleaner wiring solution. I have used mb2hal but hm2-modbus is much easier for me.

I also found hm2-modbus/mesa refresh to be offer much faster refresh than hm2hal/USB dongle which was important with some spindle calculations I was using to calculate gear ratios.

My advise is get the correct firmware and enjoy the cleaner wiring, easier message setup, and faster response with the mesa connection.

Having done this on many occasions but on other CNC machines, its just using what you got to make what you need.
Ive turned near full spheres on the end of a stick using a 3/8" round button insert lathe tool clamped on whatever angle in a vice, probably easier with button inserts- easy to touch off on.

The more difficult part is coming up with the NC code to do it- its not really a linuxcnc thing as a CAM thing. I was using mastercam x9 at the time, created a program using an inverse offset chain to drive the spindle/x/z in the right motion to achieve the part. Depending on the accuracy you require- you may need to include cutter geometry/radiuses to do it. In my case above the button insert radius was added to my offset via telling mcam the tool was 3/8" ball nose.

Was also able to hold a tolerance of around ±0.0002" with some fiddling around in A2 tool steel. 
 

If you are using a USB to RS485 adapter you are not running a USB cable to your device. These adapters generally don't have a USB cable at all, and are just a dongle you plug into your computer's USB port. You then run a RS485 cable from there to your device. As to speed, I'm pretty sure USB is quite a bit faster than RS485.

It seems to me that we are all wandering around like blind people in the fog...
I suspect that the cause of the problems lies where no one tries to look for it...
Let me tell you a story.
Some time ago I bought integrated Lichuan Ethercat servo steppers.
I set up LinuxCNC and basically everything worked.
After some time, I decided to buy identical drives for a second machine, essentially identical, only slightly larger, so I used the configuration from the older one.
Everything worked, except the engines did not rotate and the drives did not want to enter the correct mode.
I started looking for the cause, changed various parameters and restarted LinuxCNC until they worked properly, but after another restart they did not work again.
I already knew that the engines were working, but something must have been misconfigured, so I started writing the configuration file from scratch, first with one drive, then adding others...
It worked and everything has been working as it should since then.
Except that these two files (working and not working) are basically identical, and the only difference is in the block order.
If Ethercat is so sensitive to syntax that changing the order causes it to fail, then you can look for tiny errors until you die...

sorry many work, simply late publish source code

I have done that on several occasions. I don't know it there is a name for it.

@MaxEkb77 is it possible to get the source of this?

Unfortunately this does not run my Linux box.

Thank you.

I used the code from the link above; you just need to add your own pins in config section(yours may be different). If it helps clarify things, I've attached my version of the code.

As for the difference between the SK4 and SK6—I've held both versions in my hands; the button layout is the same, but the circuit boards are different. So if you have the SK6, things might be different there.

Yes, I replaced the original rotary switches with encoders. I find encoders much more convenient—I don’t have to check their position every time; I can just turn them in the right direction. And they have a button; I’ve mapped pressing it to set FRO and SRO to 100%. Plus, if you use the stock ones, you won’t be able to adjust the settings from the screen (to avoid confusion in the readings, you’ll have to disable the on-screen sliders and leave only the current value displayed). That’s why we’ll always use only these rotary switches. With encoders, there’s no such problem—you can adjust the FRO and SRO both from the screen and using the encoders.

i can, if you ask a specific question. obviously i don't have a written specification to share.
but maybe it is possible to adapt your 4th axis to use a mitsubishi dtive/motor? would be much easier..