MonoKrom - QtPyVCP GUI for PlasmaC and Mill

Awesome work! Thanks James!!

It's a good thing but if you can make the UI an advance laser cutter and engraving it will be better because there is no UI that is made for laser cutter and engraving in linuxcnc.

Just letting people know I am back into Monokrom Plasma.   Currently I have been reviewing code and fixing a few bugs as well as starting better interaction with Sheetcam.  I have a post processor in initial form as well as adjustments made to the qtpyvcp and UI code to more correctly transition to use its tool# versus my previous DB primary key ID based approach.

Cheers - J.

how complicated is to integrate in the GUI a postprocesor that read dxf and create the GCODE using all these hole improvements?

grijalvap wrote:

how complicated is to integrate in the GUI a postprocesor that read dxf and create the GCODE using all these hole improvements?

There is a program dxf2gcode floating around. I have never used it because usually I want to nest multiple parts which sheetcam does so easilly.
I think it can simply be done by using a filter that calls this program if a dxf is opened.

yes I saw dxf2Gcode and it seems to work well but as you mention sheetCAM does nesting and many other things better, but neigther are plasma specific and gui integrated,
I think that can be a good feature to integrate in the GUI just for the non expert using plasma, also thisintegrated postprocessor can include all these piercing and hole cut tech directly in QTplasmaC and/or Monokrome GUI

I get the sentiment and I did some hacking on dxf2gcode a while back with this general intent.  But I parked it for a few reasons.
1. when you start interpreting dxf automatically you have to make assumptions to detect internal and external cuts and thus which direction to go and what side of the dxf path to put the kerf offset.  All doable but if you do not like the result then what do you do? Enabling editing in monokrom UI is starting to replicate other tools like sheetcam.
2. Then I started looking at sheetcam more closely and what it did and what could be achieved with the PP.  At which point I decided the effort v's cost (cose lets face it for what it does sheetcam is a family meal out for dinner or a night at the pub which you then piss away) it just wasn't worth it.

Result:  use sheetcam to convert anything into gcode.  Leverage sheetcam's superior control around tools, nesting, geometry etc etc.   Do anything clever via gocde manipulation from (ideally) sheetcam and enhance the sheetcam PP as needed to support anything special monokrom needed (e.g. enhance material magic comment to include extra params to support full tool/material management in sheetcam).

Just my view and doesn't stop anyone else with a different view driving down this country lane.  Happy to work with anyone wanting to do that so a co-ordinated design and resulting pull request can be made.

Cheers - J.

Better late than never but here is a video showcasing Monokrom. I still think this is a pretty impressive GUI, thankls to JoCo..



It would be absolutely amazing if you guys could subscribe to my Youtube channel while watching it. I am 10 short of 1000 subscribers. Its only taken 15 years....

tommylight wrote:

Subbed with @tomapc and was already subbed with @toma.cnc1 , i think, will also check @toma.3d.

Thanks Tommy! (9 to go), keep up the good work.