I am trying to get SurfCAM to output files for the Nomad, but am having a hard time finding the right post processor / settings. Seems like every option I have tried has at least 1 error in the code, so it will not run.
I am mostly getting grbl error 26 or 32 depending on the post. Seems grbl requires xyz words in the block which are not provided…
If anyone has experience using SurfCAM with the Nomad or any other GRBL CNC, please let me know what made it work.
If you would like more information like a sample .nc file please let me know. I didn’t want to overfill the initial post.
I have been looking through this information. Although, I am not sure how to actually make a post processor in SurfCAM.
I am using SurfCAM 2017 Traditional which does not seem to have many post processor options.
It comes with a program Post Menu Utility but this only lets you select an existing post processor from a huge list of options. If there was a known post processor that works, I could select it, but I do not see how I could make it from scratch or edit an existing one to work.
I think my problem is mostly coming from arc moves because the plane of the move is not defined.
I’m afraid those are all commercial machines — how does the “Generic” one work?
One of the smaller mill manufacturers, Tormach? has shifted to using LinuxCNC — this page indicates that one can work up one’s own post-processor: http://traditional.surfcam.com/mpost
It had the same initial error where Grbl didn’t recognize the program number. (Error in line 2: Syntax Error) - remove this line and continued.
1 O0001(INCAAA)
It then had Error in line 5: Unsupported G Code
5 G00 G17 G70 G40 G80 G90 M05
I tried removing G70 because it appears to be the only command in that line that is not supported.
Same error…
After removing G70 G40 and G80, this error went away.
Not sure why the other commands produced errors…
Now Error on Line 8: Multiple Motion Modes
8 G00 G90 G00 X0.3509 Y-0.6102 S9000 M03
Removed the second G00
Error in line 13: bad arc format, No I/J
13 G03 X0.2936 Y-0.5977 Z-0.0017 I-0.0125
I have been looking through the posts from the machsupport link.
The only post I can find for SurfCAM was uploaded by a user to the forum and it is for a CNC Lathe.