DeskProto Post Processor

PathPilot
1

Just purchased my first tormach (PCNC1100 running PathPilot) and hoping to use DeskProto for my CAM which I have experience on with my old Mach3 machine.

Hoping someone here has used DeskProto and can give me some advice. There is a Tormach machine (PCNC 1100) defined in the software (V8) but the post processor that is associated with is it for Mach3. From what I’ve read the closest generic post for PathPilot is LinuxCNC. Have any of you modified the LinuxCNC postproccessor over to support PathPilot? Would the generic LinuxCNC post work or would it be stupid to try it? I really dont want to crash my machine.

2

Any generic 3-axis post should work fine. The issues start to pop up with things like canned cycles, custom G and M codes that are machine specific, probing, and in some cases, multi-axis stuff. Regardless of your machine, CAM software, or post processor, every new program should be carefully watched, if not stepped through in single-step mode, prior to allowing your machine to run unattended.

3

Thank you for the confirmation! I was pretty sure it would be ok to use the LinuxCNC post but this being my first time on PathPilot I wanted to have second opinion.

4

Does DeskProto import step files?