New version of CAM Expert?

[loboy]

Any word on a new version of CAM Expert that will run on OS 10.7 Lion? Thanks.

[clive]

Any word on a new version of CAM Expert that will run on OS 10.7 Lion? Thanks.

I think at the moment all efforts are concentrated on pushing the QCAD 3 final release, after that there are plans to release a new version of CAM Expert based on QCAD 3
sometime in the future - see here on the last update of the Ribbonsoft Blog:
http://www.qcad.org/en/.

[loboy]

I would really love to know if and when a new CamExpert will be released.

Due to some other software I have, I would like to make the move to OS 10.8 Mountain Lion. CamExpert has become somewhat of fixture in my machining tool chain, and since Mountain Lion will no longer run PPC code without Rosetta, CamExpert will cease to run. This means I will have to retire CamExpert and move elsewhere.

Is anyone generating g-code on OS X, and what are you using?

[clive]

I would really love to know if and when a new CamExpert will be released.

Due to some other software I have, I would like to make the move to OS 10.8 Mountain Lion. CamExpert has become somewhat of fixture in my machining tool chain, and since Mountain Lion will no longer run PPC code without Rosetta, CamExpert will cease to run. This means I will have to retire CamExpert and move elsewhere.

Is anyone generating g-code on OS X, and what are you using?

As stated on the blog a new version of CamExpert will definitely be released, as to when - Andrew is best placed to advise about this and on your other queries.

[andrew]

A new version of CAM Expert (or rather a CAM add-on for QCAD 3) is planned. What we have at the moment is a simple, configurable G-Code export with path optimization for shortest path. More features will be added as time and resources allow and if there is a demand for it. I cannot be very specific on a release date. Our simple G-Code export can be made available very short-term if there is any interest for it. A CAM add-on which offers similar functionality like CAM Expert (sorting by layer, layer attributes, cut small contours first, etc) will hopefully be available later this year.

[RogerJoensson]

Personally I would be happy just to be able to output the path (in G-code) in the order I drew it on one single layer. Can this be done soon?
(in QCAD 3...)

[andrew]

Personally I would be happy just to be able to output the path (in G-code) in the order I drew it on one single layer. Can this be done soon?

Yes, we do have that available as an add-on for QCAD 3.

The G-code output is configurable and we also have optional path optimization.

Without path optimization, the drawing is exported in drawing order which can be controlled by the order in which entities are drawn or through the 'drawing order' property in the property editor or using the modification tools "Send to Back" or "Bring to Front".

Please contact me by e-mail or private message with the following details:
- Operating system and version thereof you are using.
- If possible, please attach an example of the required G-Code output for your machine.
- An example for an input file you are typically processing would also be helpful.

[zak]

Just thought I'd bump this thread since I do not see anywhere to purchase CAM Expert, which of course makes me wonder if there is a new version yet.

Thanks, Zak

[andrew]

Since the last status update in September 2012 (see post above), machine configuration specific options and layer specific options (e.g. cutting depth per layer) have been added.

I hope to release another development snapshot of QCAD 3 along with a CAM add-on in the coming days.

[srl]

HI
I use Qcad3 to design Depron model aircraft with demo Cam Expert to output the gcode for my hobby CNC mill.
Really looking forward to the addon, so I just did another Qcad purchase.
I also draw my rapid moves between cuts so if I could write a script to produce gcode from a selected contour it would be great.

srl

[andrew]

A new version of QCAD with CAM add-on is now available from the links below.
The packages below are trial versions. More information on this will be available on the web site soon:

Windows:
http://www.ribbonsoft.com/archives/qcad/qcadcam-3.1.0-beta-trial-win-installer.exe

Mac OS X:
http://www.ribbonsoft.com/archives/qcad/qcadcam-3.1.0-beta-trial-osx-10.6-10.8.dmg

Linux:
http://www.ribbonsoft.com/archives/qcad/qcadcam-3.1.0-beta-trial-linux-x86.bin
http://www.ribbonsoft.com/archives/qcad/qcadcam-3.1.0-beta-trial-linux-x86.tar.gz