Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

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MORGAN46
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Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

Post by MORGAN46 »

IS IT POSSIBLE TO OPEN OR IMPORT MASTERCAM FILES IE .NC INTO A Vectric PROGRAM

plcamp
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by plcamp »

MORGAN46 wrote:IS IT POSSIBLE TO OPEN OR IMPORT MASTERCAM FILES IE .NC INTO A Vectric PROGRAM
Not in their native format. Convert then to DXF or STL.

rig gap
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by rig gap »

Unless I'm badly mistaken, the ".nc" file is a generic "g" code and you can open it with a text editor like notepad or wordpad.

MORGAN46
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by MORGAN46 »

thank you for your replies
I wanted to open the .nc files and edit the size
it looks like I will have to invest in additional software

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Adrian
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by Adrian »

What control software does your machine use? If all you want to do is to scale the NC file in one or more directions then that is a function some control software can do.

MORGAN46
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by MORGAN46 »

hi Adrian I use mach3
ps still learning

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martin54
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by martin54 »

MORGAN46 wrote:hi Adrian I use mach3
ps still learning
I use mach3 but not that familiar with it, keep saying I need to learn how to use it properly :oops: :oops:
Might be an idea to post on the mach3 support forum & ask on there if you can use mach3 to resize your gcode files. Someone on there will be able to tell you how to do it if it is possible. :lol: :lol:

MORGAN46
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by MORGAN46 »

thanks martin54
I have been down that road there are ways to do it with third party programs but I cant spare the time to go any further
I am now spending time learning to use what I have properly

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martin54
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Re: CONVERT OR IMPORT .NC IE MASTERCAM FILES

Post by martin54 »

MORGAN46 wrote:thanks martin54
I have been down that road there are ways to do it with third party programs but I cant spare the time to go any further
I am now spending time learning to use what I have properly
Sorry not sure I understand your post properly, are you saying that you have already asked & this can't be done with mach3 without the use of some additional software ??
Like I say not very good with mach3 myself so it would be something else I had learnt about it as well :lol: :lol: :lol:

CarveOne
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Re: Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

Post by CarveOne »

In Mach3, select File/Open. and look at the Files of Type choices. One of them is .nc. I have not opened this file format in mach3 myself, but I don't see any reason to think that Mach3 can't directly open one of these files and use them. They are fairly simple text files that can be edited in Mach3 or a simple ascii text editor. I don't see a MasterCam post processor listed in my version of Mach3 though.

If what you want to do is to import the .nc file directly into Vectric products and have them convert gcode back into a drawing file, then no, Vectric products don't have that feature. The only software I have used that has that feature was LinuxCNC.


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Adrian
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Re: Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

Post by Adrian »

It's not opening them that the OP is having problems with. It's scaling them. I suggested that he should be able to scale them using his control software as you can in the ShopBot control software but I'm not familiar enough with Mach3 to know if it can do it as well. I'd be surprised if not but I was hoping someone with more experience of it could say for definite.

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Re: Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

Post by garyb »

The resize in Mach is right beside the DRO's (default is 1 for 1:1)
Gary

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Re: Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

Post by CarveOne »

garyb wrote:The resize in Mach is right beside the DRO's (default is 1 for 1:1)
Gary
Yes, I see that, but in my old version 3.042.040 I haven't seen a way to change that to something else. Looks like the .nc file scaling has to be done at the source CAD program where it was created. All I see is a MM or INCH default setting in Mach3. I've never needed to import a MM scale gcode file to see if the INCH setting automatically scales it to proper inches dimensions in Mach3.

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Re: Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

Post by garyb »

You need to click the number, 1.0000 in this case, type in the sizing eg 1.5000 and press enter.
depending on which screen set your using the led will flash yellow to show your size is not 1:1
you need to do the same to each axis you want to resize.
Works on all loaded files
Gary

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Re: Convert or import .NC ie MASTERCAM files

Post by CarveOne »

You are correct. I only clicked on the Scale bar, which did nothing of course. Clicking on the number lets me change it. Duh ...

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