I am new to the whole V1E CNC setup & trying to wrap my head around the software side of things. I have been reading posts & watching some YouTube content but I still feel such as I am missing a few key pieces when it comes to getting the firmware & control software dialed in properly.
I am running things on a basic setup & experimenting with Estlcam & Repetier-Host but if you have got better suggestions.
Also, I know this might sound a little off-topic but while diving into this CNC journey, I have also been exploring tech tools for work and came across something called Splunk totally different world, but it’s been cool learning how to track logs and data.
Anyway, if you have got any favorite software combos, config tips or even mistakes to avoid, please share Also i have check this .
So.as I see it, there are 3 different places where software cpmes into play.
Firmware. This is control board fependent, and can be a nber of options, but basically it all comes down to “Move the machine under program control, with features for setup and maintenance.” The #1 deciding factor here is the control board you choose. A Jackpot is basically going to be FluidNC (GRBL work-alike.) An SKR Pro is going to run Marlin, but there do exist other solutions. For this, we need hardware details.
CAD. You need to somehow get drawings for stuff to do with the CNC. I suppose it’s possible to just download stuff from someplace like Etsy, or other repository. Several CAD packages are available for free or at least really low cost.
CAM. This is probably the more common spurce of confusion. This takes your drawing and spits out the program that the machine is going to actually run. Here, you will.need to know which firmware you are using, as the programs differ somewhat from one to another, though most are very similar.
In a of these cases V1 doesnt actually provide software, but there are common choices, and in the case of firmware (1) V1 keeps repositories for “supported” control boards. Getting a supported board will make building and setting il the firmware easier, but lots of other options are used by forum members who can help.
CAD software is varied and can be expensive. I do see some suggestions and help on V1 site, but that’s somethjng you may be on your own for. Anything from Inkscape to Solidworks will do the job.
For CAM, Estlcam is a good beginner choice and has lots of support here, including some good quick-start guides. There is also a pretty good post-processor for Fusion360 around and somebhelp with that. Personally, I use Estlcam, and I’m pretty happy with it. The folks at LightBurn seem to be putting out a package that looks promising. Their laser software is good and popular. I haven’t looked at their CNC software, but if the interface is similar, it should be a good package. I use Lightburn for my lasers, though Estlcam should also be able to do it.
