Bobcad Support

[Regenia Junke]

I have an API i created with a check box and a peck distance. contact support for this if unsure how to do. it simply outputs a Q value in my G84 line, but depending on your machine it may need more. i think there is a pdf resourse somewhere in the bobcad files in your C drive.

You are correct @The_mtbiking_viking. For Haas machines: peck tapping requires you to set a parameter (133) in the controller as well for peck tapping to work. It is not necessarily desirable to have the parameter turned on all the time as it causes a spindle orientation to happen at each and every drilled hole which can slow down the speed of cutting your parts. However, this orientation is necessary if you intend to use peck tapping.

I am sorry to hear this. It is true that older versions of BobCAD-CAM are no longer supported. However, this does not mean that you can not still transfer the software off of the computer. And, if you back up your files, you still may be able to get back your license on a new computer even if your computer crashes.

The biggest difference with this new change in policy is that you are liable your own unsupported versions of the software to handle the licenses yourself as they are not supported by us directly anymore. We were having a huge influx of support tickets that pertained to customers who did not have a support plan or had an unsupported version of the software. With this new policy in place, this helps the support team better assist our active users of the software.

This page contains a list of full BobCAD-CAM Downloads. Click "Download 64-bit Update" to download the latest full version of BobCAD-CAM and open the file when complete to install the software. BobCAD-CAM recommends that you update your software when an update is available. Software updates can include: feature improvements; stability and performance fixes; and enhancements. Be sure to read the release notes to see what fixes and enhancements have been made. The current supported software is Current Version and 2 Versions back.

If I right click an sketch and select export to DXF... when I open it up in other programs (solidWorks or BobCAD) then it is multiplied up into inches or shown in inches... from there I need to scale the dxf by 0.03937007874015748 to get it to be in the actual size (mm)

In solidworks I have the option to choose mm as units when importing the DXF... But sadly I do not think this is an option in BobCad... so that means it is this giant size when opening it in BobCad...

The unit information is stored in DXF files exported from Fusion, the variable $INSUNITS is set to 4 for mm. The problem with bobcad is bobcad, I contacted their support a few years ago about this and they just can't grasp the idea I work in mm in all my files so bobcad doesn't need to scale anything, might as well have talked to the wall. Got to ask, why are you taking files to bobcad, is there something bobcad can do that's missing from Fusion?

I just started to use BobCad for EDM Wire Cutting, sadly this CAM function is not in fusion otherwise I would for sure have used fusion, I do think though that fusion could make 'good money' on this because the EDM wirecutting business is VERY out of date, including bobcad, (though seemed the easiest at a fair price) Fusion would be good to push the wirecut market...

anyways! I know Bobcad is a little stupid, but Solidworks also interpreted it as inch when importing (where I had the option to pick mm instead) so I think that 'kinda' tells me that fusion exports in inch? I don't know how to check this 'variable $INSUNITS' But I did try one thing further, I exported a DXF in solid works, and imported in bobcad, and there it looks fine... this tells me it is only when exporting from fusion it goes wrong...?

You'll probably find bobcad and solidworks are written by and for the American market so they assume everything is in inches. I can assure you Fusion does write the unit info in the file, it just sounds like bobcad and solidworks don't read it. If you try opening the files with QCad you'll find it reads the information correctly. Good luck with a bug report to bobcad support.

I have been using Fusion for 2d wire erosion and Rhino with a Python script I wrote for 4 axis, I do have bobcad but try not to use it. Unfortunately the CAM team have just released an update for the waterjet feature that makes it pretty useless for wire erosion now.

In my mind it just seems 'stupid'... i've never had this problem before I started using Fusion for DXF export, maybe it's a new standard fusion is running... ahh well guess i'm going to use the scale function a lot then... jesus... (stupid bobcad)

the wierdest of the wierd is; if i open the SolidWorks dxf in texteditor, then it says that the $INSUNITS value (70/4/9) is the same as the fusion file... so they should work the same when importing in bobcad... but they don't.... stranger and stranger...

After playing around with a few things I found the Solidworks file has #Measurement set to 1, changing it to 0 makes Bobcad scale up by 25.4. So the solidworks file is in MM with Measure set to Metric, the trouble is that isn't the correct use because the file could be mm, cm, meters or kilometers and Bobcad would read them all as mm.

I'm not too sure what the Measure variable is supposed to do but changing it doesn't make any difference to the sizes in QCad, ZW3d or Fusion, changing $INSUNITS does, I'd guess you'd see the same with AutoCad

I'm sure it has something to do with how the standard DXF file should be (what it contains) and that autodesk, bobcad and solidworks do not do it in the same way... like you write about measurement or whatnot

@Anonymous How and what are you exporting\importing. If I right click a sketch and save as DXF then use insert DXF it reads the units I saved in. You still get the option to override on the dialog but it default will be the units the file was saved in. QCad and ZW3d can also read Fusion files and read the unit info in the file.

Scott I tried the generic BC3X mill setting and it did not work for me. I have already made more hold downs using Easel. I am going to check out the Fusion 360 also. Thanks for the information on the stencils.

The trouble you are having with BobCAD-CAM is simple. It is industrial grade software not hobby grade. The operating system that X-Carve uses with the Arduino and GRBL is hobby grade.
If you were to upgrade you operating system to a computer running XP or W7 and Mach3 or a computer running Linux and LinuxCNC with stepper drivers that are designed to run on these systems. Then You could use several of the post processors that come with BobCAD-CAM.
There is not a big incentive for BobCAD to write a post for running on a standard X-Carve. How meany hobby users are going to drop the big bucks for BobCAD.

The sales people that kept calling me had never even heard of GRBL or X-Carve, but they were certain that any CNC machine would need 5 axis support and could not understand why I was not interested. When I told him that his software cost more than I paid for my machine he thought I was kidding.

I have expensive CAD and CAM software but until I get my machine up and running I use it on an equally expensive milling machine with 4 axis capability.
My machine will also not run the Arduino/GRBL electronics but rather equipment I have on hand what will deal with my present CAD and CAM.

I see a lot of people talking about Fusion 360 for both CAD and CAM. There is also OnShape.com for free CAD. CamBam is a good low cost CAM program for 2.5D and some simple 3D CAM. They give a very generous trial period.

Just wanted to give an update on the Bobcad - Bobart software. Still not working with the X-Carve. If any one out there has this software and it works with the X-Cave please let me know. I have been on the phone with Bobcad and several emails and no luck.

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