Othermill CNC: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "Noisebridge has an Othermill as of December 12, 2016. This page should be helpful in figuring out how to use it! # The Hardware The Othermill is a high performance portable ...")
 
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Noisebridge has an Othermill as of December 12, 2016. This page should be helpful in figuring out how to use it!
Noisebridge has an Othermill as of December 12, 2016. This page should be helpful in figuring out how to use it!


# The Hardware
=The Hardware=


The Othermill is a high performance portable desktop CNC mill with 0.001" precision. The marketing refers to this as "6 mill trace-and-space", meaning you can design SMD circuits with 6 mill resolution of detail for millable features, dependent of course on your milling tool's precision.
The Othermill is a high performance portable desktop CNC mill with 0.001" precision. The marketing refers to this as "6 mill trace-and-space", meaning you can design SMD circuits with 6 mill resolution of detail for millable features, dependent of course on your milling tool's precision.
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It also has electrical circuit touchoff, meaning you can issue a G28.2 probe movement in a direction and the machine will report (via JSON ;() where it made contact with the spoilboard/t-slot bed. This operates on electrical conductivity with the Y bed, so don't get smart and think you can probe non-conductive materials with it!
It also has electrical circuit touchoff, meaning you can issue a G28.2 probe movement in a direction and the machine will report (via JSON ;() where it made contact with the spoilboard/t-slot bed. This operates on electrical conductivity with the Y bed, so don't get smart and think you can probe non-conductive materials with it!


# The Software
=The Software=


OMC makes [https://othermachine.co/otherplan/ Otherplan], a combination CAM, CAD, and GCode sender. It only runs on OSX and Windows, though [[User:tdfischer|tdfischer]] might let you play with the Linux version if you ask nice. '''You don't need Otherplan to use the mill!''' It speaks plain serial over USB, though Otherplan does include a lot of utility for the mill. The biggest features are parsing PCB design files and SVG files and turning them into GCode movements on the mill (aka CAD+CAM), flashing the firmware, understanding the JSON API, and providing a decent UI for previewing and controlling the mill. Otherplan supports loading plain GCode, eagle .brd files, and gerber files from other PCB CAD tools.
OMC makes [https://othermachine.co/otherplan/ Otherplan], a combination CAM, CAD, and GCode sender. It only runs on OSX and Windows, though [[User:tdfischer|tdfischer]] might let you play with the Linux version if you ask nice. '''You don't need Otherplan to use the mill!''' It speaks plain serial over USB, though Otherplan does include a lot of utility for the mill. The biggest features are parsing PCB design files and SVG files and turning them into GCode movements on the mill (aka CAD+CAM), flashing the firmware, understanding the JSON API, and providing a decent UI for previewing and controlling the mill. Otherplan supports loading plain GCode, eagle .brd files, and gerber files from other PCB CAD tools.


# Using The Mill
=Using The Mill=


OMC runs a thorough support system for using the mill: https://othermachine.co/support/
OMC runs a thorough support system for using the mill: https://othermachine.co/support/

Revision as of 17:12, 12 December 2016

Noisebridge has an Othermill as of December 12, 2016. This page should be helpful in figuring out how to use it!

The Hardware

The Othermill is a high performance portable desktop CNC mill with 0.001" precision. The marketing refers to this as "6 mill trace-and-space", meaning you can design SMD circuits with 6 mill resolution of detail for millable features, dependent of course on your milling tool's precision.

This was purchased from Other Machine Company using tdfischer's employee discount on top of it being a scratch-and-ding refurb for $2699 using the Noisebridge Equipment Fund.

The Othermill is powered by a TinyG controller board, which is a 100% Open Source and Open Hardware motion controller for CNC machines. The code is GPL'd and available on github.com/omco/tinyg. The TinyG speaks serial at 115200 baud using a pair of USB serial ports on one device. One port is used for the TinyG JSON api, the other is used for regular GCode. Read up on the TinyG documentation to learn more.

It also has electrical circuit touchoff, meaning you can issue a G28.2 probe movement in a direction and the machine will report (via JSON ;() where it made contact with the spoilboard/t-slot bed. This operates on electrical conductivity with the Y bed, so don't get smart and think you can probe non-conductive materials with it!

The Software

OMC makes Otherplan, a combination CAM, CAD, and GCode sender. It only runs on OSX and Windows, though tdfischer might let you play with the Linux version if you ask nice. You don't need Otherplan to use the mill! It speaks plain serial over USB, though Otherplan does include a lot of utility for the mill. The biggest features are parsing PCB design files and SVG files and turning them into GCode movements on the mill (aka CAD+CAM), flashing the firmware, understanding the JSON API, and providing a decent UI for previewing and controlling the mill. Otherplan supports loading plain GCode, eagle .brd files, and gerber files from other PCB CAD tools.

Using The Mill

OMC runs a thorough support system for using the mill: https://othermachine.co/support/

A caveat: Do not use lubrication on the mill unless you know why you shouldn't! The linear rails in the mill are held in the HDPE frame with friction and if they slide out, the mill might not work or even worse be irreparably damaged!

The mill has a warranty. To take advantage of it, email support@othermachine.co. They're super helpful and friendly. If that doesn't work bug Victoria.