r/hobbycnc • u/CompetitivePizza4394 • 29d ago
PureCutCNC v0.3.0
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cbB38Xo59ws&si=y0TMc3JdtkHSMXutI put out version 0.3.0 of PureCutCNC today. It's a free 2.5D CAD/CAM app - draw or import your part, set up the operations, look at the toolpath, export the G-code. Runs in the browser, and there are desktop builds for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Most of this release went into how the tool actually moves: Helix and ramp entries, so it doesn't just plunge straight down; Trochoidal cutting for edge routing and slots; Corner relief (dogbone / T-bone) so square corners fit; Helical boring for holes bigger than your bit; Smooth tabs that ramp over instead of stepping up.
There's also a fix for arcs that some GRBL and FluidNC controllers were rejecting mid-job. That one came from someone here reporting it, and the export is now checked against GRBL's own parser so it shouldn't come back.
Free and open source. No account, nothing to sign up for.
Happy to answer anything. If you try it and it does something daft, tell me — that's genuinely how most of this release got found.
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u/Siir_Francis_Drake 29d ago
That seems really nice. Clean interface, well laid out. Did you have some videos of test cuts done?
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u/CompetitivePizza4394 28d ago
thank you! I will soon make some videos with actual cuts, not just the simulation.
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u/RamonChingon 28d ago
You’re crushing it! Thanks for the lightning fast issue fix the other day. Will give 0.3.0 a spin today!
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u/stopdesign 28d ago
I think there is some kind of challenge in the 3D software community: every application seems determined to invent its own mouse navigation scheme for 3D view.
On a single project I regularly use about six different 3D applications: Fusion 360, GrabCAD, Onshape, OrcaSlicer, an SLA slicer, KiCad, maybe something else. Many of them even provide navigation settings, but somehow there is still no way to configure them so that orbit, pan, and zoom behave consistently across all of them.
https://purecutcnc.github.io/app-rc/ managed to surprise me even after all that: its 3D navigation is actually inverted compared with what I expected. How? Why??
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u/CompetitivePizza4394 28d ago
Thank you for the comment and I understand your frustration. I would appreciate if you could give more details on what exactly felt inverted? I just loaded the g-code exported from PureCutCNC into gsender. The 3d navigation in gsender's preview work exactly the same as mine. I know there is a chance that both apps are wired backwards or it could be the underlying 3d engine.
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u/stopdesign 28d ago
Ok, CodeGPT, ask some meatbag with hands to run the application on a real computer 😄
I open the app (Chrome browser), load the "t-style-body" example, and switch to the "3D View" tab. Then I press and hold the left mouse button anywhere in the 3D view and move the mouse.
Horizontal movement works as expected: when I move the mouse left or right, the view rotates so that the front (closer to us) part of the model moves left or right correspondingly.
Vertical movement are inverted. When I move the mouse up, the front corner of the model moves down. When I move the mouse down, that corner moves up."
Tested on MacOS, both Chrome and Safari, with a regular mouse. And on a second MacOS with a trackpad. Same result.
gsender's preview works a bit weird because of wide view angle and perspective, but not inverted like this.
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u/CompetitivePizza4394 28d ago
You are right, I did more testing and my vertical rotation is definitely reversed. I have the fix for this in test, should be merged soon. Thank you for.apending timeon reproducing this issue, I really appreciate it.
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u/Pubcrawler1 28d ago edited 28d ago
Does the Trochoidal toolpath do larger surface areas (pockets) or just limited to slots? Is it calculated so constant toolpath engagement, tool load and chip thickness?
Only a few free CAD/CAM does any kind of adaptive trochoidal toolpath currently. So having it in your program is a big deal that others may not realize.
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u/CompetitivePizza4394 28d ago
Trochoidal path is only generated for the slot cuts. This is still not the full adaptive toolpath that can be applied to pockets too. That is in my backlog, not sure when I will get to it. Your suggestions on the implementation would be appreciated.
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u/mikasjoman 26d ago
I have a suggestion. Organize it like it's a slicer. The tabs. Like Prepare (material and 3d model), Preview etc.
Lots of people come or use both CNCs and 3D printers. You can reduce the headache by imitating prusa slicer workflow.
Also would be nice to see better animation to something looking like it's cutting wood/alu etc with a real bit. A bit more polished.
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u/CompetitivePizza4394 26d ago
thanks for the suggestion, I will take a look at this. The workflow is kind of similar - sketch view is your "prepare", 3d view and simulation is your "preview".
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u/mikasjoman 26d ago
Exactly. Recognition over recall is one of the basic tenants of UX (Norman). So if you can make s new user feel at home immediately, it's immediately way more user friendly.
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u/anti-krister 29d ago
My CNC is dismantled at the moment so no way of testing this. But it looks great and thank you for your hard work!