I'm considering purchasing a CNC Shark or Pro for use in a R&D Prototype lab. So the unit wouldn't be used every day, nor would it be used for hours on end.
Does anyone have experience using it in an enviroment like this? Would the unit hold up using it for mostly for palstics and soft metals assuming we use the correct cutters, spindle speeds, and feed rates.
We natively use Solidworks for all of our CAD work, but SW can generate many different "neutral" output file types such as STL, STEP, IGES, DXF. Do these types of files import to the software directly, or do I still need to go through a true CAM software package, and if so which one works best with the Shark?
Thanks,
Mike
Solidworks
Moderators: al wolford, sbk, Bob, Kayvon
Re: Solidworks
I save the SolidWorks drawing as a DXF file, then open the DXF in VCarve Pro (the CAM software that came with the Shark). The output from VCarve is a G-code TAP file, and that is the file I open and run from the CNC Shark controller.
We mostly cut foam, with a little wood and plastic work occasionally. Our Shark Pro has held up well, doing somewhere around 3 to 5 hours per week during the last year. We made a new work table for the Shark early on, and also had some trouble with one of the electrical connectors. We haven't had any other trouble beyond that.
PJ
We mostly cut foam, with a little wood and plastic work occasionally. Our Shark Pro has held up well, doing somewhere around 3 to 5 hours per week during the last year. We made a new work table for the Shark early on, and also had some trouble with one of the electrical connectors. We haven't had any other trouble beyond that.
PJ