CNC milling machine

[veryevil]

I've go the exact one! Its a Roland PNC-2100. It only accepts HPGL and uses a parallel port I think.

I started to remake the digital control board in mine and made it work from an SD Card. worked quite well.

[akis]

What is HPGL? Is there some Windows software program I can use to draw what it needs to cut and to what depth and then let it get on with it?

[nanofrog]

What is HPGL?

Hewlett Packard Graphics Language

Is there some Windows software program I can use to draw what it needs to cut and to what depth and then let it get on with it?

You just need an HPGL driver and CAD software (CAD may include a generic HPGL driver).

You could try WinLINE which is such a driver that works with the latest versions of Windows if you need to, specifically for plotters, cutters, and engravers. You can try it out, but if you need to buy the license, it's not cheap (199USD).

[akis]

First I have to get the machine at home and try to repair it. I have not seen it close up yet, these pictures were taken by my son. Does it use a router to carve out things? Which means you have to select and attach various bits on it? Or does it use laser? My son told me that their new CNC machine at school uses laser. If this machine uses a router bit, is it strong enough to carve PCB and/or thin aluminium panel? Or is it only good for softer materials like wood and plastics?

[nanofrog]

First I have to get the machine at home and try to repair it. I have not seen it close up yet, these pictures were taken by my son. Does it use a router to carve out things? Which means you have to select and attach various bits on it? Or does it use laser? My son told me that their new CNC machine at school uses laser. If this machine uses a router bit, is it strong enough to carve PCB and/or thin aluminium panel? Or is it only good for softer materials like wood and plastics?

Based on the last two photos, it's using a spindle (router). So definitely uses bits. It should be able to do PCB and soft metals such as aluminum or copper. Just be mindful of the feed rate (speed the spindle is pushed/pulled across the material surface), or you'll run into problems, including broken bits. Hopefully robrentz will chime in on this part. If not, a search or two should turn up this sort of information.

There will be settings for feed rate, depth, tool size, ..., in the CAD software. And as it's a Roland, you should be able to get it to work with existing drivers.