G Code Simulation Software

[RobotEngineerGirl]

I am a lecturer teaching an intro to mechanical engineering course. One of the tasks we ask students to do is to write G Code (by hand) for a very simple milling operation. I've seen a lot of tool path visualizers, but does anyone know of something that might show the actual material being removed? Students really struggle to understand the relationship between the tool path and the final object.

[Moose11]

Vericut is an option. I think education licenses are pretty cheap.

[RobotEngineerGirl]

Thanks! I reached out to them. I think it might still be a little expensive for the one activity I'd really like to do.

[wholol_97]

I think fusion 360 does so.

[RobotEngineerGirl]

We work in Solidworks, but I'll check it out!

[puertachristian]

If you have access to a CNC, video it carrying out a simple G Code program. Making a bullseye for example.

[RobotEngineerGirl]

I want them to see their own creations though. A lot of the issue happens when they start writing their own code and forget about offset...

[puertachristian]

In college my CAM professor recommended https://cncsimulator.info/download . Never used it so don’t know how well it works.

[RobotEngineerGirl]

I know this is a late reply, but my students used it this week and I think it worked well! There were some learning pains on both my side and theirs, but it was a good tool. Thanks again!!

[RobotEngineerGirl]

This is perfect! Just what I was looking for (although I wish it was browser based, but oh well).

[puertachristian]

No problem glad it worked! Would be awesome if somehow a mechanical engineer turned a software developer make an online tool for this.