FreeCAD - does the Marlin Post Processor work?

Linuus · May 21, 2021, 9:25pm

Hi!

I’ve mostly been using Fusion 360 before (modeling for 3D-printing). Now… I’m a bit tired of it forcing internet connection and restricting stuff lately. It’s also quite expensive so I’m looking to use FreeCAD for my MPCNC (I don’t have a spindle/router yet so very new to all this).

I saw that FreeCAD includes a Marlin PP, can I use that for the MPCNC? I’m running Marlin on an SKR 1.4 Turbo.

github.com

FreeCAD/FreeCAD/blob/master/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/post/marlin_post.py

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Is FreeCAD good otherwise or are there better options (Mac only)?

SupraGuy · May 21, 2021, 10:16pm

I started using FreeCAD for many of the same reasons, but I use Estlcam for creating Gcode for the MPCNC.

The fact that FreeCAD is still in 0.xx releases is significant. It means that it’s not really a finished product. It still has some limitations, and there are things that it does a little funny. Some of the things regarding sketch constraints is a little weird, and there are some sketches that I have tried where it seems unduly difficult to get constrained properly.

In most cases, you can go back and edit a component sketch and the changes will propogate through to the rest of the object, but sometimes that’s just broken, and it simply doesn’t work. As such, it’s parametric properties are a little limited, and I’ve sometimes found that it’s easier to just start over.

Some of these things may simply be that I haven’t learned how to do them “the right way” yet.

On the whole though, I’ve been able to get some good projects done with FreeCAD, and I’m overall happy with it. As I said though, I have not used it to generate gcode at all.

So is FreeCAD any good? I think that it is, or at least it shows a lot of promise, and the price is right.

Does the Marlin post-processor work? It is probably usable for the MPCNC. It’s worth trying.

ByronM · August 21, 2021, 9:38pm

I have my own done up, haven’t tried this one.

I am using a lowrider with it. Freecad marlin post processor - #9 by jeffeb3

Linuus · September 6, 2021, 11:01am

Cool, I will test it out, thanks!

My free Fusion 360 subscription just ended so I’ll have to pay now if I want to use it anymore. It’s a bit too expensive for the small things I do so I will definitely dive in to FreeCAD now instead!

gforce2010 · September 6, 2021, 12:06pm

I take it your are using Fusion for business use then as it’s still free for Personal and Hobby use?

Linuus · September 6, 2021, 12:19pm

No

For me it just says it’s expired and I need to pay up.

Maybe I can just “renew” the free version somehow then.

gforce2010 · September 6, 2021, 12:22pm

Autodesk do try and make things hard for free users.

You can renew a free licence and it remains free, they hide it behind lots of full payment licences pages though.