# Solidworks part to CNC Wood Router



## mlbitting (Sep 9, 2014)

Hi, this is my first post.
I am a certified Solidworks associate and electronics engineer.
So I am very familiar with how to design parts in Solidworks.
I am interested in purchasing a CNC Router for wood working 4'x8'.
How do you output a file that will be recognized by the CNC CAM software?
Solidworks recommends MasterCam, but so far I have not seen this option on any CNC router. They list the following CAM software: Type3, NcRoute, Artcam. and Wentai.
Is there a file type in Solidworks that is compatible with one of the above listed CAM software?
Thanks for your response before I commit myself to an expensive CNC router.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum while I cannot help with your inquiry I'm sure someone will be along to give you a hand.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hello, glad you found us, it's great to have you as a member of the community, welcome to Router Forums.


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## mntatonka (Sep 24, 2013)

Mastercam outputs an NC code for the router to read. It's all I use on our CNC router. It takes having the right Mastercam post processor created for the router, but it works great.

I'm sure all the others you listed do exactly the same thing (although probably for considerably less money!).


In regards to file format, SolidWorks should output any file format those software packages can read. Heck, if anything, you can export from SolidWorks to dxf and they should be able to read that. At a quick glance, Artcam looks like it can read a solid model from Solidworks, by exporting from Solidworks to STL format.


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

I use VCarve pro and Aspire from vectric.com. Both can import most 2D vector files. Aspire can import many 3D file formats including .STL. .OBJ, .3DM, .SKP and maybe a few more. I don't know solidworks so you'll have to see what it's export formats include.

Essentially, once you have vectors or an object in your CAM software you assign tool paths to it so your CNC will know what to do. The tool paths are saved using a post processor for the CNC you have, and then loaded into its controller (software on a PC or a hardware pendant/station. ).


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## Jakexp (Apr 26, 2013)

Export your files as 1:1 scale DXfs, with the option of 'All splines as splines' ticked. We use Enroute to create the NC files for our 6.5m x 1.9m Mullticam router.


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## Ducati (May 21, 2014)

Ask the Solid Works folks about SolidCam.. Very nice


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