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Machine types

The first time you open MillPath it asks what you cut with: Router, Mill, Plasma or Laser. Every new project starts with that type; change it any time from the chip next to the MillPath logo.

What changes with the type

  • Router and Mill offer the spinning-tool operations: profile, pocket, adaptive, rest, drilling, bores, thread milling, chamfers and roundovers, engraving, V-carving, prism, texture, photo V-carve, facing, and 3D models.
  • Plasma and Laser offer Cut and Mark. There is no depth: the tool is a torch or a laser with a kerf, a pierce height and delay, a cut height or a power.
  • The post list shows the posts for that kind of machine, and My posts only the ones of the same kind.

Switching a project to plasma or laser turns Profile operations into Cuts on the same shapes, and Engraves into Marks where the post can mark; the rest are turned off. Switching back reverses it.

Plasma and laser in short

  • Cut chart (tool editor): your settings per material and thickness — kerf, feed, amps, pierce height and delay, cut height, power. Pick a line and its values go on the tool and its thickness on the stock. CSV in and out. MillPath ships no values: take them from your cutter’s chart.
  • Kerf test: adds a 20 mm square with a 10 mm hole; measure them and MillPath tells you the kerf to use.
  • Material test (laser): a grid of squares at different powers and speeds; pick the best and use it.
  • Rules in the Cut: small holes pierced in their centre and cut slower with THC off; slower, THC-held sharp corners; small parts; THC off at the end of outlines; bridges; ramp pierce; start points picked on the drawing; order of parts across the sheet.
  • Lines drawn twice in a DXF or SVG are removed on import, so nothing is pierced or cut twice.

Posts for plasma and laser

LinuxCNC QtPlasmaC, Langmuir FireControl, plasma on Mach3/Mach4, plasma with a standalone THC, EIA (M07 / M08) controls, GRBL lasers (M4 or M3) and Marlin lasers. They follow the makers’ documents and are not yet confirmed on real machines: run the first file in the air, or learn the post from a file that runs on your table.