KCam is computer numerical control software that provides instructions to drilling and cutting drivers and motors. The software is used in conjunction with computer-aided drawing software to create circuit boards that require precise cutting, drilling and layout to function properly.
Instructions
1 Turn on your computer and open the computer-aided manufacturing software program. The program can be opened by selecting the program from the start menu or clicking the corresponding icon on your desktop.
2 Construct a schematic of your desired primary circuit board layout. Make sure that the size of the schematic will fit on your PCB and that all circuits are linked for accurate operation.
3 Click the "Save" option on your main menu. Name your schematic and save the file as a Gerber file. This appropriate file type will be designated by a .gbr extension. Note the directory location of the file for future reference.
4 Connect the 4-axis parallel port step to your computer using the ports suggested by the manufacturer.
5 Connect the direction motor drivers to your computer using the ports suggested by the manufacturer.
6 Open the KCam software program. The program can be opened by selecting the program from the start menu or clicking the corresponding icon on your desktop.
7 Click the "Setup" tab on the main menu. Select the "Port Setup" option. Click the "Port I/O Controls" tab. Select LPT Parallel Port and DlPort.dll. Click the "Apply" button in the lower right corner.
8 Click the "LPT Setup" tab. Select "Pin Setup" and "&H378" as the "Pin Address." Enter the output pin numbers for your 4 axis drives as specified by the manufacturer. Click the "Apply" button in the lower right corner. Click the "OK" button in the lower right corner to close the screen.
9 Click the "Setup" tab on the main menu. Select the "Table Setup" option. Select the appropriate unit of measurement and enter the axis measurements for your PCB, ports and drivers. Click the "Apply" button in the lower right corner.
10 Click the "G-code" option from the "View" tab of the main menu of the KCam software program. Navigate to the appropriate directory and select the Gerber file that you previously saved in Step 3.
11 Click the "Help" tab from the main menu of the KCam software program. Review the cutting codes available.
12 Click the "Machine" tab on the main menu and select any cutting standards that you want to apply to your PCB project.
13 Position your PCB board under the port and drivers using the orientation from the computer-aided manufacturing software.
14 Click the "Execute" option under the "File" tab of the main menu. The machine will automatically begin cutting your PCB according to the schematic in the Gerber file.
