RAMS Software - EASY 2D, 3D, V-Carving ToolPath Creation From YOUR Design Package

[garbob]

When you are after an easy solution to creating a toolpath fast and painlessly RAMS Software is the way to go.

Input to this program includes: Corel Draw files exported as either *.dxf or *.eps; CAD (and other programs) files in *.dxf format; HPGL files in the *.plt format; STL and SLA Rhino or other 3D program output as *.stl or *.sla format; other program files as input to RAMS Software includes *.cnc; *.igs; *.vda.

I personally am a very poor learner when it comes to very technically oriented programs. I have used Corel Draw for a number of years for the purpose of printing. I now have found a program that works similarly to what I needed to do to get camera ready output from Corel Draw.

I start by designing the layout in Corel Draw (or whatever you are comfortable with), then export the file to an .eps format (seems cleaner than .dxf), then open the .eps file in Rams Software, select the item(s) that I want to cut and run a wizard (good, no thinking) to select the bit, the depth and type of cut that I want. I then hit a button which generates the shopbot file with an extension of .sbp. I can also see a graphic presentation of the toolpath before or after I generate the Shopbot files.

It is the only package that I have been able to learn and use in a matter of days, but like I said I'm not the brightest light under the stars!

I have found that the support has been amazing, by phone, no less! I just wish to express my thanks to David Ford of RAMS Software for this excellent, easy to use program.

If you are interested there is a demo package that actually creates toolpaths without spending money. You've got fifteen days after the download! Check it out at http://www.rams-software.com

I think that you will be very surprized, especially at the price. 2D with v-bit text and graphics carving is $795 and 3D with all of the 2D package features and true 3D cutting capability is only $995. Rams Software is also a dealer for Rhino's modeling package.

I hope that this helps you! (no, I don't have any affiliation with Rams Software, except for ordering it real soon).

Enjoy

[garbob]

RAMS update. I have now generated some pretty fancy signs using the vee carving features in RAMS. I can't believe how easy it is AND FAST.

For anyone who wants output from their machine NOW and is not into struggling with software, I highly recommend it. I just wish I had found it sooner! By the way, I finally bought it!

It's amazing to me how easy it is to use after the struggles I've had with so many other packages. And I find it a bonus that it works so well with Corel Draw as a design package. I've used Corel for years and hate it, but better the devil you know.....

[davidallen]

it's easy and fast only so long as it doesn't crash your computer. even after changing my screen to low resolution, I still get floating point, divide by zero, and GPF errors.

it looks like interesting software, but only if it runs.

[garbob]

Sounds like you are having serious problems. What type of computer are you running with how much memory. The software is fairly demanding of the system, especially video.

[davidallen]

it's a P3-600 MHz with 128 MB RAM. I'm using an ATI display card and have used a number of different display settings, including the recommended 800X600.

it's a system I routinely use to develop animation using Poser4.

[david@rams-software.com]

David

You said you changed your screen to low resolution. Try the following settings:
1024X768
Color = at least 16 bit depending on several things on the video card you should try 32 bit if not already.
The floating point issue is usually found in Windows 95 and Windows 98 Second edition and easily resolved. just contact Tech support at 954-571-8200 and they will be glad to help. They can also give you a new License key since yours has expired.

[davidallen]

I tried that. it worked for about 10 min. then I got the dreaded blue screen.

[david ford]

David

If it worked for an little while then the program is functioning. Sounds like system resources, not memory, is low. Many things take a drain on system resources and over time they are depleted, as other programs start to use them. Windows 98 becomes unstable around 75% availible.
Give Tech support a call.

David Ford

[danhamm]

David, which ATI card do you have? all in wonder
pro, Radeon, and was Coreldraw running in the background,I had a similar problem and found and
some info on corel's site and changed drivers..

[cristy0788@aol.com]

Gary - This seemed like the right page to ask this question (I hope)...I'm in the signmaking business, and we often get artwork from companies in .eps format. Trying to convert that to shopbot code has been a nightmare, short of redrawing the entire file in Corel & exporting as a .dxf. I'm looking for a shortcut to get an .eps file to cut on the shopbot with the smallest hassle possible. Does anyone know how to do that? Will that RAMS software convert an .eps file to .dxf successfully? Thanks for any help...

[danhamm@abccom.bc.ca]

Christy, I get eps. files from a couple of sign
co. You are still going to have to strip the color and check for hidden lines,whether you use Rams or Coreldraw. Most of the time they have to be resized and some lines removed and trimmed,

[garbob]

Sorry Cristy, I have absolutely no experience with .eps files other than the fact that I use Corel Draw 8 to create signs and milled parts then export using .eps for input to Rams 3D. I tried to save an .eps file in RAMS 3D to .dxf and I get a message stating that there are no groups selected, regardless of the fact that all entities have been selected.

I have forwarded your message to David Ford at Rams Software. Hopefully he can shed some light.

A friend of mine has a real paintemup sign shop (probably as you have) and uses these files all the time. Not sure why. I'll ask him when he becomes alive for the day.

Not to be dopey, BUT, why not ask for .dxf files to begin with? Seems that it could save a lot of grief!

[garbob]

David Allen

Did you ever get the Rams demo working?

I'm using an old beater AMD K6-II 300 Mhz. computer with 128mb of ram and a cheapie 32 mb video card.

No problems so far!

Just curious.

[birdsofplay]

In my experience eps files come from Quark Express.

No Quark components are going to be easily converted to vector ( DXF ) that I know of.

Paint Shop Pro, however, can read eps files and then save them in about any raster format you can think of.

Save the eps file as whatever raster type that your CAD can place in it's background then do the
trace. Text should be easy enough to redo in CAD but the graphics remains the biggest issue.
Retracing or automatic tracing are the only remedies. Automatics usually leave you "dry" since they dont seem to do a terrific job.

Still I doubt that the originator ever had anything in vector format, so ...
thats why they came to you :-)

[davidallen]

I ran out of time on the eval version. they said I could extend it, but I think I'll wait for the next version.

da

[didde@lowcountry.com]

I called and extended the eval version this week and after cutting a few jobs ordered it, Vector is just too hard to understand until they get better docs.

[garbob]

Congratulations Joe! I hope you find it as useful from the start as I have!

[garbob]

Cristy,

According to my friend the sign guy, a lot of vinyl cutters and proprietary sign programs export to .eps and in lots of cases they really aren't even true .eps files.

Again, sorry I wasn't of much use.

It wouldn't help if you were trying to modify the design, but if you just wanted to cut the material you could give the RAMS eval a try. All depths and types of cuts such as vee carving, inside and outside contours and hatching, etc. are handled quite easily using 2d files.

[cristy0788@aol.com]

Thanks to all for taking the time to try & help me out. I'm still looking for the right solution!

[danhamm@abccom.bc.ca]

Christy, coreldraw will import eps,prn,pr,
3 different eps files, once imported, coreldraw
will export as a dxf your eps file, then you can covert with the shopbot converter.. If this won't
work for you email me the file and I will convert
for you..

[jobewoodint@aol.com]

Hello to everyone out there,I'm a trim carpenter hoping to make heavy relief carved moldings,up to 12 feet long,some of them being arcs and ellipses.
I own a molding machine,so I can run the basic profile on the molder,then turn it over to the shopbot to carve it up for me.I want it to be a finished product right off the machine,no sanding,I want it to look a little rough,if it's too perfect it won't look authentic enough.Does anyone have a realistic idea of the software I need to do these full-blown 3-D carvings on a contoured length of molding 12 feet long?

[jobewoodint@aol.com]

Oh yeh,my E-mail is jobewoodint@aol.com (mailto:jobewoodint@aol.com)

[wdyasq@yahoo.com]

Rick,

You wrote: "I want it to be a finished product right off the machine,no sanding,I want it to look a little rough,if it's too perfect it won't look authentic enough"

My dad would comment "People in Hell want Ice water."

If you an do it now, with a router, I'd say a ShopBot can do it.

But, you raise a double fist-full of problems. And, you provide nothing to work with. The style of carving comes to mind as well as the type of carving. Then, the cutting time as well as the set-up to hold the piece. Is all the molding going to be identical or are there going to be several styles of moldings?

What material are you going to cut - could the surface be sealed to cut down the amount of 'fuzz' the bit will make in soft wood? Can the style of molding you want be cut with one bit and set-up?

Now comes another complete set of questions - not related to the actual cutting but to your skills. How much computer experience do you have and how much is in the CAD or CAM field? Are you willing and able to have someone make your cutting files? Or, do you want to do your own? Again, how many files will you need? There is a time or money cost. And, there is a cost in machine time that must be passed to your customer.

All of these questions need to be answered. Only one person can answer them. Look in the ShopBot forum for the answers to your question. The forum is set up to benefit the many ShopBot owners, and prospective owners. We aren't privy to your e-mail.

Ron Brown - wdyasq@yahoo.com (mailto:wdyasq@yahoo.com)

[support@rams3d.com]

We would like to let everyone here at the Shopbot Forum know that RAMS Software has be Purchased from David Ford. DeArmond Enterprises now owns RAMS and is going forward with developing the software.
We have just finished Version 2.1 and will be releasing it in the coming days. For those of you that have purchased RAMS in the past, we want to extend a warm welcome and let you know that support of your software will continue as always. Both, e-mail and phone support is available. Please let us know if we can be of help. A special Thank You to the Shop Bot Folks for providing this service so that we can let you know about this change of ownership.

Dan DeArmond / RAMS Software