CNC Milling/

Routing
Training

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE www.denford.co.uk

Page C1
Table of contents

Introduction.................................................................................................................... 3
Start the VR Milling V5 Software ................................................................................... 3
Configure the software for the machine......................................................................... 4
Load your CNC file ........................................................................................................ 5
Configure the tooling ..................................................................................................... 6
Running a simulation..................................................................................................... 7
Connecting to and Homing the machine ....................................................................... 8
Move the machine head and fit the cutting tool............................................................. 9
Fit the material in the machine ...................................................................................... 10
Set the work offsets..................................................................................................11&12
Verify the work offsets and the program. ....................................................................... 13
Run the program............................................................................................................ 14

Appendix: Help Files and Tutorials................................................................................ 16

Appendix: Dxf/Dwg file import ....................................................................................... 18
Appendix: PCB Manufacture ......................................................................................... 24

Page
Page 22 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Introduction
VR CNC Milling is a Windows based software package allowing full editing and control of
CNC files, either offline (away from the CNC machine) or online (controlling the operation of
a CNC machine).

The VR Milling V5 software contains detailed help files including tutorials and animations.
Access these by going to Help on the menu. See the appendix in this document for more
details

As you move through the different areas of the software you will see this icon if you
need help about the area of software you are in, click this icon to see context sensitive help.

Step1 - Start the VR Milling V5 software

To start the VR Milling

software double-click the VR
Milling V5 shortcut icon (if
available) on your desktop.

If the shortcut is not

available, click “Start” on
your “Windows” Start button
followed by the “Programs”
option, the program group
“Denford” and finally the “VR
Milling V5” icon.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 3

Step 2 - Configure the software for the machine
Ensure that the software is configured for the machine you are going to use.

The text at the end of the main title-bar indicates the type of Denford CNC machine that
you are currently able to control with the software. In the example screenshot below, the
“MICROROUTER PRO” text indicates that a Denford Microrouter Pro can be controlled by
the software.

To change the name of the Denford CNC machine that can be controlled by the software:

1. Click the “Setup” menu and choose “Select Machine ...”

2. Highlight the name of the machine required and click [OK]

3. You may need to look at the CE identification panel on your Denford CNC
machine to identify the name of your CNC machine

Legacy machines:These are older machines that are no longer in production but are
still compatible with VR CNC Milling V5 software. Click the [Legacy Machines] button
to list these types of machine.

Page
Page 44 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Step 3 - Load your CNC file.
Click the “File” menu and select the “Open” option.

Browse to the drive and folder containing your CNC file – look for files with the extension
letters “.fnc” then [Open] the file.

The contents of your CNC file will be displayed in the Editor window. As the name suggests,
CNC files can be further edited here or you could even write one from scratch.
Loading alternative file types
By using the 'drop-down' menu labelled 'Files of Type:' two alternative file types can
be opened, these are: Gerber files for creating PCB's and DXF/DWG files for creating
programs from 2D line drawing data.

If either of these file types are opened a simple wizard guides the user through a series of
steps to create a CNC file to create the component. See the help files within the software or
the appendix in this document for more information.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 5

Step 4 - Configure the tooling
Click the [Tool and Offset Editor Window] button and the window will open.

Click the “Tooling Data” tab.

Each tool used in your CNC program must be defined here, failing to do so will cause an
error message when running a simulation.
The length and diameter of the tools shown in the VR, 3D and 2D simulations are taken
from this table, for the simulations to be accurate the correct tool sizes need to be defined.
Adding a new tool to the list
A new tool can be added to the list by:
a) Selecting a blank tool in the list, then
entering all the values for that tool in the right
hand section of the window. Note: a new
tool created here can be added to the ‘Tool “Save tool to Library”
Library’ by clicking the button pictured or by
right clicking on the tool and selecting “Save
tool to Library” from the pop up menu.
b) Selecting one of the pre-defined tools in
the ‘Tool Library’. This can be done by clicking
the button pictured or by right clicking on a
blank tool and selecting “Insert Library Tool” “Insert Library Tool”
from the pop up menu.
In this example we are going to load a 1⁄4” Ball Nose cutter, which is a versatile tool supplied
with the Denford range of CNC Routers.
To add the 1⁄4” Ball Nose cutter,
highlight tool position 1, then click
the “Insert Library Tool” button.

Choose the tool from the “Library

Tool Selector”, click [OK]. The 1⁄4”
Ball Nose cutter should appear in
tool position number 1.

Click the [Tool and Offset Editor Window] button again to close the Window down.

Page
Page 66 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Step 5 - Running a simulation.
Click the 2D/3D Simulation Button and the “Simulation” window will open. Click the Play
button on the file control toolbar to begin the simulation.

Click the “Turbo” button to speed up the simulation, the graphics will be generated
periodically, not “on the fly”.

Left click (hold) and move the mouse to rotate the view. Right click (Hold), and move the
mouse to zoom the view. Hold both the left and right mouse buttons to move/pan the view.

Under the “Simulation” menu choose “Billet Materials …” to change the appearance of the
simulation including the material with which the model is rendered.

Use the buttons at the top of the simulation window to toggle between a 2D and a 3D view,
to display the toolpaths, to hide and show the billet, and to play machining sounds among
other things.

Most CNC files will have the datum position (0,0,0) in the near, top, left corner of the billet,
however with programs like Denford QuickCAM 3D and QuickCAM Pro it is possible to shift
the datum position.

To get an accurate simulation the datum can also be shifted in the simulation.

This option can be found in the “Simulation | Datum Position...” menu.

Select a position on the block to define the datum used in the CNC program.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 7

Step 6 – Connect to, and Home the CNC machine
At this point ensure that the cable is connected from the
PC to the Machine (either RS232 or USB) and that the
machine is switched on.

To connect to the CNC machine, left click the [Machine]

button. Depending upon which machine you are using, a
progress bar may appear, allow this to reach 100% and a
connection will be established between the machine and
the PC.

Once a connection has been

successfully established, the machine
“Control Panel” window will appear.
At the moment, only the “Home” tab is
available. Click the [Home All] button to
home all three machine axis.

After Homing, the “Jog, Auto and MDI”

tabs become available, as shown right.

Page
Page 88 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Step 7 - Move the machine head and fit the cutting tool.
The position of the machine head (the cutting tool) can
be manually controlled using Jog mode. In the “Control
Panel” window, click the “Jog” tab to select Jog mode.

To change the position of the machine head quickly,

click the [Jog] button until a straight arrow is displayed,
signifying ‘Jog Continuous’ mode.

Click and drag the Jog Feed control knob to the top of
the scale. The feedrate value is shown in the readout
below the control knob.

The four cursor (arrow) keys, and the [Page Up] and
[Page Down] keys on the keyboard, are used to control
the X, Y and Z axes. Press and hold the appropriate key
to move the required axis.

"Jog Continous"

To change the position of the machine head incrementally,

click the Jog button until the image changes from a single
arrow to three small, stepped arrows, signifying Jog Step
Mode.

Click and drag the Jog Feed control knob to adjust the
increment. When you press the cursor keys the cutter will
move by the amount set.

Jog the machine head to an appropriate position, then, fit

the cutting tool. The procedure for this will vary depending
on the machine type. See the machine manual for more
detailed information on this procedure.

For the Denford Microuter, Microrouter Pro and

Microrouter Compact you may find it easier to remove the
motor to change the tool.
"Jog Step"

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 9

Step 8 - Fit the material in the machine.
There are various methods for holding material in the CNC machines, the one you choose
will depend on the type of job you are undertaking and the machine you are using.

On the Denford Microrouter/Microrouter Pro a vacuum pump is fitted to the machine and
using a vacuum table, the material is literally “sucked” to the vacuum table. This is a very
simple and effective method of securing the material. If you are cutting all the way through
the material however you may want to protect the vacuum table from becoming damaged.

Parallel clamps are supplied with the Denford Microrouter/Microrouter Pro which enables a
piece of material to be “sandwiched” between the clamps which is then elevated from the
base of the machine. This would be a suitable method of securing material when it is to be
cut all the way through.
The Microrouter Compact has a “T slot” table which allows for more traditional clamping
arrangements. The Microrouter Compact is supplied with an easy to use, lever-operated,
clamping kit.
Milling machines such as the Denford Novamill, Triton and Triac have options including a
“Mitee-Bite” clamping kit which is quick and easy to use.

Special jigs or fixtures are available for the “F1 team in schools” competition and there is a
“4th axis” fixture available, which rotates the material as it is cut, enabling production of fully
3D models in a single operation.
Page
Page 10
10 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Step 9 – Set the work offsets
What are offsets?
Offsets are the distances the cutter needs to travel,
from its 'Home' position to the point from which the
program starts in X Y & Z.
Usually the point at which the program starts
(the datum) is the upper, front, left corner of the
material although some software including Denford
QuickCAM 3D and QuickCAM Pro allow the user to
specify a different datum position.

Click the button to show the “Tool and Offset Editor”

Create a new work offset

It is possible to store a number of offsets and swap between them for
different jobs. Use this facility to create a new offset and add it to the
list.
•Click the "New work offset" button. "New work offsets"
•Click on the ‘blank’ offset that has been added to the list to select it.
•Type in a description for your new offset.

To delete an offset you can either:

"Delete current selection"
•Select the offset and click the “Delete current selection” button
•Right click on the offset description and select “Delete Offset” from the
pop-up menu.
CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 11
Activate the offset

Make sure the Offset you have just created is Active. It is possible to have a number of
Offsets stored and change from one to another. The machine will use the Offset which is
currently active. To activate an Offset, select it in the list and either, click the Activate button
or Right Click on the Offset in the list and choose Activate from the menu. The Active Offset
is highlighted in green.
Using the techniques described in Step 7, Jog the cutter until you are touching the material
in the datum position. For most jobs it is sufficient to visually sight the cutter over the X and
Y axis and then incrementally jog the cutter until it is touching the material surface in Z.

When the cutter is in position click the to set all 3 axes at once.

1. The axes can be set individually by moving the

cutter to the correct positions and setting the
offsets one at a time.

2. To set the offsets more accurately, touch the cutter

against the side of the material and use the “datum
offset button” at the right of each offset value to
offset the datum value. This is usually used by
touching the cutter up to the side of the material,
and using the cutter radius, offset the datum value
so that the center of the cutter is exactly over the
edge of the material. It is the radius of the currently
active tool which appears by default as the value in
the “Offset Datum Position” window, this value can
be changed.

When the offsets have been set there will be three values assigned to the “Test” offset. This
is the distance from the machines “Home position” to the position the cutter is currently in.
Page
Page 12
12 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Step 10 – Verify the Work Offsets and the Program.
Before we run the program we can use the “Program Information” function to verify that the
program will be completed without errors.

A common error is when a program “Exceeds Limits”, this error occurs when part of the
toolpath is outside of the CNC machines working envelope.

If an error is detected a window appears on the screen similar to the one shown below.

This message appears if the

CNC program is attempting
to move to a position
outside the cutting area of
the machine. The window
displays the first line in the
CNC program that contains
the ‘over travel’ movement
and by how much.
There are basically two
reasons why this could
happen:
a) The workpiece and
or tool length offsets
are inappropriate for the
program.
b) The overall size of the
component you are trying
to machine is too large for
the CNC machine working
envelope
There is a problem with the above example because the billet is positioned too far over to
the right. We need to re-position the billet nearer to the left hand corner of the machine table
and redefine the offsets.
The X offset value must be changed in the tools and offsets editor.
To close the window down click the “Program Information” button again.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 13

Step 11 – Run the Program.
The program is now ready to be run. To run the
machine you must click on the 'Auto' tab.

The program must be run from the beginning,

to ensure this is the case click the Stop button,
followed by Rewind and finally click the Start
button.

The program will begin to run. A message may

appear asking you to change to Tool Number
*. Check you have the correct tool and click
[OK]. The spindle will start and the program
will begin.

At the bottom of the Auto tab are the Feed

rate Override and Spindle speed Override
controls. If the machine you are using is fitted
with Potentiometers it is these which are used
to override the Feed rate and Spindle speed. If
not you can affect these using the mouse.

Tip: to gain more control, the feed rate can be reduced to

gradually feed in the cutter until you are happy and then
increased.

Turbo Mode

Click the [Turbo Mode] button to switch

Turbo Mode on. This can be done at
any time, even when the program is
running. The ‘turbo mode’ feature has
been developed to reduce the machining
times of large 3D programs and complex
2D programs. For larger programs E.G.
more than 100 lines, turbo mode on will
usually make the machine perform with a
smoother motion. It is recommended that
programs produced from 3D CAD/CAM
Spindle and Feedrate potentiometers software are run with turbo mode on.

Page
Page 14
14 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Notes:

Appendix:

Help Files and Tutorials............................................................16

Dxf/Dwg file import....................................................................18
PCB Manufacture......................................................................24
CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 15
Help Files and tutorials
The VR Milling V5 software contains detailed help files including tutorials and animations.
Access these by going to Help on the menu.

As you move through the different areas of the software you will see this icon: if you
need help about the area of software you are in, click this icon to see context sensitive help.

The full VR Milling V5 help files can

be accessed by choosing Help > VR
Milling from the main menu at the top
of the screen.

There is also an option to view help

files on CNC programming.

This help file covers the stages involved in producing the coded instructions, used by
the CNC machine to make the component. These coded instructions are called the part
program.
Each part program contains a number of different codes, the most important being the
collection of G and M codes.
The helpfile is divided into three main sections, each with their own list of topics:
1) Basic Programming
2) G Codes
3) M Codes

Page
Page 16
16 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Also found under the Help menu
are various tutorials. The tutorials
launch in a window next to the main
VR Milling V5 window and guide
the user step by step through the
chosen topic. Topics include: Cutting
a part with a single tool, Drawing
(DXF/DWG) Import CAM tutorial,
PCB manufacture, Setting up a New
Tool and Simulating a Part using the
VR Machine.

Tutorial
window open
next to the
main VR
Milling window

Many of the tutorials have [Do it now!] buttons which will automatically carry out the
operation. The content of this guide is covered by the tutorials if you are having problems
following these instructions or do not have access to this guide the tutorials should help you.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 17

Dxf/Dwg file import
VR CNC Milling has the facility to open 2D vector drawing data in dxf and dwg formats
(version 5.10 onwards). When dxf or dwg files are opened in VR CNC Milling, a wizard is
launched which guides the user through some simple steps in order to manufacture the file.
The wizard uses central machine tooling and material libraries within VR Milling to ensure
only the tools you have available can be used and that suitable speeds and feeds are
automatically generated.
The following tutorial gives an explanation of the steps involved in manufacturing a dxf or
dwg drawing using Denford VR CNC Milling.

Creating a Dxf/Dwg file

Most CAD packages will create a dxf file and many good graphics packages will also create
them. AutoCAD, ProDesktop, Corel Draw and Techsoft Design Tools are among a few of
the packages capable of creating the dxf or dwg file format. The process of creating the dxf
or dwg file will vary from package to package but is usually found under the File | Export
menu option.
It will usually be necessary to select
the type of file you want to export
from a drop-down menu. This is
shown in the image, right, taken from
the export menu in Corel Draw.
See the help files in your CAD
software for more information.

Preparing the DXF/DWG file

The Dxf/Dwg file import wizard within VR CNC Milling does not enable the user to edit the
file in any way. The file cannot be scaled within the wizard. The user must therefore edit and
size the file correctly in the design software before exporting the finished Dxf/Dwg file.

To apply some of the machining plans available in the wizard the vectors must be closed
i.e: there should be no gaps in the shapes within the design. If you want to remove all the
material within an area, the boundary around the area must be closed. If not the following
message will be displayed

Page
Page 18
18 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Load the Dxf/Dwg file
In the VR Milling V5 software click the “File” menu and select
the “Open” option.
Browse to the drive and folder containing the Dxf/Dwg file that
has been exported/saved from your CAD package.

You will need to click the drop-down menu labelled "Files of

type" and choose "DXF and DWG Files (*.dxf. *.dwg)"

Material Selection
When you have located the DXF or DWG file you
would like to manufacture click [Open].

You will then be prompted to choose a material to

manufacture your design from.

Once you have chosen a material and clicked [OK] the main CAM wizard will be launched.

By choosing a material from the list the

spindle speed, feedrate and depth of cut
will be predetermined. You can add, edit
and save material types within VR Milling
V5.

To edit materials go to "Setup | Materials

| Edit Materials..."

You will be prompted for a password, by

default this is "denny".

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 19

Once a material has been chosen the Main CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) Wizard
is launched and your Dxf file will be dispayed. The first screen is called 'Layers'. DXF files
can be exported with Layer information. Layers can be deselected so that only the required
information can be seen.
In the example left, the heart has
been drawn on one layer. This
means that the layers cannot be
turned on and off. A typical use for
layers is to put dimensioning on
a separate layer, so that if further
work is needed on the drawing, the
dimensioning layer may be turned
off to remove the “clutter” of the
dimensioning. In a similar way, if a
Dxf drawing is to be cut, machined,
or engraved, the dimensioning/
notes/border, or any unwanted
information, may be “turned off” first

In the example right, the different

elements of the heart have been
drawn on seperate layers and can
be switched on or off. The holes
have been drawn on their own
layer and have been turned off.

Input File Units

Files can be exported from the CAD software in either Metric or Imperial units so an option
is available to select the correct units. DXF and DWG files cannot be scaled or edited within
the CAM Wizard, if the drawing needs to be scaled this must be done in the CAD software.
However, if you find that the drawing is smaller than you expect it to be, it may have been
exported in imperial units, try clicking the 'Inch' radio button to see if this resolves the
problem.

Page
Page 20
20 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Define Billet
The Define Billet screen allows the size of the billet (material)
to be defined and the position of the drawing within the
material to be determined.
The width, depth and height of the billet can be entered in
the dialogue boxes.

Alternatively, the blue control handle can be dragged to

determine the size of the billet.

With the 'Use Drawing Origin' box checked, the datum position is taken from the datum
position in the CAD software used to create the drawing.
If the box is unchecked the datum symbol on the screen can be dragged to replace the
drawing origin (this effectively moves the material).
When the "Drawing Extents" check box is ticked, the [AutoSize] button will set the billet size
to the extents of the drawing with no border around it. Clicking the [AutoSize] button with the
drawing extents box unchecked will set the billet size with an equally spaced border around
the drawing. The spacing amount is determined by the distance from the drawing origin to
the nearest vector.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 21

Machining Plans
The machining plans screen is used to compile a list of strategies for machining the
component. There are 6 different 'Plans' that can be applied, they are:
• Follow Cut - the centre of the cutter will follow the line. This tool is used normally for
engraving.
• Inside Offset - This tool will create a tool path inside a Vector offset by the radius of the
tool diameter. (a closed vector is required)
• Outside Offset - This tool will create a tool path outside a Vector offset by the radius of the
tool diameter (a closed vector is required)
• Area Clearance - This plan removes the area of material enclosed by a vector but leaves
any other selected vector islands intact. If the tool cannot fit between two vectors it will
remove only what is possible. The tool path created follows the outline of the vector shape
(a closed vector is required)
• Raster Clearance - This plan does much the same as the Area Clearance plan but instead
of following the contour of the shape the cutter path rasters in linear moves. The Raster
toolpath is cut first then an inside offset toolpath is generated to clean up all the edges of the
shape. (a closed vector is required)
• Drill Cut - This plan will find the centre of any circle included in the design. If different
holes are to be drilled different depths then create multiple plans.

A list of plans can be

compiled, plans can be
reordered, turned on and
off, edited and deleted using
the buttons next to the list
of plans.

The same plan can be used

multiple times to create cuts
of different depths

See the Help files in VR Milling V5.10 and above for more details on each machining plan.
These can be found by accessing Help > Tutorials > Drawing Import CAM tutorial.

Click [Next >] to move to the next screen.

Page
Page 22
22 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Check Output and Post Process
Select “Check Output” and the tool-paths
are simulated in order.
This allows you to check if the order of
machining is correct before creating the
code.
The tool diameter is shown.
Rapid moves are shown in Red while the
cut path is shown in Blue. If the depth
requires multiple passes these will also
be shown.

In this example the outline of the heart

shaped box was cut with the “Outside
Offset Cut”
As the centreline of the cutter is close to
the edge of the block the actual cutter
diameter will break through the side of the
block.
While this may be OK the cutter could hit
a clamp so a Red warning message is
displayed.
This will not prevent the file being Post
Processed but is displayed as a warning.
Select “Post Process”
The G&M code will be created and will
open in the machine editor.
The screen shown is has the program
opened in the full editor with colour
formatting on.
The file can now be manufactured in the
normal way.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 23

PCB manufacturing
Gerber format (RS-274X) is an industrial standard transfer file for defining circuit board
tracks and pads.
VR CNC Milling has the facility to open Gerber data (version 5.10 onwards). When Gerber
files are opened in VR CNC Milling, a wizard is launched which guides the user through
some simple steps in order to manufacture the PCB.
The following tutorial gives an explanation of the steps involved in manufacturing a Gerber
file using Denford VR CNC Milling.
Creating a Gerber file
Many PCB design softwares will create a Gerber file. The process of creating the Gerber
file will vary between PCB design software, see the help of the individual software for more
details. 'PCB Wizard' and 'Crocodile Clips - Real PCB' will both create Gerber files.
This tutorial shows the process of creating a Gerber file from PCB Wizard.
Exporting a file from PCB Wizard
In this section we will cover the settings required to export a Gerber file from PCB Wizard to
make it suitable for manufacture on a CNC machine.
We will use the first sample circuit contained in the software as an example.
Open PCB Wizard.
The getting started Wizard will appear:
Select Open Sample Circuits:

Select the 555 Astable.pcb file:

Page
Page 24
24 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Click “Open”
The standard PCB Wizard screen below is displayed.

The PCB tracking shown has a large ground

plain or flood fill area. This is inserted
automatically by PCB Wizard and has to be
removed before exporting the gerber file to
be manufactured.

Tip - choose to view “Artwork” by selecting the button

down the left hand side of the application

In the example files in PCB wizard the

documents are locked and cannot be edited.
To be able to remove the ground plain it is
necessary to unprotect the document. To
do this, select the “File” menu. Then select
“Unprotect Document”

Now select the ground plain on the tracked

PCB. Right Click the Mouse to get the
function menu.
If all the options are greyed out then the
document is protected.
Select “Delete”.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 25

All that is now left is the track layout and identifying
text label.

Machining around the text will be a problem and will

probably produce errors so you may wish to remove
the text as well.
If you want to remove the Text simply select it then
Right click the mouse then Select “Delete”.

The circuit is now in a format where it can be

exported as a Gerber file for manufacture.
Gerber format (RS-274X) is an industrial standard
transfer file for defining circuit board tracks and
pads.
Select the “Tools” menu then “CAD/CAM” and finally
“Export Gerber” output:

This will then open a sub menu where it is possible to define which layers and information
you wish to output. In this case we only have a Bottom Copper layer. The Export Gerber
menu is shown:
Select the ”Save As” option after File Name. This allows you to define where the gerber files
will be saved. Create a folder and note where it is located. Name the file and click “Save”.
The following selections (as shown in image, right)
should be made.
Check the following:
Circuit Board
Solder Side
Drill Holes
Place each layer in a separate output file
Drill Holes
Include Aperture table
Uncheck the following:
Plot Pads Only
Fill Drill Holes
Select “OK”.
The files are automatically created and placed into
the folder specified.
Page
Page 26
26 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Importing a Gerber File into VR Milling V5
Run the VR Milling V5 Software.
Select “File” “Open”.
Select the file types dropdown and select
“Gerber Files (*.gb*)”
Select the “555 Astable.gb0” file
Select “Open”
The Gerber Import Wizard opens as shown:

Define Board
The origin is drawn in the bottom left corner
of the PCB but the top right extreme is
defined by the last used PCB size.
Press “Auto Size” to set the board size to
match the extents of the PCB tracks.

If you know the size the board was

designed at type the values into the width
and height boxes.
In this case the board is defined as 61mm
x 61mm in size.

As you change the values the board shown

will also change in size.
The first layer imported is useful as it
defines the board size but we do not want
to machine this.

Close the Wizard (Cross at top right hand

corner) and select “File” “Open” once again.
Select the “555Astable.gb1”. This is the
bottom copper file. Select Open.
The bottom copper artwork is opened in the
Wizard as shown.
The Width and Height values should have
been remembered from last time, setting the
board size to: 61mm x 61mm.
Click “Next”.

Tip: The image can be manipulated with the mouse. In the display window “Left click” the mouse and drag will
rotate the image. Right Click and drag will zoom into the image. Left and Right together will 'pan' the image.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 27

Select Side
With most PCB design packages the view
of the board is from the component side
looking downward. By default the gerber
file is also done this way. The bottom side
or Solder side will be a mirror image of this
when the board is turned over.

Select “Solder Side” and the image will

mirror from left to right as shown:
The view is now shown as it will look when
machined.
Note: For double-sided boards the
component side does not need to be
mirrored.
Select “Next”.

Generate Toolpath
To be able to generate the toolpath you need to define the depth you want to cut to (making
sure you cut right through the copper) and the diameter of the cutter you are going to use
(to ensure it can get between the pads and tracks).
A typical depth to use would be 0.3mm as this will machine through the copper and into the
board behind. It is also deep enough to take out some error if the board was not flat while
machining.
The standard engraving cutter Denford
recommend is a 0.25mm tip with a 30-degree
angle. Cutting at 0.3mm deep will leave a
groove about 0.4mm wide.
Set the Cutting depth the 0.3mm
Set the Cutter Diameter to 0.4mm
Select “Calculate”

The cutter path around the tracks is calculated and displayed offset by half the diameter so
in this case 0.2mm outside the tracks.
If the red warning banner appears then there is a problem somewhere in the design and the
cutter cannot pass between all the tracks.

Page
Page 28
28 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
Using the Zoom and Pan tool (via mouse
buttons) you can inspect the tool cutter path
and search for the error. If an error is found
due to the tracks being too close together
then you will need to modify your PCB
design or find a narrower cutter.

In this design there are no problems with

the tracks but it is the text that is the
problem. As the text is treated as a copper
track if the tool cannot pass between the
letters it will show as a possible error.
As you can see in the picture the tool path
is unable to profile round the text and as
a result the file has warned there could be
an error.Removing the text from the PCB
before exporting would prevent the error
occurring.

In the example shown here the tool width

has been set to 0.7mm and the new
toolpath calculated. The software will not
allow the tool to pass through a gap that is
too small as it would machine away copper
that is required to make a connection. The
resulting tool path would leave all the pads
on the IC Base connected together.

Note also, that a pad with a hole in the

center will produce this same error, if the
tool diameter is too big to cut inside the hole,
see image right.
Once you are happy there is no problem
machining the Tracks and Pads click “Next”.

Tip: Care must be taken to ensure large enough

isolation gaps were designed into the PCB before
exporting as a gerber file.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 29

Drilling Operations

There are two options available to you when

drilling a circuit board. Provided the Check
Box: “Fill Drill Holes” was unchecked when
the files were exported the pad information
includes the internal hole sizes and the
external pad diameter. As a result the Wizard
can automatically calculate the number of
different sized holes in the board and allocate
a drill of that correct diameter to each hole.
Here the Auto Drill setting is selected and the
Wizard has selected two drill sizes to be used.

The second method of drilling a PCB is to

import the drill file.
To do this click on the “Read Drill File” button.
Locate the file 555 Astable.drl and “Open”.

This time the drill centres are shown with a default drill diameter. Again the two different
sizes of drill are shown but the correct diameters are not given.
In this instance you have to read the “ini or report” file to find the diameters of the drills
required and ensure they are fitted when the tool number is requested.
All drilling operations that are grouped by tool size, can be overridden and all drilled with
the same tool. To do this, check the box “Pilot Drill Only” and select the drilling tool number.
Doing this will cause all holes (that are turned on) to be drilled with the one tool, in effect
pilot dilling them for opening out later.
Select “Next”.

Speeds and Feeds

A default spindle speed and tool feedrate is allocated to each tool used in the program.
These feeds are the suggested values Denford recommend but each one can be
customised as required.
Once the values are approved, select “Next”.

Page
Page 30
30 CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE
CNC Output
It is possible to output the CNC code to cut the following
combinations:
The tracks only
Drilling the holes only
Spot drilling only (to the same depth as the
track cut depth, using the track cutter tool)
or, any combination of the above.
It may be that you want to just output the track outline and then drill the board later on a
pillar drill, if so uncheck the “Output drilling operation” as shown.
If you want the drill output recheck the box.

Click [Create CNC]

The Wizard software will close and re-launch VR

Milling 5. The newly created toolpath is loaded into the
current editor.
The example shown shows the file loaded into the full
editor with colour formatting on:
The section at the start of the program (program
header) has comments within brackets.
These comments tell you about the program, how
it was created. They also includes information on
the tools to be used, track side to be machined and
a warning if there were isolation problems while
processing.

The fast editor should be used for manufacture and is shown below:

The program is now ready to be manufactured in the normal way.

CNC MILLING / ROUTING TRAINING GUIDE Page 31