2d gcode?

I do a lot of RC sailboat racing, and new hull's for some classes of boats can get mighty pricey (There are RG65 CF hulls that cost upwards of $4,000, and they're less than a meter long and just the hull, nothing else!), and I'd like to design some of my own.

One common (manual) technique is take a hull design, and cut it into layers, then you'd cut each layer out of a layer of styrofoam, glue the layers together and then sand it smooth. The resulting shape can be used for a wood plank, Vacuum formed, CF, or other material mold.

I'd like to be able to take a (relatively) simple x/y gantry and attach a pen to it to trace out the layers to be cut. Eventually it would be upgraded to a laser to cut the foam.

But right now, I'm just looking at software. What programs would you recommend to use to design and then export 2d gcode? I was thinking something like Ramps to run the plotter/burner.

I would think that with a bit of messing some slicers could do this. If you set the layer height to 30mm then your Gcode file will have exactly what you need in it.

I have ramps in both my laser cutter and my CNC mill. I use Inkscape to make the laser files but it is 2D only I think.

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Originally Posted by Mjolinor

I would think that with a bit of messing some slicers could do this. If you set the layer height to 30mm then your Gcode file will have exactly what you need in it.

I have ramps in both my laser cutter and my CNC mill. I use Inkscape to make the laser files but it is 2D only I think.

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IIRC Slicer won't let you set layer height that tall :(

You'd have to change the z height on the printer to do that.

Cura lets you do it. Can't say my models look any good with only one or two slices but I guess that is what one should expect. :)