We are doing our best to make the simulator as compatible as possible with as many machines and controllers as we can. Unfortunately, there is no real standard in use for CNC programming languages. There are many hundreds of machines and different controller brands and models on the market and they are all different. The most basic codes like G00, G01, G02 G03, etc. are more or less following a standard so the simulator will be compatible with most machines when using these codes. When it comes to, for example, canned cycles and radius compensation, there is no standard. We use "Fanuc inspired" canned cycles but we do not promise compatibility with any brand or model in particular. 


With this in mind, it is important to understand that you will have to learn the simulator just like you will have to learn any CNC machine you are going to work with. You will also have to change programs made in the simulator and adapt them to the machine you intend to run the program on. It is also important that you understand that you do this at your own risk and that running an incorrect program on a real machine can cause damage and be both expensive and dangerous. 


In schools and other training institutes, it is normal to educate students on a limited number of CNC machine brands and models. The student will get a solid understanding of CNC programming in general and of a few machine brands or models in particular. The student will then have to learn other brands when he/she graduates and starts to work as a CNC operator. Very seldom will the workshop use the same machines as the training institute. This is just the nature of CNC! This also goes for CNC Simulator. The student will get a solid understanding of CNC in general and will need to learn the differences when using other machines. We offer a lot of tutorials, e-learning courses, videos, and documentation to aid any teacher and student in learning the software. 


The great advantage of using a simulator is that one can allow for much more experimentation, as mistakes in the simulator do not create any damage nor are they dangerous. The setup time of a virtual machine is also much faster, so students will be able to do more and learn much faster. A simulator is a safe and cheap way to educate students up to a level where they are ready to do work on real machines. 


Related links:


The CNC Academy.

Online help.

How does radius compensation work?