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PeterB
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Joined: 05/02/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 658

Posted: 05:30am 02 Feb 2026

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G'Day All.

I decided to upgrade my CNC system to KiCad & MACH3. It hasn't worked since.
MACH3 responds to commands like G01 X20 Y20.
Unfortunately, KiCad generates commands like G01*
I know that I am doing something wrong, but what is it?
Please HELP!

Peter

Bryan1

Guru

Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1627

Posted: 06:53am 02 Feb 2026

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Peter what controller are you using for your CNC ? Last year I got one from a Aussie Ebay seller and asked the question before I bought it will it run on win10 and the reply was yes it can.

Now I did find I had to download off the mach3 website the software and on the CD I got was a file called motion software. Installed that and my cnc just worked.

So when you say you upgraded what did you upgrade.

Regards Bryan

PeterB
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Joined: 05/02/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 658

Posted: 07:39am 02 Feb 2026

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G'Day Bryan

KiCam is on a WIN10 PC
MACH3 is on a separate WIN10 PC
My hardware is probably like yours, Ebay cheap.
The problem is (Ithink) KiCam generates code that is not compatible with MACH3.
What does G01* mean and were does it come from?

Peter

pwillard
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Joined: 07/06/2022
Location: United States
Posts: 337

Posted: 02:21pm 02 Feb 2026

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I was curious, so I asked chatgpt thinks the "*" is about. ChatGPT thinks this is a placeholder for a post-processing step.

The response said: 'KiCad does not generate finished machine-ready G-code by itself

Officially, KiCad’s PCB editor exports Gerber (and drill/Excellon) files, not CNC G-code directly. Those Gerber files are industry standard formats intended for PCB fabrication and OTHERS tools (CAM) to interpret and convert into final toolpaths and G-code'

So something along the lines of https://github.com/r-gal/KiCAD2GCode will still be needed.

Note: I don't do any of this kind of work... it just got me curious.

dddns
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Joined: 20/09/2024
Location: Germany
Posts: 741

Posted: 04:10pm 02 Feb 2026

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I'm using pcb2gcode
It is nice but a journey to install under Linux. Don't know about Windows

PeterB
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Joined: 05/02/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 658

Posted: 10:13pm 02 Feb 2026

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Thanks to you both.

That should get me going......I hope.

And the Shed still does wonderful things.

Peter

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