The included software

Two software packages are included with the Profiler as
standard: ColiDrive [1] and ColiLiner. Both of them are
derived from professional programs that have more to offer
in terms of options and performance. The supplied versions
are so specifically aligned to the needs of typical
Profile users that every desirable function is available if the
user has a bit of skill. You can import drawings for milling
shapes and generate contours for milling prototype circuit
boards. This works quite well, as can be seen on many
user websites.

However, the customer support department of Colinbus received
many questions, especially about the ColiLiner conversion
program, which converts Gerber files into contours
for the Profiler. The problems here had less to do with the
supplied software than with the complexity of the Gerber
standard. This format has a vast number of options and
variants. Besides using the prescribed apertures, makers
of PCB design packages can also use forms they create
themselves, and they can work with different units at the
same time. Given this situation, producing software that
provides the right conversion at the press of button under
all conditions is practically impossible. The problem
files that Profile users sent to the support department were
read in using a variety of Gerber viewers. Where one file
might work perfectly with viewers X and Y but not with A
and B, another file would work OK with A and B but not
with X and Y. However, most of the viewers and ColiLiner
had one thing in common: after a few minor adjustments
to the settings, the right PCB always appeared on the
screen. Unfortunately, adjustments of this sort require a
certain amount of knowledge of the Gerber format or suitable
patience. Once you have found the right settings for
your CAD software, all subsequent files can be imported
without any problems.

As the name suggests, ColiDrive is the software that you use
to drive the machine. Unlike what some people mistakenly
understood, it is not a CAM package with integrated control
functions. As with most CNC machines, the idea is that ColiDrive
receives machine code from a CAM package (ColiLiner
is an example of a CAM package, but as already mentioned
it is primarily designed for use in the electronics sector). Incidentally,
with many CNC machines the users must write their
own code, and this is also possible with ColiDrive.

As the number of delivered Profiler kits increased, it became
clear that there was a strong need for direct data import
capability. In hindsight, this is not surprising. Up until then,
ColiDrive had only been supplied to the professional sector.
In this sector, a machine is purchased for a particular
purpose, and buying CAM software specifically made for
this market is taken for granted. This is not the case with the
Profiler. For this reason, a few weeks after the launch we
decided to add an HPGL import function. As just about all
commercial CAD packages can export in this format, with
the inclusion of the import function it became possible to
engrave or mill any desired shape without having to use a
special CAM package.

Of course, you can do a lot more with real CAM software.
A lot professional CAM packages have a postprocessor for
ColiDrive. If you do not have this, it is very easy to write
one yourself.