Chapter 8. G-Code: Speaking CNC
G-code is the generic name for a plain-text language that CNC machines can understand.
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G-code actually uses many letters, not just G. I’ll explain them each in turn.
G-code began as a project developed at MIT in the late 1950s. Because of the project’s organic growth, there is no universal G-code standard that everyone uses. There are many different standards, and not every machine understands each one. The flavor of G-code you use depends on the machine you’re using.
Standards compliance is less of an issue when using G-code generated by most modern-day CAM packages, which offer multiple postprocessors to chose from. A postprocessor outputs G-code appropriate for specific machines or machine types.
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