Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) VS tkCNC Editor

Compare LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) VS tkCNC Editor and see what are their differences

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) logo LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control)

LinuxCNC: an open source CNC machine controller. It can drive milling machines, lathes, 3d printers, laser cutters, plasma cutters, robot arms, hexapods, and more.

tkCNC Editor logo tkCNC Editor

tkCNC Editor is a text editor, specialy designed for NC code (G-code) editing for CNC machines.
  • LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-21
  • tkCNC Editor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-09

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) features and specs

  • Open Source
    LinuxCNC is open-source, allowing users to access and modify the source code. This encourages community collaboration and enables users to tailor the software to their specific needs.
  • Cost-Effective
    Being open-source, LinuxCNC is free to use, which reduces the cost for individuals and organizations looking to implement CNC control systems.
  • Flexibility and Customization
    LinuxCNC offers a high degree of flexibility allowing users to design custom configurations and write personalized scripts for their machine operations.
  • Large Community Support
    With a dedicated user base, LinuxCNC has a wealth of forums and community-driven support which can be incredibly helpful for troubleshooting and exchanging best practices.
  • Real-Time Performance
    Utilizes real-time kernel extensions that provide precise control over machine operations, a necessity for CNC applications requiring high precision.

Possible disadvantages of LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control)

  • Steep Learning Curve
    LinuxCNC can be challenging to learn, especially for beginners unfamiliar with Linux operating systems or CNC machinery concepts.
  • Limited Commercial Support
    Being an open-source project, it lacks formal customer support which can be a disadvantage for commercial enterprises needing professional service.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some hardware compatibility issues may arise, particularly with newer or less common equipment, requiring additional troubleshooting or drivers.
  • Complex Setup
    The installation and configuration process can be complex, often involving custom setups and detailed understanding of both hardware and software components.
  • Less Intuitive Interface
    Compared to some commercial CNC software options, the graphical interface of LinuxCNC may feel dated or less intuitive to some users.

tkCNC Editor features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) videos

LinuxCNC for the bare bones beginner - Part 1

tkCNC Editor videos

No tkCNC Editor videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) and tkCNC Editor)
3D
75 75%
25% 25
Architecture
74 74%
26% 26
CAD
80 80%
20% 20
Photos & Graphics
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) and tkCNC Editor. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 7 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) mentions (7)

  • Real-time Linux is officially part of the kernel
    I played with it years ago, but it's still alive and well
        http://linuxcnc.org/.
    - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Real-time Linux is officially part of the kernel
    The only time I have used real-time linux was for CNC control through linuxcnc (formerly emc2). https://linuxcnc.org/ It works great, and with a bit of tuning and the right hardware it could achieve ~1us worse cast jitter numbers (tested by setting a 1ms timer and measuring how long it actually takes using the linuxcnc internal tooling). Sadly with modern machines there are so many low-level interrupts that you... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Can anybody recommend a good CNC conversion kit?
    For a hobby machine, DIY might be the way to go. I did my sharp knee mill over several years. Ball screws from Rockford ball screws, were not cheap, but work well. Servo motors and gecko motor controllers from automationtechnologiesinc.com. Scales for feed back from dropros. Controller card from mesanet.com. All controlled with linuxcnc.org and a usb controller from vistacnc.com. Milled motor mounts for the... Source: over 2 years ago
  • CNC build
    I'm building a DIY-ish 3d printer, I know the Duet 3D boards can run spindles. https://www.machsupport.com/software/mach3/ Or Http://linuxcnc.org/ can run stepper driver boards with a spare desktop. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Questions from someone looking to build a desktop mill
    Good questions, I may be able to help with some of them but I know there are plenty of more experienced mill owners: 1. This is usually done manually or with indexing pins. If you look at the nomad flip jig you can see some techniques for physically re-aligning the part. Since you have skills in that area, a software solution could help, but I’m not aware of anything off the shelf in the hobby space. It could be... Source: almost 3 years ago
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tkCNC Editor mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of tkCNC Editor yet. Tracking of tkCNC Editor recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) and tkCNC Editor, you can also consider the following products

Mach3 - Mach3 is very popular among the Hobby CNC community.

jscut - A CAM in your browser! Convert your SVG files to CNC cutting paths with this tool.

PyCAM - PyCAM is a toolpath generator for 3-axis CNC machining.

CamBam - CamBam CNC software, best value for money, feature rich, CNC Software for G-Code generation on CNC Routers, CNC Mills, Homemade CNC machines, for 2D pocketing, 2D profiling, Text Engraving, Photo Engraving and 3D carving.

Vectric Aspire - The complete software solution for CNC Routing,

ARTCLIP-3D - Discover the brand Type3, global leader for artistic and industrial CAD/CAM software solutions dedicated to 2D and 3D CNC applications.