Thank you for dropping in and investigating this TUTORIAL for the Torchmate CAD program. As a user of their cnc equipment and this CAD program for nine years, I know that it is just about ideally suited for the Plasma-CNC application. I also vividly remember how lost I felt trying to get started with this program(despite a strong mechanical /metal working background and formal education in computer systems).

This program can create 'drawings', work with text, automatically trace bitmaps (for line drawings),convert drawings into bitmaps, and, develop cutpaths with 'lead-ins/outs, adjustable kerf offset and correct cutting sequence and direction. It can 'weld' different drawings or parts of drawings together, slant objects, do proportional and single axis scale, mirror, make multiple copies, true nest, do node editing and wash the windows(just kidding on that last one -- I think). It can input/output a wide range of file formats.

Yes, the program is very powerful and 'full-featured', and there lies the problem with it. You must learn to use it! The "factory manual" is good at telling you what tools it has(as well as mentioning a lot of tools that you do not get) but, unfortunately, it does not tell you how or when to use all these great tools and features.

That is what the tutorial does! It will walk you through all the steps for the functions listed above. It will show you some short-cuts and how to set up some aspects of the program for increased flexibility and ease of use. BUT, the big thing it will do for you is save you an incredible amount of time and lost production($$$$) by getting you cutting competently, faster!

I have spent literally hundreds of hours experimenting with this software, doing on-site training, and helping others over the phone and internet. That experience is distilled down into this "tutorial" to save you time.

 

How much should you charge per hour to do custom cutting? How much do you pay for your steel? How easily do you get frustrated?

How much saved time would it take, how much saved steel would it take, how much saved frustration to justify the investment for this valuable tool?
 

Contact me at jackdcarter@yahoo.ca to arrange for your copy!

This easy-to-use tutorial includes over 70 graphics to help you understand the concepts and procedures required for competent use of the Torchmate CAD program.

Below is the guide for using the tutorial.



 

This is a tutorial for the Torchmate CAD program and also touches on the cutting program software(version 1). TM and Torchmate are trademarks of, and owned by Applied Robotics Inc. I am not affiliated in any way with Torchmate or Applied Robotics and any appearance of their Trademarks or other of their copyrighted images is only co-incidental to showing screenshots and mentioning their name to instruct in the use of their software. Hope that covers it.

This tutorial uses your web browser but is not on the internet. The best way to use this tutorial is to first 'turn off' any of the icons at the top of the browser window that will allow any of the side pop outs(click on any of these icons that are colored - search, favourites, media, history). You may go ahead and do this now. You will be able to see more if you then press your 'F11' key for a full screen view(if you use MS Explorer as your browser, not sure about other browsers). If you then right click on the top remaining tool bar, you get an option to 'auto-hide' the toolbar. Bump the cursor against top edge of screen to get it back.

If you minimize this tutorial then launch the program you are studying(CAD or CUT), you will be able to use the 'Alt+Tab' key combination to go back and forth between the two windows. Having a button on your mouse 'programmed' with this key combination is even better. Doing this will allow you to read about a technique then practise it in the actual program, then return to the tutorial to continue or to read the explanation again.

You may 'high-lite' some of the text on the tutorial window with the cursor by holding down the left mouse button and sliding the cursor across the area you wish to mark. Then, if you go to the other program window, your spot on the tutorial page will be marked to make it easier to find when your return with the 'Alt'+'Tab' keys. You clear the high-lited text by clicking the left mouse button. Remember that the pictures of the program screens in the tutorial are not the program windows. I call these pictures screen shots. They will not react to mouse clicks.

I have divided the information in this tutorial into three sections. A general introduction to cnc-plasma, and one section for each of the CAD and CUT programs. The two program sections are 'daisy-chained', there is a link on the bottom of each page to take you to the next sequential page. There is a link to an index page of hot-links so you can access a particular tutorial page directly.

I will present information in a very basic manner at the beginning of the tutorial. However, as you work through, you should be picking up some of the steps (that is learning), and I will be shortening my explanations for things. If you have trouble understanding something that is presented here, try reviewing the previous material. You may have missed a point that is crucial for understanding what is happening later. Please note that if you miss some small step, the task you are attempting will not work. I have made every attempt to proofread this material, but can not claim that it is perfect, nor that it is all inclusive. Email me with any concerns about errors so that I might correct them with my 'thanks to you'.

I will try to get all commands inside of 'quotes'. A pop up is a small window that opens up on the screen to allow input or give a warning notice. Please note that I sometimes include several pop ups in one screen shot of the program screen. In actual use, you may only see one pop up at a time. I will also often include several changes in each screen shot, but usually try to describe each step in the text.

You navigate the pages in this tutorial using the hotlinks(underlined, colored text) and your browser's 'Back' and 'Forward' buttons(the left and right-facing arrows in the top left corner of the screen). If you have chosen to 'auto-hide' the top tool bar, 'bump' the cursor against top edge of screen to make the tool bar and navigation arrows accessible. The pages themselves respond to the mouse scroll wheel and 'Home', 'End', 'Page Up' and 'Page Down' keys, as well as the cursor control 'arrow' keys.


Have fun and play safe!

GO TO CNC INTRODUCTION PAGE


GO TO TM CUT PROGRAM TUTORIAL


GO TO TM CAD TUTORIAL


TUTORIAL PAGES INDEX