A post processor is the translator that sits between your CAM software and your CNC controller. It takes the toolpaths your CAM system generates and turns them into the exact G-code dialect your specific machine understands — the tool change sequence, the safe retract height, the spindle commands, the feed and speed logic. Get it wrong and you don't get an error message on screen; you get a crash, a scrapped panel, or a machine that simply refuses to run the file.
Every CAM package ships with a library of generic post processors — a standard Fanuc post, a generic Syntec post, and so on. These work as a starting point, but almost no shop runs a completely stock machine. Your router might have a non-standard tool changer, a different Z-home sequence, a specific dust-boot retract height, or a custom M-code your controller manufacturer added for that model year. A generic post processor doesn't know any of that, which is exactly why a Cabinet Vision post processor for a Syntec controller or a Fusion 360 post processor for a Fanuc 30i so often needs custom work before it's production-safe.
We start with a briefing — your CAM software, controller model and firmware version, and a description of the parts you're cutting. From there we review any existing post files or sample NC output to identify what's already working and what's causing problems. We then write or modify the post processor, test it against your actual toolpaths in a simulation environment, and validate the output G-code against your controller's requirements — including a dry-cut or backplot review with you before final delivery.
Cabinet Vision to Syntec and SCM routers, Mozaik to nearly any woodworking CNC router, Fusion 360 .CPS posts for Fanuc, Heidenhain and Siemens controllers on 3- to 5-axis machines, Alphacam posts for Biesse Rover and stone/wood combination machines, and Vectric VCarve/Aspire posts tuned to specific router brands and firmware.
Post processor development starts at $250 for a straightforward 3-axis, single CAM-to-controller pairing, and scales up based on complexity — nesting and multi-tool sequencing, 5-axis simultaneous output with RTCP, or macro B programming push into higher tiers. See the full pricing breakdown on our pricing page, or send us your machine and software details for an exact number.
Tell us your CAM software, controller, and the problem you're facing — we'll quote you an exact price.