---
title: "Need a G-code Viewer? Check out this Open Source CAM Simulator"
description: "gCode viewers are essential when doing anything with a CNC. Camotics is an open source gcode viewer."
canonical: "https://www.baldengineer.com/open-source-gcode-viewer-camotics.html"
author: "James Lewis"
date: "2015-12-07T16:00:39Z"
lastmod: "2015-12-09T23:26:36Z"
categories: ["cnc"]
tags: []
---

# Need a G-code Viewer? Check out this Open Source CAM Simulator


[![gCode Viewer: Camotics](/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/camotics-gcode-viewer-simulation-hero.png)](/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/camotics-gcode-viewer-simulation-hero.png)

A gCode viewer is essential when doing anything with a CNC. Knowing where the tools is going to run can mean the different between a failed cut and a broken bit. Or let's say you're trying to debug some gCode scripting, no need to wait an hour to find out you messed something up. That's where a GCode Viewer can help.

There are several on-line options that let you upload files and see them in a 3D view. However, if your CNC is setup like mine, there isn't a good internet connection available. Camotics, formerly the unfortunately named OpenSCAM, is a cross-platform open source gCode viewer / simulator.

Most recently I used it to debug some gCode that pcb2gcode generated from a Kicad board I am working on.

Check out more about Camotics on their site: [http://camotics.org](http://camotics.org)

## Camotics, gCode Viewer Screenshot

 [![camotics-gcode-viewer-simulation](/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/camotics-gcode-viewer-simulation-1024x807.png)](/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/camotics-gcode-viewer-simulation-1024x807.png)