Machsupport Forum
G-Code, CAD, and CAM => LazyCam (Beta) => Topic started by: pcbmiller on March 13, 2008, 11:32:05 AM
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I am VERY new to CNC mills, Mach3 R3.036,Lazycam R3.00.2 AND CorelDraw X4. I use each of these. I hope someone can direct me on what I am not doing quite right.
I have everthing going. I am using sign projects in wood to learn with. Here is my problem.
I lay out a project sized as X= 5.5" Y=10.0" with CorelDraw X4. The lettering and image to cut is centerd in this XY area so that i have an equal distance from all edges. I save the progect as a DFX file. I open it into lazycam and optimise the file, get the starting point set on X=0 Y=0. If I check the size it is imported asX=5.069" and Y=8.728". It seems that for whatever reason Lazycam only imported the actual cutting image X Ymaximum refrenced to X=0 Y=0. it seems to have disregarded the actual laid out size of the overall project. If you cut the project with Mach 3 and the engraver tip refrenced to X=0 and Y=0, the project is cut left and bottom. It's not centered as I laid it out in Coreldraw. Can one of you old hands lead me into the right direction?
Thanks in advance.
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pcbmiller
post a copy of your dxf and post a copy of your saved l-cam file.
tell use what ver l-cam you are using.then somebody can look it over.
bill
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Hi, Pcbmiller
If you use the As Drawn check box in Setup, Loading Options , It should maintain the Origin.
Thanks, Chip
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Thanks for the replys folks.
Chip, I found that option and tried it, same thing happens. Attched is the DFX file out of Coreldraw and the Lazycam file. I am sure one f you guys can point me in the right direction. These are the versions of software I am using: Mach3 R3.036, Lazycam R3.00.2 AND CorelDraw X4 V14.0.0.567
Thanks for the help and input !
mike
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pcbmiller
chip might come with some other options, he has some pretty strong software.but from what i can tell with my stuff your trouble is coming from your cad.after running your dxf through
3 differant programs i got 2 that had same dimension as l-cam and 1 did not. 2 were 5.069 x 8.729 and 1 was 5.5414 x 8.8735 none were 5.5 x 10 ----
i don't use corel .maybe if you open it back up with corell and put a frame around it , say 6 x 10.5 then export it as autocad 12 dxf.then when you open it in l-cam and delete the frame
you might get the size you want.
bill
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Hi, Mike
Well, Your dxf took-for-ever to load, Reilly seemed to hang on Dup-Item's, Loaded in BobCad and saved it, seemed to load better.
I got the same size as Bill did, The put a box around it is a good Idea, I'd use 5.5 x 10.0 though, To see a comparison rite on the edges of the art work.
Post It.
Thanks Chip
Edit: Post the dxf with border
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Bill & Chip
Yes The DFX took forever to load. I had nothing to reference it by so I had no idea how long a file takes to load. I placed a border around it and it looks like it will work just fine. If I delete the border by deleting the chain it resides in, then Lcam scales the project back down. I tried to move just this chain into its own layer so I could set the feed rate fast and the cutting depth to 0 so it could get no-where faster. Lcam crashed. IT did not like moving this chain to it's own layer for some reason. Do you know if I can do that?
Is there a better way to do sign type projects. Is there better and easy-er software to use other than Coreldraw to lay out stuff like this? i am just horsing around trying to educate myself. I figure if I cant make a sign there is no way I can make anything else! Also the wife will be happier if she gets somthing out of the deal.
Thanks for all your help and more importantly your time.
Mike
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mike
open your dxf in corel and add the box to it's own layer ,and then when you have it loaded in l-cam click on the box layer and look at the layer menu
in the bottom left corner , their is a chek box to enable or disable layer ----disable the layer and that way l-cam won't write code for the box.doing it
that way you don't have to delete the box. did you export the file as autocad dxf. not save but export.
bill
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Bill
I will give it a try. What Autocad Version should I export it as? I have been defaulting it as Autocad 2007 Does one work better than the other with Lcam? I have down to Autocad R2.5
Mike
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Mike
use ver. 12
Chip
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mike
see if it says autocad 12 ----- it is pretty much the standard. i don't know if 2007 is the same thing.
bill