Machsupport Forum
G-Code, CAD, and CAM => LazyCam (Beta) => Topic started by: htimstyler on October 27, 2010, 05:26:31 PM
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Hi Guys,
I am new to CNCs, Mach3, and Lazycam. I've been fooling around with Lazycam and a DXF, but after getting my code in Mach3 and running it on the mill, my dimension seem to be slightly off. It seems that Lazycam has not compensated for the size of my endmill even though I have created a tool and set that to my layers. Is this something that Lazycam does, or am I doing something wrong?
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Not that i am aware of, but will say this,look at the code and if it is correct then the problem is somewhere else.IE; steps per unit, your machines basic accuracy or how you are maching the piece. LC does look at the profile and will modify the pathing if the cutter is too large to do the cut. An example would be trying to cut a 1/2" radius with a 1 1/8" diameter mill.
What or how much is slightly off?
RICH
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Hi Rich,
If I remember right it was off by about 5 hundredths of an inch, I'll have to check the measurement when I'm back at work tomorrow. For now I am just clamping down a piece of abs plastic to test my code and see that the dimensions are right, later I will be milling into a small project enclosure.
I've attached a .pdf of what I am trying to mill using a 1/16" end mill. I'm not concerned with the circle cutouts, they will just be drilled, and they turned out exact. It was just the rectangular cut outs that ended out a bit larger then they should have been.
When I code by hand my dimensions are nearly perfect, so I don't suspect it is my machine, but again I'm a noob at all of this and don't have any real machining/cad/cam skills.
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If you can attach the dxf drawing.
RICH
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Hey Rich,
Sorry it took so long to reply. I'm attaching my Lazycam project.
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Also here is the .DXF
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I will take a look at it when i get a chance.
I take it your just trying to cut out the rectangles using a 1/16" dia end mill. To do that you would create an offset
to the inside based on your tool. You need a license to do generate code for an offset or pocket.
Do you have a license?
RICH
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Yes, I do have a licensed copy. I just am not sure how to go about creating an offset.
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Now, that I'm looking at it, I think I might have an Idea how to do it. Time to experiment.
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Now that I put in a offset and set a depth for it, I am not sure sure what to do next. Nothing is showing up in the tool path window of Mach3 anymore after generating the code. It seems that I could just delete the original entity and leave the offset, but I am not sure.
I attached my LC file.
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It's in the manual......Tutorial #1 page 36 :)
- Select the layer
- Do an offset to that layer based your tool
- LC creates an offset
- Un-enable any layers you do not want to post code for
- Select the offset, and in the Layer tab define your maching and the tool to be used
- Post the code for that layer if you wish
Do not hack your way through the program, at least do the first tutorial. ;)
RICH
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I figure out how to put my offsets in, but now I still have a few problems.
My tool path still does not show up in Mach3 anymore with code generated from Lazycam, and also my machine is hanging on the same type of g-code commands no matter how many times I redo my drawings or re-optimize or re-order my cuts.
I am hanging on the following line in my program:
N325 Y0.6306
N330 G2 X3.4431 Y0.6305 I-0.0000 J0.0000
It always seems to hang on a Y movement prior to a G2 command with the X and Y axis offsets.
I'll attach my G-Code and latest LC file.
Any help or tips is greatly appreciated!
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I had problems with your files also. I took your dxf and saved it first as a version 12 out of Autocad 2007, then again out of version 2001. Then I did the inside offsets in LC and exported the code. I then did the inside offsets again, but this time applied three depth cuts, and exported the code. I had no problem with the ones i did in Mach. I am attaching the dxf, two lcam files and the one tap file for the three depth cuts for you to try. BTW, i used different feedrates, but used a 1/16" end mill.
Let me know how they work for you,
RICH
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Hi Rich,
Thanks a lot for all your help. Your LC files and code definitely worked on my machine. My tool path showed up in Mach3 and my cnc did not stall. Although I found that my offsets where a little off.
So I tried to go back and edit the LC file you gave me, after editing it with my offsets, I have the same problem. There is no tool path in Mach3 and the program stalls.
Then I tried to start from scratch with the .DXF, and LC let's me create an offset on the up four left holes, but no offset is actually created.
My biggest problem is still no tool path showing up and stalling programs in Mach3. Any ideas what might be causing this. The file you gave me worked perfectly fine.
Thanks,
Tyler
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Tyler,
The reason your not seeing anything in Mach is due to a bunch of errors in the code. The IJ values, after some of the code, have zero values and thus the program never loads. Mach notifies you on loading the program that there are errors.
I think it has to do with the importing of your dxf. What CAD program are you using?
I know i couldn't open it with some of my older version Autocad programs. I had all the problems you described. That's why i started with your dxf resaved it as a version 12 dxf so i could have a clean start.
RICH
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I'm not sure what version of autocad it is. My coworker gave me the drawing. Maybe I can edit the code, if not I might resort to hand coding this for now if I can not get it to work.
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If you can, ask him which version. I don't have any problems with 2007.
If you used my dxf then you should be able to get a good posting into Mach and have no problems.
RICH
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I'll ask him when I see him tomorrow. I have tried several times re-importing the .DFX you gave me, but LC seems to have the same problem. I never had a problem, with this untill I started adding offsets.
Maybe it's a funky .DFX, I'm not sure. Since I don't have much experience, when he first gave me the .DFX I wanted to try out LC. I ask him to give a me a version of the .DFX with no dimensions, and only one drawing per a file (not having multiple pages). Tempted to redraw it in Visio and give that a go.
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What is the first thing you should do when you import the dxf file?
RICH
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I usually start by saving my LC project, unless just trying to test something out really quick. Other than that I hit the optimize button right off the bat.
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OK, it's not that......
I am still thinking why your having a problem and don't have an answer. When things get "screwy" i usualy just keep adding
in one piece / profile at a time until i find what the culprit is. I remember that all was well with your files until the last four holes.
ie; just follow the rapid move in LC to see the order of what is being cut
In fact if you take out those lines of arc code it runs fine. So something is bad with the first hole of the last 4 but don't really know what it is that affects LC. What more can i say......
RICH
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Ok... I'll see what I can find out. I really appreciate all your help. I managed to re-create the drawing in Visio just to get it done with, so I'm not dead in the water, but still determined to figure out what it is in case it happens in the future. At some point I really need to learn and get a copy of Autocad or some other CAD program, most of what I would be doing is 2D.
Thanks,
Tyler