Machsupport Forum
G-Code, CAD, and CAM => LazyCam (Beta) => Topic started by: split63 on July 26, 2007, 02:41:27 PM
-
Attached is a dxf file that Lazycam seems to be having trouble with. Specifically when I highlight the outside chain and then try to create an outside offset, no offset is created.
Also, when I try to make an inside offset for the two holes at the bottom, it makes an outside offset. If I make an inside offset, it makes an outside offset.
I have the 7/12/07 version
-
First I'm no expert as I've only been using LazyCam for a few days and am also having offset problems so I thought there might be an answer here. There isn't one (yet) BUT if you delete all the holes and then generate the GCODE it applies an offset (G41). I think that you need to create a new layer with the outline and then code that, then mark all the holes as drilled holes but I don't have time to try that tonight.
My problem is coding the collet spanner that Art uses as an example. I can get it to clean up nicely after setting the line tolerance but when I run the code it machines both the hole AND the outline as inside chains. The code uses G41 for both the hole and the outline, I think it should be G42 for the outline but as I said at the start I'm no expert.
If any of the experts are reading this can they also tell me how to turn off the blue background to the screen to make it black? Viewing the videos that Art posted I find the interface with the black background and buttons down the left MUCH easier to use, perhaps due to the fact that I'm slightly Blue/Green colour blind as are bout 5% of the male population I believe. The Black background eliminates the Blue /Green problem as I'm not trying to see Green on Blue which to my eyes is very indistinct. Thanks
-
.
F.....if you delete all the holes and then generate the GCODE it applies an offset (G41). I think that you need to create a new layer with the outline and then code that
I deleted all the holes so that I only have the part outline. I tried the offset, but still it generates nothing.
It prints out the message:
0 Chains, 0 entites created.
Toolpath complete.
Offsetting Complete.
-
Hi, Split63
Give this a try, I Exploded it many times then Grouped it, Seems to offset now.
The In-Out's are backwards most of the time for me, also using .000001 for Setup, Connect line tol. hear.
Hope this Helps, Chip
-
What do you mean when you say you "exploded" it and then "grouped" it? I dont see these functions in LazyCam.
-
Hi, Split63
It's a command in your Cad Program, also called un-group, group, It turns line segments into one line/chain or object.
Thanks, Chip
-
I tired that in my CAD program yesterday, but it seemed to have no affect
Now that I have this problem patched, I have another. When I try to convert some of the holes to drills, via the "drill circles" command, nothing happens. Perhaps its the way I'm using it. I have tried as many approaches as I can.
Any ideas?
-
Hi, Split63
Sent you a Per. Msg., "User Info" top of this screen.
Thanks, Chip
-
Hi, Inchbeag
Post the DXF your using.
Thanks, Chip
-
Hi Chip,
It's the collet spanner that Art uses as a demo. It's on the install with LazyCam but I've attached the copy I downloaded in case of corruption.
Thanks for the help for a newbie
Alistair
-
Chip,
Just a follow-up. I loaded the DXF into TurboCad and it showed the A/F size of the Clarkson "S" end to be 36.27 inches !!!!.
I know DXF's are notorious for the different results the generate so could you tell me exactly what is the correct size of this spanner on the original drawing. It maybe that this is a corrupt drawing, but I thought I was doing the right thing in downloading a DXF from the site to test LazyCam.
Thanks again
Alistair
-
I Downloaded your fuel bracket drawing and the offset worked but the part was only about 5mm across. I used Version 2.3 . Previous versions i always found inside and outside were back to front.
Drill circles is a mystery to me as it only seems to work when it wants to. Cannot make any sense out of it. I had it working perfectlt in older versions but not now. I have sent screen shots to Art and Brian to see if they know why but they must be busy.
Noel
-
Hi, Alistair & Noel
I think I loaded them in MM mode, Just trying to get the offsetting to work.
Could never get the spanner to offset properly.
The fuel pump bracket, The only way I could get the drill holes to work was to group the circles that I wanted to drill, Then put a Dot at the center point
and delete the circles.
Trying to go back in LC versions to find one that works properly, Haven't found it yet.
Lot's of Issue's with L-Cam.!!!!, It's a Bata Version.
Thanks, Chip
-
Hi Chip
I tried the dot idea and also using smaller cutter than the circle size and tried to cut on the inside but no go.
Noel
-
Chip, An update for you, BTW I don't get much workshop time :(.
First checked mill with MACH3, X axis move 2 inches - mill moved 1.998, Y axis 2 inch move - mill moved 2.001 so mill is OK
Drew a 1.5 x 1.0 inch rectangle in TurboCad and exported as DXF to LazyCam.
Told LazyCam to use Tool 1, 0.197"D ( actually a 5mm ) endmill, then generated G Code & loaded to MACH3
LazyCam inserted G41 codes throughout the code list BUT MACH3 said tool in use was Tool 0 and diameter was 0".
Ran the code and it milled a rectangle 1.303" x 0.801" which is what you would expect if tool diameter compensation wasn't being used.
SO, is LazyCam failing to export the tool data to MACH3 or I am I making a basic, stupid mistake?
Thanks again for your time
Alistair
-
Hi, Art & Brian
LazyCam 2.02 is having problems with Arc's, It doesn't respect the arc's end point's.
It's very inconsistent, The view 4 posts up shows a fuel bracket looks good then shown hear, Way off.
Offsetting your Collete Spanner, Offsets fine sometimes, Other time's not.
If the Collete spanner works then the fuel bracket doesn't and vice-versa.
Just Info, Chip
-
Hi, Art & Brian
Just reloaded Collete Spanner without changing anything.
Used offset Inner draws a Circle on outside then offset outside and offsets inside as shown below.
Using .001 line tol., Have used the following settings, .0001, .00001 and .000001, thy don't seem to change anything hear.
The Clean function sometimes works, Sometimes Not.
The second picture loads and offsets properly, Except the Circle.
The Last Picture, .000001 dose brake down the Collete Spanner into Chains though. and clicking on the Lower Right. Arc High-Lites the upper Arc.
Just More Info, Chip
-
Chip, only time i can get clean to not work successfully is if line tol is set to too small a value resulting in open chains after cleaning. Any open chains containing arc segments will give results you see on your fuel brkt and also appears to confuse offset inside/outside. Having said that your 1st pic failed as result of not cleaning before offsetting (either by omision or clean failure). With 0.001 tol it works every time here. Second pic can't comment on circle prob as no dxf to play with.
Your fuel bracket works everytime here with outside offset ok on outer chain, inside offset works ok on 2 holes upper right and 2 holes bottom left, and 4 holes on left work correctly using drill sel circle function. However there is problem here in that if you get this far then the post processor incorrectly generates zero arc radius in a few lines which Mach doesn't like in posted g-code, so another one for Art.
Not sure if above is a help or hinderance but all helps I suppose :-)
Dave
-
I will see about some of the bugs... I have just added a bit more code (Yes more bugs :( ) I have tabbing about ready and as soos as that is done I think I can have a look at a few bugs
Thank you Chip for all the great work that you have done finding the bugs
Brian