Machsupport Forum

G-Code, CAD, and CAM => LazyCam (Beta) => Topic started by: mt.man on July 23, 2006, 06:04:09 PM

Title: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: mt.man on July 23, 2006, 06:04:09 PM
I recognize that I'm a total newbie to LC and to CNC for that matter but I'm about to through this stuff across the room. . .
I have been able to import a dfx and cut one part. . .Yay!!! with the help of a conversion program.  I try to cut a very similar part and it imports with only one layer visable and all of the other information gone. . .Hummm, very strange. . . Another part seems to import and then there is nothing viable and no layer information. 

Is there some magic repository of knowledge for this softwere?  Brian I agree with the others that this is going to be a great program when it is finished, but you have been talking about a new video and docs since march, do they exist and I am missing them?

I really really need this program, my machine is sitting idle and I have parts that I need to cut, I don't have the capital (nor the desire) to pay thousands of bucks for a CAM program.

Wow that is starting to sound like a rant, sorry about that, I'm just furaterated here. . .

Brian, you and Art are really doing a great service in offering your sotware at such a low price, that is really cool. . .Okay that said HELP!!!!!!
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: ger21 on July 23, 2006, 09:56:47 PM
Post the files that don't work and I'll try to tell you why.
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: mt.man on July 23, 2006, 10:23:16 PM
Here is the most involved file. . .

Thanks in advance for your help!
Bill
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: ger21 on July 24, 2006, 09:52:43 AM
What did you create that drawing in? The problem, is that the lines were turned into blocks, and the block turned into another block. In AutoCAD, I needed to explode the block twice, then explode 2 more segments again. No CAM program I'm aware of will read blocks, and your .dxf is nested blocks, which is even worse.

Also, the drawing is very sloppy, with endpoints that don't meet, and lines that overlap. A clean, accurate drawing will make life a lot easier.

Here's the exploded version.
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: mt.man on July 24, 2006, 01:40:16 PM
Thanks!  It was drawn, or rather traced. in adobe illustrator.  I redrew several of my parts last night, or was it early this morning, and they are now working.  Illustrator is not really designed to do CAD so it tends to decide on it's own how it will do things, evidently this is one of those cases. Unfortunately we are very limited on funds around here and can't lay out thousands of bucks for the "real" CAD programs. . .May be Santa will bring me ART CAM Pro and then I won't have to struggle so much :D

Probably not. . .Or everybody that reads this could buy one of my guitars then it wouldn't be a problem.

Thanks again.

PS it would be really great if there was some documentation for lazy cam.
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: ger21 on July 24, 2006, 04:12:58 PM
ArtCAM Pro would definately not be any easier. VERY steep learnining curve. All you need is an inexpensive CAD program, like DesignCAD or TurboCAD, maybe even the free A9CAD from www.a9tech.com That and either LazyCAM or maybe SheetCAM and you'll be much better off than using Illustrator. Provided you spend a little time figuringout how the process works, from CAD to .dxf to CAM and g-code.
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: mt.man on July 25, 2006, 01:59:27 AM
Thanks, but at some point (soon) I am going to have to be able to do at least 2.5D and better 3D for necks,  carved tops, arched tops and mandolins. .  so far that looks like a serious investment in software.  But if you have any good ideas in that direction I would love to hear them.

Thanks again for all of your help!
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: ger21 on July 25, 2006, 06:36:04 AM
MeshCAM can create your 3D code for a very reasonable price. www.meshcam.com As for CAD, in the right hands, TurboCAD and DesignCAD can probably do what you want. Rhino might be a better choice. You can get Rhino, MeshCAM, and Sheetcam for under $1000 for all 3. If you're not familiar with CAD, be prepared for a fairly steep learning curve if you want to do arch top guitars and similar.
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: mt.man on July 25, 2006, 11:43:20 AM
Gerry:
You seem to be quite knowledgeable with this stuff and your help is much appreciated!  I have been looking at DesignCad 3D Max on their website.  It sounds too good to be true.  $89.95 for CAD and $149.95 for CAM certainly fits the budget.  Do you have thoughts about this particular package?  I’m not particularly concerned about the “learning curve” I minored in Computer Science and have lots of experience with Graphics software.  Though my CAD experience is limited (a former employer used ORCAD) but we just did schematics and circuit board layout, I think that I can be “up to speed" fairly quickly.  The piece I don’t wish to get involved in is downloading lots of different “trial versions” and spending the learning time only to realize that the product won’t work for me.  I will need to trust you and others not to steer me in the wrong direction.
Thanks again for all of your help!

Bill
Mountain Craft Stringed Instruments
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: ger21 on July 25, 2006, 01:07:56 PM
When I first started using DesignCAD, it was $279 for 2D only, and $495 for 3D, and the 3D part was in DOS. I no longer use it, since I use AutoCAD at work, but imo it's one of the easiest CAD programs to learn, and is very powerful. The pnly problem you might have is getting it to export files in a format that MeshCAM can read. MeshCAM can read .stl files, or .dxf's. But, the .dxf's can only contain 3D faces, which DesignCAD may or may not let you do. If it exports .stl, then there should be no problems at all. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that it does. There are conversion programs that should work though, and they are inexpensive. This one is $20. http://www.micromouse.ca/

You can download a trial of both DesignCAD and MeshCAM, and see if they'll work for you. (I know what you said, but for the price it's worth a try. I am a MeshCAM user, btw, since the very first beta. Nothing else comes close for the price.

Also, like I said before, you may find it difficult to produce the shapes your after using DesignCAD. If that's the case, then Rhino would be a better choice.
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: grindergary1 on May 17, 2007, 06:08:25 PM
 :) Well newbie with LC and have a question seeing as I can't find any documentation yet.

When I want to post G code, and I want to set the post processor (I'm using mp1000) I can't find a post processor. I know that Mach 3 is set for the right post but how about LC. It says can't find the PP and then uses default.

The problem is (with no machine hooked up) LC send to g code, funs sooo slow yet if i do the same dfx with sheetcam, the process just goes so fast. Is this just because it is in simulation mode or an i lost? This is licensed pro version.

Thanks

GG
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: Brian Barker on May 17, 2007, 09:49:57 PM
There is not a post for that at this time :(

Could you please tell me more about what you think is slow?
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: grindergary1 on May 17, 2007, 10:38:14 PM
Brian, thanks for your reply.

As far as what is slow, i think mach 3 just runs the 2 different tap files at differenr speeds, this is in simulation mode.

I created one file in sheetcam, the other in Lazycam. The sheetcam tap file runs very quickly on simulation mode. I think this is just from the post processor in sheetcam vs the default post processor in Lazycam. Of coarse, I could be wrong. Remember, that I am new to these programs and without knowing the proper procedures it is hard to know what is really happening. I will wait for the videos and documentation to come out.

Thanks for your time.

GG
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: Brian Barker on May 17, 2007, 10:59:01 PM
What is the F (Feedrate) in each file?
I think that is the problem :)
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: grindergary1 on May 18, 2007, 08:45:35 AM
Brian,
in each tap file, they show F1.0. I cut and past first part of each file. 1st is LC


N5  G91.1
N10 G0  Z0.0000
N15 G0  X5.9375  Y4.3459
N20 G28.1 (Probe for Stock)
N25 G0
N30 M3(PLasma On)
N35 G4 P0.1000
N40 G1  X5.4860  Y3.9898  F1.00
N45  X5.3423  Y4.1719



N0000 (Filename: Cowboy Hat.tap)
N0010 (Post processor: Plasma THC1.post)
N0020 (Date: 5/17/2007)
N0030 G20 (Units: Inches)
N0040 G53
N0050 G90
N0060 G40
N0070 F1
N0080 S500
N0090 (Part: Cowboy Hat)
N0100 (Process: Plasma,  0, Plasma, 0125)

I can send you both files if you like. Be easy on me, i'm still a newbie!!

Thanks

GG
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: Brian Barker on May 18, 2007, 08:56:11 AM
Attach both the files and I will give them a quick look

Thanks
Brian
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: grindergary1 on May 18, 2007, 09:17:41 AM
 :) Sent both files directly to you

Thanks

GG
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: grindergary1 on May 18, 2007, 09:41:55 AM
Brian,
Everything I send to you gets bounced back. I have tried every mail program I have. Seems everything is bouncing today
Go to Yahoo mach1mach2 files section, GG Test. Files are there.

Thanks

GG
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: Brian Barker on May 18, 2007, 09:50:41 AM
Use the Attach button on the forum :)  You need to click on the Additional Options to get to the Attachments.

I have no idea why you can't mail me :( I have been getting a ton of mail today...
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: grindergary1 on May 18, 2007, 10:01:12 AM
Alright, now I got it!

Thanks

GG
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: Brian Barker on May 18, 2007, 10:18:10 AM
There is an F78.0 in the sheetCam file and that is why it will cut faster

Thanks
Brian
Title: Re: Okay I must be stupid (or losing my mind)
Post by: grindergary1 on May 18, 2007, 10:22:14 AM
 ::) Thanks Brian.