Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: birdbrain on December 17, 2009, 10:43:53 AM
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I have a job to do which involves engraving text and logo around the outside of small (20mm) tubes. The engraving would be at a single fixed depth of, say, 0.1mm.
My mill is a K2 clone with a 4th axis (rotational). The rotation is parallel to the Y axis. So, the cutting movements will be on X and A axis( with the plunge on Z axis as usual).
I also have the full version of Lazycam installed. 8)
The logos etc. are graphics files. They can be easily converted between graphics file formats.
How can I do this engraving job without buying additional, expensive software?
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Check out CNCWrapper http://www.cncwrapper.com
Daniel
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Check out CNCWrapper http://www.cncwrapper.com
Daniel
Hey Thanks Daniel!
That's just what I've been looking for.
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Cnc Wrapper will be handy when I have managed to make a G-code file from an image.
Does anyone know of a cheap software that can convert an image file (i.e. a logo) into G-code?
I have lazycam but it seams unable to convert any of my images. The images are Fireworks PNG files (they can also be saved as GIF, TIFF or JPG).
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Try CamBam http://www.cambam.co.uk it has a free version with some limitations... http://www.cambam.co.uk/download/previous/beta-081.html may be it will do for you.
Daniel
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Creating g-code from an image file is very inefficient. You might want to convert the image to a vector file first, then convert the vectors to g-code. Could cut your machine time be a factor of 10 or more.
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You might want to check out D2NC (there is a link to it in the DOWNLOADS section). Not free (think it was $65.00). I have used it for many engraving projects with great success.
Bob@BobsShop
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There is also this software that converts images to g-code I have not used it so I can not comment on its results :-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/picture-to-g-code-cad-cam-cnc-software_W0QQitemZ190359039361QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2c52486d81
Graham
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Creating g-code from an image file is very inefficient. You might want to convert the image to a vector file first, then convert the vectors to g-code. Could cut your machine time be a factor of 10 or more.
This is a very important point.
I have now bought a really good vector drawing program (serif DrawPlus)http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/drawplus/index.asp (http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/drawplus/index.asp), it only cost 9.99 GBP for the full version!. Drawplus can save files in the DXF format and they are easily converted to G-code by Lazycam.
I also have D2NC installed and it is really good for making quick wizards. D2NC can also convert Drawplus DXF files to tube wrapped G-code.
So, thanks to all for your advice. I have been able to check out some software that I didn't even know existed.
By the way, CamBam looks like a very useful piece of software. I'm definitely going to install it. Only thing is that it'll take some time to learn how to use it. ::)
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why is "special" software needed for wrapping engraving gcode round a cylinder? just swap the Y code to the A code and as long as the steps per are set right - job done. Isn't it?
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why is "special" software needed for wrapping engraving gcode round a cylinder? just swap the Y code to the A code and as long as the steps per are set right - job done. Isn't it?
I have been considering doing this by running a search/replace on the g-code changing all instances of "Y" to "A". The only thing stopping me trying it is that the g-code certainly has G2 and G3 moves. I seem to remember reading in the Mach3 manual that G2/G3 are limited to the XY plane. Would it be OK to have G2/G3 in the XA "plane"?
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>why is "special" software needed for wrapping engraving gcode round a cylinder? just swap the Y code to the A code and as long as the steps per are set right - job done. Isn't it?
Depends on the job. On some it will make no difference, for others the aspect ratios are really screwed up. I engraved some deer around the outside of a ring for a deer-hunting buddy of mine. Without adjustment for the circumference of the ring, the deer looked like dachshunds with antenna!
Bob @ BobsShop - Disclaimer for the benefit of the humane society - No deer were injured in the cutting of the ring!
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Would this work?
Take an existing g-code file and change it from cutting on the XY axis to cutting on the XA axis by replacing references to the "Y" axis with "A".
The A axis is rotational. It wraps around the X axis in place of linear Y axis.
e.g.
before replacing "Y" with "A",
G0 X10 Y10
G2 G91 X2 Y2 R3 F100
afer replacing "Y" with "A",
G0 X10 A10
G2 G91 X2 A2 R3 F100
Of course, I know that there will be scaling needed on the A axis. The point that I would like to know about is whether G2/G3 code can be used on XA axis as it can be on XY axis.
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If replacing Y with A in the code doesn't work because Mach doesn't like doing G2/G3 in the "XA" plane then just swap the settings in ports n pins so that the rotary axis is Y. As far as aspect ratio is concerned - that's what I meant above by get the steps per right.
Cheers
Ian
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If replacing Y with A in the code doesn't work because Mach doesn't like doing G2/G3 in the "XA" plane then just swap the settings in ports n pins so that the rotary axis is Y. As far as aspect ratio is concerned - that's what I meant above by get the steps per right.
Cheers
Ian
Would it be possible to change the port configuration automatically from within a g-code file, perhaps by running a macro or a vb script?
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In most CAM systems you can output arcs as line segments then you have no G02/3's.
A better option is to do things right and get your CAM system to wrap/project the image over your cylinder, then output the code as X and A axis code.
Graham
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Hi Graham - whilst I appreciate what you're saying and would generally agree when you say - "do things right". It seems to me that software that "wraps" an image over a cylinder is just money for old rope. What does it do? It "rolls" the image and then your CAM generates gcode that effectively "unrols it" again. So we invest in CAD that can project round a cylinder and CAM that can generate 4th axis code and what do we end up with? same old code we could have created far simpler and at a fraction of the cost. Even "ace converter" could handle this one - well actually it would probably crash but...
Cheers
Ian
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I believe that CNC Wrapper converts the G2/G3's to linear moves automatically.You can spend $20 and let the software handle it for you, or you can spend hours of your time constantly switching setups to do workarounds that you don't have to do.
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Fair comment Gerry but its hardly hours is it? modifying your Y axis steps per and step and dir pin numbers should take about a minute at a push. You then save as a separate profile. One for linear Y one for rotary Y - job done and down the bar with your $20.
Now I'm out of here - I (now) know when its time to stop flogging a dead horse. ;D
Cheers
Ian
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Fair comment Gerry but its hardly hours is it? modifying your Y axis steps per and step and dir pin numbers should take about a minute at a push. You then save as a separate profile. One for linear Y one for rotary Y - job done and down the bar with your $20....
Thanks, Stirling. That's what I want to do.
How do I get Mach3 to save and load different profiles??