Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Hood on December 14, 2010, 02:32:51 PM
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Just thought I would post this here as it was posted on the Yahoo group a few days ago and I know a lot of the forum members dont look there.
Dolphin CAD CAM Systems Ltd have reduced prices for both
Hobbyist and Commercial Users, these prices will hold for the
month of December 2010 and are applicable to both new and
existing users.
Full details can be found at :-
Dolphin December Special Offers for HOBBYISTS :-
www.zen188344.zen.co.uk/download/Hobby%20offer%20Nov%202010-4.pdf
Dolphin December Special Offers for COMMERCIAL USERS :-
www.zen188344.zen.co.uk/download/Special%20offer%20Nov%202010-4.pdf
This may be especially of interest to Lathe users as reasonably priced CAM programmes for Lathes are hard to come by. I downloaded the demo and have been messing about with it the last few days and although it took a bit of getting used to it seems to work well. I have now purchased the Turn module and a Dongle so hopefully I will be able to report the code is as good as the simulations suggest :)
Hood
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Thanks Hood.
It seems like a good deal. I think I'll end up with the lathe module, but am just not ready yet to purchase. I still need to get my lathe finished.
Cheers,
Peter.
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Looking good so far, just making up custom tools for it from DXF's downloaded from Sandviks site, makes the simulation look more like the machine rather than just the tip showing. Dont suppose it really makes a difference but it is nice to see.
Hood
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The turn module works quite well. Make sure you look / download the post processor for Mach if not included.
I never tried the drafting part of it and imported DXF's here. You do have a number of options and basicaly the user needs to use common sense
on tool selection for intended turning operations. Let us know how you make out with it Hood.
RICH
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Got the CD and Dongle today and seems to be quite good so far. The Mach PP that I downloaded from the USA site has a few things that I have changed.
First was block numbers, hate the bloody things so I got rid of them ;D If I want to see what Mach sees as a line number I just double click in the code window ;)
Next was to get rid of the Deep Hole Drilling and Peck Drilling canned cycles so that the PP has to spit them out long hand, this is because Mach doesnt seem to do them correctly now, I am sure it used to but maybe not. Also the PP threw a hissy fit with G83.1, seems it doesnt like that call but as I wanted long hand code I didnt look into it much.
Need to look at threading and get it to spit out G76 rather than the G32 it does at the moment, G32 is fine but I much prefer G76 as it is a bit easier to edit to get the thread correct if it needs tweaking.
Will do some more messing with things but so far I am delighted.
Hood
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Been doing a lot of altering to the standard Mach post processor. For a normal lathe I think it would need very little editing if any but as my lathe has both a front and rear turrets some of the code has to be of a negative X value with the arcs reversed while the other turret is positive values in X and normal arcs.
Michael from Dolphin set me on the right road for that and I only had to change it a bit because I had given him wrong info ;D It did however let me see ways to do other things. So anyway got that working well a few days ago and posted some code for a part I had hand coded a week or so ago, what a difference in time, especially as I am crap at hand coding anyway ;D
There were a few issues with the code it spat out, most just needed a tweak in the PP but two of them were a bit more tricky for me to do seeing as I am no programmer. The issues were that the toolchange position being called was for the turret about to be used rather than the one presently in use, I now have it looking at the turret in use and moving to that turrets toolchange position.
The other thing I changed was the spindle would be switched off at each toolchange and I didn’t want that but the next problem was if I didnt do that and the spindle was to change direction it would reverse without any deceleration. This is a Mach issue I think as calling a M4 when M3 is active should really slow the spindle then reverse. Anyway I now have it looking at the spindle direction and if its to change it will call a M5 before it calls the new M3 or M4.
I have a few other things I want to do but they are not really important, just would be nice. One thing is I am going to see if I can set the coolant up to front or rear dependant on turret and tool being used, at the moment I have to do that in the CAM manually although its no big deal as its just one button to click and a box to tick.
I am very impressed with Dolphin Partmaster Turn module and for the price it is amazing in my opinion. As said I have only made one part so far and I chickened out, it was a part in 316 I had made but as I was testing out the code I decided to make it in delrin in case I had screwed up in the PP writing, I needn’t have worried though as it came out perfect. Here is a few bad pics of the original hand coded one in 316 with the Delrin one next to it.
Hood
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Hood, is this for UK users only?
I don't see anything about the hobbyist sale on the USA website: http://www.dolphincadcamusa.com/pricing
Maybe I'm missing it?
I have contacted them so hope to hear from them.
Thanks,
Dave
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Not sure Dave, dont think there is any mention of the offer on the UK site either, or at least not that I saw.
It was posted on the Yahoo group by Michael Milligan and dont recall any mention of it being a restricted to UK offer. Might be worth an email to both the UK and US sites to see.
Hood
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Interesting, thanks for that- and Happy Holidays to you sir- 8)
Dave
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Dave reading the flyer it says UK Shipping FOC which to me suggests he will post it to other places but shipping will be added.
Hood
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Well I now have the coolant looking at the tool number and switching on the appropriate solenoid, so one less thing for me to have to remember to do in CAM :) Next I think I will see if I can get it to choose CW or CWW spindle depending on tool number.
Hood
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Just wanted to mention that the USA based Dolphin company is indeed also honoring this deal if anyone is interested.
Dave
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Dave,
It's right there on the home page.
http://www.dolphincadcam.com/
http://www.zen188344.zen.co.uk/download/Hobby%20offer%20Nov%202010-4.pdf
I gave in and bought the lathe module and dongle. :)
Cheers,
Peter
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Hi Peter,
Yes, that's the UK page, not the USA ;)
Thanks though-
Dave
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Ha ha how the heck I missed that I dont know, must be getting old ;D
Hood
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Well did the first real job from start to finish with code from Dolphin and I must say I am extremely pleased. Now that the post processor has been set up to suit my lathe it spat out the code and never had to make a single edit.
Heres a pic of what I did today :)
Hood
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Nice, what are they? Look a bit like tap handles.
I'm going to end up passing on this software for now.
Happy New Year, my friend- :)
Dave
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They are for some sort of underwater testing gizmo. A transducer and some other electronic gubbins go inside and then one of these mini subs grabs it by the handles and pushes it against the legs of an oil rig and it can tell whether its flooded or not. The body is 50mm dia and the handles are 16mm dia, so for you old fashioned guys thats 2 inch and 5/8 inch diameters approx ;D
Hood
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so for you old fashioned guys thats 2 inch and 5/8 inch diameters approx ;D
Hood
I know how to convert..... ;D
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You would be amazed how many dont ;D and that is not just metric to imperial lots here cant go the other way.
Hood
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I know how to convert.....
I hear ya....... ;D
Waite until your in Europe and want to buy those nice liquor filled truffles, you know you don't want a kilo of them, but what do you say to get 5 of them???????
Humbled in the candy store, :D
RICH
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but what do you say to get 5 of them???????
Well I would say, can I have 5 please ;D
Hood
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Tried that Hood with my hand held up showing five fingers. Then candy making gal called a big guy who came out from behind the curtain and gestured 5 with a closed fist.
Red light district just has a language all of it's owne i guess. Lucky i can run fast...... ;D
RICH
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but what do you say to get 5 of them???????
Well I would say, can I have 5 please ;D
Hood
ROTFLMAO!!!! :D
Dave
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Oh ok didnt realise it was that kind of "candy" shop ;)
Hood
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Bought me a liquored up tart one time, never tried a truffle. ::)
I do think she was metric though. ;D
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Like my first time in a fish and chips shop. I politely asked for "Two orders of fish and chips please" only to get a blank look. My lady friend reordered with "Piece and four twice". I learned later that it was cool to add "and a six of peas". That was 50 years ago, prices have probably gone up! Four pence worth of chips might not even be one bite now.
al