Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: larryc on February 13, 2011, 10:27:29 PM
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Hi. I am looking at using a vynl cutting knive on my 5x10 foot cnc router. I have the set up to do pen plotting and cutting of vynl and card stock. I dont plan on getting a vynl cutter . The program that I use to do most of my cutting is aspire. but I need the offsets for getting good corners and the overcut for weeding it is .025 mm. the offset and overcut is because the cutter follows at this distance. the program that I am trying is signgo it is found at signgo.com out of england I think. Is there a way to get a post processor to convert there file into gcode for mach3. that is the program that I have been using sence it came out and I dont want to go to another driver. I just need a vynl cutting program that will go with mach. If we cant convert this program to the right code does anyone know of a program to cut vynl that will work. I dont want to reinvent the wheel just cut some vynl with my machine. it is step and direction.steppers.run by mach..They do there output with HPGL . most hpgo to g code converters dont accept signgo hpglfiles or any that I could find. There is a universal plotter driver that a man from hollad got g code set up to work but he had trouble with the offsets not working. Could someone out there please help me I know ther are some real smart people on the mach forum. and am hoping. also if this is the wrong spot on the forum moe it where it will get the most veiws . Thank you.
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Hi all I was hoping somone would be able to give me some help. even if there is no way to convert the two programs. I was hoping that there was a vynl cutting program that would use g code for mach3 out of the all the world there must be somthing.
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Hi Larry,
I use Roland software for sign layouts but use Mach3 and GCode for cutting the vinyl so convert HPGL to GCode quite a lot. The attached program, written by Martin DeRoode of Majosoft is simple and works just fine for me. There are a couple of little quirks such as needing SP1 (or whatever pen) at the start of the code but once you get used to it, editing is no problem.
Let me know how you get on.
Tweakie.
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Thanks tweakie. I have seen your web site afew times and I like what you have been doing. What is the roland vynl cutting program. that you use. is it easy to use .. I dont care what program it is. As long as it works and is easy to use . Not the brightest cookie on the block when it comes to computers. But I can make thing work most of the time. I guess I am just lucky as most of the time I dont know what I did all I know is most of the time I get things to work. I am not sure when you posted but I would have got back Quicker but I had a heart atack last week got home friday an I am still a bit slow getting around. Again thanks hope you help some more.
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Hi Larry,
Take it easy and get well soon.
My Roland software is related to pen plotters not vinyl cutters.
It has been a long while since I used SignGo but from memory you can pre-program the post processor with HPGL start up strings so you should be able to create a file that will convert to GCode (using the program I posted) without editing. If you have difficulties setting it up send me a copy of your current SignGo output file I can see what needs adding / removing.
Tweakie.
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thanks tweekie on ypur web site you had a programtarget to gcode you said works do you still use it or have you made your own post proccesser (converter)if you whant my adress is larryellencharlton@hotmail.com
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Tweekie there is a man from holand back in july of 2010 under heading of general discussion named blitskreik that was working on a conversion for mach3 I was able to get a hold of him. But he said the couldnt get the cutting offsets to work. Couldnt get a hold of him again. It was under the heading producing gcode with signgo. Take a look.
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tweekie I just saw that the file you gave me is the same one you used in your site. But when I tried to open the file it would not open. does it go into mach or how do you open it to use.
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Hi Larry,
Target2Gcode is a standalone .exe application - Just place it on your desktop and run it. (as mentioned earlier there are certain HPGL codes it doesn't like and these return an error if they are not edited out which is where the SignGo post processor comes into its own).
The input files need .plt or .hpg file extension to open and the program creates a ....wire.din file which is the GCode. You just need to set the safe Z and cutting depth before creating the GCode.
Tweakie.
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Hi Larry,
Something I forgot to mention :-[ is that LazyCam (part of Mach) will also convert your HPGL files to GCode. It takes a long while with some of the larger files but usually gets there in the end. LazyCam has the advantage of allowing easy deletion of unwanted vectors and the redefinition of the origin etc. etc. and may be your best option.
Tweakie.
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Hi Tweekie I tried to put the file on the computer it just gave me a error message . It said some file missing and it was stoped. I will try again and write down the message or maybe even try it on the other computer. I will get back to you . Tere must be some time difference between us the message board said you posted 12 oclock last nidht and again at 5 this mornig . Where are you .
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Hi Larry,
There is a reasonable time difference, I am approx 6,000km due east of you so I get to see the sunrise first ;D
Tweakie.
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Hi tweekie the program doesnt work. it will not start up I get a pop up that says component 'comdlg32.ocx'or one of its dependencies not correct, rigistered a file missing or invalid do you ever get this message or do I have to register it or what.
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Hi I think maybe it might need a licence code or something as it was saying only got so many day till it expires or need a licence. I couldnt find the program on the web. do they still have a web site. I dont know. just scratching my head.....
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Hi larry,
There are probably run time files which were installed on my PC which are not on yours thus the error.
Try LazyCam and see how you get on with that.
Tweakie.
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OKay. I have lazy cam it just takes pctures or files like dxf etc and runs them trough lazy cam and outputs them as gcode. It doesnt convert files does it . Maybe I am missing something. Is there a web site for that program that I could get the original program from. I have looked but havent seen it. There is a lot of target to gcode programs out there but they are for cuircut board use. I also found one that converts hpgl files but they convert the file to bit maps. Then they make a gcode from that. so they will not be able to do the corner offsets for vyl cutting. The more I check I have come to wonder if the ofset really is that much of a deal. I will not be cutting anything really small like 1/4 inch or so. Maybe all I need to worry about is the overlap at the end of the line. Aspire has a lead in and a lead out so I can set the overcutt to .025 mm and the cut should be enough to make the picking easy . as the cutt will overap on the end. what do you think
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Hi Dan,
I will try to answer your questions best I can.
I cut a lot of vinyl on my CNC using a drag knife with 0.5mm tip offset - the corner rounding has never been a problem.
LazyCam - top left click on 'File' where you will see that you can open HPGL and PLT files. Once they have been converted to GCode you can feed them direct to Mach3 for output to your machine or save them as a GCode file.
Target2GCode is available on the 'Majosoft' website (you will have to search for it) http://majosoft.com/ but it sounds like it is the VB runtime components that you are missing and these can be obtained from the Microsoft website http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290887
Tweakie.
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Thanks tweakie Sorry I have been getting your name wrong I thouhgt it was teetie SORRY I hope you can forgive me. You dont find the round corners bad . Thanks. I already use aspire I have been for the last 3 years. I love the program. I debated over the cost but in the end I am glad I got it. It was running in minutes of putting it on the computer. learn curve very short. But back to the vynl cutting It is a vb run time component That I am missing. I saw that some were in one of the files. 99 % of what I will be cutting will be big thing like you are cutting. The only difference I want to cut stensils for painting on toys that I make for small children. also I need to do some plotting but aspire works good for it. acaully it is over kill. Sorry if I have been a pain in the you know were. But I have been trying to make a post proccessor to convert the program to work with mach. a man in holand did but I have been having a hard time trying to get a hold of him. He said It doesnt do the offsets. so he gave up. I have learned a lot in the last couple of weeks. But I am also about ready to take a break at it . This doing a proccessor is very complicated. One minute the numbers start to look like words and make since the next they fade away and I seem to be looking at something all together differnt. This cnc work is somthing else .I like the work you do
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My eyes are playing tricks on me I had your name right all along Sorry. I am older and my eyes somtimes sees what is not there. I am going from one computer to the next so It takes a few minutes to get back to you.
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You know tweekie after I talked with you yesterday I was loking at the different codes 3 types of g code and the plgl code they all say the same thing basically. I was able to see the same steps and everything . The only thing that was different was that the hpgl code had a line withAA or acute angle but now I am having trouble trying to figure out how to make one version tell the other what to do. like talking russion to a chinese. the machine code says error. once I can get over that the machine seems to go were its told.