Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: black33guy on July 24, 2014, 11:15:07 PM
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I have my CNC mill up and running thanks to several of you who gave me advice recently. I now want to start using it, but am not familiar with the array of CAD/CAM programs yet. The first project I want to do is to make a front panel for the CNC control box. This will involve cutting holes of different sizes in various locations in a flat piece of metal. Is there a mill wizard that will simplify this operation for me? I know I can do each hole individually with MillWizard, but I'm thinking there might be a library created by members of user groups somewhere.
thanks, rex
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Hi Rex, I do multi mill wizards by copy and pasting the previous wizard using the edit page on the Mach mail program page. Every time you construct a circular pocket copy and attach it to the next one you do. I have attached a program of what to copy, obviously you don't need the command and end lines every time you copy and paste.
Have a look at this. its for 3 holes using wizard then copy and paste into the next one you do. Hope this helps.
G0 G49 G40 G17 G80 G50 G90
M6 T0(TOOL DIA.5)
G64
G21 (mm)
M03 S800
G00 G43 H0 Z1
X15 Y15
G01 Z-0.9 F20
G2 Y15 X17.5 R1.25 F60
Y15 X12.5 R2.5
Y15 X18.5 R3
Y15 X11.5 R3.5
X18.5 Y15 R3.5
Y13 X16.5 R2
G00 Z1
M03 S800
G00 G43 H0 Z1
X0 Y0
G01 Z-0.9 F20
G2 Y0 X2.5 R1.25 F60
Y0 X-2.5 R2.5
Y0 X3.85 R3.175
Y0 X-3.85 R3.85
X3.85 Y0 R3.85
Y-2 X1.85 R2
G00 Z1
M03 S800
G00 G43 H0 Z1
X25 Y25
G01 Z-0.9 F20
G2 Y25 X27.5 R1.25 F60
Y25 X22.5 R2.5
Y25 X27.5 R2.5
Y25 X22.5 R2.5
X27.5 Y25 R2.5
Y23 X25.5 R2
G00 Z1
M5 M9
M30
Remember to save the final file with a new name in your program files. Jim
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Awesome; thanks Jim. That's the approach I'll take.
In general, are there any wizard libraries that users post to so we can leverage off each other's work?
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Hi Rex, don't think there are any threads on wizard linking applications, someone will tell you through the forum members if there is. Obviously the next step is to use a CAD/CAM software program to construct your programs. Remember as you progress with your programing skills there are lots of tricks you can use. I have tried several free download of CAD/CAM software but find using them causes more problems and broken cutter for the occasional user. I'm a hobbyist CNC and a pensioner so thing don't stick in my memory banks as easy as youngsters.
However I have used wizard part files to construct quite complex programs that include pockets, text, hole centres, slots and other wizard options all linked in the same program. It's a challenge and sometimes I loose the lot and have to start again, that's why I have a folder in which I save each stage of my modifications, so I can go back a step as every time you call up a wizard it removes the last program and give it a new file name. My machine is down the shed (workshop) so I use a second computer in the house to experiment with program construction. Good luck with your CNC programing and remember a "Dry Run" might take time but could save you a cutter, a component or machine damage. Jim
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The Mill Wizards from New Fangled solutions do exactly what you want and are not too expensive at $75.
Hood
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I've done quite a bit of G-code by hand and with various wizards and such. But I have to tell you I get a lot more done and enjoy it a lot more since I got CamBam. 40 sessions to prove you'll like it before you buy. I almost felt guilty at the amount of stuff I machined before I bought it.
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Yes, I have those. They work fine if I'm going to mill one hole, and I know I can manually put in coordinates to move from one hole to the next. I was just wondering if there's a wizard that supports milling x number of holes in defined locations. I'm going to follow Jim's advice of using the circle code from NF Solutions and string instances of it together to make my arrangement.
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Gary, I have a demo version of Cambam and other programs. I'm kind of overwhelmed right now with trying to figure out which one to invest my time and money in. It seems to me that Cambam has only rudimentary CAD features? I'm not at the level yet to know what complexity I can get to with that set of features. Maybe it's all I need; that would be nice.
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Yes, I have those. They work fine if I'm going to mill one hole, and I know I can manually put in coordinates to move from one hole to the next. I was just wondering if there's a wizard that supports milling x number of holes in defined locations. I'm going to follow Jim's advice of using the circle code from NF Solutions and string instances of it together to make my arrangement.
Not sure I really follow, if you do a hole and post then another at a different location and post etc etc etc you will end up with a gcode file that contains all the operations.
Hood
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I was talking about the next level up, perhaps a wizard in which I would merely tell it the x, y and r coordinates of each hole in the work space and it would generate the final code, and perhaps draw the pattern for me. If patching elements is SOP, then that's what I'll do. I have seen the wizards that place holes in circular and rectangular hole patterns, but my pattern will be more complex. I'm in education mode, finding out what's available and what people typically do.
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You dont have to copy and paste with the MillWizards, they will post multiple operations in one file, whether that be a drill pattern followed by a rectangular pocket follwed by a circular pocket follet by a keyway or whatever.
Are you sure you have the MillWizards? Not the free ones that come with Mach but the NewFangled Solutions ones, see here
http://www.machsupport.com/software/mill-wizard-beta/
Or the older Addons, see here
http://www.machsupport.com/shop/mach3-addons-for-mill/
Hood
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Oh interesting. Yes I have the NF wizards. You are describing functionality I hadn't discovered yet. Looks like I need to investigate further. thanks much
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Ron did a couple of videos, you will find them here
https://www.youtube.com/user/ytginger
Hood
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That's great. Is it typical for a hobbyist to get along solely with mill wizards and not have to go the full blown CAD/CAM route?
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Depends I suppose what you are going to be doing, if its just simple squares, circles etc then the wizards should do all you want. If its more complex shapes then CAM will really be needed.
I dont have the Mill Wizards but do have the older AddOns and I use them fairly often for simple things but use CAM for most jobs.
Hood
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Gary, I have a demo version of Cambam and other programs. I'm kind of overwhelmed right now with trying to figure out which one to invest my time and money in. It seems to me that Cambam has only rudimentary CAD features? I'm not at the level yet to know what complexity I can get to with that set of features. Maybe it's all I need; that would be nice.
Yes the Cad is rudimentary, and I do have 4 other cad programs at my disposal. However lots of stuff I do I don't bother firing up one of those. For a front panel you can bang out a working program really quickly. The forum is also a huge part of CamBam. Lots of knowledgeable people there, like here. So getting answers to your questions is usually very quick.
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Try Gsimple...