Machsupport Forum

G-Code, CAD, and CAM => LazyCam (Beta) => Topic started by: Rybot on February 07, 2008, 12:07:11 AM

Title: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 07, 2008, 12:07:11 AM
Hi Guys,
I've been working on this part for three days now and I have excepted defeat. If anyone could help me with this one, I will be very great full.
I have attached a DXF file. I'm having a hard time loading the file to Mach3, it seems to translate well if I don't set the depth. After I set the
depth to each layer it seems to leave some of the chains out of the picture when I load it to Mach3.
The dimensions are: 8.5 x 3.0, outside layer is .5 deep inside layers are all .12 deep rapid height is 1.0
tool size is .094 flat end mill.
Open in mill mode.

I have learned a lot about LazyCAM while trying to get this part to work and have had  success with other parts but this one just stumped me.
(http://)
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 07, 2008, 04:18:21 AM
RYBOT

      I took your dxf and loaded it into l-cam ver 3.00.2 .i worked it out so you have solid chains. attached are two files  one is a l-cam file for importing into l-cam the other a g-code for loading in mach3.
      the tap file when loaded in mach3 and then imported into l-cam will change the cutting order but it won't hurt the chains just rearrange to suit you tast.
      now when i scaled your drawing it came out 8.0 x 2.88  your drawing won't allow it to be 8.0 x 3.0   
      i have know idea what your plans are for this ,i did not do any offsetting or pocketing,just gave you solid chains to work with.your dxf was pretty nasty,just keep on pluggin it will come around
      l-cam is tricky even with real clean drawings ther can be plenty of problems.

bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 08, 2008, 01:18:09 AM
Hey doclft'
Thanks for working on this for me.
I was able to get the same results as you when I loaded the drawing unchanged, only when I set the depth is where I run into trouble.
The inside depth (snake like part) should all have the same cut depth of .12 and the outside (square box) should have a cut depth of 0.0 and the cut start of.5 for all layers. The scale dimensions are 8.5 x 3.0
If you try this I think you will have the same problem that I ran into.

I REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP!!!
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 08, 2008, 03:13:35 AM
RYBOT
         attached is a picture of the dreaded snake .i see where you want to use a 0.094 end mill and you want to follow the chains of the snakehead and body cutting 0.120 deep.yes?
         now if that is right then when you cut the body of the snake following those chains their will be 0.0224  seperating walls left. is that right?
         for the head of the snake if you follow those chains with a 0.094 cutter it will just pocket the head out, there will not be any seperating walls left.is that what you wan't to do
         pocket the head out.

bill   
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 08, 2008, 02:39:14 PM
doclft

Yes, you are spot-on! that is exactly what I want to do. The only thing that is different is the separating walls should be .031 thick, unless I did my drawing wrong. Anyhow at this point I'm not going to be picky. I just want to learn how to make this work, I literally spent about 17 hours trying to figure this out.

Thanks again

Ryan
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 08, 2008, 11:00:27 PM
Hey dolft,

Guess what, this whole time I've been loading l-cam to a crippled version of Mach3!!!!!?????. I bought the license almost a year ago. I cannot explain this.
I'm thinking that I might have reinstalled my computer since then, I'm not sure but it works GREAT! The only thing I don't like about the tool path is a lot of rapid heights, way to many. I think I can change the drawing to take care of that. I'm curious to see how you would make this part. If you can spare the time that is.

Thanks for all your help

Ryan
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 08, 2008, 11:37:47 PM
RYBOT
      if you take that cbs1.lcam file that i made for you and load it into l-cam  you will see that it is pretty much ready to go.i cleaned all the chains so that they are complete and all on one layer.
      i also reduced all your rapids down to the bear minimum and set a machine order.all you have to do is finish it out,make what few adjustments you need  to make you happy.now since you
      are going to use a 0.094 bit for all the work you will not have to sweat moving the layers around unless you feel you need too.just set your cutting depth and tool speed and make the code.
      butt you better check the math on that snakehead those chains are close and with the dia of the cutter you will just make a pocket.it looks like you need to delete 2 chains in each head.
      go get em!

bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 08, 2008, 11:45:32 PM
RYBOT
        you never did post a description of the part-------finish size LxWxH----material---use---so on and so forth

bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 09, 2008, 03:19:49 AM
RYBOT
        i just noticed the l-cam file i sent you the X scale is set at 8.00 i forgot to set it back to 8.594,sorry about that.

bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 10, 2008, 10:54:28 PM
doclft

You were right about the wall thickness. I regret to say that I had to re-draw the picture so I wasn't able to use your files.
This time I'll post the DXF files.
I'm wondering if I'm  able to modify the rapid height or am I just stuck with what l-cam gives me?  I know I can use the clean & optimise button but it doesn't seem to do the trick.
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 10, 2008, 10:59:26 PM
This is my attempt on modifying the the drawing to work with l-cam.
I thought that it would help minimize rapid height if I connected all the chains, I guess not. 
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 11, 2008, 08:59:16 AM
RYBOT
         i made you a g-code from that lcam file that i sent you .i deleted 2 chains from each head to give it some tool room.since i have no idea what the material is or how you plan to hold the part i just
         made the code.it will cut at 3ipm     -.030 deep  and the tool will raise .100 above the work. the origin is for the center of the part.get a piece of wood and do a practice run.
         your origanal drawing was not in to bad of a condition ,you just have to get use to doing stuff and in the order you have to do it.
bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 11, 2008, 12:44:27 PM
forgot to give you this
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: radgpz on February 11, 2008, 10:38:48 PM
PLEASE HELP!!! I have worked myself to the bone I opened this in ArtCam Pro 9 as a BMP logo

then vectorized ,

then did machine along vectors ,
 
When I load 2 Mach3 via Lazy ver 2.04 it will only show either the left middle or right portions at a time,

 I really want to make this but its beat me, maybe i drew it wrong .

funny thing is when I make vector text in ACpro it shows perfectly...     ANY help is appreciated......
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 11, 2008, 11:15:32 PM
radgpz

        download ver 3.00.2-----i loaded both your dxf and it read them.all there
        i loaded your tap file in mach3 and it was all there
 
bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Chip on February 11, 2008, 11:30:54 PM
Hi, Radgpz

Is this what it should look like below,  Done with LC 3.00.2

And 2 cut files, there set to .10 rapid high, 0.0 cut start,  -0.125 cut depth, plunge rate 20, cut speed 10  .

Hope this Helps, Chip
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 12, 2008, 12:10:12 AM
Hi doclft'

I was wondering if you could give me some pointers on how to minimize the rapid heights and clean the chains. The way you modified my drawing was perfect!
 I'm stumped and I sure could use your help.

Thanks

Ryan
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Chip on February 12, 2008, 12:18:41 AM
Hi, Ryan

Have you set-up the Layer tab as below and set-up Tool Table ?

As below.

Thanks, Chip
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 12, 2008, 11:08:33 AM
RYBOT
     
        i really do not know what to tell you.we know two things ,your origanal dxf was ok and i cleaned it up with lcam ver3.00.2  --  that makes the programs compatable.
        in your first drawing i noticed where you added your tool size to the drawing size.you did 8.594 it should be 8.500 --DONT'T DO THAT.  just draw your part as a finished piece.
        you do your tool stuff and how to machine the part out with lcam. since i do most of my complex drawing with g-code and very little cad i wont't be able to give you to many
        cad tips.i do know with cad snap points are the key to better drawings.

bill
       
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 12, 2008, 12:53:05 PM
Hey Chip,

Yes, I do set up the layers tab but i haven't tried using the cut start as my 0. Maybe this will help reduce the rapid height?
I was thinking of posting a new topic on reducing rapid heights.
Doclft says he makes his drawings from g-code. I'm not knowledgeable in this area. I guess I can learn but I was hoping to make this 
part some time soon.
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Chip on February 12, 2008, 02:31:00 PM
Hi Rybot

Take a look at these files, I think you had some dup. lines.

Thanks, Chip
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 12, 2008, 07:41:30 PM
RYBOT

        have you took the time to look at the lcam video tutorials in the tutorial section.i was looking at the original dxf and it is pretty good.everything you were after is there.now the chain starting points were
        not in a real good order and there were a few dup chains, but all in all not bad.view the tutorials about lcam they will be a big help to you.and since you have been working with lcam you should really notice
        some of the info in the videos.you are so close to writing code for this thing but you keep missing .are you ever going to tell me what kind of material you going to cut this out of.i will send you a code.

bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: radgpz on February 12, 2008, 07:56:52 PM
Thats it exactly, maybe I have a bad install, Thank you very much for the help everyone..
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 13, 2008, 02:34:23 AM
doclft

I have watched all of the video's but mostly the Lcamintro and pocketing mainly because they are the most up to date. I should go back and watch the other
video's. I don't have much experience with fixing duplicated chains but I'll check the video's for that. 


The material is Aluminum.
 
That last DXF I posted was modified, I put an offset of .125 on the outside chain so that I could use a .25 end mill. this should speed up the process. The last time I tried to cut this thing  out it took about three hours and that's only half way through. With less rapids and using a .25 end mill this cut a lot of time. I think my neighbors will appreciate that.

This is so cool, I got into this CNC stuff about three years ago and never really talked to anyone about it. My friends aren't into this stuff so this is really nice to be able to talk to someone and so much support.

Thanks again for  all your help,

Ryan.
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 13, 2008, 02:38:58 AM
Chip
This is awesome!
I'm going to try and figure out how to fix dup. lines

Ive seen the remove duplicates button but I'm not sure what it dose. I'll check it out. I cant wait to how this turns out.
 
Thanks!!!

Ryan
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Chip on February 13, 2008, 02:56:02 AM
Hi, Ryan

I used your last drawings above, Loaded into Cad and selected with a window around the whole shape/drawing, then Edit, Copy, Then deleted the selected

items I'd just copied.

Then I could see the dup. lines and deleted then, Then Edit Paste put back items less the Dup. ones.

Loaded dxf into LC, cleaned & optimized and moved a couple lead-ins around, Set tool and Cut info , Posted to mach.

Hope this Helps, Chip

Getting late hear, see-ya

 
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: Rybot on February 13, 2008, 03:42:47 AM
Hey chip
 something weird just happened, I tried to load those files and an error message said  that the files are corrupt and now I cant every time I load a file then check the version It says that its an unlicensed version . but If I open the program From the desk top and check the version it says Pro version. What the heck is going on? One step forward two steps back.
Thanks
Ryan
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: docltf on February 13, 2008, 09:25:22 AM
RYBOT

         here is your code ----- this is from the original drawing --- using 0.094 mill --- origin set middle material --- tool will 0 at top of material --- i left some decoration in the snakehead
         i hope the speed and feed i picked won't break a bit --- estimated cut time 170 minutes

bill
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: tranthucbkv on June 10, 2008, 07:21:06 AM
i begỉn introduce with lazycam. please help me
Title: Re: missing chains when loading to mach3
Post by: tranthucbkv on June 10, 2008, 07:39:29 AM
i begỉn introduce with lazycam. please help me, send document for me to thuc_bk69@yahoo.com, thank you very much