Messages

51

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam pro turn problem

« on: July 06, 2007, 01:13:39 PM »

Hi Brian,

When you get around to the lathe portion of LCam, you might take a look at Stan's CutViewerTurn for ideas on how to handle tool tip clearances. The Tool Table parameters allow quite precise definitions of tool shape and angle... including the reference point on the tool tip using the number system shown in our Yahoo Group's File section as "Tool tip codes.bmp" and "ToolTips.GIF". The CutViewerTurn Help File has a detailed explanation of tool geometry.

I guess I'm one of your ten-percenters. I have a CNC Lathe, and am looking forward to LCam Turn capability. I have DesckCNC for my mill CAM to get by until LCam Mill matures, but have been limited to Mach3 Turn Wizards and hand coding for my lathe profiles so far. Tool clearance has been the major issue, but my CutViewerTurn has been a real help in sorting out the code before trying to make chips.

Paul, Central OR

52

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 06, 2007, 10:57:58 AM »

Hi Art & Brian,

Finally got back to LCam and actually posted G-code. Drill cycles seem to be OK, other than the second drill (1/16" Drill) not being called out.

The offsets seem to have gone completely Krazee!?!

Done with today's download of LazyCam 2.05.

.LCam Project and .nc G-code files attached.

Thanks, Paul, Central OR

53

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 05, 2007, 07:36:56 PM »

Hi TP,

Tell me about it... I'm trying to maintain tool tables for: Mach2, Mach3, DeskCNC, MeshCAM2, CutViewer Mill, CutViewer Turn and now LazyCam2! 

Maybe someday the industry will standardize a tool table data file format? A utility app similar to what Accutrans3D does for graphic file translation would be handy.

On a related note... is there any standard protocol for tool numbering related to tool type? Such as 001-100 for drills, 101-200 for endmills, etc.

Paul, Central OR

54

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 05, 2007, 12:30:25 PM »

Hi TP,

You can name the Tool Description at the time it is created. Although, I don't see a way to change it once created.

Paul, Central OR

55

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 03, 2007, 08:42:59 PM »

Hi Art & Brian,

With today's download I can create the outside offset using the 0.0625" Tool Dia. fudge fix. The 0.1250" Tool Dia. offset follows the chain entities as it should now... and correctly outside with "Outside" selected.

It would be nice if "Offsets" had a "Finish" variable like "Pockets". I fudged it by creating two offsets... one with 0.130" Toll Dia., CCW; and one with 0.1250" Tool Dia., CW.

Likewise, it would be nice if "Pockets" had the option for the finish pass going in the opposite direction (climb).

One feature I'm not seeing... I normally run a center drill cycle to spot the drill holes, then the drill cycles. After using "Drill Sel Circles", the original circles go away. I dont see a way to generate two drill cycles for each original circle. Am I missing a step?

Also wondering if it is in the plans for drill cycles to generate a G83 if the depth per pass is less than the CutDepth.

Thanks, Paul, Central OR

56

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 02, 2007, 05:00:19 PM »

Hi Art,

Talked with Chip for quite awhile... some of it was actually about LCam and Mach3. 

Found the following to work:

Open DXF
Select outside chain
Offset with Tool Dia: 0.0625, Inside, Clockwise toolpath unchecked... I get an outside offset with 0.0625" distance.

Same thing with 0.0938" Tool Dia. gets the correct offset.

Same thing with 0.1250" Tool Dia. gets the correct offset, but with the squared corners in the upper right "notch", rather than following the arc fillets.

If I Open DXF and try to go straight to a 0.1250" Tool Dia. offset... nothing is generated. For some reason, 0.0625" has to be run first. 0.0938" was arbitrary, but not neccessary to get the 0.1250" offset after generating a 0.0625" offset.

LCam still generates the Debug error when closing.

Hope this provides some clues...


Thanks, Paul, Central OR

57

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 02, 2007, 02:55:00 AM »

Hi Chip,

Turning in here as well... 11:54pm PDT. I'll get the phone no. out to you when I surface.

Thanks, Paul, Central OR

58

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 02, 2007, 01:38:31 AM »

Hi Chip,

Yep, that's pretty much what I've been trying for. It's the outside offsets that aren't generated on my Dell.

Hopefully it's going to be something simple to get it working. I transferred this computer from my office to the shop, so it still has a lot of stuff I haven't installed on my new office computer... so I'm not anxious to do a clean Windows install. LCam is the only app that isn't behaving, so I hope the solution is in there.

Thanks for all your work on my file(s). I'll post G-code after getting some shut-eye and see how it looks in Mach3 and Cutviewer Mill.

Paul, Central OR

59

LazyCam (Beta) / LCam Pro ver 2.05

« on: June 01, 2007, 10:50:10 PM »

Hi Art,

Here's what I got...

Still no Offsets actually created. But I do like the tab icons! 

Also noticed it is trying to do climb milling, even tho "Clockwise" is unchecked.

Thanks, Paul, Central OR

60

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Lcam Rev 2.02

« on: June 01, 2007, 09:14:25 PM »

Hi Chip,

Here's a saved .Lcam project with all the ops I'm after, and a sample of working G-code for the outside chain.

The outside chain is the one I'm having trouible with. The offset for the outside chain is supposed to be a a profile cut that cuts the piece from the rectangular stock.

In my working version, from DeskCNC, I do 0.060" depth conventional mill passes leaving 0.010" stock. Then a climb mill pass at full depth to clean up the edges.

The five circles to the right are drill cycles. The larger circle to the left is done with a pocketing routine.

Your sample shows a pocketing routine for the outside chain.

Thanks for the quick follow-up,

Paul, Central OR