Messages

11

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Inside offset problem with slot less than 2x cutter diameter

« on: October 24, 2008, 01:15:01 PM »

Zooming was the trick!!!

I got it to work by just zooming and doing nothing else. I did have to zoom in on it quite a bit. So much so that part of the object I was offsetting was outside the window. It still worked none the less.

Thanks budman!

12

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Inside offset problem with slot less than 2x cutter diameter

« on: October 24, 2008, 12:58:38 PM »

From what I remember I didn't zoom on that area before offsetting. I think I did try the clean function though. I will try again and see if I can make it work as it is clearly possible.

Version 3.00.2

Ryan

13

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Inside offset problem with slot less than 2x cutter diameter

« on: October 24, 2008, 12:18:21 PM »

Ask and you shall receive.

14

LazyCam (Beta) / Inside offset problem with slot less than 2x cutter diameter

« on: October 24, 2008, 09:54:24 AM »

I can't get Lcam to do an inside offset in a slot that i need to cut that is less than twice the cutter diameter.

Lets say for instance I need a slot milled 5 inches long and .100 wide. The mill I wish to use is .060.

The slot is clearly wide enough to use a .060 cutter but I can't get Lcam to do an inside offset for anything less than twice the cutter diam. When I hit the offset button I get no "visible" offset but I do get a new rapid line. Is the offset actually produced and I just cant see it on the screen maybe? I haven't actually tried running the code yet because I don't want to waste material if I don't have to.

Thanks

Ryan

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing feed rate during direction changes

« on: October 24, 2008, 08:34:31 AM »

Well, exact stop mode did the trick! After searching for CV parameters I actually found quite a bit of info on this subject. Just didn't use the right terminology when searching previously. I also tried CV mode with "stop at angle" set to 90 and it worked fairly well also. Buzzed right around the arcs and stopped at the right angles. Still not as precise as exact stop mode but much better than just plain CV that I was running. Thanks again for your help!

Ryan

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing feed rate during direction changes

« on: October 23, 2008, 02:17:50 PM »

I will definitely be giving it a try. I'll let you know how it turns out, but from the way you describe it, it should be just what I was looking for.

Thanks,

Ryan

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing feed rate during direction changes

« on: October 23, 2008, 01:56:32 PM »

Are you running in Constant Velocity mode or Exact Stop? CV must round off corners since we can make instant changes to direction. Exact Stop will slow to a stop, then make a square corner and accelerate back up to speed in the new direction.

Mach starts up in the mode selected on the Config->General Config menu in the block called Motion Mode. You can change the mode in programs with G61 or G64.

You may have just made my day Ron!!! What are the effects of running exact stop vice constant velocity if any? How does it effect arcs at the end of straight cuts. Does it stop there also before cutting the arc?

I would think exact stop would have more of a tendency to leave tool marks every place it stopped. True?

I should clarify that the slots I'm cutting are square ended (no arcs). There are however arcs being cut elsewhere in the workpiece. That's my reason for the above question.

Ryan

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing feed rate during direction changes

« on: October 23, 2008, 10:42:22 AM »

Looks like editing the code is the way to go. Shouldn't be more than about 12 or 15 lines to change. I'll give it a shot and see what happens.

19

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing feed rate during direction changes

« on: October 22, 2008, 05:19:34 PM »

That's what I'm wanting...sort of. The narrow slots are pretty long. I would like to slow the feed rate down when making the direction changes at the end of the slots then ramp it back up again for the long cuts.

Slots are .250 wide and 18 inches long.

I've noticed in the FRO DRO that Mach slows down when making abrupt direction changes (or it appears to). What I was hoping for was a way to manipulate this so I could cut the long side of the slot at a higher feed rate than the short sides.

I'm cutting foam and running at 35 ipm. The end of the slot looks pretty sloppy when traveling that fast. If I slow the feed rate down to 10-15 ipm the corners of the slot turn out much sharper. It would be far too time consuming to cut the entire part at a slower feed rate.

Any other suggestions or ideas?

Ryan

20

General Mach Discussion / changing feed rate during direction changes

« on: October 22, 2008, 04:24:53 PM »

Is there a way to slow down the feed rate when making direction changes? I am cutting parts that have a lot of long straight lines and several small slots. If I set the feed rate high enough that it doesn't take all day to cut a part the inner radius at the end of the slots is pretty sloppy. I've slowed the feedrate and the quality of the inside corners improves dramatically. Outside corners don't seem to change with feedrate.

Will slowing the motor acceleration do this, or is there a better way?

Thanks!

Ryan