Messages

131

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Code preparation

« on: December 21, 2006, 11:45:25 AM »

Some study of my problems shows that only the bare outline of the part should be put into LC since removal of for example a dimension can cause problems.
Further problems were caused by failure to join lines giving overlaps or small gaps as covered in one of your tutorials.
Other problems not have obvious reasons to me.
My Cad package is RiscCad which will generate a DXF file which I then need to resave from Autocad 2000  which I do has a release 12 or 14 DXF file.
Are there prefered ways of constructing drawings in a Cad package to ensure success, I gather splines are a no-no.
Anyway I am attaching a simple DXF file that gave me problems as per your suggestion.

thanks for your interest

Malcolm Smith

132

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Code preparation

« on: December 19, 2006, 06:02:33 PM »

I'm newcomer to CNC; having problems generating Gcode
 I can generate gcode by checking the co-ordinates of a cad drawing and adding the 'M' and 'G' words and that seems to work but is tedious.
If I generate a DXF file and put it into LazyCam that gives good output as long as the drawn part is simple eg a triangular cut out within a triangle.
More complex shapes when dropped into LC need editing because of extra lines (not only rapids) which were not seen on the original CAD drawing
They then come apart because a required part is deleted by mistake,ie selecting   and deleting one line takes a required line with it

 Editing in Acad until only the outline required is present stilll results in extra lines when dropped into LC.
I have dropped DXF files into Acad2000 and saved them as ver12 and ver14 with little success.

How are you guys doing this, what are the ways of preparing the drawing so that LC can fix it and generate the gcode successfully.

tmsmith

133

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: My Boxford VMC190

« on: December 04, 2006, 06:28:50 PM »

Hi Graham,
Just looked at your pictures and supprised to see It appears to be the same as the 'namelass' mill I am rebuilding.
I did not know it was a Boxford, you see all I was given was the table, column and head with ball screws and spindle motor.
with cut short wires to the 4 motors.
I have got the 3 axes running under mach 3 and a xylotex board but I am stuck with the spindle power supply - any ideas?
Hope I dont get flamed for posting here, but would welcom info exchange

TMSmith North Yorkshire 

134

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lazycam

« on: November 27, 2006, 06:21:39 PM »

hello, DrStein99.
Sorry for the delay but here is some detail.
I am using Rel 3.12 of LazyCam.
I have been importing a DXF file of an expansion link, ie basically a cxurved slot in a curved plate.
I would  have expected an inside  and an outside layer with the inside being cut1 and outside cut2.
It was displayed with 4 layers and parts of  both the inside layer and the outside layer being 'shared' in respect of cuts.
The curves seemed to be one cutting order and straight lines cut at a different time.
There were Rapids (dotted lines) going in various directions and though connected irrational and  time wasting.
Though lead-ins were requested I did not see any when gcode posted.

Editing the lazycam display seemed different from the tutorial in that I could not set up the inside and outside profiles as single separate chains and I could not modify the cutting order to do the job in just 2 cuts (inside and outside).

This job has been hand coded and cut without problem (apart from no lead-ins).

Any pointers would be very welcome.

T M Smith

135

General Mach Discussion / Re: Estop help

« on: November 26, 2006, 01:43:26 PM »

Thanks  for that Gerry.
I have now got the  info from the Xylotex site

tmsmith

136

General Mach Discussion / Lazycam

« on: November 26, 2006, 01:12:45 PM »

Is there any documentation available for Lazycam?
I am struggling to use LC though I have listened to the tutorials

tmsmith

137

General Mach Discussion / Re: Estop help

« on: November 22, 2006, 05:28:34 PM »

On the instructions for the Xylotex board I have only got a single sheet, so not much info there.

Regarding the Estop you are    implying a mains relay in the power supply  cable to the driver unit,yes

malcolm Smith

138

General Mach Discussion / Estop help

« on: November 21, 2006, 05:53:32 PM »

I am in the process of setting up my first CNC mill using Mach3 and a Xylotex driver.

First question is how can I set the microstepping on the system?, or check what it set at, default?

Secondly how shoulld I set up an Estop button, someone out there   must have installed a reliable system.
I have seen the description in the mach3  manual but would like  more detail since I am  new at this game.

Malcolm Smith

139

General Mach Discussion / Re: Toolpath screen size

« on: November 15, 2006, 04:18:59 PM »

Thanks Hood.
Yes that is helpfull.
When I decided to boot Mach3 again for a further look I used the   mach3 icon on the desktop rather than the mach3mill I had used the first time. I was then asked to adopt a 'user profile' which I had not been asked before. The screen then worked as expected.
I dont know whether that had something to do with the user profile or just to do with running Mach3 again.
?
Thanks for your help

tmsmith

140

General Mach Discussion / Toolpath screen size

« on: November 14, 2006, 06:31:06 PM »

Last  night I downloaded Mach3.009.
I cannot get thhe small screen showing the progress of the cutting tool to be a useful size.
With 1.84 I     had already done the adjustment though it was some months ago.
With 3.009 I can drag the screen using shift and the mouse until it fills the window but then when I start to test a program (road runner) the 'star' in the centre  fills the window and the tool trace cannot be seen.

What am I missing?