Messages

5791

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Chains and entities question

« on: September 05, 2009, 11:37:19 PM »

HMM.....
For training, do each of the tutorials in the manual. For confusion just ask me. 
Not all DXF's are created equaly, maybe, Apsire should  be added to my list!
RICH

5792

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Chains and entities question

« on: September 05, 2009, 10:41:54 PM »

Hi Steve,
Don't know why your going thru a lot of trouble for nothing. Let me make my point then i will go to
the sideline. In the picture on the left the red lines are actual paths of a ball end mill. If spaced appropriately you
will get the scalloped affect shown in the midle of the picture. On the right is your drawing and i
have just added the red lines which indicate the tool paths. If the psacing was right you would get
the affect you are after with no problems creating the code and screwing around with offsets or
pockets as all you need to do is defined the cut paramaters.
All of that would be one chain if you put it on one level of the drawing.

Now i would first machine the "blue lines" because this way the tool need not constantly plunge into
the material.

Then machine the paths.
 Then re-machine the blue lines again to get rid of any plunge marks.
The pink dots would probably be done with a square end mill and not a ball end.
The light blue dots are all done as a drilling.

Just some thoughts on it all,
RICH

5793

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Chains and entities question

« on: September 05, 2009, 09:36:30 AM »

Ok, so split the drawing into machining operations by putting them on associated layers like i did with the dxf
i posted. then all should be very easy and quick as all you need to do is define the cutting parameters to the correct layer.
RICH

5794

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Chains and entities question

« on: September 05, 2009, 07:59:39 AM »

A few other comments,
I also leave the lead's and rapids turned off. LC will default all rapids to a z clear plane of 1 unit.
Lead's are added as required when appropriate. The rapids only make the viewing difficult.
I will usualy look at the rapids prior to posting the code to see that they are acceptable ( which will be the case
the majority of times ). And also always look for a rapid move that mmay cut thru the materail because of an X/y/z combination move as LC will sometimes do this and you need to modify the code so z is first before moving in the X or Y. When you change the machining order the rapids are changed.
RICH

5795

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Chains and entities question

« on: September 05, 2009, 07:47:53 AM »

Just a comment Steve,
I guess it all depends on how you want to use LC and how you work. You can do all that doctf has shown, but,
for a newbie it is just not the way to go about it in my opinion. LC is a dxf importer and produces gcode based on the machining operations you want to do. LC is not a CAD program ( this is noted over 10 times in the manual).
Folks need to understand, that they need to think about all the different machining operations that will be done.
Then you can focus on defining cutting parameters to those different machining operations. Otherwise you may spend "hours" trying to manipulate chains or entities, tricking LC, or whatever, and even then, when it comes time to post you may not be able to get the operation's in the order you want to do them. Even selection of them can become a bear because of naming. Take a hard look at the manual.

Your air cleaner took around 35 minutes to draw and i was able to do all maching operations required for the piece.
This included redundant machine operations IE; after the horizontal lines where machined i would probably need to due another profile cut to remove some machining marks left by the cutter to clean things up. Very easily done by just adjusting cut depth by a few thou's.

In the end, you will have more success at getting the particular pathing more quickly,  and not trying to do layout with LC which it really is not meant to
Have fun.... just a suggestion,
RICH 

5796

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: CNC CONVERSION - 6" ATLAS LATHE

« on: September 04, 2009, 08:32:09 AM »

Russ,
 A friend may have "Telescoping Spring Steel Covers" which will work great with the lathe.
I found them in McMaster -Carr and they are pricy , but, mine will be free.
I will post here when the time comes and also may try to make my own that are rmovable for kicks.
RICH

5797

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash compensation for a rotary axis ?

« on: September 04, 2009, 08:25:21 AM »

Sorrry about that Greg
 I found the posting and  see you looked at it.
"New Wizards For Indexers"

RICH

5798

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash compensation for a rotary axis ?

« on: September 04, 2009, 08:15:49 AM »

Greg,
Not sure if you saw the posting by someone selling software for doing work on the 4th axis.
May be worth looking into. 

RICH

5799

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: New Project for the shop.

« on: September 04, 2009, 07:49:39 AM »

Hi Dave,
Well i see you started the project. LOL Have fun doing it.
Include enough pic's as you go along so we all can just dupicate it!

Pick out the ball screw and notors yet? Whats the basis and reasoning behind the slelction of them?
RICH

5800

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Chains and entities question

« on: September 04, 2009, 12:54:47 AM »

STEVE,
Here is a different approch ( as i show and talk about in the manual ) for your air cleaner.
I have broken it down into machining steps, namely:
- Border
- Inside paths
- engraving area
- drilling
In this way you have complete control over what you  want to do and there is no problem with the code generation into Mach. The pathing inside will leave a raised portion .016" wide and assume that on the path you will cut .016" deep. Would cut the inside border with a square .016" end mill.
Oh, btw, it's .975" wide x 1.950" long and i hope your machine cuts accurately or it will look crappy!
RICH