Messages

5961

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: I cannot figure out what LCam is doing?

« on: August 08, 2009, 01:23:21 AM »

Yes I can save you some steps.
1. Create the text and clean  / optimise
2. Define the tool parameters
3. Define the cutting (  use the layer menu )
4. Post the code

But you really should read the manual, all of it.
RICH

5962

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: I cannot figure out what LCam is doing?

« on: August 08, 2009, 01:16:08 AM »

The definitions of the the Cut are in the manual on page 36.
If they are not clear to you, please feel free to ask.

the machine will rapid over to say a letter, it then moves down, and you have told it where it start to cut and how deep you want to cut, but it will only go so deep in that pass because the tool is restricted by the per pass from the tool parameter

No need to feel you are being a PITA as that is reserved for the fonts which make up TEXT. 

RICH

5963

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Joining Primitives?

« on: August 08, 2009, 01:00:22 AM »

Yep, i know what you mean, as i am still in the forest.
Thanks for the help.
 
RICH

BTW: There is one real tricky one on connecting two entities when the rapid is leaving the same spot as where you
want to join the entities, but as you have noted,  if done in CAD  correctly you won't have the problem.

5964

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Joining Primitives?

« on: August 08, 2009, 12:47:12 AM »

"When I remove a problem set of chains and optimize them in a separate file LCAM works great. But it won't recognize the same lines in the same way if I optimize the entire design at once..."

The better you define to LC how you want to machine something the more success you will have with LC or any other program.      See page 36, Tutorial #1 T1-Fig 4 "Why am I doing this"

RICH

5965

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Joining Primitives?

« on: August 08, 2009, 12:31:02 AM »

Rich,
Lets talk chains......
In CAD you would define a particular machining step, and can put it on an individual layer/ level ( depends on
what CAD program you are using). I can can't speak for the "100" different CAD programs out there. Now you export the drawing out ( not all CAD programs are created equal nor are their exporting capabilities). Now LC imports the file based on the CAD provided info. LC has some capabilites to fix minor stuff, like a tolerance issue, but i will say that 90% of problems will be on the drawing side! Remember, you will not give me a drawing to look at!

You can't really join chains in LC, but you can move a chain from one spot to another, accurately or roughly, and delete a rapid between them, thus they are now connected ( look at the generated code). in the manual. That's not the way to do it, since it's easier to use CAD to do it. Why do you want to join chains if you thought out the machining process before hand and all is ok before you start?

LC is an importer, not a CAD program ( think i have that in the manual 10 times ), and provides for defining the machining  to be applied at the chain or layer level.

Is LC infallable?
No it is not, and neither is any other program out there. DXF issues, read the appendix in LazyTurn if you want to have a better understanding

So you have a number of interfaces, namely: CAD as prepared for a dxf, the DXF creation, the import of the the DXF,
 and the interpretation of the information as applied to machining. Along with the above  you have some "variables" that can adjust, within some reason, what happens along the way. So no excuses here, but you got to admit it can get complex.

RICH

5966

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Joining Primitives?

« on: August 07, 2009, 11:10:45 PM »

Rich,
Are the two lines /entities ,part of the same chain ( the shape which is made up of the individual lines / entities) ?
Yes   or   NO?

RICH

5967

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Simple g-code

« on: August 07, 2009, 10:01:20 PM »

Thanks for the info, now if i can just remember it.

Don't waite on just any one person, ask anyone, as there are a lot of folks in here that can help and are very knowlegable. Like Mr. Hood

Just because i am a moderator dosn't mean anything.

Heck, at home i'm the king of the castle, ruler of the land, final voice on all, UNTIL ... the queen speaks and reminds me i was dreaming again! 
 
RICH

5968

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Joining Primitives?

« on: August 07, 2009, 09:47:27 PM »

Britishrich,
You can't join enties which are not in the same chain.    There is a setting in the SETUP MENU, connection line tolerance that you can set. If you go up in the tolerance ( like .001 to .3)  it will then use that setting when importing, to think that any line within that distance should be connected so it will include it in the created chain.

See attached PDF and file to fool with.

Now this is a double edged sword, since if you have a lot different machining on your drawing, it can cause problems elsewhere. But then you wouldn't do that because you would set up your drawing based on how you want to machine the piece ( in the manual ).

Now just before you go off to try that $1500 Mill program, well i did with this drawing, and it failed bitterly, becuase it's "importer" didn't know what to do with them either. Of course it sends you off to the CAD program to define what you want, split it up, or fix it up.

Hope this helps,
The poor RICH 

5969

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Lazycam offsets off the wall

« on: August 07, 2009, 08:43:43 PM »

Glad i could help. 
RCIH

5970

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Simple g-code

« on: August 07, 2009, 08:39:49 PM »

Nicolas,
Not that i know of. The code is basicaly the same as the NIST - RS274NGC. Try an internat search.
RICH