Messages

1311

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: March 16, 2008, 10:30:13 AM »

HI Guys:

  The Icons are set bitmaps, so its hard to make the icon match, ( not impossible but best left as housekeeping after functionallity..)
OpenGL errors are likely due to old openGL implementations, I tend to use new ones, so update video drivers if you get openGL errors,
they may be caused by video card drivers not likeing some OpenGL lighting modes.
  The toolholder is as yet still rough, it will be made to conform more to the user in the future, and yes its shape will be taken into account
for the generation of the Gcode in the end.
   The tool will stop turning soon, and just have an option to rotate it , I just wanted a user to be able to see height as well as direction a bit better.


 ( Graham: Does a grooveing tool have an X offset? OR a Z offset? I would have thought that a groove tool ( or cuttoff) woudlnt have an offset, or is the grooving tool
actually having a rounded tip with , therefore, both a Z and X offset? The REd dot on the tool is the center of tool radius, from which the Z and X offsets are taken, but Ive
never actually used a grooving tool so I wasnt sure if the tip had a radius or was simply a square edge...thereby having no offsets.. )


Thanks
Art

1312

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: March 15, 2008, 11:27:02 PM »

HI Guys:

  Heres a better one actually..

Thanks
Art

1313

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: March 15, 2008, 10:15:39 PM »

Sorry Guys:

 My bad. The files I included were wrong. HEre is the right combination..

Art

1314

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: March 15, 2008, 01:39:58 PM »

Hi Guys:

  OK, so heres the latest development build of LazyTurn with tool creation.  Still doesnt do much of course, but you can load
profiles, see how they load and react to you, create a tool library and see how that works, expect bugs..

   The tools creation is near done, some small things like the metric tool type should select your default inch/metric isnt done yet,
but for the most part it is possible to create tools that shoudl mimic your tools fairly well if you use inserts, if not, then you could generate
tools that simply have a tool radius about equal to your ground tool , and with an almost nonexistant toolholder. In the end, Im going to try
allowing a DXF to be imported as the shape of a tool. In actual fact as you create a tool , you ARE really creating a dxf of a tool that will
be used in the collision dynamics to create the toolpaths, so when I get it all locked down, it should be possible to allow a dxf based
tool creator for special tools.

  SO tools is basically all this version gets you to play with, next comes some general pthing functions when I return from Egypt in early April,
( I leave for Egypt next week.. and Ill think about the pathing fucntions and how to make them as lazy as possible..).

You need to have a verison of lazycam in the same folder you unzip this release into, so Id suggest your mach3 folder..

Just a note on complexity, it isnt my aim to replace the high end Turning modelers out ther, like Dolphin and OneCNC, they do a great job for those
that use CAM programs, LazyTurn will continue to be dedicated more to the hobbiest who really jsut wants an easier way to generate paths from DXF's,
keep that in mind, so expect simpler things at first, like simple boring, profileing, roughing, finishing, facing and grooving. Hi end analysis and milling isnt likely
to occur, Ill feel pretty good if you can draw a quick profile, and perform a multitool stock->product Gcode list. Theres a reason why true turning programs
are expensive, so keep your expectations reasonable for a hobby/small business package.

Let me know what you think..

Thanks
Art

1315

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: March 15, 2008, 01:25:16 PM »

Hi Guys:

  Actually, In turn, the final part is quite often different from the drawing. This is due to cutter geometry. Most cutters cannot cut all parts without collisions. The true
trick is to generate a compensated path, compensated not only for the tool radius, but also for the tool shape and holder profile, AND to display the differences from the
drawing and the finshed path, so one could use another tool to clear out what wasnt cut. All this of course will take time. I currently have tools allowed to be created that mimic
most inserts and shapes, but ground tools will be a problem for a bit. At present, one will have to create a tool as close as they can to the actual tool they are using, BUT, if
one simply creates a button tool  with an inscribed circle radius of their ground tool tip, then they should be able to use such a tool to get very close to what their trying to profile.
  I have added radius vs diameter selections and well as metric vs inch unit selection. I havent allowed for a realtime conversion between the two, so a loaded drawing uses whatever
the current units are.  Now that I have a rudimentary tool availability, Ill release a version so you can have a look, several things have been cleaned up, and look pretty good, some entities ,
such as eliptical arcs are not importing properly, Im waiting on LeadTools to analyse the error in enumerating those items. However, todays release will show you how things work at present,
how you will select and create a tool. Once selected the tool will be drawn on the screen so you can get an idea of tool size vs the profile dimensions. That drawing code isnt done yet, but
creating tools is much more complex than youd think to make it as lazy as possible. You have to remember Turning is very very complex when you begin to analyse all the possible interactions
and collision possabilities. Im slow at this because Im trying to make it truly lazy, and Im not compromising very much as I go. Im hoping the added attention to details as I rough all this in,
will pay benifits to me in ease of implementation of the very complex sections to come.

   It is planned that simple clicks and drags will generate the paths, and the stock will go from transparent to solid for the simulations, then go back to transparent so you can see what doesnt cut
with the tool you have selected. You could then select another tool, and cut from only what hasnt yet been cut or redo the cut entirely.  This should allow you to get as close as possible to the drawing dimensions by using combinations of tools if you wish. Proposed GCode will display after generation for any modifications to be done.( Hpefully).

  All planning is rough based on the problems I get a grip on , and expected user interaction problems. Again, your critiques are valuable in this, I read them all, so feel free to jump in
as you see it grow. Release in a few minutes..

Art
 

 

1316

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: March 06, 2008, 05:41:06 PM »

Hi Guys:

 Sorry Im a bit slow with an update. Im working on tool creations, Im doing it as a graphical tool maker that allows
you to see the tool as you build it. ( trying to make it lazy as I can..). Tool as very difficult, everyone uses different styles,
but Ill make it match 90% of you at first anyway..

   I see questions about profiles and toolpaths, a profile is what you load from a dxf, LazyTurn will then generate a series
of toolpaths for that profile, from facing to roughing and finishing.. Thats the next step after tools are finished. The shape
of the tool will be important in LTurn, as it will be a grpahic object calculating any collisions in the path, and also
creating new profiles as they go so the program will know whats remaining and wont try to cut it again after roughing and such..

  Anyway, Its going slow, but its going. I have tools about 1/2 done, Ill release an update so you can critique it all when tools are done,
and I while I start the Toolpathing processes..

Art

 

1317

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Welcome to SmoothStepper forum.

« on: March 02, 2008, 02:23:20 PM »

Hi Graham:

  All the talk has been on its wesite at www.warp9td.com , just about ready to go onsale I think..

ARt

1318

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: March 01, 2008, 10:08:33 AM »

Hi:

 Yes, I do hope to do that, BUT primarily Im interested in the generation of toolpaths. There
are a few CAM packages out there to draw profiles and create paths, their high cost is due to the complexity
of doing all that, and the required support. If I can do a program that easily imports DX and generates toolpaths,
I may decide that thats enough. It was never my intent to compete with true CAM, its not a place I belong, but
I do have the requirement of a DXF -> Toolpath program, so thats my initial thrust. Its coming along, and the tool
definition is almoist done, then I need to do the actual path creations. At that point Ill look at future considerations,
but there no real guarentee Ill get there.. drawing profiles adds allot of complexity to an importation program,
so allot depends on how the toolpathing works..

Art

1319

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: February 28, 2008, 05:52:40 PM »

Hi Guys:

  Sorry for the dealy, Ive been busy working on Tools. ( I decided I need tools and toolpaths before anythign else..)

1) LazyTurn will be free to LCam pro users. No extra charge at all.
2) Explain the scale view.. you mean a top down view showing what a user sets for the Chuck position and size??
3) Center line drilling and such should be do-able, certainly facing profiles will be on the Z face.
4) User Defined tools will not be in right away, BUT the design I cam up with for tools will allow for it to be added. The tool,
    in the end after designing it, will simply be a profile used mathmatically to detect collisions in creation of the path , so a user defined
    tool and holder, perhaps as a DXF will be importable in the end.. ( hopefully..)
5) Grooving parting tools will be usable, but Im not sure I understand enough about the offsets on that one to comment as yet
    on what I can do there..
6) For Lathe milling users would be advised to use Mill with an appropriate profile to move the right axis. I see that operation more as an Indexed Mill operation.


New version shoudl be out in a week or so, tools is an important function of any Turn program, so Im going slow..

Thanks
Art

1320

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: February 23, 2008, 06:12:05 PM »

Hi Guys:

 Drawing is planned. And when (if?) LazyTurn is released, turning will be removed from lazycam.
Im not sure if Ill do drawing before toolpaths or after, Im just looking now at that choice. I now have
the graphics as good as it will get for the startup phase, but Im thinking I may veer off course to allow
modification of, or drawing of, a profile. Have to check a few things first before I decide the most efficient path
forward. Anyway, Im back, and working on it again, more releases will appear over the next week or so, so
feel free to critique or suggest changes as I go..

Thanks
Art