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1

Promote and discuss your product / Re: Learn the truth about BobCAD-CAM

« on: July 13, 2013, 01:24:26 AM »

One of the first things I do when I import a part is create a new layer called 'Lines'. In that layer I extract all from solid (It might be extract all edges or something like that).

If there is a specific profile that I am working on, I will create a layer named after whatever profile that I am working on. Then in that layer I create a plane somewhere in space above or below the part (wherever it makes sense), then I extract the specific lines of the profile to that plan. That feature is in Other -> Extract to Plane (or something similar).

I wrote this form memory so hopefully I got the names of the features correct.

I hope this helps!

2

Promote and discuss your product / Re: Learn the truth about BobCAD-CAM

« on: May 01, 2013, 07:11:30 PM »

It turned out that there was an extra line of code being created because of a bad tangential relationship between the radii and the straight line. The simulator and several back plot programs didn't have a problem with that extra line and ran the profile correctly. For some reason my machine had an issue with that extra line and instead of making a the tiny little move it ran a circle. I wasn't able to determine how the bad relationship was created.

In BobCAD I used the "Make Arcs Tangential" feature and set the minimum tolerance to .0001". After re-posting, the extra line of code was gone. I just need to remember to do that on parts from now on.

3

Promote and discuss your product / Re: Learn the truth about BobCAD-CAM

« on: April 29, 2013, 06:17:03 PM »

That's what tech support said too. Which is fine. But, it should have shown up in the simulation run. Had I seen it there, I would have fixed it (which I eventually did and re-ran the part) and just moved on to the next setups.
Tech support has the file, ticket #NGZ-748-88752

DISCLAIMER: I feel that I went as far with tech support as possible and wanted to get some users experience. I've had a lot of success with BobCAD and am not trying to talk bad about the program.

4

Promote and discuss your product / Re: Learn the truth about BobCAD-CAM

« on: April 29, 2013, 05:01:58 PM »

I'm having trouble with simulation not representing what is machined. I've been dealing with tech support and have been told that the program is operating correctly. Maybe I am expecting too much from this program, but it seems to make sense that the simulation should show the actual tool path that the CNC runs. I was told that the lower right fillet had bad geometry which created the G-code error. And, that if I want to verify the G-code I need to buy more software.

I don't mind there being geometry problems as long as I know about them first. And why would only one of the fillets have a problem?

I would appreciate any advice, input or experience with this.

I am running V25 build #895.



The fillets were created using the fillet tool in Solid Works.


I opened the part in BobCAD and extracted the geometry, then projected the profile to a plane.


Here is the toolpath and toolpath geometry.


Here is the simulation. It looks good here so I ran the part.


This is what was machined.

The pictures above show the rough operation. The cleanup did the same thing. Here is the cleanup G-code problem:
N892 G02 X8.44 Y-2.7996 I-.125 J0. <- this line makes the extra cutout. This should not be here.
N894 X8.1181 Y-3.1198 I-.3219 J.0016 <- this is the correct fillet