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Messages - Davek0974

1961
General Mach Discussion / Re: Educational Sources???
« on: February 15, 2016, 09:24:50 AM »
If you already use SheetCAM, then you don't need anything else.
CAD -> SheetCAM -> Mach3

BOY, AM I SOME SORT OF BLINKERED IDIOT !

I love sheetcam, quite good at messing with that from my plasma table, I can honestly say I never knew it anything other than sheet cam as in plasma etc !!!

Even though it shows a milling tool as a splash-screen!

I have my install set for flame/jet only so all the goodies are hidden away from me - just turned it on and already have some code ready for armchair scrutiny :)

Sheetcam and a speed/feed calc will do 90% of what i need to start with - brilliant.

Thanks for poking me with the sharp stick :)

Question - do i need to change post processors ????

1962
General Mach Discussion / Re: Educational Sources???
« on: February 15, 2016, 08:09:34 AM »
Sounds good, now i look at it, I can see it really is a 2d form but with a known depth so i guess thats why they call it 2.5D ??

I have 2D cad ok, I use a couple of apps for that and can do all i need, they export DXF files.

What do i pass them to for the CAM part?

I have fusion360 setup and I see its free for hobbyists so thats good. Will that be the app to take the the DXF, add tool sizes etc and spit out g-code??

My 2D workflow is CAD -> SheetCam -> Mach3 Plasma

My 3D printer is CAD -> Slic3r -> Printer (proprietary system but runs G-code)

So 2.5D will be CAD -> ???? -> Mach3 Mill

1963
General Mach Discussion / Re: Educational Sources???
« on: February 15, 2016, 07:29:36 AM »
Well i guess I want to take a 2D cad drawing, convert to 3D then throw at the router/mill to have it hacked out of whatever.

Now I know i need a CAM stage in there somewhere to create the code.

I am way behind writing any code myself, very minor experience only and that is 2D stuff on the plasma.

I managed to find the CAM stuff in Fusion 360 so thats a start i guess :)

1964
General Mach Discussion / Re: Educational Sources???
« on: February 14, 2016, 11:54:50 AM »
Oh bum, looks like i've gone and run into another minefield :(

I think I need 2.5D, I'm ok with basic 2D and can generate 3D .stl files with an app called OpenScad which i use for the 3D printer. In reality I'm probably not too far off in terms of stuff in the brain, it just feels like I've been taken from the paddling pool and thrown into the olympic pool but I've still got my armbands on ;)

3D printing is pretty easy by comparison, it only has one tool - a fixed diameter nozzle, fixed layer height and once you get it to work, it works fine. No offsets etc - its additive so all jobs start in the centre of the bed - no workpiece :)

I guess building a multi-purpose machine means I have multiple headaches now - carving, routing, milling, etc :(

1965
General Mach Discussion / Re: Educational Sources???
« on: February 14, 2016, 11:30:54 AM »
Just installed Fusion360, might need a college course to fathom it out but it looks good, I do have a very serious dislike for anything to do with cloud though, can't find anything to do with CAM in it though??

Will keep looking.

1966
General Mach Discussion / Re: Educational Sources???
« on: February 14, 2016, 10:13:36 AM »
Whats the recommended CAM software for mini-mills/routers etc?

Free would be nice but i don't mind paying for really good stuff.

I have got a trial of G-Wizard which looks useful, very complicated but useful, pity about the subscription cost, I prefer a one-off purchase.

1967
General Mach Discussion / Re: THC moves on the Z axis...
« on: February 14, 2016, 04:39:24 AM »
Interesting, flipping to 4micro-step gave some odd results.

200steps per, 3000speed, 5000acc = G00 moves pass, G01 F3000 fail

200steps per, 3000speed, 4500acc = G00 moves pass, G01 F3000 fail

200steps per, 2500speed, 3000acc = G00 moves pass, G01 F3000 pass, THCrate at 25% pass

Not sure really what its telling me, it seems stable at the final settings so i've left it there for now.

Not sure why G00 worked but G01 failed??

I hammered the THC inputs and it returned home every time so no lost steps there at THC rate 30% it did lose a few steps.

The motor seems to whine a bit more at 4micro steps.

1968
General Mach Discussion / Re: THC moves on the Z axis...
« on: February 13, 2016, 02:26:27 PM »

First try it at 3000mm/s/s acceleration...then try increasing it to see if the stall point has gone up (or down).


What speed though?

1969
General Mach Discussion / Re: THC moves on the Z axis...
« on: February 13, 2016, 01:51:09 PM »
Using CNC4YOU's digital stepper drives on this one, yes all axes are set to 10micro-steps.

I can easily change the Z as very accessible.

I take it steps per would be 200 then?? ((500/10) x 4)

Yes Z retract is 25mm, Z slow limit for G28.1 is 8mm

1970
General Mach Discussion / Re: THC moves on the Z axis...
« on: February 13, 2016, 12:14:07 PM »
I forgot about the divot issue - a good reason not to reduce the Z speed i think.

Will have a play with this tomorrow

;)