Here is an Lcam project file of what I perceive you want. It is about what you provide as an example previously. Four chains unconnected and you want to connect them all and make one chain correct.

Please verify.

I have the manual and so far I cannot see a section that tells me how to connect chains and I searched through the sections containing the word "chain" one by one


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...

I'll do some more tinkering over the weekend and see if I can see what I am missing in the steps you guys are suggesting.

Ever spend so much time looking at this stuff you can't see the woods for the trees sometimes??

LOL

Thanks guys...

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

"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

RICH/RICH , you can join chains and then reform then as one chain.

 You can also join primitives from different chains and reform them as one chain. AND you can rejoin them back as they were(;-)

You can move one end of a chain to another location or the whole chain as a unit.

The power is there you just have to beat on it enough to find out WHAT it really can do.

(;-) TP

RICH after 40+ years I still get lost in the forest and have to wait until the sun comes up to find my way out(;-)

(;-) TP

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.