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Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #40 on: September 05, 2009, 08:26:32 PM »
Vmax: I tried the garage computer and got the same result.

Doc: You provided a file thats works perfect. I could cut the part right now. It has become more about learning something rather than making something.

I'm done for the night myself!!

Steve

Offline docltf

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Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #41 on: September 05, 2009, 08:49:26 PM »
good night guys we will play tomorrow. steve i will download this new dxf and look at it.

bill

Offline RICH

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Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #42 on: September 05, 2009, 10:41:54 PM »
Hi Steve,
Don't know why your going thru a lot of trouble for nothing. Let me make my point then i will go to
the sideline. In the picture on the left the red lines are actual paths of a ball end mill. If spaced appropriately you
will get the scalloped affect shown in the midle of the picture. On the right is your drawing and i
have just added the red lines which indicate the tool paths. If the psacing was right you would get
the affect you are after with no problems creating the code and screwing around with offsets or
pockets as all you need to do is defined the cut paramaters.
All of that would be one chain if you put it on one level of the drawing.

Now i would first machine the "blue lines" because this way the tool need not constantly plunge into
the material.

Then machine the paths.
 Then re-machine the blue lines again to get rid of any plunge marks.
The pink dots would probably be done with a square end mill and not a ball end.
The light blue dots are all done as a drilling.

Just some thoughts on it all,
RICH

Offline docltf

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Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #43 on: September 05, 2009, 10:43:10 PM »
steve
downloaded that last dxf you put up. it was a real pain. you got a right to go nuts over this. this one had more trouble with archs than the first. i made you a l-cam for this one.
i think this method might help you through this, plus show you another way to use l-cam. in this example we are going to use mach3 as a filter.
1.import file turn leads off
2.then scaled up 16 to 1 because the cutter you want to use is .015625
3.optomize
4.check scale
5.set origin
5.pick a tool,set all layers the same
6.post and save code
7.close then open l-cam
8.import back into l-cam from mach3
9.now you have a file to save as a l-cam file

the l-cam file i gave you was generated this way

bill

Offline docltf

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Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #44 on: September 05, 2009, 10:58:53 PM »
Hi,Rich
steve has an idea of what he wants to do. he is just having a real hard time of getting his cad to work with l-cam. his last dxf worked worse than his first.
he cant save in v12 so it makes it a little tougher but his dxf can work. you keep pushing ideas on him and dont let up we got to get him trained or totaly confused. haha!
you cant quit now you are in as deep as i am.

bill

Offline RICH

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Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #45 on: September 05, 2009, 11:37:19 PM »
HMM.....
For training, do each of the tutorials in the manual. For confusion just ask me.  ???
Not all DXF's are created equaly, maybe, Apsire should  be added to my list!
RICH
Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #46 on: September 06, 2009, 07:55:15 AM »
HMM.....
For training, do each of the tutorials in the manual. For confusion just ask me.  ???
Not all DXF's are created equaly, maybe, Apsire should  be added to my list!
RICH

Hi Rich!

I read the manual, every word, and did the tutorials that related to milling. I revisited the manual several times before i came to the forum for help. The problem is'nt that i don't know what to tell LC to do, it's LC wont do what i tell it.

There is an obvious problem with my dxf files as even the seasoned vets are having big problems. Like i said many times, I used Docs Lcam file and everything worked exactly like i wanted it to.

For me, this isn't about getting a file that works, I have one. This is about finding a way for me to get from Alibre to Mach3 without having to rely on you good people to generate files for me. If i have to import into lcam, then save and open mach3, then import to lcam again, thats what i'll do if it works.

I just need to find a way to get there.
Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #47 on: September 06, 2009, 08:00:02 AM »
steve
downloaded that last dxf you put up. it was a real pain. you got a right to go nuts over this. this one had more trouble with archs than the first.


I had one dxf that made the part look like a football with a big bulge in it. That dxf is no longer with us.
Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #48 on: September 06, 2009, 08:19:53 AM »
Quote
if spacing was right you would get the affect you are after with no problems creating the code and screwing around with offsets or pockets as all you need to do is defined the cut paramaters. All of that would be one chain if you put it on one level of the drawing.

You have to remember im new at this. Are you saying I can define my own tool path somehow without using the pocket and offset tabs?



Quote
Now i would first machine the "blue lines" because this way the tool need not constantly plunge into the material.

How would i go about doing that. Would i click on those entities and create a tool path next to those?

I'm willing to learn anything you are willing to show me. Take that dxf file and describe how you would do things in Lcam as Doc has. I'll try to replicate it step by step and learn something new!!

Thanks Rich

 
« Last Edit: September 06, 2009, 08:23:01 AM by stevehuck »

Offline budman68

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Re: Chains and entities question
« Reply #49 on: September 06, 2009, 08:38:04 AM »
Steve,

How about this, since you can not save in the AutoCAD 11/12 ASCII dxf  version, how about trying a free CAD program that will. You can still create your drawing in Alibre but after you've saved your file to dxf, open it up in ProgeCAD, and then just save it as a AutoCAD 11/12 ASCII dxf, and see if that helps you. The worst that can happen is it doesn't work and you just uninstall the CAD program  :)

Don't let the fact that this program scare you because it's free. It's a very powerful program and in most cases, it has way better luck opening all kinds of dxf types that the "real" AutoCAD won't.

The download link is at the bottom of the page under: DOWNLOAD progeCAD 2008 Smart!

http://www.progesoft.com/en/smart-2008

Hope this helps out.
Dave
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Just because I'm a Global Moderator, don't assume that I know anything !

Dave->    ;)