So I have a 4x8 routing table and mach 3 and my new quest is to cut out simple glass pieces according to templates customers bring. I looked at systems using hi-def cameras to build high resolution pictures, trace and turn to g-code. That system scans the whole surface while I only need the outline, costing a lot of “empty” time. And so far it looks like it won’t be in my budget.
Years ago I build a small line follower “robot”, wrote the code in a basic stamp and off it went. By drawing an enclosed path on a large sheet of paper, it would go around and around until the battery died.
Now, if I take the template, put a piece of paper on the table and trace it. Can I build this “probe” and put in my router, get it to follow the line while Mach 3 builds a G-code file? I don’t need the 0.0001 precision, for glass, customers are thrilled about 1/64, very satisfied with 1/32.
I suppose, it could be written in VB (with a some learning challenges for me
)
- Take a step in the going direction.
- Detect and correct if line is off center.
- Write coordinate to a g-file every 3 or 5 or 50 or so steps depending on the precision you need.
- Feed the g-file to Mach ,….
For some reason I think this can be done for less that $50 and some programming. I have the parts sitting around in a box somewhere.
Am I making sense?
Am I reinventing the wheel here?
Am I in the right forum?
Lot's of questions.
Stefan