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Author Topic: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK  (Read 12280 times)

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Offline Hood

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Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« on: December 14, 2010, 02:32:51 PM »
Just thought I would post this here as it was posted on the Yahoo group a few days ago and I know a lot of the forum members dont look there.
Quote
Dolphin CAD CAM Systems Ltd have reduced prices for both

Hobbyist and Commercial Users, these prices will hold for the

month of December 2010 and are applicable to both new and

existing users.

Full details can be found at :-

Dolphin December Special Offers for HOBBYISTS :-

www.zen188344.zen.co.uk/download/Hobby%20offer%20Nov%202010-4.pdf

Dolphin December Special Offers for COMMERCIAL USERS :-

www.zen188344.zen.co.uk/download/Special%20offer%20Nov%202010-4.pdf

This may be especially of interest to Lathe users as reasonably priced CAM programmes for Lathes are hard to come by. I downloaded the demo and have been messing about with it the last few days and although it took a bit of getting used to it seems to work well. I have now purchased the Turn module and a Dongle so hopefully I will be able to report the code is as good as the simulations suggest :)

Hood
Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2010, 05:44:59 PM »
Thanks Hood.

It seems like a good deal. I think I'll end up with the lathe module, but am just not ready yet to purchase. I still need to get my lathe finished.

Cheers,

Peter.
----------------------------------------------------
Homann Designs
http://www.homanndesigns.com
email: peter at homanndesigns.com

Offline Hood

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2010, 06:20:11 PM »
Looking good so far, just making up custom tools for it from DXF's downloaded from Sandviks site, makes the simulation look more like the machine rather than just the tip showing. Dont suppose it really makes a difference but it is nice to see.
Hood

Offline RICH

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2010, 06:21:20 PM »
The turn module works quite well. Make sure you look / download  the post processor for Mach if not included.
I never tried the drafting part of it and imported DXF's here. You do have a number of options and basicaly the user needs to use common sense
on tool selection for intended turning operations. Let us know how you make out with it Hood.

RICH

Offline Hood

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2010, 07:10:04 PM »
Got the CD and Dongle today and seems to be quite good so far. The Mach PP that I downloaded from the USA site has a few things that I have changed.

First was block numbers, hate the bloody things so I got rid of them ;D If I want to see what Mach sees as a line number I just double click in the code window ;)

Next was to get rid of the Deep Hole Drilling and Peck Drilling canned cycles so that the PP has to spit them out long hand, this is because Mach doesnt seem to do them correctly now, I am sure it used to but maybe not. Also the PP threw a hissy fit with G83.1, seems it doesnt like that call but as I wanted long hand code I didnt look into it much.

Need to look at threading and get it to spit out G76 rather than the G32 it does at the moment, G32 is fine but I much prefer G76 as it is a bit easier to edit to get the thread correct if it needs tweaking.

Will do some more messing with things but so far I am delighted.

Hood

Offline Hood

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2010, 04:30:58 PM »
Been doing a lot of altering to the standard Mach post processor. For a normal lathe I think it would need very little editing if any but as my lathe  has both a front and rear turrets some of the code has to be of a negative X value with the arcs reversed while the other turret is positive values in X and normal arcs.

 Michael from Dolphin set me on the right road for that and I only had to change it a bit because I had given him wrong info ;D It did however let me see ways to do other things. So anyway got that working well a few days ago and posted some code for a part I had hand coded a week or so ago, what a difference in time, especially as I am crap at hand coding anyway ;D
 There were a few issues with the code it spat out, most just needed a tweak in the PP but two of them were a bit more tricky for me to do seeing as I am no programmer. The issues were that the toolchange position being called was for the turret about to be used rather than the one presently in use, I now have it looking at the turret in use and moving to that turrets toolchange position.
 The other thing I changed was the spindle would be switched off at each toolchange and I didn’t want that but the next problem was if I didnt do that and the spindle was to change direction it would  reverse without any deceleration. This is a Mach issue I think as calling a M4 when M3 is active should really slow the spindle then reverse. Anyway I now have it looking at the spindle direction and if its to change it will call a M5 before it calls the new M3 or M4.

I have a few other things I want to do but they are not really important, just would be nice. One thing is I am going to see if I can set the coolant up to front or rear dependant on turret and tool being used, at the moment I have to do that in the CAM manually although its no big deal as its just one button to click and a box to tick.
I am very impressed with Dolphin Partmaster Turn module and for the price it is amazing in my opinion. As said I have only made one part so far and I chickened out, it was a part in 316 I had made but as I was testing out the code I decided to make it in delrin in case I had screwed up in the PP writing, I needn’t have worried though as it came out perfect. Here is a few bad  pics of the original hand coded one in 316 with the Delrin one next to it.

Hood

Offline budman68

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2010, 06:35:11 PM »
Hood, is this for UK users only?

I don't see anything about the hobbyist sale on the USA website:  http://www.dolphincadcamusa.com/pricing

Maybe I'm missing it?

I have contacted them so hope to hear from them.

Thanks,
Dave
« Last Edit: December 23, 2010, 06:37:59 PM by budman68 »
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Offline Hood

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2010, 06:40:07 PM »
Not sure Dave, dont think there is any mention of the offer on the UK site either, or at least not that I saw.
It was posted on the Yahoo group by Michael Milligan and dont recall any mention of it being a restricted to UK offer. Might be worth an email to both the UK and US sites to see.

Hood

Offline budman68

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2010, 06:41:18 PM »
Interesting, thanks for that- and Happy Holidays to you sir-  8)

Dave
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Offline Hood

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Re: Heads up on CADCAM offer from Dolphin UK
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2010, 06:53:13 PM »
Dave reading the flyer it says UK Shipping FOC which to me suggests he will post it to other places but shipping will be added.
Hood