I tried to search for others with this problem but could not find any so here it is. I have some small offset tabs on my parts and when they are small enough I get a large radius instead of the correct path. See the picture for clarification. The tool diameter is .048". I would just a soon have it not add the radi to any of the corners. Is this possible? Any suggestions?
Mike

One way to avoid any offset problems in LC is to create the offset in CAD and then use that profile
It's easier than trying to figure out what LC is doing sometimes. Just be carefull and take into consideration possible cutting of the original profile.

I am guessing that in your posted pic, LC is trying to keep from cutting the profile but can't adjust the offset properly because of a short line length and compensates in an unsatisfactory manner.
I have seen this before. You can try fooling around by altering the tool diameter ie; start at .002" dia and see where it goes bad.

RICH

 

Are the straight segments in the .dxf composed of multiple shorter segments?

It would be nice to tell LC to stop putting the radi on the corners when doing the offset. It does not even add them consistently on the normal corners. Also it adds them to inside corners which it really should not.
Any way yo do this?
Mike

Mike,
I know of no way to stop putting the radi on the corners.
If it was just a simple piece or one profile / chain then you could just scale it by some % and thus you would have no radi, but , it will not work if you have other chains.

You could also delete entities and if you had a layer with a vertical and horizontal line you could move them and join to get rid fo the radius .....PITA.....LC is not a cad program!

Again just easier to have the offset done in CAD and apply the cutting to it.
That's just the way it is.
RICH

Mike,
Something to consider is the actual tool path of the cutter as it goes around or into the corners.
Have a look at the cutter position ( circle ) in the attached. Of course it is not gouging the profile.......

RICH

I understand the need for the outside radius as it keeps the machine from having to constantly to sudden stops and starts. Unfortunately I am running into a situation where LC is out thinking the corner and I would be better off with out the radius. So far I have been editing the Gcode. I may look at doing the offset it cad.
Mike

Mike,

LC is absolutely brilliant at what it does well but it is far from being perfect.
OK, you have to pay for it but there is a lot of available CAD/CAM software out there that does a much better job with pockets and offsets.
For a while I used the free version of CamBam and once you get used to it's little quirks it makes a great job of creating the offset GCode.

Tweakie.