I'm fairly new to this, but a lot of this seems like it should be pretty intuitive (that is to say, if the software is as automated as they make it seem). I have a CNC Blacktoe machine, ready to run a mach3 milling profile which is all configured. I just need to get the g-code to post properly so I can cut away...
First, I have a .BMP file that I convert to a .dxf using A9tech. When I open the .dxf in lazycam, the image looks exactly like it should, but with an insane amount of chains. So, I go into Setup -> Loading Options... Autoclean Settings -> "Connection like Tol. used in Optomise" and I change the value all the way to 11. That seems to clean up the chains to the point in the screenshot I post. (If changing the tolerance that high is the problem, how do I can those chains without changing the tolerance so much?).
Next, I click the "post G-code" button in LazyCam, I save the imported .dxf file to a ##.tap. When I try to open it in Mach3, I get this weird small ball of lines that looks nothing like it should... what am I doing wrong? I have the drawing files, I just want to get them into mach3 to be cut on my CNC machine!
Yes, the original .BMP file is drawn to scale, and the proper size. Yes, my mach3 is registered, and not a demo version, and yes, all software is up to date. I am running Windows XP.
I'm uploading the .BMP file (converted to .JPG so it wouldn't be so big), the .dxf file, and the .tap file. I'm also uploading a few screenshots of how the software looks when I'm using them.
/HALP