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Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« on: June 06, 2011, 01:57:50 PM »
I just bought a plasma table and am having problems with the torch cutting lines that aren't in the dxf file.  The manufacturer of the table say's its a setting in Autocad but cant help me anymore than that.  We use Autocad to generate dxf's for numerous other cnc machines and haven't run into this before. Is anybody else using Autocad with Mach?

Offline ger21

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Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2011, 05:00:01 PM »
What are you using to create your g-code?

Can you post a .dxf that's causing problems, and a pic of where it's cutting that it shouldn't be?
Gerry

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http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

Offline RICH

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Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2011, 05:09:19 PM »
Yep all the time. Respond to Jerry's requests.
RICH

Offline BR549

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Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2011, 05:17:41 PM »
Yep as well (;-) Follow Gerrys request for info.

(;-) TP
Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2011, 05:20:41 PM »
Lazycam is the program that i import the dxf into for the gcodes.  As you can see the one vertical line is the problem.

Offline ger21

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Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2011, 05:54:02 PM »
I can tell you that it's not an AutoCAD issue. I don't use LazyCAM, but it most likely has to do with something you're doing in LazyCAM.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

Offline BR549

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Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2011, 06:06:28 PM »
Do you self a BIG favor and buy a copy of SheetCam for your plasma needs.

(;-) TP
Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2011, 06:13:50 PM »
thanks for the advice. I'll try and dig a little deeper in Lazycam.

Offline djc

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Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2011, 02:33:43 AM »
What does the machine do when it cuts? Say it starts top left of the outside contour and goes clockwise. I suspect it might go right, clockwise round the right hand semi-circle, then left along the straight bit at the bottom, then straight up (which is wrong) then anti-clockwise around the left curve.

What does the contour look like in your CAM program? Does it show as a closed polyline? Can you display 'span directions' for each segment?

One thing you could try is to explode the polyline that forms the outside of the shape and then do PEDIT, JOIN picking the entities strictly in the order you want them machined.

It is, as others have said, a CAM problem not a CAD problem.

EDIT: the small oval seems to cut OK. Copy, rotate and scale it then delete the big one.
« Last Edit: June 07, 2011, 02:40:48 AM by djc »

Offline RICH

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Re: Autocad and Mach 3 issues
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2011, 06:25:25 AM »
File worked fine in both the Plasma and Mill of Lazycam. Since I have no plasma experience can't be much help on any of the plasma settings in LC, but as shown, it generated the
pathing.

RICH