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Author Topic: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question  (Read 4700 times)

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Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« on: May 26, 2012, 04:53:06 PM »
Okay, I'm at the junction of putting my expensive time consumer to some work. I have imported some of my PCB files into Mach3, replaced the cheapo Biro with a sewing needle, tied some thick cardboard down to the table with the clamps and covered it with some A4 Paper. Set the Machine away and much to my delight it produced a boatload of pinpricks in the paper exactly - boy oh boy - I'm really impressed!!!  8)

But, and there is always one, the output results are a mirror image of how it should be. Fine if I am to drill my boards from the component side, but that is not recommended. There is nothing in my Ultimate Pro7 which will allow me to invert the output, and what I think I need is a routine or a small program which will flip my code so that I can drill from the print side - I don't know if there is anything around which will do that.

Ideally if I still had support from the Company I bought my PCB CAD program from in 1984, but they are no longer around  :(

Any comments hints or solutions would once again be really appreciated. 
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)

Offline Hood

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Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2012, 05:21:09 PM »
Try Using  a -1 scale factor on one of the axis (X probably)
Hood
Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2012, 05:31:35 PM »
Oh.. Thats sounds good! I'll give it a try in the morning.
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2012, 01:40:29 AM »
Hi Buggalugs,

I am not sure I fully understand the problem.

Surely your PCB files show the track side of the board so the created drill file would also be from the track side of the board unless you have an axis direction incorrectly set-up on your machine.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2012, 10:43:58 AM »
Yes you are right in that respect, but the post-processing is based on a mirror or reflective view to allow you to create the Artwork on a printer or plotter so as during processing you produce a correctly oriented board.

I have spent today painstakingly manually inputting the code for one of the boards I use mostly. This leads me to another query. Is there anything about which will allow me to duplicate code with an overall offset? ( I don't know if that is the right terminology!) But what I want to do is to drill multiples of the same board from one billet then slice them up into single boards.  ???
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)

Offline Hood

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Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2012, 04:51:14 PM »
There is a nesting wizard or you could do it manually if you wished with G52's
Hood
Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2012, 05:02:53 PM »
Ooh.... That sounds interesting What is a Nesting Wizard ? I have just Googled it and it pointed me to a very swish looking screenshot of some software on CNC Woodworker. Is this what you mean?
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)

Offline Hood

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Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2012, 05:29:30 PM »
I am meaning the Mach Wizards, click on the Load Wizards button and scroll down and you will see a nesting wizard.
Hood
Re: Newbie Help Please to a NOT so Stupid Question
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2012, 05:38:49 PM »
Oh WOW! that looks the Biz...

and just as I was about to begin with My Recreation Chemisty - Converting Ales Wines and Spirits into urine....  ;)

Thanks again for your help.
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)