Hi All:

    Ive decided to release a Mach4 plugin thats not a motion driver, but one that will work on any Windows
install of Mach4. GSim is a simulation that shows the material removal and displays some other statistics that I find
helpfull about a job I may be about to run. It can be used to experiement to see the effects of various tools on
more artisitc carvings, and is simply a good way to see if your really about to cut the right thing.

 A video is here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpX-hrZKXa4&feature=youtu.be

  and the plugin will be posted here as soon as the next update of Mach4 is out ( 2192). Should you find bugs
or wish to see features in this beta release, please drop comments here. Hopefully it works out well, only I have run it so far.


Thx
Art

Great Idea Art. I really LIKE your tool table section I am working on something for MAch4 that is similar.

(;-) TP

Terry:

   The tooltable doesnt quite follow proposed standards for digital tool generation, but it does allow for a pretty good
configuration of endmill, toroidal tip , radial ball ends and V-Bits. It should do for simulations and such, and its possible for the
plugin to update Mach4's tables with its data in the end. Its also capable of importing and exporting in ascii form so others can
use the output tables as input for other plugins or programs.
   It doesnt however do Turn tools.. but I do have one from Lazyturn that could be added into my plugins over time. In fact much
of LazyTurn may in the end become a plugin...who knows. , I have so much code laying about I can build almost any frankenstein
plugin I wish  at this point. ..  HaaaHHaaaa  WhoooHaaaa <Maniacal laugh ensues..>
  
Art

I have a LIST, 

(;-) TP

Sweet Job Art, thanks for fixing the issue I found.

Now this is a functional Plugin/wizard  

Art How about a HOT SWAP tool changer plugin that links to the Tool table and displays each tools picture as you select them. It would be used to setup and monitor the tool changer AND setup the tools to the changer. It can also be the soft LINK( comunications) to the TOOL changer it self. WHILE you are at it have it EXPORT the tooltable so it can be imported into the CAM side.

Just a thought,

(;-) TP

Thanks YaNvrNo...

      Its the work of those who test and test again that allow for such toys.

I hope to add more over time. We'll see how popular the plugins are before I spend
too much development time on them. ( That toolpath was just bothering me whenever I tried
to figure out if my stock was large enough. :-)

Art

Hello All:

  I see Mach4  2192 is out . Here is the Beta version of the GSim for Mach4. It has been tested only lightly.
A problem has been found on some systems where if you have a special screenset loaded into M4, this plugin may
crash. We're searching for why. It, of course, works fine here.

    No rotational modes are ready, this is for 3 axis only and not for lathe ortr 4th axis work, although it will display
in 4th axis (imperfectly..   if it senses the use of one.

 Please let me know here on this thread if this plugin crashes on you, OR if it runs fine. Please just drop a note as to
your OS and if it works. If it fails, please also note if your using a special screenset. This is a beta and has no license
restrictions. In the end it will be free to any holder of a Darwin license.

  Unzip the enclosed file in its entirety into your plugins folder. You may then run it..

Thx
Art

Hi All:

  Just a small extra comment, when you finish unzipping, the /Plugins folder  should now have the .m4pw and .sig files as well as the glew and glut libraries.
The folder GSimSupport shoudl also be in that folder. In the GSimSupport folder is the tool table data as well as tspin.dxf which is used for tool
solid creation..

Thx
Art

I must have done something wrong.  I down loaded the plugin, enabled in plugin selector, loaded .nc program, latest update of Mach4.  When I select GMsim from the diagnostics tab nothing happens.  I checked and all the listed files are in my plugin folder.  Do you have a suggestion? 
Thanks, Charlie