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Lazycam stalling problem
« on: January 11, 2018, 05:40:33 PM »
Hello,

I am, first of all, a novice. I've been trying to load a dxf file into Mach3/Lazycam, and it ends up stalling (spinning ball) and I have to quit out. I've tried the file with Lazyturn as well...same thing. I'm hoping someone could take a look at my file and tell me what the issue might be. Didn't used to have a problem with this.

Thanks in advance!

Paul

Offline RICH

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Re: Lazycam stalling problem
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2018, 08:15:55 PM »
Paul,
Lazycam requires a version 12 dxf drawing. The drawing you posted is a 3d drawing. The drawing is not appropriate for turning.

RICH
Re: Lazycam stalling problem
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2018, 11:53:20 PM »
Thanks, Rich. Where can I go to read more about this "version 12?" I am using Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape, neither of which appear to have this as a save option.

Offline RICH

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Re: Lazycam stalling problem
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2018, 07:36:52 AM »
I would suggest that you learn and use a CAD/CAM program for CNC work. Even some of the lower end programs  have CAD programs which are built into the program and provide for file conversion for numerous formats on export. I included some basic information about DXF file exports  in the Lazyturn Manual, Appendix "C".

RICH
« Last Edit: January 12, 2018, 07:38:46 AM by RICH »
Re: Lazycam stalling problem
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2018, 02:09:40 PM »
For me, who is not the fabricator, but the designer, the challenge has been providing files that their machines will accept. A couple of years ago, Rich, you called Illustrator "Etch-a-Sketch" and said it could not work. I've no problem with that, but for fabricators who work with designs that may begin with a photograph of hand-drawn sketch, figuring out how to get that to g-code that works with a cutter is the challenge. I don't need to learn how to work the plasma machine and wonder if I need to learn how to design (and I'm not talking about machinery) in AUTOCAD; I suspect not, AS LONG AS there is a fairly clear path between a vector file from Inkscape or Illustrator or whatever other program and the requisite format for the machine cutting the steel for the sign in the park. There are obviously a lot of moving parts to the path from, for example, a photograph of a mountain lion, to a vectorized line drawing, to a file that will guide the plasma machine. And just as the plasma operator need not know the first few steps, I hope I need not learn to operate the plasma cutter.

Thanks again for your help.

Offline ger21

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Re: Lazycam stalling problem
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2018, 03:37:59 PM »
Gerry

2010 Screenset
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: Lazycam stalling problem
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2018, 06:29:39 PM »
pawl,
Understand where your coming from. So keep it simple, just provide what you envision on your sketch and surely the fabricator will get it done and charge you accordingly.

Not  having some reasonable amount of knowledge, of what someone needs to do with the information to fabricate something from the given info or specifications, suggests  you have room to grow in your trade.

Take Care,
RICH
Re: Lazycam stalling problem
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2018, 10:44:12 AM »
Pawl,
Rich was correct that Illustrator is the etch-a-sketch of the CNC world.  The reason has nothing to do with operator skill, and everything to do with the demands of CNC for mathematically precise points to calculate motions.  It use to drive me nuts to get a paper drawing that says 5 degree angle and find out that it really is 5.01 and the CNC barfs trying to connect to the next line element.  Wasted lots of my time as a CNC programmer fixing this.  Garbage I Garbage out is still true. LazyCam is very poor as well and never getting better.  Your time is money, software tools are leverage to save you time. 

For something equivalent in ease of use but far more capable than LazyCam try CamBam.  Like LazyCam it has limitations on what versions of DXF files it can read.  Nothing you can do about that except specify the newest version your program will read.  Also never use 3D machining methods to do anything that can be done in 2D.  You can do it but it will waste lots of time.