Hi Guys,
I've been working on this part for three days now and I have excepted defeat. If anyone could help me with this one, I will be very great full.
I have attached a DXF file. I'm having a hard time loading the file to Mach3, it seems to translate well if I don't set the depth. After I set the
depth to each layer it seems to leave some of the chains out of the picture when I load it to Mach3.
The dimensions are: 8.5 x 3.0, outside layer is .5 deep inside layers are all .12 deep rapid height is 1.0
tool size is .094 flat end mill.
Open in mill mode.

I have learned a lot about LazyCAM while trying to get this part to work and have had  success with other parts but this one just stumped me.

RYBOT

      I took your dxf and loaded it into l-cam ver 3.00.2 .i worked it out so you have solid chains. attached are two files  one is a l-cam file for importing into l-cam the other a g-code for loading in mach3.
      the tap file when loaded in mach3 and then imported into l-cam will change the cutting order but it won't hurt the chains just rearrange to suit you tast.
      now when i scaled your drawing it came out 8.0 x 2.88  your drawing won't allow it to be 8.0 x 3.0   
      i have know idea what your plans are for this ,i did not do any offsetting or pocketing,just gave you solid chains to work with.your dxf was pretty nasty,just keep on pluggin it will come around
      l-cam is tricky even with real clean drawings ther can be plenty of problems.

bill

Hey doclft'
Thanks for working on this for me.
I was able to get the same results as you when I loaded the drawing unchanged, only when I set the depth is where I run into trouble.
The inside depth (snake like part) should all have the same cut depth of .12 and the outside (square box) should have a cut depth of 0.0 and the cut start of.5 for all layers. The scale dimensions are 8.5 x 3.0
If you try this I think you will have the same problem that I ran into.

I REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP!!!

RYBOT
         attached is a picture of the dreaded snake .i see where you want to use a 0.094 end mill and you want to follow the chains of the snakehead and body cutting 0.120 deep.yes?
         now if that is right then when you cut the body of the snake following those chains their will be 0.0224  seperating walls left. is that right?
         for the head of the snake if you follow those chains with a 0.094 cutter it will just pocket the head out, there will not be any seperating walls left.is that what you wan't to do
         pocket the head out.

bill   

doclft

Yes, you are spot-on! that is exactly what I want to do. The only thing that is different is the separating walls should be .031 thick, unless I did my drawing wrong. Anyhow at this point I'm not going to be picky. I just want to learn how to make this work, I literally spent about 17 hours trying to figure this out.

Thanks again

Ryan

Hey dolft,

Guess what, this whole time I've been loading l-cam to a crippled version of Mach3!!!!!??. I bought the license almost a year ago. I cannot explain this.
I'm thinking that I might have reinstalled my computer since then, I'm not sure but it works GREAT! The only thing I don't like about the tool path is a lot of rapid heights, way to many. I think I can change the drawing to take care of that. I'm curious to see how you would make this part. If you can spare the time that is.

Thanks for all your help

Ryan

RYBOT
      if you take that cbs1.lcam file that i made for you and load it into l-cam  you will see that it is pretty much ready to go.i cleaned all the chains so that they are complete and all on one layer.
      i also reduced all your rapids down to the bear minimum and set a machine order.all you have to do is finish it out,make what few adjustments you need  to make you happy.now since you
      are going to use a 0.094 bit for all the work you will not have to sweat moving the layers around unless you feel you need too.just set your cutting depth and tool speed and make the code.
      butt you better check the math on that snakehead those chains are close and with the dia of the cutter you will just make a pocket.it looks like you need to delete 2 chains in each head.
      go get em!

bill

RYBOT
        you never did post a description of the part-------finish size LxWxH----material---use---so on and so forth

bill

RYBOT
        i just noticed the l-cam file i sent you the X scale is set at 8.00 i forgot to set it back to 8.594,sorry about that.

bill

doclft

You were right about the wall thickness. I regret to say that I had to re-draw the picture so I wasn't able to use your files.
This time I'll post the DXF files.
I'm wondering if I'm  able to modify the rapid height or am I just stuck with what l-cam gives me?  I know I can use the clean & optimise button but it doesn't seem to do the trick.