Bobcad wire EDM for foam

[onthemarc]

I just bought Bobcad wire EDM 4 axis software. I hope I didn't jump the gun.
Bobcad sales assured me it would work for a hotwire foam cutter with 4 independent axis XY and UV. I'm not so sure the sales guy really understood what I was trying to do. I hope there isn't any size restriction, EDM is usually small parts. I plan on building a full size foam cutter 4'X4'X8' blocks of foam.
Has anyone ever tried this before?
Marc

PS
Another question: Can this software coordinate the XY cut with the UV cut?
Example- cutting a tapered cone with a flat top, the bottom radius is say 12" the top radius 6". If the XY axis starts of on the 12" bottom the same time as the UV axis, the UV would need to feed slower on the 6" top to stay synchronous.

[Klox]

I am using BobCad v16.1 for wire edm. It's a very, very nice software package. I don't believe that you'll have problems on the dimensional side as i have drawn stuff longer than 5000mm in length. There's features you won't be using however. Yes you can coordinate the xy and uv axises simualtaniously, just keep in mind that the u and v values would be incremental to the x and y axises.....Don't fret a 4 axis program you described in your question is actually easy to program, if you want to i can do a demo program for you.

Anything else you would like to know?
Good luck!

Klox

[erase42]

Let me know how it goes with the bobwire setup. I was told by bobcad "phone jockey" that what I needed for my foam cutter was bobcad v19 and that in fact some of the OEM producers were using bobcad v 19 as their bundled software. I dont in fact think that he knew what a foam cutter was but he sure could tell me where was a good place for sushi. Version 20 is just now being able to do most of the things that i was told V 19 would let me do, and now when I call with a problem im told that i should have gotten bobwire. Ask looooootttts of questions and watch for what you want to be able to do to only be available with the next upgrade for 395. I bought bobartPro about a month before ProX with the features "I really need" came out. but I can upgrade for x amount. Let me know if it does work for you since i am in the same boat.
PS what foam cutter do you have?

[onthemarc]

eraser42
I don't tkink the salesman knew what I was talking about eather.
If you want to cut 2D Bobcad 19 or 20 will work fine. If you want to cut 3D like a tapered wing or a cone shape you need 4 axis like bobwire. The 4 axis are called XY and UV
I haven't built my cutter yet, I have to many irons in the fire.

onthemarc

[erase42]

ive been using bobcad v19-20 along with a program, called desk cnc. its sort of an extra step, but ive been using the machine for a business for over a year now and its not so bad once you learn it. let me know if you have any questions, ive pretty much figured out all the problems by trial and error, on the machine and the software end.
more than glad to help if you have need.

Ed Rees

[Kookaburra]

Same water, different bucket, the principle is the same, however, try DeskCNC if you have no luck.

[erase42]

thats pretty cryptic kookaburra, desk cnc huh? never heard of it