DIY- CNC Embroidery Machine

[Khalid]

Dave.. I didn't post that programm..i am still working on it.. I need a good programmer that can help me optimizing the software...

[BMG]

Nice to see this came back to life...

Just a note on a broken thread detector. Since the thread is usually kept under tension, have it go over a pulley. WHen tensioned, the pulley would be pulled against a stop where you could have a photo switch close. If the thread breaks, the pulley will spring out opening the switch shutting forcing an estop.


Keep up the good work.

[Khalid]

and we can do emroidery too

[Switcher]

and we can do emroidery too

Is that screen shot g-code from your program?

Will your program be open source code?

Keep up the great work!

[Khalid]

Is that screen shot g-code from your program?

Will your program be open source code?

Keep up the great work!

Yes The above Gcode is produced with the help of PostProcessor for Vectric/Artcam and The Final Gcode Producer for Quilting/Embroiding Machine that i am working on...

I want to keep it Free of cost but I need some donation to carry out my Project... I think it will be for a few Bucks.... Should I provide it free or what should be the minimum Donation Amount for this?

[Switcher]

Yes The above Gcode is produced with the help of PostProcessor for Vectric/Artcam and The Final Gcode Producer for Quilting/Embroiding Machine that i am working on...

I want to keep it Free of cost but I need some donation to carry out my Project... I think it will be for a few Bucks.... Should I provide it free or what should be the minimum Donation Amount for this?

I understand it takes money to build a machine that's up to you how you want to go about donations, etc...

Are you working direct with Vectric (Vcarve Pro) to generate your g-code, you mention the PostP for vectric?

Vectric has great software, still I think it would be really a better idea for a complete open source software package, I'm talking from design all the way to finished g-code to run on your cnc, so that anyone else could build a DIY embroidery cnc, & only need to invest money in the actual machine.

I'll be the first to say I'm an Inkscape fanatic, & I don't want to hijack your thread about the subject (tell me If I need to start another thread).

I did another test with the Inkscape g-code plugin. At first I thought it wasn't working, it kept giving me an error message, then I went to double check the "Save As.." location on my PC, & I found the g-code file, the only thing I changed was the extension to .txt

The Inkscape g-code plugin needs tweaked for a embroidery project, still I think it will work. The problem the guys had with the plugin was the lack of arcs in the finished g-code export, this is actually a good thing for embroidery since each stretch of string can only go in a staight line.


.

[Khalid]

Dear Switcher,
You can continue here...No..I must say You should continue here.....Its not My thread but all of the community... As I am using Vectric Vcarve Pro and I have a legal copy of it so i made this PostProcessor for it...

But Don't forget,the postprocessor i made may work with All CAM software and I tested it with only Vectric/Artcam so far..Because these CAM softwares are available with me...

Now , another thing.... If You can Output Gcode in the following format with any free software(Inkscape etc) , My Quilter program will handle rest of thing...My Quilter program will keep track of SINGLE STICTH conditions, Optimized toolpath, and will tell the Mach3 to keep the needle Up when You are doing Rapid Move...
N10,G01,X0.00,Y0.00,0
N11,G01,X2.81,Y-0.32,M30
N12,G01,X2.81,Y-0.32,M31
N13,G01,X2.81,Y-0.32,0
N14,G01,X2.70,Y-1.19,0
N15,G01,X2.68,Y-1.62,0
N16,G01,X2.68,Y-2.05,0
N17,G01,X2.73,Y-2.50,0
N18,G01,X2.83,Y-2.97,0
N19,G01,X2.99,Y-3.46,0
N20,G01,X3.22,Y-3.99,0

Should not You need a CAM software that can produce OFFSET and RASTER toolpath?..Do Inkscap have these toolpaths?If Yes then we can move forward...else you have to get the cheap software for doing this...Or you have to make a plugin like Gerry did in AutoCad...


and yesterday I tested GCODE QUILTER with 90,000 lines of code and it took 1second only... I am still optimizing it... Meanwhile I am working on Hardware too...and for the time being producing drawings for embroidery machine only...

Meanwhile I am also working on this Quilter Program to convert the industry standard DST Format into Gcode... and surprisingly 90% code is written for it and i am tweaking it... So You can Use Sophie(The great Free Program) to make the embroidery work, export the code in DST Format, and then Use my Quilter Program to convert the DST format into Gcode...

Sophie has industrial standard sewing stitch vectors , and I forsee the future is for hobbiest
I will be happy if you keep posting here...

[Khalid]

Yes...Yes..Yes.. I got it... The DST file has been cracked...Attach is the DST converted file just came out of Quilter Gcode Program... You can run the file on NCplot and take the feels of stitching.. It is real embroidery a Now...

The following images represents a sample of the Lady in Sophiesew program...I exported in DST format..and generated Gcode... The output is Perfect in NCPLOT...

Now we can say that we are able to perform embroidery work with our Mach3 /EMC/Kcam controlled CNC...

Now my Quilter Gcode Software can work with:
1- The data from Vectric/Artcam or anyother Program in the Form of Gcode generated by my postprocessor
2- The DST format from any embroidery program.

[Switcher]

Yes...Yes..Yes.. I got it... The DST file has been cracked...Attach is the DST converted file just came out of Quilter Gcode Program... You can run the file on NCplot and take the feels of stitching.. It is real embroidery a Now...

The following images represents a sample of the Lady in Sophiesew program...I exported in DST format..and generated Gcode... The output is Perfect in NCPLOT...

Now we can say that we are able to perform embroidery work with our Mach3 /EMC/Kcam controlled CNC...

Now my Quilter Gcode Software can work with:
1- The data from Vectric/Artcam or anyother Program in the Form of Gcode generated by my postprocessor
2- The DST format from any embroidery program.

WOW!

Great job Khalid!

I know that was a lot of work to convert the DST file to g-code.

In the g-code sample (111.txt) you posted, what's the M03-M04 (spindle) for, do you need that?

Also the DST file you posted only shows the ladies skin path, will each thread color be a separate g-code file?

I realize your still tweaking things, something I found when working with vb.net, & exporting text (.txt) files, it helped me reduce the size (KB) of the text file by removing repetitive bits of g-code example: "G01", & blank space between code. Most times those two things would reduce the file size by almost 1/4%.

Will you keep the Z-axis (Z1) moves, like in your sample g-code file?

Keep up the great work, looks like the hard part is done!

[Khalid]

Thanks Switcher,
Yes Last Night I did not have rest, a lot of coding and tweaking ...

I will replace the M03 and M04 with something like Threadin, threadout or something like that, and will make a Macro in Mach3 that will give you options to change the threads per the above Macro... Also I will introduce some Keywords that will remind you which colour thread you have to insert in the next threadin option... This will be a difficult part but I hope I will do it...

The G00 and G01 will remain their... For example you have 4-petals of flowers with same thread color..You need G00 to have a rapid move to the next Petal...

The Z1 will be placed in each next line move like following ( currently it will only increase the file size so i didn't implemented it)

G01 X1 Y1
Z1
G02 X3.1 Y2.3
Z1

The File I posted contains all the colour and complete output from DST File.... As NCPLOT don't know about Macro so i didn't put the ThreadOut/Threadin command in it..

[Khalid]

Here is another example... Now the code contains the color informations... The Machine will stop and will tell you on the Mach3 Screen , what color to put into needle.. Its a great success...

[Khalid]

I worked on X/Y- carriage drawings and tomorrow i will cut the easily available Aluminum Profiles...

[Khalid]

I am currently Planning to Make a simple GUI for the embroidery application... I plan to add following functionalities

1- The User will open the DST file
2- The File will be read and displayed in Picture Box with some information (Total No of stitches, Height and width, No. of Colorsetc)
3- User will be given a choice to add some special G&M code at Top and Bottom of the Gcode (Like G21/G20, G90, G64, M30) ..Here I need your Inputs

4-On the basis of selection the Gcode will be generated in the Right textbox.

Now,
I currently thinking of to store each Design and its Gcode in a database... So that you can retrieve later on... We can sort the design with Design No. or File Name...

Any Suggestion at this time?

[Khalid]

Now this program is standalone..You no need to work with Vcarve Pro or any CAM software..If you have embroidery file (abundant on internet) you can generate Gcode from it...Some work has been done to display the Gcode in Picture Box, and some initial Gcodes...

[Switcher]

Khalid,

Looks good!

Is this your workflow, to create custom embroidery designs & get the g-code:

1) Raster Image (jpeg, bitmap, etc...)

2) Sophiesew (.dst file)

3) Your new conversion program (g-code)

Keep up the great work.


.

[Khalid]

You are absolutely right Switcher, The workflow will be same like you have mentioned..However, I will try to search for a program that takes the DXF as a foundation and work as an outline Stitch... I wish Sophiesew can do this ......

I will later add some more file supports like HUS, KES , PES etc... this is because their is no information of Colours in DST format.. It just tells us the Number of colors, Not the colors itself..

EDIT:
Two drawbacks of Sophiesew :
1) It is Crashing Often and Non-reliable software (atleast For me)
2) We have to make design from scratches..No Vector Import functions

My Machine Building is in Progress, soon i will post some pictures....

[Switcher]

You are absolutely right Switcher, The workflow will be same like you have mentioned..However, I will try to search for a program that takes the DXF as a foundation and work as an outline Stitch... I wish Sophiesew can do this ......

I will later add some more file supports like HUS, KES , PES etc... this is because their is no information of Colours in DST format.. It just tells us the Number of colors, Not the colors itself..

EDIT:
Two drawbacks of Sophiesew :
1) It is Crashing Often and Non-reliable software (atleast For me)
2) We have to make design from scratches..No Vector Import functions

My Machine Building is in Progress, soon i will post some pictures....

I've read on another forum that Sophiesew was crashing a lot. I'm watching the tutorial videos now, then I'll check out the program.

From what I've watched in the tutorial videos, Sophiesew looks like it could be a very powerful program, I was surprised to see so many options for a free software.

What would be great is a program that works with the .svg extension, it's already a vector format, & almost every vector program already import/exports .svg files, like Adobe AI, CorelDRAW X4, Inkscape

[Khalid]

Added some more functionality...

1- You can add extra informations in Gcode Header
2- You can simulate the design now
3- Gcode was refined and readable. For Fast stitching The Z1 was added into new line in rapid move.... Added M7 and M9 for lighting up/Off the bulb during changing the thread in the needle.
4- Added Zoom in/Zoom Out function

[Switcher]

Added some more functionality...

1- You can add extra informations in Gcode Header
2- You can simulate the design now
3- Gcode was refined and readable. For Fast stitching The Z1 was added into new line in rapid move.... Added M7 and M9 for lighting up/Off the bulb during changing the thread in the needle.
4- Added Zoom in/Zoom Out function

Khalid,

Your doing some great work here!

Any chance you could post a .dst file that's not encrypted, maybe as a text (.txt) file, just the plain .dst without g-code?

Thanks,

[Khalid]

Khalid,

Your doing some great work here!

Any chance you could post a .dst file that's not encrypted, maybe as a text (.txt) file, just the plain .dst without g-code?

Thanks,

Thanks Switcher,
The DST and all other embroidery formats are coded in complex binary format.. You have to move bit by bit and Xoring, Anding to get the required data..One bit slip or in a wrong place and complete garbage... I don't think they have non-encrypted version or plain DST with Gcode...

I hope with the help of You all i would able to put some more good things in this program, prior to Beta release it.. Releasing the Beta version now is not that important as nobody including myself has built hardware for it to operate...

Yesterday I completed the drawings...Today , I hope, I will receive the Machine Foundation wooden structure and Off-course a low-cost Manual Sewing machine... I purchased aluminum Profiles and cut as per the dimension...

Today , Late, I will able to post some Hardware Pictures... Software is further extended and Thread Thickness has been added along with Scroll bars for Complete viewing of generated Drawing in Picture Box..

I am really enjoying the project, and keep watching here... I am 200% sure the thing will work... :-)