Getting from Engrave to Mach3...

[ChetR]

I want to experiment with Dolphin's engraving feature.
I have my text set up and can run the tool operation.
Now I need to convert Dolphin's info into code I can run on another computer which runs my Mach 3 CNC router.
I'm sure there's a simple and probably obvious solution, but I'm not seeing it...
Thanks for any tips...

[ChetR]

Okay, more info...
I generated the engrave text "testing 1, 2, 3"
and then chose the Mach3 postprocessor.
Here's what was generated:


TITLE:
:T1 = { PartMaster Level 1 MACH3 CNC Milling Controller
Copyright (c) 2005 Dolphin CADCAM Systems Ltd
}
END:

WORDS:
:TMP = {DDDDDD.dd}
:BLOCK = {"N"DDDD}
:XAXIS = {"X"DDDDD.ddd} {"X"DDD.dddd}
:YAXIS = {"Y"DDDDD.ddd} {"Y"DDD.dddd}
:ZAXIS = {"Z"DDDDD.ddd} {"Z"DDD.dddd}
:XARC = {"I"DDDDD.ddd} {"I"DDD.dddd}
:YARC = {"J"DDDDD.ddd} {"J"DDD.dddd}
:DELAY = {"G04X"DDDDD.ddd}
:DWELL = {"P"DDDD.ddd}
:PECK = {"Q"DDDDD.ddd} {"Q"DDD.dddd}
:RPLANE = {"R"DDDDD.ddd} {"R"DDD.dddd}
:FEED = {"F"DDDDD.dddI} {"F"DDD.dddd}
:SPIN = {"S"DDDD}
:TOOL = {"T"DD}
:SUBPR = {"P"DDDD}
:REPEAT = {"L"DDDD}
:CRC = {"D"DD}
:TLC = {"H"DD}
:INDEX = {"INDEX"DDD.ddd}
:PROGNO = {"O"DDDDD}
END:

GROUPS:
:G1 = { G00 G01 G02 G03 }
:G8 = { G73 G74 G76 G80 G81 G82 G83 G84 G85 G86 G87 G88 G89 }
:G2 = { G17 G18 G19 }
:G3 = { G90 G91 }
:G4 = { G94 G95 }
:G5 = { G20 G21 }
:G6 = { G40 G41 G42 }
:G7 = { G43 G44 G49 }
:G9 = { G98 G99 }
:G10 = { G54 G55 G56 G57 G58 G59 }
:M1 = { M00 M01 M03 M04 M05 M06 }
:M2 = { M98 M99 }
END:

CYCLES:
DRILL CANNED
DRILLDWELL CANNED
NDEEP CANNED
NPECK CANNED
NPECK CANNED
REAM CANNED
BORE CANNED
TAP CANNED
ARC QUADRANT
END:

MACROS:
#N = { $BLOCK:BLOCK
IF ($BLOCK EQ 9995) THEN SET $BLOCK = 5
ENDIF }
#L = { [RAPID ? (G01) / (G00)] }
#FTYPE = { [FEEDTYPE ? (G94) / (G95) ] }
#X = { ($X:XAXIS) }
#Y = { ($Y:YAXIS) }
#Z = { ($Z:ZAXIS) }
#I = { $XCEN:XARC }
#J = { $YCEN:YARC }
#R = { ($CCLDIST:RPLANE) }
#P = { if ( $CDELAY ne 0 ) then ($CDELAY:DWELL) endif }
#F = { [RAPID ? [FEEDTYPE ? ($FPM:FEED) / ($FPR:FEED) ] ] }
#DWELL = { if ($CDELAY ne 0) then (G82) else (G81) endif }
#DWREM = { if ($CDELAY ne 0) then (G89) else (G85) endif }
#DWBOR = { if ($CDELAY ne 0) then (G88) else (G86) endif }
#RAPID = { SET [RAPID] = 2 }
#FEED = { SET [RAPID] = 1 }
#IPLANE = { if ( [CRETRACT ? (G98) / (G99)] }
#CRCX = { [CUTCOM ? (G40) / (G41) / (G42)] }
#CRCNOX = { [CUTCOM ? NULL / ($CRCNO:CRC) / ($CRCNO:CRC) ] }
#CRC = { NULL }
#CRCNO = { NULL }
#Q = { (ABS($CD1):PECK) }

END:

RULES:
:INIT = { SET $USR5 = 2.5 }
:START = { "%" eob }
:PARTNO = { "( Produced :- " $TIME " " $DATE " )" EOB
"( CNC File :- " $CNCNAME " )" EOB
"( Post Processor :- " $POST " )" EOB
"( Part Number ID :- " $JOBTEXT " )" EOB
}
:XPROGNO = { "%" EOB $PROGNO:PROGNO EOB }
:UNITS = { #N (G00) [UNITS ? (G21) / (G20)] (G17) (G90) (G40) (G49) (G80) EOB
IF ([UNITS] EQ 1) THEN
SET $USR2 = 0.0005
set $PRECISION = 0.001
ELSE
SET $USR2 = 0.00005
set $PRECISION = 0.0001
ENDIF
}
:SELCTL = { if( $LASTOOL != 0 ) then #N (M09) eob endif
UNSETALL
if ( $Z ne $ZTLOAD ) then
#N (G00) (G28) $ZTLOAD:ZAXIS eob
endif
#N (G49) eob
#N $TOOLNO:TOOL (M06) " ( " $JOBTEXT " )" eob
#N (G00) (G43) $CLEARP:ZAXIS $TLCNO:TLC eob }

:STOP = { UNSETALL #N (M00) EOB }
:OPSTOP = { UNSETALL #N (M01) EOB }
:PPRINT = { #N $JOBTEXT EOB }
:GOTO = { if( $DISTANCE > $USR2 ) then
#N #L #CRC $X:XAXIS $Y:YAXIS #Z #CRCNO #F EOB
endif
}
:GOCLW = { #N (G02) #CRC #X #Y #Z #I #J #CRCNO #F eob }
:GOACLW = { #N (G03) #CRC #X #Y #Z #I #J #CRCNO #F eob }

:SPINDLE = { #N $SPINDLE:SPIN [SPIN ? NULL / (M03) / (M04) ] eob
#N #FTYPE EOB }

:DRILL = { #N #IPLANE #DWELL #X #Y #Z #R
if ($CDELAY NE 0)($CDELAY:DWELL)
#F eob }

:BORE = { IF ($CDELAY EQ 0) set $CDELAY = $USR5
#N #IPLANE #DWBOR #X #Y #Z #R ($CDELAY:DWELL) #F eob }

:REAM = { #N #IPLANE #DWREM #X #Y #Z #R #F EOB }
:TAP = { #N #IPLANE (G84) #X #Y #Z #R #F EOB }
:NPECK = { #N #IPLANE (G83) #X #Y #Z #Q #R #F EOB }
:NDEEP = { #N #IPLANE (G83) #X #Y #Z #Q #R #F EOB }

:DRILLDWELL = :DRILL

:COOLANT = {#N [COOLANT ? (M09) / (M08)] EOB }
:CYCLEOFF = { #N (G80) EOB UNSET (G8) unset (G9)
unset :RPLANE
unset :PECK
UNSET :FEED
UNSET :ZAXIS
UNSET :DWELL
}

:GOHOME = { if ( $Z lt $CLEARP ) then
#N (G00) (G80) $CLEARP:ZAXIS eob
endif
#N (G00) $XSAFPOS:XAXIS $YSAFPOS:YAXIS EOB
#N (G00) (G28) $ZSAFPOS:ZAXIS eob
#N (G49) EOB
}

:FINISH = { #N (M09) EOB
#N (M30) EOB "%" EOB }


END:

Is this the correct code? I would have expected a list of line numbers with XYZ commands...
Looking forward to any help here...
Chet

[andre-dolphin]

Hello Chet,

What you've actually shown here is the post-processor itself, don't know quite how you got to this stage.

What you should have is the file created by the post processor when you choose the post processor icon from within CAM.

When you post process a job, the dialogue box shows you the output file that will be created, this will have a .pun extension as a default but you can change this at the time of post processing - look at the bottom right hand part of the dialogue.

When completed the output will be shown underneath the graphics area in CAM, this is the file that is sent to MACH3.

Hope this is clear.

Andre

[ChetR]

Hi Andre!
As always, your replies are knowledgeable and helpful.
Yes, I kept experimenting on my own, and finally discovered a way to creating the .pun file.
I also kept careful notes so I can duplicate the process.
I still can't do it from Engrave using PM CAM, but I can do it from PM CAD...
(Yes, I am determined to figure out the PM CAM process...)
I did a dry run on my CNC router, and discovered that the Z plane entry is important... But I was able to debug my code with a copy and replace.
(The 5" default put my router into Emergency Stop)
Thanks for taking the time to share, Andre!
Some day this stuff will become 'intuitive', but for now it's quite the challenge! ; - )
Chet

[ChetR]

Well, well, well, well....
Finally figured out the PartMaster CAM method of engraving!
Makes sense in retrospect...
It's sorta like dancing... If you know the steps it can be a beautiful thing!