Engraving on a radius

[mrcodewiz]

I have level 3 of the software and am attempting to engrave text on a radius. I am trying to engrave text lengthwise along a 1.5" diameter tube. I thought I should be able to create the text (with nc contours) and then do a goround on the text applying a Z-Profile that I created. I am using a simple font and without the Z everything seems OK but once I apply the z-profile, it just goes to heck. It seems to be cutting the depth of the profile (which is basically a section of a 1.5" diameter circle) but I only want it to cut .005 deep. Could anyone tell me how to do this?


Edited to also ask - what is a good cutter to use to do this? The engraving will be about 1/16 high and .005 deep and I am using a mini mill.

[inthedark]

The software I use, has me create a solid or surface. Then the text has to be vectorized and projected on to that surface.

From there it's just a matter of homing the machine to the part and off it goes.

[mrcodewiz]

Well if at all possible, I would like to figure out how to do this in Dolphin since I have already paid for that.

[metalworkz]

Did you check the depths:
1) of the tool being used as defined in the tool definitions
2) the depth of the engraving dialogue box
3)and I believe there is a depth overide option in the Z-profile settings?

Regards,

[mrcodewiz]

Yeah, i think the problem is with how I am applying the Z profile. I am trying to just create a slice of the tube as the Z but it looks like what I may actually have to do is create a Z profile that is exactly as tall as the letters which means I need to figure out exactly where the lettering will be on the tube? Maybe I am just overcomplicating this.

[metalworkz]

There is a good detailed help file with various options for the Z-Profile machining in the Help files. Just search for Z-profile. It should not be too hard to figure a ballpark size of the engraved area and implement it into the definition of the Z-profile to see if that will fix the toolpaths.
Regards

[John S.]

Do you have a rotary axis? If you do it's a doddle to do.

John S.

[metalworkz]

Johns question about the rotary axis gave me another idea for a work around. Even without a rotary axis one could set up the part on centers and do the engraving one line at a time providing it is to be done in lines of text and not a single big logo etc. Engrave a line of text and then rotate the part for the next line and lock the centers. The engraving locations could be layed out on the part or you could use a pointer and index each line. A step backwards perhaps but might serve as a work around in a pinch.
Regards,

[mrcodewiz]

I do not have a rotary axis - I wish I did. I think I may do the one line at a time thing you mentioned. I was also reading about how to set formulas for the Z plane in MACH3 - may try that as well.

[mrcodewiz]

Well, I decided to just do it a single line at a time. I chucked it up in a collet indexer and did it line by line using the Mach3 engraving wizard. Not ideal but it worked OK and was probably quicker than fighting with the z-profiles.

[metalworkz]

I know you probably wanted to utilize the software but I'm glad you were able to get it done with the work around. I'm glad I have several small manual machines in my shop to use for simple stuff or 'work arounds' and second operations and have really been utilizing them a lot lately. I have not done any work using the Partmaster Z-profile option yet but want to start using it so I can become more familiar with it.
Regards,

[mrcodewiz]

I was reading the manual a little bit last night. Having a cnc-rotary would have been just the ticket for this. Replacing the y axis with the rotary table. I may need to upgrade my mill a little.