Enroute Pro 4

[Grant Nicholson]

I have just begun working with a Techno LC4896 powered by Enroute. It would be great to encounter other users of the software!
Hopefully it's appropriate to post this in this forum...
Grant Nicholson

[tgm]

Grant,
Call or email me anytime to discuss Enroute. We have been end users for the past 5 yrs runnning a Multicam Pro Series 102, 5x10, producing architectural millwork on a daily basis using Enroute.
You can call me anytime at the office at 814-734-7364 or just email me at thomas(at)edinborohardwoods.com.

Good Luck,

Tom in PA
www.edinborohardwoods.com

[Grant Nicholson]

That's great - thanks!
My first question - is it possible to create a full 3d model and flip it upside down in enroute? I'm wanting to simulate a 4th axis by glueing up a block of wood with equal sides (I'd machine this to make it accurate), carving into one side then flipping it over to carve the other side.

The fellow who gave me my training said the models can't be rotated like that, but surely there's a workaround like working inside of a super thick plate or something...
G

[tgm]

Grant,

Never tried to rotate in the X-Y plane, but I'll try. For what you want to do you can just mirror the relief at a click or two, keep the same main axis and machine the other side of the relief. No matter what software you use to do this the key ingredient is 'ALIGNMENT' when positioning from one side to the other.

Good Luck,

Tom in PA

[Dan Gartin]

Hey!
I'm new to this so I hope I got the right place for this question.
We have a Multi Cam M103 and will be upgrading to Enroute 4 Pro soon. We want to import contour surfaces with our MicroScribe G2L digitizer but have no software with it. Do we need an additional software package or will Enroute accept input directly? Thanks!
dcg@custom-mobility.com

[weldit64]

we just purchased a shop sabre plasma with enroute 4.2
Right now, so far i cannot get it to import acad files in any version from release 12 up. What is the secret?
What version of autocad dwg and dxf can enroute 4.2 import?
thanks
weldit64

[weldit64]

we just purchased a shop sabre plasma with enroute 4.2
Right now, so far i cannot get it to import acad files in any version from release 12 up. What is the secret?
What version of autocad dwg and dxf can enroute 4.2 import?
thanks
weldit64

[Grant Nicholson]

Enroute has many weaknesses in terms of import/export of vector files. My opinion comes from 20 years of prepress and design using many vector programs.

My solution to the issues with enroute and .dxf importing is to open the .dxf files in adobe illustrator and save them as .ai files for import into enroute.

In doing this, be attentive to the effect of different export formats from acad. .pdf, .eps and .ai are all export options that may work. You will likely find that split paths will occur. Sometimes lines will move.

I'm going to copy/paste a description I found in a forum addressing how to export files from acad and avoid poor interpretation at the receiving end:

"The problem with Autocad programs is they draw in disconnected lines.

In order to make a shape that can be cut the shape must be a closed polyline. No line segments.

Make sure your arcs are true arcs and not faceted.

Make sure all text is outlined and that the curves are not faceted.

Make sure there are no stroke thicknesses. Draw a stroke thickness as a shape. A closed shape. Always think closed polylines.

Put in a square of a given dimension to be used to check the scaling factor. (Illustrator has a stupid habit of importing DXF and DWGs at any scale it wants even though you tell it 100%

Illustrator's artboard is 220" x 220". Make your shapes fit in scale.

Do not overlap shapes. Plotting cutters are stupid and will follow any line you have, cutting through any other shapes in its way. Stack em, notch em, split em, do what you have to do but no overlapping shapes.

Colors as fills. Strokes as shapes, also with fills. No hatching. Check that your fills hold their shape. For some reason, sometimes a second shape gets generated with a wonky outline.

Make sure you do not have stacked shapes. Multiple copies of shapes over themselves will put the knife through the paper if followed enough times. (this one catches me enough to be annoying that I forgot to check.)

Exporting as Autocad 2000 DXF usually helps with some of the other signwares like Flexi and Signlab (I always bring Autocad files into Illustrator first.)

EPS files from Autocad almost always facet the curves.

PDFs can sometimes work but again, all of the above notes regarding shapes have to be followed.

Do not forget your scaling square."



I hope this helps - I'm always amazed that these problems haven't been resolved after so many years, considering the need to use files for more than just engineering applications!