Tangent plotting / CNC software (rotary cutter) * reward offered!

[aceparts]

Hi
we've had a slightly custom machine built by Marchant (more about them later). It's a TANGENT rotary cutter for fabrics. Now the problem is we're using:
Corel draw to trace the shape
Sheetcam to lay it out
Mach3 to cut and control

Can we not scrap all of the above and just have a nice and simple plotting program to do all of the above? I'll even send the best suggestion provider a £50 drink!

Thanks

Alan

[aceparts]

Ahh, almost forget to explain the problems we're having! Any curves are very 'jerky' to say the least. I'm sure a more dedicated piece of softwre would eliminate this issue?

[bostosh]

First thing you say "trace" the shape,
Is that from flat paper pattern to cad?
You can just lay a pattern flat and get a digital camera and photo it, (with grid lines to scale to) load the picture into Mastercam Art and allow it to trace automatically then with some cleanup produce the machine Gcode etc.

Are you big-time enough to afford the correct systems or a hobbyist? New at CAD/CAM?

[aceparts]

We're happy to buy whatever is required - we're on to our second machine and haven't cut so much as a finger!

[jeffrey001]

Have you tried CV setting in Mach3 instead of exact stop.

Or add a G64 at the beginning of your code


Jeff

[BobWarfield]

Don't know sheetcam, but could be the shape is simulated with a lot of little line segments and that is causing the jerkiness.

Cheers,

BW