Import (convert) DXF. or DWG. into MC9

[Concealed45]

I am working on a engraving project for a emblem. I imported the image I need to reproduce into Acad and "traced" it using mainly splines to follow all the curves. Now when I use the converters in MC9 to bring my DXF in it didnt work a few tries, and then finally did without changing anything. anyway now that I have it there When I create toolpaths it wil chain with no interuptions in the chain, but when I put a tool to it and try to generate the toolpath MC will sit and "think" for over an hour. Then when its done it either tells me cutter com not successful or only show a toolpath on a very small portion of the part. I think there are too many construction points in the drawing because of using splines in Acad. Is there a way to simplify the drawing without losing the shape, or any other ideas ?

[Concealed45]

Really? 25 reads and nobody has any ideas to try ? bummer

[Matt Berube]

To test whether the toolpath will work, try chaining a few entities and generating it. Then after it is working correctly, add the rest of the chains.

I think to avoid errors you might want to turn off cutter compensation and disable the lead-in/lead-out options.

[Mike Mattera]

When it brings that in (splines) you'll usually get a million little tiny line segments or arc segments. You can window chain to select the contour.

Follow Matt's que: Turn off Cutter comp and Lead in/out. That's also slowing it down. It's trying to position to the left of the entire (line-art) profile and it must be colliding all over the place.

Mike Mattera

[Superman]

Have a look at the sample toolpaths "project-curves-husky.mc9" , where a dog's head is drawn on a flat plane and is engraved by selecting the wireframe geometry and then projected the path through it and onto a surface.

[Mike Mattera]

When you output the DXF file, what was the tolerance? .XXX will leave the endpoints disconnected. You could be getting chaining problems and that's what it only does a portion of the part.

Mike Mattera

[cnvenes]

try to save the file as a IGES befor you import to mastercam. I use Mastercam 8 and you have to turn cutter comp OFF to do engraving to just trace lines or curves. Also make sure that no lines or curves intersect each other, even if you have to move some lines .001 a way from others. If the design is really detailed you may have to divide the engraving into a few different paths.

[Concealed45]

I will try these ideas tomorrow. I need to leave cutter comp on I am actually leaving the image .040 height and removing all the material around it. I do think the splines came in as 1000 little sections, I cant get it to Ignore/reduce them. I dont know how you set the "importing tolerance" on the converters i guess.

Would have responded earlier and tried some of this today, but its not sending reply notification to my email.

Thanks so far

[tstom]

What about the "Create spline from curves" function it will turn a bunch of little splines into one big one as long as it will chain ...set it to change the color as you go so you know where it stopped

Also see if you have the RMNodes CHook (AltC) window in your splines and use a .005 tolerance and it will reduce the node points on your splines

You could also try retracing the spline in MC using the manual spline function
just click along every so often on your existing spline and you will see how well it is following ...when you want to stop hit enter... but create splines from curves is a lot easier

[Superman]

So you want the design raised, not sunken

Then it has to be attacked differently, you need "islands" for mastercam to be able to identify to keep the tool away ( I assume a "D-bit, or taper tool )

Your driving curves would be the one created around the base of the design ( or drafted at an angle away from the design ) your tool side angle is made to this draft angle and has to be made as design

you may find it a bit time-consuming in Mcam , but if you can create a "model" in Acad and export as a STEP , you may have quicker success when you can see what you want to make

[Concealed45]

Im still trying to lead to draw a "Model" alway done everything 2d, cant seem to catch on to the 3d stuff yet allthough I would love to be able to "see what I want to make"

I will try create spline from curves and rmnodes and see if I get lucky !

[Concealed45]

Well none of that worke for me, gonna just draw it in MC now, not going to be easy in MC