Unit Problems

[skipper]

Hi All,

I got my Rockcliff router working again after a long period of a crashed computer and broken z-axis.
I am having problems with getting the correct units in SolidCAM. In solidworks, I have it defauted to inches. When I created my part, it was all in inches.
Under tool settings in SolidCAM, I have it set to inches (see file). The part I created was only 4" long so I know if fit on my router table. It seems that once the code gets translated and I hit run on my machine the units are all wrong. For example, the DRO would be in the thousands or I tried it again this time leaving the part in mm and it converted it to mm which was real wrong. (.051in became .0021in) How can I get the g-code to create inch code?
Also, it seems that once the part has been created in SolidCAM, it does not let you change the units?
skipper

[Brakeman Bob]

I think you need to set your post processor up to cope with inches too. I have heard of people here in the UK who have two post processors for each machine; one in metric and one in imperial. Then again it shouldn't be too big a job to re-write your post to cough out values in imperial but the trick would be to build a facility in the post to recognise whether the CAM output is in mm or inches.

I never work in inches and haven't for nearly thirty years, so this amounts to the sum of my experience regarding SolidCAM and imperial units.

[gabert]

Check your .gpp file for xpos and ypos you can add a multiplyer after the settings

Like this ----- xpos_f = '5.3/3(*25.4)'

or whatever correction factor you need

Regards
GDG

[pinguS]

Has anyone come up with an easier solution than entering in *25.4 in the post files.

All other cam systems let you just change the option to Inch and hey, your output is in Inch, even if the part has been programmed in metric.

Ok I say all other Cam systems, I've only tried 2 others, Edgecam having the simple unit selection.

But seriously, is it really a hidden trick to just output into Inches, I mean who blanks out the Inch mode if a program has been done in metric. It should be a simple option!!!

(I know people will say change the machine to Metric, but alot of programs now in Inch. Just can be bothered too, even though the time taken to find it on a Solidcam system, I could probably rewrite the whole lot. )