Panelized Breakout Tabs

[RTP_Burnsville]

Hi,

Does anyone have an idea on how to create those breakout tabs which are used to hold small parts in a panel using SprutCam? If you are familiar with printed circuit boards these tabs are used to hold the individual parts into the larger panel substrate during manufacturing. After the parts are complete, a cutting tool is used to break out the tab and free the parts from the panel.

I need to make several various shaped parts contains a few holes. The finished parts are 0.010 in brass or copper with an overall size of about 3/8 x 1/2 inch.

What I think I am trying to do is basically use a 2d contour process with defined start and stop points. I currently have individual drawings of the parts and guess one could create a panel drawing (of sorts) with all the individual parts but that just feels like lots of extra work. It would be nice to just use the individual part drawings with some sort of processing hence my question to everyone.


Thanks

[justgary]

I know that this is of limited help...

Just draw an interrupted line along the edge of each part, then use the 2D Contour tool under Finishing. You can set it to offset from the line if you want to. But you knew that.

If you are running a sheet full of the same part and plan to start in a corner, you would only need to program a cut along two sides (the sides away from the starting corner) for each part. If the parts on a sheet are different sizes, you would probably have to cut all the way around. If each part drawing has its own cut lines, you could choose to make a toolpath or not, depending on how you wanted to lay them out.

I would probably just do what you said last, and make the big drawing. I use TurboCAD, so placing and moving items to exactly where I want them is pretty easy. I have seen some programs that make it painful for some reason.

Good luck, and if you figure out a better way, please post it!

- Just Gary

[RTP_Burnsville]

Just Gary,

Thanks for the response.... I'll give the external line a try, did not think of that, thanks.

Last night while watching some parts being cut I thought the fixture features of SC may accomplish what I am looking for as well. My thought is to create a small item in the fixture library which could be place in the path of the contour routing. I have not tried using fixtures in SC but my understanding is that the processing operations are checked again fixture placement. If that is true, then one should be able to place these special parts where ever a tab is desired and then just generate the contour operation as normal. In theory SC should not route the area where a fixture item is placed.

Note, this is just theory so will try it shortly. I will also try your idea Just Gary as it sounds easy as well.

Robert

[justgary]

Robert -

SprutCAM will indeed avoid a fixture item. That might work great. Of course, you're still drawing a part to import in SprutCAM, and an interrupted line might be easier than a 3D fixture, but it depends on your CAD program.

Regards,

- Just Gary

[justgary]

Robert -

I thought you might like to know...

I just happened to be messing around with 2D Countouring last night and had a problem with the toolpaths. They looked great in SprutCAM but whacked out on the mill. I finally figured out (after redrawing the whole part) that tool compensation is turned on by default in SprutCAM build 5.50 (look in the bottom window after clicking Job Assignment; it's the center icon to the right of each part). Once I turned that off, everything cut just like it looked in SprutCAM.

Regards,

- Just Gary

[RTP_Burnsville]

Just Gary,

Thanks for the info...

I have upgraded to version 5.51 as I was having major issues with hole drilling and other weird things. With 5.51 I have not yet had a problem with drilling or 2d contour thus far but will certainly note your comments before beating head on wall... I have completed 4 different parts with 5.51 this week all using 2d contour and things worked as expected so am satisfied at the moment.

I'll post back with results from my breakout tabs in a day or so. Thanks again!

[RTP_Burnsville]

The fixture idea I mentioned above worked well for creating breakout tabs. This is what did in case anyone else is interested....

First create a part drawing using your CAD program. After having the part defined copy the piece part to create a panel of parts. Once that was complete, created a second drawing using the first as reference to create a fixture drawing. The fixture drawing just contains small objects in the shape of the breakout tabs. Place these tabs or fixture parts where ever a breakout is to remain on the panel. When the drawings were complete use SC as usual to import the part and also the fixture drawing, define the operations and process as usual.

Robert

[justgary]

Robert -

Thanks for the update. I'll need to cut some PCB soon, so this method will come in handy.

Regards,

- Just Gary