Thanks for the help. I downloaded the MeshCAM trial and it works great. I had it working and cutting parts on my machine within 1/2 hour. I can't believe how inexpensive it is.Originally Posted by ger21
From the downloadable manual
"When working with a 3-D solid, TahlCAM does not recognize the faces and
edges. In order to use Pathfinder to create a tool path, the edges of the cut
need to be defined with lines and arcs. One relatively easy way to do this is to
draw the lines and arcs using the edges to define the locations. Another is to
copy the edges to another layer. Elevations can be adjusted to the raw stock
levels after the edges of the cuts have been defined by using the previously
defined techniques."
It seems like TahlCAM is basically a 2-1/2D package only.
If you need 3D toolpaths from both AutoCAD meshes and solids, check out MeshCAM at http://www.grzsoftware.com
Gerry
Mach3 2010 Screenset
http://home.comcast.net/~cncwoodworker/2010.html
(Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
Thanks for the help. I downloaded the MeshCAM trial and it works great. I had it working and cutting parts on my machine within 1/2 hour. I can't believe how inexpensive it is.Originally Posted by ger21
Hello Gerry, Edmund here, seems like Im following you around :-),
Gerry or any other member, I have autocad 2000, and I have just downloaded TahlCam software into my autocad program, but I find when activated I have no flyouts visible, only the drop down window, can anyone explain how to get the flyouts?, the only flyouts I get at start are the group with layers and run fast and hide program,
.................Edmund..............
Edmund
Edmund,
Do you mean that the drop down Tahlcam menu is "greyed out" except for the Start and Group selections?
You need to name and save your drawing, then select Start from the Tahlcam menu.
Bill
Originally Posted by wjbzone
Hello Bill, to your first answer, its yes
Your second answer is, I do that and a window opens (tahlcam startup) I fill in the details and click OK, it returns to the drawing screen and there are two parts, on the left 2/3rds of screen is run clipboard, and on the right of screen 1/3rd, is the drawing, the only flyout group on the screen is hide, layer toggle, layer toggle2, isolate finder, and run fast, I even manage to enter my licence code, but there are only one group of flyouts,
At this time I have the program working, I have a circle in a SW isometric screen and I have the tool cutting a circle on screen, so its working, but no flyouts, I have it downloaded on another computer and all of the flyouts are visible, so it has to be something Im doing wrong,
Edmund
Edmund,
Sounds like your main TAHLCAM toolbar is not turned on.
-Right click any toolbar
-Select Customize
-In the dialogue box, under Menu Group, select Tahlcam.
-Check the toolbars you want to display. (you have the CamUtility displayed)
I usually check the TAHLCAM, CamUtility and Run toolbars.
Take a look at the others - you may find useful.
Also, your "run clipboard" (at the left side of the screen) is detachable. you can move and resize it. Click on the bar at the top and drag.
Bill
Bill, you are a lifesaver, thank you so much,
Bill, is there a way I can join up the lines of a drawing in autocad into polylines, when I run selection, the tool path in TahlCam cutviewer only travels around half way and stops because there is a gap in the path,
Also, when I click TahlCam, and run selection, a autocad message appears informing, the dialog requested by an autolisp call was not found in the list of active dialog boxes,it was working last night, this has only started since I loaded the flyouts,
Thanks again for your time Bill,
Edmund
Use the PEDIT command.Originally Posted by Holmes_ca
Gerry
Mach3 2010 Screenset
http://home.comcast.net/~cncwoodworker/2010.html
(Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
The main Tahlcam toolbar has a PATHFINDER button. Use that to create your tool paths. When you click it, notice the command line options:
Select near path startpoint or [finderTmp/Fuzz/Setup]
Typeing a F here allows you the enter a value for the maximum gap between endpoints. Pathfinder will continue the path as long as the gap is less the this value.
Once pathfinder creates a path (or paths), and you are happy with it, use the create group button to name and save. The group can then be placed on the clipboard.
Hello Bill and Gerry, its me again, Edmund,
I have reached the stage,......... of drawing a part in autocad and changing it to a DXF file, now I have a image of cutter in cutviewer that travels to a point on the part and travels around the outside returning to the start,trouble now is I have a lot of squigly lines at the start and end of run and when cutter reaches the end of cut, the cutter does a lot of loops and circles and winds up cutting into the part, I have tried to trim the squigly lines but am unable to, so I try a erase but that erases all the drawing, can you give me some suggestions?,
Oh yes, I loaded a .250 cutter and got a window informing me the radius was 3 times smaller than the cutter radius so I entered a smaller cutter and still get the message but its only 1 rad now, I believe the squigly lines evolved from that problem,
.............Edmund...............
Edmund
Repeat messageOriginally Posted by Holmes_ca
Edmund
Can someone inform me if I have posted this question in the correct forum?Originally Posted by Holmes_ca
Edmund