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Thread: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

  1. #101
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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    So I never made that video that I promise. Sorry about that. But I thought I'd stop work for a second to upload the Cipher file so that people can try use it if they want or just use it for reference if they're making their own. You can download it here:

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5...jYtVlhiOE15dlk

    It's a script written in Python, you go to the bottom of the script and change
    - the working directories to the Gcode you want to convert,
    - the name you want the converted file to be,
    - the location you want the new converted file to be saved to
    - the tool length offset ('toolOffset' is the distance from the center of rotation to nose of spindle, 'toolLength' is the addition length of the spindle nose to the tool tip. This way you just have to measure the tool length when you change tools and plug that length into the toolLength variable)
    - tool diameter
    - your machine's rapid speed (this converter never uses G00, it just knows when G00 was given and sets feedrate in G01 to your machine's rapid rate, otherwise it goes jerky when the tool retracts (no constant velocity in G00)
    - turn on the 'tilting' boolean if you're converting a 3 axis path to a 5 axis path (IMPORTANT! If you're using 'tilting', the 3 axis path MUST have an axial offset equal to the radius of your ball-nose tool. You set this in your CAM program before post processing, then you bring that Gcode into Cipher)

    This program, I think is pretty unique and powerful. I've never seen anything that can convert standard 3 axis paths into 5 axis paths. This will only work for a bi-rotary head style machine like mine where the C axis is parallel to Z, and B is parallel to Y when everything is at 0.
    I also have a version that lets you simulate 5 axis program in 3D with the Blender modelling program, but that's much more technical to set up and I have more bugs in that one.

    I MAY still take the time to make a good explanation video, but it's not high on my priorities right now. Maybe if enough people ask me I'll do it.



  2. #102
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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Well Christian...
    ... it's sunday evening here, so I looked your script, but I really do not know anything about Python, so I've watched some video tutorials and could not make it run.
    Have this error message "SyntaxError: Non-ASCII character '\ xfe' in file standaloneNonInvTim_v05.py on line 1, but no encoding declared; see PEP 263 -- Defining Python Source Code Encodings | Python.org for details"

    Tomorrow will try to learn more about how to run Python's scripts on mac, it's for mac or it is not?

    In opposition to what you told me on YouTube, I think it will work, and in the worst case I will need some minor modifications.

    Since I have only 4 axes, in Fusion360 I only program toolpaths on the planes where my router can actually work.

    What I do think would be a problem, is that I use rotational axes in degrees, and you seem to me to be coordinated by I J K. Since I'm not very understanding with G-COde, I may be completely wrong.


    talk to you later!!

    thanx



  3. #103
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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    GOOD



  4. #104
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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Hi Christian, sounds interesting. Would love to see a video of this.
    Regards
    martin

    Martin G


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    Thumbs up Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Quote Originally Posted by marting View Post
    Hi Christian, sounds interesting. Would love to see a video of this.
    Regards
    martin
    Thanks for making me realise that I haven't shared the video on here yet. I did make it already. I understand it's still a damn lot to take in and make it actually work for yourself even if you had the exact same setup as me. But he's the video anyway, enjoy:





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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Hey, I'm thinking about putting Cipher in a website as with a more graphical interface. Do you guys think that would be a) worth my time and money setting up? b) A worthwhile contribution to the CNC community?



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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Hi Christian,I think it would be interesting to do so as this would be clearer for all viewers, however weather if it's worth your time is entirely up to how much the system meets your requirements, as every setup is an entire story of its own.
    Regards



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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Good job ChristianLL, but how about writing your kinematics as plugin for Mach, something like this guy is showing in his THREAD.



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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Quote Originally Posted by marting View Post
    Hi Christian,I think it would be interesting to do so as this would be clearer for all viewers, however weather if it's worth your time is entirely up to how much the system meets your requirements, as every setup is an entire story of its own.
    Regards
    It would definitely take some extra work and cleaning up to make it suitable for wider use. Such as support for different setups such as head/head vs head/table style 5 axis machines. I also want to write a 6 axis version for machines like the Zimmerman FZ100 6 axis machine. So I would enjoy hosting a website that offers these tools to people for free.



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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Quote Originally Posted by Tomax View Post
    Good job ChristianLL, but how about writing your kinematics as plugin for Mach, something like this guy is showing in his THREAD.
    That's a good question. My main reason simply because I don't know how to write plugins for Mach and am not too interested in learning. Another reason is that if I write it for Mach, then it can only be used with Mach. And with the poor support and slow SLOW development of Mach4, I don't want my programs being exclusive to Mach.



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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Hi Christian,
    I understand that writing plugins is a challenge for people such as us and that would be a hurdle, however as long as the CAM software is stable and reliable (such as Mach 3) it doesn't really matter if the plugin works only with one software, because you will only be working with one after all and also once you get more confident of its reliability, you wouldn't trade it with anything else, well at least this is my experience. Maybe doing a joint venture with someone who is fluent with programming / writing plugins and you test them would be an alternative? Also it doesn't need to be absolutely free, as I understand that time spent on a project is time taken away from something else, hence needs to be compensated for.

    I do hope that this has been somehow helpful as I too am building a CNC which eventually hope to convert into 5 axis, although I do not have immediate plans for it, so having said that it is not of major importance. However I would be willing to pay for the plugins (and what ever would be needed) to upgrade it.
    Regards

    Martin G


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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Quote Originally Posted by Tomax View Post
    Good job ChristianLL, but how about writing your kinematics as plugin for Mach, something like this guy is showing in his THREAD.
    Quote Originally Posted by marting View Post
    Hi Christian,
    I understand that writing plugins is a challenge for people such as us and that would be a hurdle, however as long as the CAM software is stable and reliable (such as Mach 3) it doesn't really matter if the plugin works only with one software, because you will only be working with one after all and also once you get more confident of its reliability, you wouldn't trade it with anything else, well at least this is my experience. Maybe doing a joint venture with someone who is fluent with programming / writing plugins and you test them would be an alternative? Also it doesn't need to be absolutely free, as I understand that time spent on a project is time taken away from something else, hence needs to be compensated for.

    I do hope that this has been somehow helpful as I too am building a CNC which eventually hope to convert into 5 axis, although I do not have immediate plans for it, so having said that it is not of major importance. However I would be willing to pay for the plugins (and what ever would be needed) to upgrade it.
    Regards

    I would only make the program on the website such that people can upload their gcode and have it converted to have the correct values for functions like RTCP. With this type of setup, it would be easy for me to add support for other controllers with their own specific gcode standards. If I make it a plugin for Mach3, then I'm completely tied into that and no one else can use it. If I don't have to, I won't charge money for people to use this. I want it to be my free contribution to helping move this DIY CNC world along to become better and better while being affordable. Also, I could run ads on the website to make a little bit of money to compensate time anyway.

    I do appreciate your input. Thank you.



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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    your noted in post 90 ....Here I'm fine tuning the rotary axes so that the spindle is concentric with the C axis, as well as finding 0 degrees on both axes.

    Can you provide a video on how this done.. step..s used... what this software or hardware tuned pls explain etc?



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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    Quote Originally Posted by eloid View Post
    your noted in post 90 ....Here I'm fine tuning the rotary axes so that the spindle is concentric with the C axis, as well as finding 0 degrees on both axes.

    Can you provide a video on how this done.. step..s used... what this software or hardware tuned pls explain etc?
    You could do this way:




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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    or this way:




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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    or this way




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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    automated checking alignment




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    Default Re: 5 Axis CNC Plastic Cutting Router "The CutaRouterer"

    has someone tried 2018 fusion 360 "ultimate" version ie advanced manufacturing tools, to generate g code?

    advanced manufacturing
    3+2 machining (5-axis positional) Reduce the setups required for your job by positioning the stock in different directions through a combination of A, B, or C axis motions.



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    Default

    Are you selling the them now?

    Quote Originally Posted by ChristianLL View Post
    Well I've made some more progress, however I ran out of welding wire so I have decided to get some gas instead of the flux cored wire that I've been using. Pricey stuff gas is, but it should cut down on the messy spatter that this flux cored has been giving me.

    I started welding the supports for the table surface in place and ran out half way through that. Here's some photos of them:


    I'm thinking I'll add a leg under the middle support to really give it some extra rigidity and hopefully cut down potential vibration buildup in that area. Also, as mentioned above, welding with gas should eliminate that spatter. What's left there is just what I couldn't get off easily, and that's the cleanest one.


    This is the part of the Z axis that doesn't move up and down. I drilled the holes for mounting the Y axis carriages, then soon realised they didn't fit to the gantry. A mistake on my part for not updating the hole locations in the CAD model and not checking them before printing out the drawing of the part. I had to flip this piece around and re-drill the holes in the correct locations, I hate having unnecessary holes in my creations, I hate knowing there's a messy error like that but money constraints are making me overlook it. Luckily the Z rails will cover them up quite nicely anyway. As you may be able to see here:


    More photos:



    After getting those holes re-drilled she looks all nice a pretty on the gantry there. It almost feels like I won't need to weld gussets in those pieces of angle, but I will anyway, a CNC machine can never be too rigid.

    That's it for now. I'm waiting on that welding gas for now, I've already got a bunch of end plates to cap the ends of many of the pieces of hollow section, also I need the gas to weld all the 50mm x 5mm flat bar that makes the mounting surface for all the linear rails in the machine so there's not a whole lot to do until that gas arrives. I do have a question for what may be my next update - I want to fill all four corner pieces of hollow section as well as a couple other pieces with a vibration dampening medium, I'm thinking sand. I've read through all the speculative forums about dampening and what medium to use, it seems to me like sand is the best option that won't break the bank for my machine. Anyone more informed than me who could share there opinions? Thank you.




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