GrblGru: Free CAM and 3D-Simulation for mills and lathes

[GrblGru]

@Glass3cat
Make sure that you have selected the position of the reference point. (pic 1)
- Go to the 2D view.
- Press the right mouse button. A context menu appears.
- Select the menu item "RefPkt" and the position you want

I replaced the 2d Scale dialog with an editor function in the 2D View. Now it is also possible to scale, rotate and reposition parts of the DXF / SVG geometry. (pic 2)
- Go to the 2D view.
- Select all or just parts of the geometry.
- Press the right mouse button. A context menu appears.
- Select the menu item "Open Editor".
Now you can scale, move and rotate the selected area with the left mouse.

@BehrElec
I'm not sure what you mean by the text file. Can you please explain ?

@All
Stays healthy

[Glass3cat]

Thank you for your detailed explanation during your busy time.
I can now move and scale 2D data.
The Japanese translation of GrblGru used Language_jp.zip of the following url.
https://pc-trace.jpn.org/blog/blog.cgi?n=871

[GrblGru]

Wow, thanks for that.
I didn't know there was a Japanese translation. Can I use it in the next version ?
Who made it so I could at least thank him.

[Glass3cat]

I downloaded GrblGru Ver.3.45.10,
Language_jp.txt and QuickHelp_jp.txt from Language_jp.zip
By copying to \\ProgramData\GrblGru\Language directory, GrblGru Ver.3.45.10 can be changed to Japanese menu.

I do not know the author of the Japanese file.
However, it seems that you can log in to this site from "Login" at the following URL.
If you translate the page with Google Translate, you will see the letter "Login" third from the bottom left.https://pc-trace.jpn.org/blog/blog.cgi?n=871

[Glass3cat]

I downloaded GrblGru Ver.3.45.10,
Language_jp.txt and QuickHelp_jp.txt from Language_jp.zip by copying to\\ProgramData\GrblGru\Language directory, GrblGru Ver.3.45.10 can be changed to Japanese menu.

I do not know the author of the Japanese file.
However, it seems that you can log in to this site from "Login" at the following URL.
If you translate the page with Google Translate, you will see the letter "Login" third from the bottom left.
https://pc-trace.jpn.org/blog/blog.cgi?n=871

[GrblGru]

@Glass3cat

thank you for your reply, but I'm a little afraid to log in to the japanese forum if I don't understand a word.
I'm afraid I order 10 refrigerators.

But I will make a reference to this forum in the GrblGru manual for Japanese users.
Thanks again for your help

[GrblGru]

Release notes V3.46.0

In the new version V3.46.0 a new 3D model of a 6-axis robot arm has been added.
It is the WE-R2.4, which was designed by Jeff Kerr at Thingiverse.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3327968

For those who are interested in details about the WE-R2.4, I recommend the very good 3-part documentation by John Lauer on YouTube

In my video I describe how to integrate the model in GrblGru and bring it to life with macros.
The work showed me once again what a great help a simulation is e.g. when learning GCode.
I would be very pleased if GrblGru could contribute to transfer knowledge about CNC technology.

GrblGru is now also available with Japanese texts. Many thanks to the unknown donor.

Have fun with GrblGru

[GrblGru]

Release notes V3.47.0

in my last video I introduced how to bring robot arms to life with the help of macros.
As a small addition I would like to show that some of the GrblGru CAM functions can also be used.
For example, it is possible to have a DXF or SVG drawing drawn by a robot arm.
And this not only on flat surfaces but also on any 3D objects.

As usual, version V3.47 can be downloaded free of charge from my website.

Have fun with GrblGru

[oraswan]

I'm a hereditary carpenter and have very much to work with wood. Sometimes I have orders where I have to make big products but sometimes very small which need much time and expensive wood material. For making some savings of money I'm using tips about calculate percentage decrease on https://www.percentagecalculator.co....-decrease.html. This helps me to keep all the losses and incomes. I'm trying always to optimize the production for offering a good product for a good price.

How did you made that calculator? I may need something like that! Where can I find it?

[GMMC]

Recently download Grblgru V3.46 and would like to use the 0-code that I have seen in some presentations on the web. But, I have not been able to get the macros to run. Macro programming I understand with the Fancu Custom Macros and the 0-code appears to be mush alike.
Any help would be appreciated. I like the program very much, but, would like to make some custom macros to do repetitive tasks. Thank You in advance.

[GrblGru]

Please have a look at
https://discuss.inventables.com/t/gr...thes/44042/143

[MisterBill]

Hi. First, let me thank you for sharing your amazing software with the world. It's an impressive piece of work. I've just started learning to use it, and I want to trying to use it with my homemade desktop cnc milling machine run by a TinyG board. I'm having a bit of a problem understanding what's going on, though. I imported a simple set of five circles (the same pattern as a "5" on dice) about 3mm in diameter from Inkscape in SVG format. It shows up fine, and I can select one or all of the circles in 2D mode and define a drill job with a 3mm bit, but when I run the job (using the "Milly" 3 axis machine model) it always seems to drill the holes offset quite some distance from where they should be. I've tried playing with the RefPkt option to set one of the circles as the origin. I then switched back to 3D, moved the mill manually to where I want that hole to be, and clicked on "Actual Work Position/Origin", which I believe is what I'm supposed to do, but when I run the program, it always seems to move the table back so the machine is drilling either way in front of the workpiece, or in the wrong part of the workpiece. Since the software is doing the g-code generation itself (rather than importing it), it seems like this shouldn't happen. Can you offer any help? Thanks again.

[MisterBill]

Okay - never mind. I installed the same version on another computer and it works like I thought it should. So I uninstalled on the first machine and this time said "yes" to the question about deleting/removing the data directory. The first time on the initial machine I said "no", but maybe sometime long ago I had an earlier version of GG installed and there was something in that folder that messed with the new version. Now it simulates correctly on both PCs. Also, I hooked it up to my homemade desktop mill with TinyG last night. It was so easy I thought something went wrong! Since I had all the machine-specific parameters set in the TinyG firmware already, it was pretty much plug-and-play. I did run across an issue with GG hanging and getting the "busy" circle forever while trying to make some changes to tooling and/or the job, but I'll have to work with that some more before I call it a bug.

[GrblGru]

If you want to have a complete new installation it is always better to answer the question during the setup with 'Yes'.
When importing circles from DXF or SVG files there is the problem that circles are not saved as 'real' circles but as polygons. Polygons that describe a circle are not recognized as a circle by GrblGru.
But you can convert them to circles using the 'Open Editor' right mouse context menu in the 2D view.

Let me know if you found another error.

[GrblGru]

Release notes V3.48

after my last trips to the multi-axis robots, I would like to concentrate on the 3-axis milling machines again.
For a long time now, the wish to be able to engrave has been on my list.
Especially the production of inlays is a very attractive task for a CNC machine.

Now that the first tests have been completed promisingly, I have created a new version V3.48,
which you can now download from my website.

The complete range of topics from the 'simple' engraving to the inlay cannot be documented in one video.
Therefore here is the 1st part, in which I introduce the principle of a V-cutter and the new function V_Carve.

Have fun with GrblGru

[phobbz]

Hi GrblGru.
I would just like to say at the start of my enquiry how much I appreciate your efforts.
I am having a problem with the program when using it on my lathe.
I am trying to use the program to machine some model railway wheels and need to machine out the face of the wheel. The problem is that the finish tool path just ignores the profile and slices through the wheel rim but the roughing tool path follows the profile offset OK. I have tried every combination of setting I can think off without success.
Am I asking too much of the program. Maybe you never intended it to be able to undercut the face of the workpiece.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I also hope that I posted this question the right way. Apologies if I have got wrong.

[GrblGru]

I'm sorry. Undercuts, as you've already suspected, have not yet been intended. At the moment, I only see the possibility of using the macros for that.
I don't know if you've ever thought about that. But it's really not that hard to program GCode. And for special tasks it is often very helpful.
I use the macros a lot when turning. There is also a separate macro file for turning.

Here is a little example macro. You have to perform the infeeds manually by shifting the Z-axis.
If you know exactly how many infeeds you need, you can also program them in the macro.

[railway example]

G90 G1 F1000.0

z0.000 x-70.943
z-14,712 x-70,943
z-14,712 x-58,520
z-20,923 x-52,308
z-20,923 x-22,558
z-14,712 x-16,346
z-14,712 x-11,452
z-33.901 x-11.452
z-38,368 x-6,984
z-41,461 x-6,984

; Back to home
x0
z0

Maybe the following video will be helpful:

[phobbz]

Hi
The use of macros looks good. I have tried some basic operations on the face of the job and I think that will solve that problem. I agree that when I get more familiar with G-codes that I will be able the set up macros to make common repeatable tasks so much easier.

My next problem is to do with selecting the best tool for the task. I have discovered for the complex shapes that the choice of the tool is a compromise. It will follow the profile well on one side and not the other. I have tried different clamping angle to improve it but it is still not ideal. There needs to be a way to change tools but that brings the problem of providing offsets for the different tools based on a common origin or running the job as separate tasks with a different tool on each task with the tool reset to the same origin which I think would be difficult having machined away the point of reference.

It seems that the tool path is generated based on the tool tip and there is no radius compensation. Is this correct? I have tried to specify my own tool profile as a dat file but managed "crash" the program. There is probably something I haven't allowed for. I'll keep trying.

Also there are few things I cannot work out:
- how can I remove the "view commands" instructions from the display? Having mastered the display commands they have become annoying to be still on screen.
- what do the three #ansichuser buttons do? When I click on them the displayed objects disappear.
- the Show Preview button produces a program unhandled exception error message.
- and the Show Coordinate System button doesn't appear to do anything.

Thank you again.
Peter

[GrblGru]

Here the attempt to answer some of your questions

- Radius compensation
Radius compensation is much more complicated in turning than in milling. The size of the compensation depends on the contact point, which changes its position.
In the "Not Undercut" mode I calculate it automatically, in the manual mode you have to do it yourself. The macros or GCode refers only to the position of the axes.
The tool is not considered. I have already used a 2D editor to determine the position. You have to construct the tool and then attach it to
several points in contact with the profile. See drawing below.

- Tool change
I completely agree with you. Even with milling, it's a lot of work. And there you ONLY have to readjust the Z-position of the new tool.
Turning is even more complicated.

- View commands
Press the question mark icon in the toolbar

- User view buttons
If you press a button together with the SHIFT key the current view is saved.
Pressing a button without SHIFT restores the saved view.

- PreView
My mistake. In lathe mode there is no PreView

- Coordinate system
Also my fault. Must I change

[phobbz]

I can't believe I missed the Quick Help button.

Is there a way to slow the simulation so I can observe whether the tool contact point infringes the job profile on the finish passes as there are places where it runs too fast to see. The simulation doesn't seem to simulate the set feed and plunge rates.

Regards

Peter