[lmlamb]

khalid,

I have some new photos and a video of the machine in operation that I will be posting later today. I think you will find them very interesting.

Larry

[lmlamb]

Khalid,

I have some good news about the project. I found a macro recording package that works perfect for setting the number of steps, velocity, etc, as well as loading the pattern file. Now I am looking into re-doing the screens to more closely match the needs of the person doing the quilting, namely my wife. It looks like we will start our first quilt this weekend. Not a large project, but since it is the first, a very important milestone. I'll keep you posted on the progress, and I'll have those photos and videos on line real quick.

All the best to everyone.

[Khalid]

Khalid,

I have some good news about the project. I found a macro recording package that works perfect for setting the number of steps, velocity, etc, as well as loading the pattern file. Now I am looking into re-doing the screens to more closely match the needs of the person doing the quilting, namely my wife. It looks like we will start our first quilt this weekend. Not a large project, but since it is the first, a very important milestone. I'll keep you posted on the progress, and I'll have those photos and videos on line real quick.

All the best to everyone.

Good to know your machine is working well.. wish to see the samples... My controller card are in preparation stage as i have blown one of them due to short circuit ... Meanwhile i improved the software a bit and refine the code generation...
You can see the needle marks as i added in the software...:cheers:

[Khalid]

Added some more functionality like showing Colors and new MenuBar.. Now you can see the number of colors 'in-orders' and simulation of each color...

[Khalid]

Here is the Picture...

[CarveOne]

Very nice work you are doing with this Khalid. It looks like an easy to use interface. One of my sisters will probably be interested in this. She has a long history of doing needlework and related crafts.

CarveOne

[Khalid]

Very nice work you are doing with this Khalid. It looks like an easy to use interface. One of my sisters will probably be interested in this. She has a long history of doing needlework and related crafts.

CarveOne

hi CarveOne..Nice to see you here...Yes the Gcode generated with only 02 clicks on the button and a fraction of second.... I am sure you will make a big embroidery machine for your sister..
Currently my hardware is almost 99% complete..Still working on software to improve functionality and more information to user... Following are the snapshots of new version..

Regards

[Brian2007]

Good Morning Gentlemen

I have been building a CNC Quilter in my mind for about two years now so this thread and your work really interest me. I have at my disposal a full sized professional quilting machine, I use this machine on a daily basis and am very well aquainted with it. I have used two different CNC controlled quilting machines and both were impressive to say the least. The mechanical construction (how to connect the servos to the X & Y axis) is not challenging to me as I have a background it that area, generating a dfx file is not a problem as I have AutoCad (I work as a CNC router programer) Where I have serious issues is with getting an application like Mach 3 to generate useable G code suitable for quilting. I know that I need some kind of post processor to format the code to make it suitable for quilting. The CNC quilters that I have operated have really usefull features such as scale (I can do that in AutoCad) repeat, return to point. (this seems to me to be a must have, if your thread breaks you need to be able to return to that point and continue). I am greatly interested in your work and wish I had more to contribute but all I can do is tell you from a users point of view what would be greatly usefull.

[Brian2007]

Well this thread has rekindled my interest. I have just been working with files and patterns that I have and I keep coming up with this issue. Ok here I have a nice workable tool (stitch) path and all is well, but what am I going to do if and when the thread breaks somewhere along this path? I need to be able to restart the program 1/4 of an inch back from where it broke. When I have used a commercial CNC quilting machine I put it in thread break mode and repositioned the sewing head, it was apparently reading the position from the X/Y encoders on the servos as the cross hairs on the display would follow my movements, This made it very easy and quick to restart at the selected point, no need to run the program up to the point of failure. Also with my machine I do have stitch regulation so controlling the stitch length will not be a required feature.

[lmlamb]

Good Morning Gentlemen

I have been building a CNC Quilter in my mind for about two years now so this thread and your work really interest me. I have at my disposal a full sized professional quilting machine, I use this machine on a daily basis and am very well aquainted with it. I have used two different CNC controlled quilting machines and both were impressive to say the least. The mechanical construction (how to connect the servos to the X & Y axis) is not challenging to me as I have a background it that area, generating a dfx file is not a problem as I have AutoCad (I work as a CNC router programer) Where I have serious issues is with getting an application like Mach 3 to generate useable G code suitable for quilting. I know that I need some kind of post processor to format the code to make it suitable for quilting. The CNC quilters that I have operated have really usefull features such as scale (I can do that in AutoCad) repeat, return to point. (this seems to me to be a must have, if your thread breaks you need to be able to return to that point and continue). I am greatly interested in your work and wish I had more to contribute but all I can do is tell you from a users point of view what would be greatly usefull.

Brian,

Thanks for the kudos, this project has taken almost a year to complete, what with the research, testing and re-testing. I take it that you are looking for a post processor to handle the conversion from DXF to Gcode. That's an easy one! I use a small converter called DXF2Gcode. A simple program that allows correction of the Gcode before saving, shows the results of changes and gives a graphical representation of the pattern before making the conversion. My background is not in CNC or mechanical engineering, but is in the realm of electronics and computers. I have done some programming, so the task of learning Gcode was fairly easy. My main issue is with the macro side of CNC programming! I have been looking for a reliable macro to automate the replication of the patterns. RE: your issue with Mach3. Mach3 does not generate Gcode, it uses gcode as the pattern code. So if you have the ability to generate your patterns in gcode, the battle is almost won, now start mach3 and load the pattern and hit the start button, and watch it go. I really think that Mach3 is one of the best CNC control programs available for this purpose, as it is fully customizable and extremely flexible. Remember, I am not a moderator, expert or anyone remotely familiar with machining, but if advise is requested I will do my best to give a reliable answer. Thanks for note, I appreciate it.

[lmlamb]

Brian,

The issue with thread breakage is possible to rectify. Using an optical switch that has a light weight spring with a hook for a thread path, attached to an optical relay connected to the E-stop on the controller board will work very nicely to stop the machine. If you have ever used an E-stop switch (the big red button) you will recall that the machine stopped almost instantly. Now you might get an extra stitch or two, but that is a small price to pay for consistant start points. Then it's just a matter of jogging the system back to the point of breakage after re-threading the system. Hope this puts some ideas in your mind, and the pleasure is all mine.

[Deviant]

Watching this post with extreme interest.

I have been working off and on with my wife on her sewing machine. Existing sewing machine. Unfortunately, I didn't have to time/skill to make all the improvements that she needs. So I purchased her a new APQS machine and I'm modifying her PCQuilter to work with it.

However, I would love to be able to replace the machine with something that is a lot faster. The PCQuilter is no where near as fast as machine can run, in fact I would say that is is too slow.

It should be fairly easy to design a new carriage for the machine to ride on. I started doodling on this earlier and will probably weld something up. I'd really like to use standard components and create a custom screen for her to use with Mach3. I was leaning toward using a smoother stepper with a gecko 540 and motors at this point.

However,

I have major concerns with the conversion of her standard pantograph pattern to Mach3 friendly g code.

Ideally, she would be able to resize/rotate/repeat from inside the mach3 screen. I'm not 100% sure if that is possible. I don't have any problems with her processing the files in advance to make them Mach3 friendly.

My wife owns Pro-Q Designer, so we should be able to "save as" to the most convenient file type.

Looking at the files, the statler stitcher and the compuquilter file types appear to be the closest to standard g code.

PC Quilter

5.634 5.612
5.609 5.598
5.585 5.582
5.539 5.545 p
5.575 5.599
5.591 5.628

Compuquitler

X0.1 Y0.1
X0.1 Y0.15
X0.1 Y0.2
X0.1 Y0.25

Statler Stitcher

N10G00X0.000Y0.000
N11G03X-0.428Y-0.150I0.0018J-0.6909
N12G03X-0.282Y0.347I-1.1724J0.3386
N13G02X-0.252Y0.702I1.0394J0.4141
N14G02X0.108Y0.897I0.1227J0.4401

**These aren't the same file or even close to a complete pattern. I just don't know which of her files are public and which are copyrighted. So I don't want to step on anyone's toes.

Keep on the good work... I'll be happy to help out where I can.

-Deviant

*Edit*

You should be able to use an optical encoder mounted on a small pulley. Wrap the thread around it. If you don't receive constant pulses to Mach3, you can assume that the thread isn't moving... I.e. broke. You could use the custom Mach3 brains to pop the E-stop.

That was my plan at least.

[Khalid]

In this Version I made following changes:
1- On the Top of Gcode, added Total No. of Gcode Lines
2- Made the drawing screen background Colour Black
3- On the bottom added the color information/usage in 'Same Colored Text'
4- Now You can Animate with Cross-hair showing the exact Position of stitch.
5- You can Scroll through the Gcode and Animation Cross hair will update its Position.

[bisalju]

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2005/0145149.html

[Khalid]

Here is the Program Exe.. Still need to put the Code in Menu and SaveGcode button is not functional for the time being.. I will try to make it complete and will place here...

Just you can check and give me feedback for improving it..

The Program requires DOTNET framework and Visual Basic runtime files (Can be downloaded free from internet)

[bisalju]

Thanks Khalid,
look my post with link.

[Khalid]

I have seen the above Link.. But for me it is not important because i am working with Embroidery machine..My above software can also make you design for Quilting machines with accurate stitch regulation... For example:
1- You make a simple vector design in any free embroidery software, where you define the stitch length say 2mm..
2- Export it into Tajima File Format (DST Format)
3- With my above software convert the DST into G-code for Quilting.. I can add the support of Gcode for Quilting only..

Currently in the Gcode i added A-axis support for embroidery,,, this is because your stitch length in Embroidery in not constant for varios type of stitches like Satin and Tatima etc... So for each XY move i added one rotation of Machine wheel..

In your case i have just to edit the above software for only XY moves and no rotations..

[lmlamb]

Kevin,

It's not too hard to convert her patterns to GCode. If they are paper patterns then scan them to a PDF or a WMF file then use a free utility to convert them to DXF. I have a utility that is macro based in Corel that does the DXF conversion, then I run the DXF through DXF2 GCode, and it allows me to scale the drawing to a usable size. I find that in some cases the number of line nodes has to be reduced or the pattern will be too slow to run. I have my motors set now at 10000 steps, accel at 10. This seems to run a very decent and respectable speed. If you like I'll send you a copy of the DXF 2GCode file. I can do it with that one since it is a freeware. I know you are using AutoCad and can generate DXF files from that. I have tried to use some of the patterns found on the quilter sites, the same as the ones you are considering, and I find that many of them can be downloaded in DXF format, but some change is necessary, such as M words that control the needle up and down. The PCQ files are based on GCode, and evidently are being used with a macro or some other program that calls them externally to run them. The Statler and Compuquilter are a form of GCode as well. Obviously they are all related but seperate versions of GCode. I found that it all boils down to using the type of conversion that you are comfortable with.

[lmlamb]

Khalid,

Nice work my friend. Keep it going.

[supertechster]

Khalid K. is a name that many people will remember for years to come. I have been following this thread (and alot of other CNC stuff) for the past year, because I am really into robotics and CNC possibilities... but only last month really got VERY interested. For my wifes birthday, I bought her a 10' Machine Quilting Frame and a 16" long arm quilting machine (non-CNC). With it, after rolling the QuiltTop, Batting and QuiltBottom pieces onto the 10' long rods, she can free-hand in any direction in a 16" by 120" area, use a pantograph with stylus that fits in grooves in the wood forms, or use a small red-laser to 'trace' a 120" by 12" repeating pattern. She has gotten very good and circles, loops, swirlies, feathers and stars.. but compared to the power and accuracy of CNC, her manual skills are no match. I can no longer sit still and watch and have started collecting the parts I needed to build an stepping-motor and computer-controlled X-Y platform to put her machine on. I has to be a surprise. Imagine, ANY of over 60'000 patterns in ANY color(s), quilted across a 18" by 120" swath. Then of course, she'll have to have CNC roll advancement, speed regulation, thread break detection, 1-cycle motor operation (po pull up the lower thread and start... and ... and...
All her girlfriends are jealous. I happened to be looking for a 400Gb tape drive (LTO3 for my hobby (IT/Electronics enthusiast) and on the same page were some BEEFY, 24v 360-step(!) stepping motors and a little light went on and I changed to QUILT, and up popped the Machine and Frame, right here in my state (US) for cheap! So I called tha lady and left a message (it was 2am) and sent her an email, and the next days she called and I went and picked it up. Wife was so happy she cried, laughing, jumping and hugging me and so childlike again. OK, so I have to make this a dream machine now... no excuses. First I thought a small prototype 'Line Follower' for the laser-tracer gizmo, hooked to a small PC and some X-Y motor/controllers because even thought the Laser points down, there is reflection which can really hurt her eyes, then I thought CNC, went searching, and found your thread. If I modified her existing X-Y table, which is wood and has metal 'V' rails and bearings with some strong motors and sensible controlling software, that 'could' work, but I am not a programmer and stopped the whole thing. Now I am like her, happy and jumping and eager to buy parts and build because I found your thread. Please allow me to use your genius to please my woman? I can design, layout, etch, drill, solder and interconnect anything...and repair or modify anything electronic... but sadly I am not a programmer. You are my only hope.

I need it to move accurately Right and Left 120" and detect stops
I need it to move Foreward and Back 16"
I need it to Advance and Rewind the Quilt on the 10' long rods
I need it to One-Cycle the thread pickup and 3-4Cycle the sewing ending.
And I need it to be easy for her to use. She is already collecting patterns to use when I am done building it, and has ~20'000 so far(!!)

Thanks!