[lenny09]

I'm using Bobcad V27 and wanted to know if it was possible to import more than one STL file for Simulation purposes?
Any one know how to do this ? Is it possible in this version. My partner is usig the other license of my bobcad which is V28.

Thanks!

[MikeC8]

Create a new machine job, this will let you use a new stock stl and setup.

[lenny09]

Nice!!! Thanks for that MikeC8.

The more I use the software the better it gets. Been using Gibbscam for a few years. I've had bobcad about the same amount of time but do a lot of lathe work with Gibbs Which Gibbs does very well. But lately I've noticed I can do a bit more with Bobcadcam on the Mill portion.

I'm starting to like Bobcad better for my milling jobs.Takes slightly longer for me to program but its worth the extra time.

Thanks again!

[lenny09]

Finally had sometime to check this option out. Works ok I guess but not as I imagined. How do I get them to simulate together. Want both my STL files in the same machine with different Work fixture Offsets (Set-ups) G54,G55,G56 for example. Sometimes we have jobs that we chuck up on the indexer then chuck up on a fixture right after it's done doing the index work. Then again there might be another set-up on the opposite side of the fixture. So I would like to load a STL file for each Set-up/Job or Work fixture offset and have them both simulate together or in other words one right after the other depending on the order instead of setting up one stl then loading another STL the simulating again just to save me a few steps. Then ofcourse posting the code all together instead of merging it together.

[The Engine Guy]

Doing 2 Milling jobs you may not be able to run the code for both without doing a "copy and paste" to make one lot of code.

Just do 2 Machine setups with the offsets where you want them, simulate each seperately and save the stl files for each, now open a new BobCAD program and merge the two stl files into it and save it out again as a single new stl file.

Now you can use that stl file for the stock in your original and when you come to simulate you will have both the stl shapes for your sim in the correct positions.

May sound a little complicated but it isn`t really, once you have done it a few times it is very easy

Alternatively you can create solid models of the shapes you want in the positions you want them and also a solid model base plate, use the Boolean "Add" to make them into a single solid and select it via the "Solid Stock" option in the Stock Wizard

Hope that helps

Regards
Rob
:rainfro: :rainfro: :rainfro:

[RAF.]

Rob
Great to see your back posting again you are a huge asset to the zone!!!!!!!!!!:cheers::

[The Engine Guy]

RAF

Thanks for the kind words, don`t know if I will be able to stay on, very weird goings on, I was able to reply to this Poster but not to others at the same time and it`s been nearly 2 hours since I tried and failed to respond to your Post, very odd indeed

Poltergeist maybe ? ? ?

Regards
Rob
:rainfro: :rainfro: :rainfro:

[RAF.]

RAF

Thanks for the kind words, don`t know if I will be able to stay on, very weird goings on, I was able to reply to this Poster but not to others at the same time and it`s been nearly 2 hours since I tried and failed to respond to your Post, very odd indeed

Poltergeist maybe ? ? ?

Regards
Rob
:rainfro: :rainfro: :rainfro:

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger lately I have noticed a lot of strange stuff going on also, long delays in postings, I have gotten the blue screen of death a few times when on the forum:bat: haven't noticed in the last day or so hope it was just a fluke

[lenny09]

Doing 2 Milling jobs you may not be able to run the code for both without doing a "copy and paste" to make one lot of code.

Just do 2 Machine setups with the offsets where you want them, simulate each seperately and save the stl files for each, now open a new BobCAD program and merge the two stl files into it and save it out again as a single new stl file.

Now you can use that stl file for the stock in your original and when you come to simulate you will have both the stl shapes for your sim in the correct positions.

May sound a little complicated but it isn`t really, once you have done it a few times it is very easy

Alternatively you can create solid models of the shapes you want in the positions you want them and also a solid model base plate, use the Boolean "Add" to make them into a single solid and select it via the "Solid Stock" option in the Stock Wizard

Hope that helps

Regards
Rob
:rainfro: :rainfro: :rainfro:

That's exactly what I was trying to avoid. What version of BC you running?

[The Engine Guy]

That's exactly what I was trying to avoid. What version of BC you running?

Avoid ? ? ? ? ? ? It`s easy

I am currently running V28 latest build 3 Axis pro.

I also have V23, V24, V25, V26 all licensed and V27 unlicensed so I can try out most 3 Axis stuff

Regards
Rob
:rainfro: :rainfro: :rainfro:

[mmoe]

That's exactly what I was trying to avoid. What version of BC you running?

How are you planning on generating your stock model? Would help to know details of what you feel the ideal workflow is. Also, why it wouldn't be preferable, in your mind, to have the stock be a single entity, which is really the only limitation for setting up this kind of simulation. In practice, it's no different than if they were separate entities and if you are dealing with solid models you can have them separate until you get them where you want them, then you just "Add" them as Rob suggests. I'm not really sure what advantage having them separate would give you? Plus, with a solid model of the stock, you have the solid available to use for registration of the Machine Setup origin, since the snaps of the part will be available (except the arc-center, which I think they need to make available for that purpose so it's easy to use a pin as the origin).

When you setup the origin for each work coordinates in each Machine Setup by picking the origin and adjusting the work offset, the simulation will work properly just as it would on the actual machine, even if it's a single solid model used for the stock. There is no way a person can tell by the behavior of the simulation that there is one or multiple stock parts, it works the way it is and does a perfect job of simulation. Using just Machine Setups, as opposed to multiple jobs, you'll also have a continuous program output, or you can suppress portions if you like and output a program with specific components of each work coordinates (for those who may need to manually change tools that could be used on more than one setup). I can't picture it being any faster or easier if it were separate stock models assigned to each Machine Setup, and if anything it probably would take longer to configure than it does now. Since each Machine Setup uses the same stock, but can use it in different coordinate systems, it really doesn't matter that they share the stock. Hope that makes sense. Unless I'm missing some functionality that you are hoping for that isn't obvious to me, I can't see any reason you wouldn't be able to get what you need as Rob suggested.

I've attached a quick sample of a file where I put the stock together with the settings in the machine setups. I didn't model a fixture or anything like that, so you'll have to picture how it would work in your case. I set up the file with the standard Bobcad 3 axis Mill so hopefully you should be able to just go right into the simulation and have it work right. Let me know if you have any questions about the setup. This was done in V27, the early release (I don't have the final release), so it should work in yours no matter what release you have.

[jrmach]

Not to be a dick tracy,,,but....I don't know why exactly you want to do what I think you are saying,,,but,like Rob said,,this is easy,,,,post your .stl's and your .bbcd file and one of us will show you.