[lance-ftw]

so,

I run a wizard, set up the 'default support bridges' on my model and the tool paths cut AROUND the freaking bridges, whats the point in bridges if it's just going to cut around them? I can work around it obviously by putting my own bridges when I model then using a subsegment to make sure it doesn't cut around them but really? it treats the support bridges like the original model and just cuts em out like everything else. Just wasted 8 hours of machine time (my own fault really, I should have noticed in the toolpath that it was going around the bridges) because of this and while I blame myself, it doens't make it any less frustrating that it handles support bridges this way.

[txcncman]

Welcome to the world of CNC machining and CAM software. Some users will like/want things one way, while other users will like/want it differently (and the different softwares like/want to be different). Just be glad you are only dealing with one CAM software right now and not 3 or 4 different ones.

[lance-ftw]

well, I'm hoping with my controller software the 'ahead' or 'skip' functions work like i think they do. I'm 'guessing' that if I pause the operation and skip ahead in the code it'll just skip some of my tool paths. If I can catch it at the last layer and skip the perimeter cuts it'll leave a 5mm wall section on the outside that should function as a support while it cuts out the middle.

Lesson learned. I'll be defining my own support bridges and not using the default setting in the wizard for now on. I"ll just model them into the part directly and sub segment to make sure they stay there.

[lance-ftw]

well, I mananged to abort and skip some paths to save the part, thanksfully... lesson learned.

[awerby]

I hate it when that happens. Next time, make sure the ends of the bridges extend past the machining segment. You can edit the default bridges so they do that, if they don't do it automatically.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[Lennings]

Lance, back to your first post in this thread:
there you say that after you used the wizard the support bridges were cut loose. That should not happen: the wizard has been designed to make proper settings. Have you made any changes after finishing the wizard ?

Can you email us (the info@ address for DeskProto) your STL file and step-by-step description your interaction with the wizard (and of course which wizard) ?
When this is indeed a bug then we need to be able to reproduce it in order to make a fix.

Lex.

[Lennings]

We finally found out what was wrong: Lance-ftw indeed had found a bug in DeskProto. When using the 'Basic 3D wizard' and adding support bridges, these were cut loose, so completely useless.
At that time I could not reproduce the problem as I only tested with other wizards, where the use support bridges is an absolute need. My mistake !

Now at last, after a second bug report, the coin has dropped and we could fix the problem (make the wizard automatically change the border settings when support bridges are used).
Information about the bugfix build can be found on DeskProto >> support >> Build history: list of releases and included fixes (Build date 2013-07-08, Revision 3571).