18 Things that Onecnc is missing or I figure out how to do.
After using OneCNC for just over a week now I have a list of things that I think it is missing, or I can’t find how to do, or are bad habits that I’ve had for the last ten or so years and am having a hard time of breaking. I have been a long time user of another cam package so a lot of what is in this list is based on that fact and that way of thinking.
Please if there is a way to do any of the things listed here chime in and help me out. Don’t get me wrong I love it so far, it is the easiest Cad/CAM package to use that I have seen, that ease of use maybe the very reason that some of these things in my list are not in it!
Right now we only have the Mill Express XR2 version if some of these things become options in the other levels of the software let me know.
1. Delete duplicate entities function
2. Automatic sequential tool numbering
3. Copy and past in the nc manager
4. Path options for facing operations, parallel path with lead on, off part
5. Path options for pocketing, zigzag
6. "EDIT"
7. Stock to leave in the Z direction for profiling and pocketing
8. Can not translate in EPS, Solidworks, DWG file formats
9. Extend an entity by a specified distance
10. Extract all edges of one surface or solid face
11. Threadmilling cycles.
12. Creating a box that is the size of the part, refer to it as a bounding box, also prompts if you want it larger in any direction. This function creates a wire frame cube that is the xyz extents of the model. This is useful for quickly finding the needed stock size for odd shaped parts, or moving the zero to the square corner of stock you are starting with.
13. Analyze dynamic. You select a surface (or solid) that surface is then highlighted and you then have an arrow that you slide around on the surface and it gives you the xyz and the radius of that point on the surface. If you used it in the past you miss it when it’s gone!
14. Selecting an endpoint for a z value when writing a tool path. When prompted for the z value you could right click and get a selection menu that would allow you to chose points on the geometry and have that value be inserted in the selection box.
15. Chaining options. If wire frame share an endpoint and it is attempted to be chained for a tool path the chain may branch in an undesired direction. The chain should stop at the branch point and force the user to select the next piece of the chain then continuing to the next branch point or to the close of the chain.
16. Pocketing entry style ramp-zigzag should have a min-max length parameter along with the angle parameter.
17. Option for multiple tool libraries. Example, one tool library that you set up with your most used cutters for aluminum and another for say graphite electrode work.
18. The option to have the tool plane the same as the current construction plane. So if I have a cube with work to do on two sides say the top and right side. I set my plane on the top surface program as needed. Then set the plane on the right side surface and program as needed. No need to copy the model to another level, rotate it and then program. Along with comes a movable UCS. I’m sure that this is not in OneCNC for the ease-of use factor.