[rstbkt]

LOL I don't know what else to call it. I have a square piece of .5 thick stock. I am trying to cut a pocket with a slot down the middle. It would be to slide a carriage bolt through so you could adjust the piece of stock. The pocket is .25 deep and the slot in the middle goes all the way through I think my problem is how I drew the piece but I'm not sure. When I thought I could cut it out by itself it shows the rapids, the dotted line between each cut but the tool path does not show for either the slot or the recess actually. I tried adding the bolt head pocket to the exterior profile only cut to .25 in but its cutting funny. The tool path for the square profile cuts on the outside but when it enters the recessed piece it switches and cuts on the outside. I tried to change it by clicking on the arrows but it wont do anything. have not even gotten to the slot yet. The slots would be open on the outside of the profile to slide the carriage bolt through. Thanks.
Jim

[Trotline]

It would really help if you posted a file. Trying to guess what's wrong from a written description of a feature probably won't help much.

Luke

[mmoe]

Something like this?



It could be done in 2d, but it's probably just as fast in 3d and you won't have the issue you describe.

[Trotline]

That's what I was visualizing until the last sentence, mmoe. The slot extends through something. Not sure what.

Luke

[rstbkt]

The slot is open on one end. I think I figured it out but I don'y know if The Cad police would like it. LOL I modified the drawing on each of the problem areas gerenrated the tool path and then put it back like it was. How do I post the file and do you want the .BBCD or the .txt. Im sure there was an easier way to do it than what I did.

Edit: I tried the manage attachments with the .BBCD and it said I had an invalid file

[Trotline]

The forum only accepts a few file types. .zip (compressed) is the standard for attaching non-photos. In Windows, just right-click the file, then click <Send to> and select [Compressed (zipped) folder].

The .bbcd file is usually best, except for Gcode issues.

Luke

[rstbkt]

Oh well that was easy. Ive been working with the software going on 6 hours. Not the same file. I have a headache from all the fun.

Edit: I have to retire for the evening. Its been a long day and I cant keep my eyes open any longer. I really appreciate you all helping me and I don't want to seem ungrateful by going to bed while you are looking for an answer to help me , but I couldn't do anything productive with any advice. Thanks so much. I'll pick it up in the morning.
Jim

[Trotline]

I made a couple of changes for you to look at. First, the upper slot I set up as an Open Pocket. There looked to be some minor messiness there in the sim of the first file. Then, I made the outer profile bridge over the slots, and just cut a rectangle. There's a new machining feature for the recess, with the original just blanked and set not to post, and the "whole profile" feature, I just altered. For the open pockets, you'll see that the outer lines are changed to dashed, to designate them as open to the feature.

This is mainly just to offer ideas. Your file looked to be usable. DON'T run this without checking feeds & speeds! I'm not a machinist, and didn't even look at them. Hope something there's helpful.

Luke

[mmoe]

I made a couple of changes for you to look at. First, the upper slot I set up as an Open Pocket. There looked to be some minor messiness there in the sim of the first file. Then, I made the outer profile bridge over the slots, and just cut a rectangle. There's a new machining feature for the recess, with the original just blanked and set not to post, and the "whole profile" feature, I just altered. For the open pockets, you'll see that the outer lines are changed to dashed, to designate them as open to the feature.

This is mainly just to offer ideas. Your file looked to be usable. DON'T run this without checking feeds & speeds! I'm not a machinist, and didn't even look at them. Hope something there's helpful.

Luke

Looks great. One thing that needs to be changed though. The inside profile need to be through. It appears to be a dovetail jig for routing guitar neck joints, so the odd shaped inside profile is meant to be removed. Perhaps another pocket and finish pass? I like the pockets for the slots, nice.

[rstbkt]

trotline- Is there a way to open up the process you did to see the whole thing. If I look at editing the profile, which is the only way I know of to look at things, I don't get to see how you set up the open pocket. This is my first part that wasn't just a simple shape with a hole or two in it. not bad for day two of using the SW. Thanks for your patience and help.

mmoe- As it is right now I need to figure out how to add to my materials list and find the feeds and speeds for different types of wood. I think I know how to add it to the materials list. Finding the needed input needed is something I have not found yet. I really haven't looked too hard yet because I have many things to learn here.
The material I picked was just something to use until then. As for making the inside profile a through cut I just thought that if I made it cut to the depth of the material it would cut through. Trying not to use up the spoil board too fast. I am open to suggestions and will apply any new teachings with giddiness.

Edit: Who would have thought. There is an open pocket video or two to watch. I'll check them out.

[Trotline]

There are 2 basic steps for making an open pocket. First, you need a dashed line to tell the feature which part of the geometry to "violate". In this case, it's just the line segment that's congruent with the outer profile. You change it to dashed by selecting the geometry, then Right-click>Modify Attributes>Line Style. Any of the dashed styles will work. Having more than one allows you to quickly differentiate them in a complex drawing.

Once the geometry is set up, you just select Pocketing, under Mill 2-Axis, and under the [Patterns] tab, set to <Advanced Pocket>. Advanced Pocket will read the dashed line and set up an open pocket operation. If you want the fancy trochoid toolpath, you'll need to check [Adaptive Roughing], otherwise it will do a simpler toolpath that follows the geometry. Note that if there's no dashed line, Advanced Pocket/Adaptive Roughing will stay within the geometry, doing a regular pocket.

You can see the settings by editing the pocket feature, but nothing actually says "Open Pocket". It's the dashed line that enables it.

One thing that I forgot to mention last night is the lower slot. You used a Profile toolpath with Standard Compensation. That works fine, but it does have a lot of settings. I'd probably have used a 2-Axis [Engrave] feature for that, just because you have less settings to fiddle with, (and possibly set incorrectly).

Luke

[rstbkt]

sweet!!. This is getting to be a little fun and not big and scary like it was a week ago!

This happens also. After watching the sim and making a change or two and reposting, The simulation is grayed out and I cant run it again. any thing I can do/
Jim

[Trotline]

I know the feeling well. It's so cool to start getting a handle on all of this stuff, and feel like you're in the driver's seat, rather than being herded around by a bunch of half-understood functions.

I've never seen the Sim be grayed-out. Not sure what might be causing that. Have you saved and re-started the program to see if that fixed it?

Luke

[rstbkt]

Yep That's how I recover from it. I save it exit the program and restart it and open the file I was working on. I'm sure its a procedural error. After re-posting And running the sim from the same window it doesn't change I guess because the sim is loaded with the previous code. I have tried 5 or 6 times and still get the same results.

[The Engine Guy]

Yep That's how I recover from it. I save it exit the program and restart it and open the file I was working on. I'm sure its a procedural error. After re-posting And running the sim from the same window it doesn't change I guess because the sim is loaded with the previous code. I have tried 5 or 6 times and still get the same results.

Are you by any chance not actually "Exiting" the Simulation. if you run the Sim and then go and edit a feature, re-compute toolpath and re-post code and then go to run the sim the sim button will be greyed out for sure, make sure you click on the "Exit Simulation" and see if that makes a difference to the problem you have.

Always use the "Exit Simulation" button before you go to make any modifications to your Features

Clutching at straws here but might just be the cause

BTW The simulation doesn`t run from the G code, it is more of a general "representation" of the part and machining taken from information in the software from the Features so it is possible that if the PP (Post Processor) isn`t setup spot on for your machine the code may not be absolutely correct.
I always use a G code Backplot software that does simulate exactly the code generated, I use the one that came with my older versions of BobCAD, Predator Editor Level 2.

Regards
Rob
:rainfro: :rainfro: :rainfro:

[BurrMan]

BTW The simulation doesn`t run from the G code, it is more of a general "representation" of the part and machining taken from information in the software from the Features so it is possible that if the PP (Post Processor) isn`t setup spot on for your machine the code may not be absolutely correct.
I always use a G code Backplot software that does simulate exactly the code generated, I use the one that came with my older versions of BobCAD, Predator Editor Level 2.

Maybe better said is the simulation is the "actual toolpath generated", where the post processor can actually change the path too. So the sim will show errors that come from BobCad and it's setup, then checking the code before it runs on the machine is a good idea too, because there is a process run by MillingPostExe.exe that could error, and also the post processor will configure the code differently.

[rstbkt]

Well I sheepishly have to raise my hand on the didn't exit the sim to make changes. So you drew the winning straw!!

Now for another problem. Should I make another post or keep on going. Its a delta between the dimensions of the drawing and the part I cut.

Edit: Never mind I found that a rail on my z carriage is a bit loose. Even though drawing 1 inch lines with a pencil yielded 1 inch lines I can see how the router pivoting under pressure would throw things off. This was built by someone else on Flea bay and I bet there is no loc-tite on the bolt.

[mmoe]

I don't think this is a topic people will be using the search for, so seems like it would be better to continue here vs. a new thread.

[Trotline]

Yeah, that sort of issue almost always comes down to either an incorrect steps/unit setting in Mach3, or a loose mechanical component.

Luke