[DREXENG2015]

Hi All,

I have been doing all my G-code by hand for my new Haas mill, and I just picked up a copy BobCAD yesterday, because I would rather bang my head against a wall then write G-code by hand .

Anyway, the program is so easy to use it is great. I easily made a complex tool path for the topside of my part and now I need to do the other side. So basically I need to do a new "machine setup" and place another origin marker. I can't figure out how to do this, could someone please point me in a direction if there is a tutorial on this? I bet it is super simple like everything with this program, I just can't figure out where to start.

Thanks!

-Andrew

[magicniner]

You need to Add Index twice and set each index to a suitable UCS - right click each index, Re/Select and choose Top for your first and either a custom UCS or a suitable lower surface on your part to define the other index at 180 degrees.
Then add your 2/3 Axis functions under each index, you can post them separately and manually index your stock or pop it in your 4th axis and post everything,
Regards,
Nick

[DREXENG2015]

Hi,

Thanks a lot was able to get it to work!

[DREXENG2015]

I do have one concern though, when I submit this to my machine, what protocol does bobcad take to stop the program, so I can flip it over in the vise. I don't see anything in the code showing the program stopping for it to be flipped over. Any experience with this?

Thanks!

[magicniner]

If you right click one Index System and select Post Yes/No BC will supress posting for anything under it so do this with your second Index System, a red cross will appear against it to show it won't be posted.
Post & Save As to create the G-Code for your first face, then right click the supressed Index System and select Post Yes/No to toggle the setting and re-activate it for posting, do the same with your first index system to supress it and Post & Save As to generate G-Code for your second face.
You've now got two programmes thet you can run as & when you like, if you're making a batch of parts this lets you machine the first side of the whole batch first, handy if you don't have a tool changer or if it's his day off ;-)
You could also manually add a stop in the G-Code before the second feature if that suits you better,
ATB,
Nick

[BurrMan]

Or add whatever stop command your machine needs to the post processor.

[DREXENG2015]

Wow that is great thanks so much! Yeah, I would add a stop command, but for some reason I can't open the g-code editor, when I right click edit on the post nothing happens. I would contact bobcad about this issue, but I can't wait until tomorrow to call, because I need to machine this part and have it ready for this week. Thanks for you help, I really appreciate it!

Best,

Andrew

[jrmach]

You know ????????You could just do an OP1 and OP2,,using 2 different .bbcd files.....You can worry about all this other stuff when time permits,

[BurrMan]

Wow that is great thanks so much! Yeah, I would add a stop command, but for some reason I can't open the g-code editor, when I right click edit on the post nothing happens.

Seems predator is not installed correctly? Easy enough to help get that fix when you have time, come back and ask.

I didn't mean to manually edit the code and add commands. Your post processor can be edited to output whatever stop command your machine needs in the area of the code you need it. Again, come back when you have time, and we'll ask for your post processor your using and a sample gcode program (short, with a toolchange or something) and what command you want output where, and we'll show you how to get that.

[shred]

In V25, my post puts a stop in after each machine setup if more than one are posted at the same time. I'm pretty sure I never told it to do that, so it's probably by default.

[Ben S]

Is Add Index a version 25 or 26 tool? Using v24 I usually create multiple layers, each one containing a different view of the part. This works well, it just displays all the tool paths on top of one another.

[DREXENG2015]

Hi All,

Thanks for your help, I was able to make double sided programs, using the separate post saving method. Been gone all week taking the Haas mill classes. I am running into a problem, I ran my first prog and it went pretty well, but there is a section where it mills out pockets. It shows in the simulator the toolpath it should be using, and it removes all of the material. But when I take it to our machine, the pockets are not as deep as they are supposed to be, and the center of the pocket is not being removed. I am really puzzled, I am using a probing system, that probes my work and tool offsets, so the machine is being super accurate, and all other dimensions on the part are correct. Any mistake I am making must be in bobcam.

I am using z level rough/finish routines, and I have also tried flatlands, and advanced rough. I have tried reducing my stepover, and depth of cut, but have had no success. Does anyone know why the simulator may show something different than what actually happens?

Thanks
-Andrew

[BurrMan]

mm vs. inches?

[jrmach]

Make sure your top of stock(Z 0) in the CAM portion of BoBCAD is the same as the top of stock(Z 0) when you touch off your tools in your Haas.


Are you making a mistake in using the probing system ?
For the first tool try touching the tool to top of part and push tool measure offset.Is the number in the offset register the same as when you did it with the probe???

[magicniner]

Stock centre at X Y Zero and this is recognised by the machine?

[DREXENG2015]

Unfortunately, the probing is working correctly. That would be an easy fix. All other dimensions are correct, indicating that the probing was successful and work/tool offsets are correct, the only thing that is not correct, is the pockets. I did the drawing in inventor in mm, but am using inches in bobcam, it converted over successfully over to appropriate inch measurements.

Here is an attached pic.

As can be seen there are small islands in those pockets, they are not supposed to be there.

[jrmach]

I can't see in your picture too well.I can tell you Z Level strategies are more for tool paths in,well,Z.Like as in vertical.
Can you possibly upload the file ?

[DREXENG2015]

Here hopefully this .rar attached correctly, wouldn't let me upload .bbcd

[BurrMan]

Your file posts code and backplots ok using whats set as the HaasVF post processor. If yours is modified, it "Could" be that. But since it posts and backplots ok here, that indicates that it's a machine/tooling setup. Like maybe there's some type of offset applied to a tool at the machine that's not jiving with whats programmed....

Anyway....

[DREXENG2015]

Hey BurrMan, thanks for taking the time to look at that. I knew this learning curve, starting out as a noob would not be easy, but it is worth it. I am thinking the EM might have slipped in the collet, because my x and y dimensions are perfect (+/- 25um). But my z is way off for....everything.