[geneiusxie]

Hi,

I tried to get CamBam to drill over 10,000 holes in a grid pattern in sort of free-form shape and it stopped responding for over 2 hours (I went to hang out with some friends) when I tried to specify the peck distance. It was at ~33% CPU usage the whole time (on a slow dual core i7 Haswell ULV though, but I don't think a quad or hex core desktop would help much)

Is there another way to drill tens of thousands of holes efficiently? When I tried to get my controller (old Pentium computer running Mach3 under XP) to drill around 500 holes, jogging the machine had a really bad 1 second lag after I loaded the G code file (with each hole having its own line for coordinates and stuff.)

Is macro programming a bunch of evenly spaced holes in a free-form shape possible in Mach3?

[Coolant Slinger]

Post The .Cb File Here And I Will See if it Works On My Laptop.

[ger21]

Turning off the toolpath will get rid of the delay when the file is loaded.

I create my g-code with an AutoCAD macro I wrote. It takes about 5-10 seconds to create code for 10,000 holes, on a 7 year old dual core Athlon.

[geneiusxie]

I can't really upload a file if the program crashes before I make it, right?
I'll just say that I can get it to freeze by making a 100x60mm rectangle with 0.8mm hole spacing, then choose peck drilling.

Another problem is that Mach3 has a lot of lag if I load a G83 or G73, etc. drilling cycle with thousands of holes.

Hmm maybe I'll try another CAM program then.

[lancut]

I can't really upload a file if the program crashes before I make it, right?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Just upload the CamBam file it self, the file should not be that big, not before toolpath generation.

[Coolant Slinger]

Yea, what lancut said. Or just post the dxf file, and someone here will be glad to help. Don't run off to another cam software. Beleive me CAMBAM is the best value for your buck.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[Coolant Slinger]

10,000 Holes. Seriously Dude. I Have Never Had An Application For ThAt Many Holes. I'm Guessing It Is Some Artistic Stuff. I Bet It Could Be Done In Separate Files And Then cut And Paste The Code Into One File.Like I Said Post The Dxf And We Can Help You Out. Unless It.s Top Secret Or Somthing. Hey It Could Be For The Military.

[victorofga]

i think it is rather your computer issue, than program itself.

I would try to break down to smaller amounts of holes.. like 1500-2000...
mightbe moving to centerpoints and jump to subroutine..

also pending of the invidual drill paths.. if it is a simple Z down and up then it shouldn't cause any issue.. if it were peck drilling then the best is using subrutines..

also Gerry has the point the video need serious time to displaying the vectors for 10K of holes..

just my two cent..

[rowbare]

How are you generating the point list to begin with? If you have any control over the output then just export it as a bunch of g-code XY pairs one per line.

eg.
X1.0 Y2.0
X2.0 Y2.0
X3.0 Y2.5

Assuming you are using one of the canned cycles for drilling, use CamBam to set up the parameters for the first hole, generate the gCode and paste in your point list. The canned cycles are modal so all you need to do after the first one is to specify co-ordinates.

As mentioned earlier, you probably want to program in stops every so often. You will likely need to change drill bits during this process.

bob

[geneiusxie]

Alright I think it's probably my computer... I'm trying to drill an approx. 100x60mm rectangle drilled with the "offset fill" geometry with 0.8mm stepover. It doesn't freeze until I actually click the "drill" button and try to change one of the parameters.

I'm using a Sony Vaio Pro 13
1.8ghz i7 Haswell ULV
Integrated Intel 4400 graphics
8GB DDR3
256GB PCIe SSD
Running on a 1440p external monitor

I think I'll try using something besides CamBam to do it then

[zool]

This sounds like a computer problem rather than a CAMBAM problem.

My guess is the Integrated Intel 4400 graphics chip, as it uses system memory [even though you have lots], which ends up with conflicts between processing and image generation.

Also, a notebook is a problematic device to use to run g-code because of the methods a notebook uses to conserve power can/do interrupt the clock, which is what g-code depends on. I suggest an older desktop with a graphics card. I use an older pentium based computer that runs windows 2000 and never have a problem even running long and complex 3D MOPs generated using CAMBAM.

[Coolant Slinger]

Welcome back Geneiusxie. I run Cambam on a 7 year old laptop. Dell inspiron 1525. Intel core 2 duo processor, recently updated to windows 7. Haven't boged it down yet. But then again, never drilled 10,000 holes. Even countin Senior week at myrtle beach.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[zool]

Welcome back Geneiusxie. I run Cambam on a 7 year old laptop. Dell inspiron 1525. Intel core 2 duo processor, recently updated to windows 7. Haven't boged it down yet. But then again, never drilled 10,000 holes. Even countin Senior week at myrtle beach.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

It is now clear why Lloyd finds you abrasive and irrelevant. Abi.

[Coolant Slinger]

Zool,
Honestly I think that trying to drill 10,000 holes and then bad mouthing Cambam as an inferior cam software.
Not to mention sugesting to try a more capible software is quite abrasive to the readers of this forum. When people are here to help Geneiusxie he can't produce a pound of evidence namly a .cb or dxf file. We can talk all we want. But give us evidence Cambam can.t do it. If that comes off abrasive, I'm sorry for those I offendeed. And sorry about the Myrtle beach comment. It was a little off subject. At least I know which side of the fence I stand on. Cambam's side.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[zool]

Having used CAMBAM 7 or 8 years, after trying several other CAM programs, I am on CAMBAMs side too. It does 3D [STL] machining easier than anything else I tried. Learning curve is steep, but that is because CAMBAM is so versatile, and the current version is enormously capable, not only from Andy's hard work, but from contributions of so many fine CAMBAM participants.

Staying focused on the problem/task at hand, and leaving irrelevant topics for the pub, would help users like Geneiusxie continue to use CAMBAM.

AND...Geneiusxie, coolant slinger does have a point. Post the .cb file or the dxf file, and someone will solve your problem.

[Coolant Slinger]

It is now clear why Lloyd finds you abrasive and irrelevant. Abi.

Right on Zool,
And while we are waiting on that .cb. or .dxf file. Did Lloyd really say that about me. That hurt. Because he just helped me with my post processor over on the Cambam forum. I thought me and him were buddies. Now he is a really sharp guy. I think you got me mixed up with someone else.

Reguards,
Coolant Slinger