[timmyb199]

can the software be used without the hot wire method(hence a bit in a router??) maybe a really dumb question but he congrats i wish i could program. good luck

[moreil]

can the software be used without the hot wire method(hence a bit in a router??) maybe a really dumb question but he congrats i wish i could program. good luck

Not really. Driving a cutting bit it a totally different problem which requires a very different set of calculations.

Something that interprets G-code would be more suitable for driving milling machines.

[slipery]

WOW! GREAT WORK.

I am not really into R/C modelling but I was looking for software to drive a foam cutter to make paterns for metal casting. Where does your program get its input from can I use Autocad to produce a file that your program will then read?
I am also fairly new to CNC so please excuse me if this is a DUMB question

[moreil]

It takes input from .dat files. These are basically a text file with a list of (X,Y) co-ordinates to move the wire to.

I'm unsure how you can convert an autocad file to a .dat file but i do belive that it's possible.

[moreil]

22-Oct-2006:

1. Bug: Couldn't handle .dat files in decimal points in locales that use a decimal comma. Now tries both the local setting and en-US for parsing numbers in .dat files.
2. Bug: Floating point round errors could result in the manual-move dialog incorrectly warning about the step rate being too high. Added fudge factor.
3. Bug: The File/Open dialog would incorrectly attempt to open the file if the dialog was closed by pressing the ESC key.

Released 1.0.18

21-Oct-2006:

1. Fix bug where is the manual move dialog was closed by the cross botton, then trying to open it again caused an exception (crash).
2. Fix bug whereby an exception was raised if your tried to do a manual move that exceeded the maximum step rate.

Released 1.0.17

[moreil]

I just release 1.0.20.

This is a brown-paper-bag release. I was getting confused about why the About box was still broken. So I downloaded the release and released that I have been uploading the wrong .zip file for the last 5 versions. doh!

So I've effectively released 1.0.15 five times. Very sorry about that. Serious brain fade.

I just downloaded 1.0.20 and made sure that it really is 1.0.20!

So this is the first release since about 1.0.15 that actually fixes any of the bugs mentioned. Oops.

[moreil]

Released 1.0.21: Mostly more small polishing items.



1. Bug: wasn't correctly calculating the maximum move speed when doing geometry extension (i.e. all the time). Fixed.
2. Feature: No longer errors when trying to move too fast. Instead, just warn about it and reduce to the maximum move speed.
3. Internal: Use a proper 3-d point to handle wire endpoints. This simplifies the geometry handling.
4. Feature: In the wing/advanced tab, you can now turn off spline interpolation.
5. Bug: The 'cut seperate beds option' didn't handle washout.
6. Bug: Dihedral angle setting was broken.
7. Bug: The 'basic height' box wasn't quite working right. It's supposed to set the relative heights of the alignment points.
8. Feature: On the tip+root tabs, display the relative height of the alignment point.

[moreil]

Just released 1.0.22

Highlight is the excellent work by ColinH putting the GUI ship-shape. The result is better alignment of the various controls, and the tab order is now more sensible. He also basically re-wrote the manual move dialog and make it a good deal more useful.

Details:

:

1. Bug: Very slow moves happened too fast (overflowed the pause value if more than 255 interrupts in a row were skipped).
2. Internal: Found the issue with a zero trailing margin and foam offset. The start of the cut is the same point the wire moves to, causing a duplicated point. Need to find a good way to fix this.

30-Oct-2006:

1. Feature: (written by Hutchcj): Manual move dialog much improved. Prettier, has both absolute and relative positioning.
2. Feature: Hutchcj: Able to do split manual moves (i.e. move first X then Y, or vice versa).
3. Internal: Changes manualmove to use a Wirepath object instead of repeatedly calling delta_move().
4. Internal: Hooked up the pre-heat pause that Hutchcj wrote.
5. Feature: Able to set a speed of zero. This is interpreted as maximum speed.

Todo: Instant cancel, by clearing the motor queue.

Todo: Internal: In the Board object, count the number of motor steps to work out the current position, so that if the user hits cancel, we can accurately return to start position. This will also enable the display of where we're moving to.

Todo: Bug: Using linear interpolation throws an exception.

[moreil]

Released 1.0.23.

Unfortunately this release needs an update to the kernel driver. This process should be something like: Select 'Tools/Uninstall driver', then exit FCut, wait a bit, and then restart it. FCut should then detect that the driver is missing and install the new version. You may need to repeat this process (I can't get windows to reliably stop the current driver).

Highlights in this release are probably: Continuing cleanup of GUIs (thanks Colin!), being able to pause and continue a cut (the bit that needs a new kernel driver), and the change to a treeview in the GUI (this is paving the way for spar cuts being added).

This release has only been lightly tested, so proceed with caution.

Details:

5-Nov-2006:

1. Feature: Moreil: Added ability to set washout on root as well as tip.

4-Nov-2006:

1. Bug: Moreil: Fix being able to remove a wing (broke it when adding treeview code).
2. Feature: Moreil: Add context menu to wing item in treeview. Currently only has 'Delete' in it. Finally made it work.
3. Bug: Hutchcj: Fixed Cancel button in Options tab
4. Internal: Hutchcj: Removed maximise and minimise from Options dialog
5. Internal: Hutchcj: Made Options dialog fixed size
6. Internal: Hutchcj: Made Cut dialog fixed size
7. Internal: Hutchcj: Updated ApplicationSettings->PropertyBindings to dummyCuts checkBox
8. Feature: Hutchcj: Hooked up Disable Warnings checkbox


2-Nov-2006:

1. Feature: Hutchcj: Added disable warnings in Options dialog
2. Feature: Hutchcj: Added Show Splash Screen in Options dialog
3. Bug: Hutchcj: Added OK button to Options dialog
4. Bug: Hutchcj: Update Cut and Manual Move dialog boxes (removed minimise, maximise buttons)
5. Feature: Hutchcj: Adjusted machine layout to suit 1024x768 res, nudges up the X and Y a little.
6. Feature: Moreil: Display the position we're in the process of moving to in the Cut dialog.
7. Feature: Moreil: Can pause and un-pause the wire motion via Pause button on the cut dialog.
8. Bug: Moreil: The cut dialog stays on screen until the wire stops moving.
9. Internal: Moreil: The tabbed control on the main form has been converted to a treeview instead. This is paving the way for the addition of spar cuts.
10. Bug: Moreil: Rounding errors were accumulating during the cut resulting in the wire not quite returning to the exact position it started. Fixed. And fixed again. And yet again!
11. Bug: Moreil: Hooked up options for not showing the splash dialog, and supressing speed warnings.

[John Lindsay]

I don't understand why my table information doesn't get saved? Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I can't seem to find it.

After programming an airfoil, there also doesn't seem to be a save here either.

Finally it appears that the Y initial move to get to the correct starting point, is so fast that the steppers can't start, they squeal loudly and then the x axis moves into position. That move is also faster than the normal cut speed. Since it is by now traveling through the foam, the wire drags until the actual airfoil section

This software is looking great, and the motions are clean. I may be asking for things you haven't had a chance to create yet, so consider this as just asking. Keep up the great work!!!!

John Lindsay

[moreil]

Just released 1.0.24. This adds more cleanups from Colin, working config saving, and a 'max move' speed box in the machine form.

John, setting a lower max speed should fix the 'squeal' problem you're seeing with your steppers.


WARNING: I've not cut anything with this release, so testing is non-existant. Let me know ASAP if I've buggered it up.


15-Nov-2006:

1. Bug: Moreil: Managed to delete the code to auto-save the machine description at some point. doh. fixed.
2. Feature: Moreil: Catch PM_CLOSING to ensure that the settings are saved when the program is closed.
3. Bug: Moreil: Managed to mess up the size for some of the controls. repair.
4. Feature: Moreil: Added 'max move speed' box to machine form. This allows setting a lower speed for out-of-foam moves.

9-Nov-2006:

1. Feature: Hutchcj: Added Icons for Open, Save, Cut and Cut To File
2. Bug: Hutchcj: In manual move on angle cuts, turned off Separate Cuts.
3. Internal: Hutchcj: Removed default filename on dialog open/save.

6-Nov-2006:

1. Feature: Hutchcj: Added angled cut feature in Manual Cut dialog.

[BMTECH]

Keep up the good work, I will be downloading the file very soon & giving it a try.



Rick

[erase42]

Hi guys,
Not sure how Ive missed this up till this point. Ive been cutting foam commercially for almost 3 years, and Im very interested in any new software.
Ill have to read thru all the posts to see what the status of it actually is but it looks good so far. It seems that some of the software ive looked into was adapted for use by foam cutters but gave more thought to milling and router uses. Will it be more geared toward wing cutters, or will it be possible to cut entire blocks of foam into mouldings like I do now. Ill be watching closely. If you would like to see a sample of one of my cut files let me know.

Thanks

Ed

[moreil]

I would be interested in seeing that. Right now, it's fairly targeted at what I cut, but complex shape cutting is high on my list to add soon.

[John Lindsay]

Mike,

I just tried out the latest release (.24.1) and you have indeed fixed the Y axis position problem, however you have broken the x positioning! Thats right, the x axis now squeels after the Y axis positions, then it starts the cut.

Bummer!

I ran some CMM tests on the resulting airfoil and the data came out excellent! I have to get a better handle on the different kerf at different speeds through the foam, but that seems to be the only thing left to do. You have done an outstanding job on the math.

Question, Is is possible to separate the shells by running the wire horizontal at the moment the x direction is changed at the leading edge? The distance is available as the leading edge margin. You could then reverse direction for the same distance and continue the curve the rest of the way for the bottom of the airfoil. Just another suggestion. I guess this should be optional.

Keep up the great work. This keeps getting better and better.

John Lindsay

[John Lindsay]

I started using version 22 to cut some real wings, and ran into a problem with the chord being too short. Version 24 was accurate but the x offset didn't work hence my attempt to use 22. Using the CMM again, I found out that the airfoil shape didn't match the template from compufoil. It was too short, and seemed to be a little fat.

Once again, version 24 didn't have this problem, only the x offset issue.

The data was an SD7037 airfoil, no skin or other offsets, no dihedrial, no twist , no anything.

I'm going to try and download the source code tomorrow then learn c# and see if I can join in the development. I'd love to help out

John Lindsay

[dpuch]

VERY nice work!

I thought I would mention this software should work well for a wire EDM machine as well. Perhaps adding in options/functions for an EDM would be a good idea.

I have never run a wire EDM, but basic differences I see:

• Wire is usually vertical with coolant running down the wire.
• Wire is moving to keep from wearing it out.

As is it probably would work fine. Wire speed, Wire feed, and power are probably constant or have similar issues as cutting foam. Changing some dialog labels may be nice for the different machine orientation and material cut.

I haven't tried the software yet, so please forgive me is any of this is addressed.

Some other suggestions:

• I noticed a VERY early comment about syncing the 2 end profiles strictly by length. If nothing further has been done, might I suggest automatic sync points at any corners, and a button to turn on/off the display of where they are. You could also then add manually inserting points, and adjusting the automatically inserted ones.
• An idea for an automatic check that is only partly thought thru...

An automatic check to see if the wire crosses any point on either of the end geometry. This assumes the end geometry do not cross each other, or the comparison view arranges them that way. Not easy to explain, and probably harder to code... Think of a simple example of a straight , tapered airfoil. If the wire is not in sync at the trailing edge (one end on the top, and one on the bottom of the airfoil), it cuts into the middle of the trailing edge.

[moreil]

Just released 1.0.25. Just minor bug fixes, except for the more serious bug that John Lindsay found and fixed. (the initial move into the foam was the wrong speed).

Note that this version has _NO_ testing done on it. (My foam cutter is in pieces while I build my mill), so any feedback on it's ability to cut foam would be appreciated.

12-Dec-2006:

1. Bug: (John Lindsay): Found incorrect maximum speed move to start of cut.
2. Internal: Moreil: Moved controls to handle large fonts.

19-Nov-2006:

1. Internal: Hutchcj: Update Application Info
2. Internal: Hutchcj: Resize Machine form to match other forms
3. Internal: Hutchcj: Update MainForm to set minimum size for other forms

[shrthang]

Hello Moriel. Just curious where your project is currently at. I'm very impressed with the work you've done. I'm not sure what you're background is and what your main use for hot wire cutting is, but I've been custom cutting foam for over 10 yrs now. I've done some pretty amazing work to date. You can check it out at www.revolutionaryminds.com.

I'd be very interested in checking out this program you've created and if it does what you've described, I guarantee I'd be able to line up Canada's largest foam manufacturer to consider purchasing is from you. They produce EPS, but they also custom cut the product. They have 8 plants that each have large CNC hot wire machines, but the software is very outdated and tolerences when cutting sharp points has always been a big problem. Having software that could automaticaly adjust temperature would blow them away.

Look forward to hearing back from you.

[rc_flyer]

Good Morning.

As John said, the software keeps getting better and better. Amazing programming in this short of time.

Found 1 minor problem and 1 major problem.

Major: More high speed posoitioning problems. When cutting a tapered wing, such as a fin/rudder sectoin, the high speed out of foam move to get to the tip TE just sits there and buzzes, like the x and y entry moves did before. Cuts great after that, but in the wrong place.

Minor: when using the TE margin, after the cut the program must check the TE margin value twice instead of once, because it goes past the y zero point by the TE margin value.

Request: Would be nice to have the 'serarate block' cut the foam to wing pattern, such as tapered TE or LE or whatever, instead of just square.

Thanks, Don