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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    17

    CAD/CAM general question

    Hello,

    I need help with generating a part to an STL file. I had a colleague of mine generate it but it was not curved, but instead angled.
    We are using DeskCNC (Carkin) to run our CNC XYZ router table, but that's a whole another issue. It will accept DXF or STL files,
    but since this is a 3D part, I was told that STL might be a bit better.

    This is generally what we want to machine:

    However, the part we are trying to machine is a block that is 4" x 4" x 1/2" thick with a cylindrical shape cut out of it so it appears similar to this:

    Attachment 298424

    Again, it is not 8" x 2", it is 4" x 4". The radius required is 5 17/32".


    So basically it's a block minus the cylindrical portion removed. I have tried several different CAD programs including FreeCAD, but could not get
    it to work. Call me a CAD dummy.

    I am attaching what I came up with for the STL file and resulting G-code (NC code).
    However, when I run this on our setup, the axes stall through DeskCNC. Maybe the
    rapid moves are stalling the motors? We have been able to cut simple parts with the
    same config, but then again this is a different type of G-Code file.

    Any hints or help are very appreciated.

    Thanks
    Mike
    Attached Files Attached Files

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    777

    Re: CAD/CAM general question

    The rapid move could be set at any figure but will be overridden by your controller softwares motor tuning if the rapid in gcode is faster. So if the motors have stalled because of the feedrate then your controller motor tuning needs adjusting.. Rule of thumb is find the speed at which the motor stalls and set the max velocity at 70% of stall speed.

    As for cad cam you could use fusion 360 which is free to hobbyists or companies that even under 100k a year.

    Being as though the part is reasonably simple it looks to
    Me as you could just output one face of the end of the part to a dxf and extrude into cadcam in any format.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    3063

    Re: CAD/CAM general question

    Parts in STL format a re usually made of of thousands of triangular meshes, which don't them selves well to most CNC machine operations. If a generic file format is needed try IGES or STEP and then generate DXFs from that.

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