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IndustryArena Forum > CAM Software > Alphacam > mirror issue when post process
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Posts
    5

    mirror issue when post process

    morning, hoping for some help please. i have contacted our supplier of our post processor and they cant see any issue with the way we are producing a cnc program. But the issue we are having is this, When we make a program we get one part set in to place and then we mirror and rotate the part and nest it in to place. This is just copying the part over. Then when the machines cut these parts the original comes out to the correct size and the mirrored part comes out different. Has anybody else had this sort of issue before as I cant work out why its happening, on screen everything is measuring the correct distance.

    thank you for any advise.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    89

    Re: mirror issue when post process

    IF you are mirroring the Toolpath and using Cutter Comp then the mirrored Cutter Comp will be on the wrong side of the component
    and either cut smaller or larger depending on the Comp used. AlphaCam doesn't change Comp on mirrored Toolpaths. IF this is what's happening you need to do a new Toolpath on the mirrored components.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Posts
    5

    Re: mirror issue when post process

    Quote Originally Posted by FrankCNC View Post
    IF you are mirroring the Toolpath and using Cutter Comp then the mirrored Cutter Comp will be on the wrong side of the component
    and either cut smaller or larger depending on the Comp used. AlphaCam doesn't change Comp on mirrored Toolpaths. IF this is what's happening you need to do a new Toolpath on the mirrored components.

    Morning Frank - thank you for the advice. we do use the machine comp G41 / 42 for our tooling. It had never crossed my mind about how the tool paths would be treated but that makes sense. We only seem to see an issue on the X axis. from now on i will make my first part replicated the part through out then look at adding the cutting after.

    thank you lets hope this solves this issue.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Posts
    5

    Re: mirror issue when post process



    Hey frank - we are currently using the machine comp (g41/g42) - do you think we will have the same issues if we used the G41/G42 on the tool center function ?
    thank you for the advice

    - - - Updated - - -



    Hey frank - we are currently using the machine comp (g41/g42) - do you think we will have the same issues if we used the G41/G42 on the tool center function ?
    thank you for the advice

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    89

    Re: mirror issue when post process

    Short answer Yes, AlphaCam doesn't seem to swap G41 and G42 on mirrored Toolpaths with Cutter Comp.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    45

    Re: mirror issue when post process

    Quote Originally Posted by FrankCNC View Post
    IF you are mirroring the Toolpath and using Cutter Comp then the mirrored Cutter Comp will be on the wrong side of the component
    and either cut smaller or larger depending on the Comp used. AlphaCam doesn't change Comp on mirrored Toolpaths. IF this is what's happening you need to do a new Toolpath on the mirrored components.
    WRONG!If you use dia or radius for compensation...the gcode will generate G41/G42 for each position in mirror !
    So finally the comp is the same !

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    89

    Re: mirror issue when post process

    Yes, I realized my mistake and let thread author know, must of had a seniors moment

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