[rwestbr]

Hi , Does anyone now how to get Predator Editor to to use the specified tool for the back plot simulation? When I run Back Plot it only uses a flat end mill for the simulation when the tool I specify is a v cutter or even a ball end.I have level 2 editor.:drowning:

Thanks,
Robert

[BurrMan]

The tooling in the backplot comes from the "Predator header". The tool is defined in there and you can find info on it in the predator help file under predator header.

This info is hard coded into your post. You can either re-type the info when getting ready to backplot, or if you use a few different tools a bunch, you could create a few copy's of your post and name them like the tooling then post with those post processors to have the tooling set in already.

[BurrMan]

Also, you can define the stock that your tooling is cutting. Save a part in BobCad as an STL then place it in "C:\Program Files\Predator Software\Common Files\Stock" THen before you backplot change the "SBOX" line in the header to read <SSTL your.STL> and presto. There is also FSTL which will define a fixture as an stl file and the backplot can tell you if your hitting your fixture.

[rwestbr]

Thank You Burrman!!!

Robert

[1234567]

I MADE A STOCK STL FILE AND IT WORKED GREAT.CAN THIS BE DONE WITH SPECIAL TOOLS TOO?
HOW ABOUT THE MACHINE CAN THIS BE ADDED? IM RUNNING A DOOSAN 4020 3 AXIS VERTICAL MILL.

[BurrMan]

Hi 1234567,
It's very cool eh! Dont forget "FSTL" for fixtures too. Very handy.

The tools are limited to what you casn define provided with the editor. But I dont think you can define geometry as a tool though (I may be mislead, this is my understanding right now) But you can define a corner rounding mill and such.

The machine can be chosen from the dropdown menu just above the editor window, then you can edit the template to have the params you want. Usually you would want to make a new one "based on the "3XVMILL" and then edit that.

There may be more. I'll look a bit deeper myself.

[1234567]

Thanks burrman

[SBC Cycle]

Also, you can define the stock that your tooling is cutting. Save a part in BobCad as an STL then place it in "C:\Program Files\Predator Software\Common Files\Stock" THen before you backplot change the "SBOX" line in the header to read <SSTL your.STL> and presto. There is also FSTL which will define a fixture as an stl file and the backplot can tell you if your hitting your fixture.

Just an FYI, when you select geometry for your stock (whether it is a rectangle or an irregular shape), an STL file is automatically created using that 2D geometry and the thickness you call out in the Stock Edit dialog. It can be found in the folder "C:\Program Files\Predator Software\Common Files\Jobs"

Just copy it over to your \Stock folder

EDIT: Anyone know how I might be able to get BCC to save this to the \Stock folder automatically? I'm thinking there is a setting in the registry that may do this but I haven't been brave enough yet to monkey around with it.

EDIT2: Notice the * symbol in the line ( SSTL STL*EXAMPLE.STL ) Predator doesn't like spaces in the file name....

[SBC Cycle]

Hi , Does anyone now how to get Predator Editor to to use the specified tool for the back plot simulation? When I run Back Plot it only uses a flat end mill for the simulation when the tool I specify is a v cutter or even a ball end.I have level 2 editor.:drowning:

Thanks,
Robert

It sounds like you need to update the way your output_tool_list command defines your tooling. You may be missing some important lines in your post processor file to do this. If you care to upload your post processor file we can take a look.

[BurrMan]

Just an FYI, when you select geometry for your stock (whether it is a rectangle or an irregular shape), an STL file is automatically created using that 2D geometry and the thickness you call out in the Stock Edit dialog. It can be found in the folder "C:\Program Files\Predator Software\Common Files\Jobs"

Just copy it over to your \Stock folder

EDIT2: Notice the * symbol in the line ( SSTL STL*EXAMPLE.STL ) Predator doesn't like spaces in the file name....

I did not know that! That is weird Shtuff.

Thanks for the tips SBC!

[SBC Cycle]

I did not know that! That is weird Shtuff.

Thanks for the tips SBC!

No problem Burr. When the scripting is finally implemented I'm hoping I can change the header to automatically pick up the .STL with the path and all that. It will have to be parsed to eliminate spaces and add the asterisks but it will make backplotting a breeze.

[rwestbr]

It sounds like you need to update the way your output_tool_list command defines your tooling. You may be missing some important lines in your post processor file to do this. If you care to upload your post processor file we can take a look.

Here is the post I use , its mach3 Mill, I believe the problem is with the post because some files it works fine and some others do not.

Also I noticed after the header line N1 it has a line that calls for absolute and then incremental coordinates

Thanks
Robert


%
O100 (PROGRAM NUMBER)
(BEGIN PREDATOR NC HEADER)
(MACH_FILE=4AXVMILL.MCH)
(MTOOL T3 S1 D.0625 H1.125 DIAM_OFFSET 3 = .0313)
(MTOOL T1 S1 D.125 H5. DIAM_OFFSET 1 = .0625)
(SBOX X-.0173 Y-.0334 Z-.25 L3.4072 W3.4072 H.25)
(END PREDATOR NC HEADER)
(PROGRAM NAME - HANSONFINALSERIES13_1.NC)
(POST - HAAS VF - 4TH AXIS)
(DATE - TUE. 08/11/2009)
(TIME - 08:17AM)
N1 G00 G17 G20 G40 G49 G80 G90
N2 G00 G91 G28 Z0.
N3 G00 G91 G28 X0. Y0.
( FIRST CUT - FIRST TOOL)
(JOB 1 EQUIDISTANT OFFSET)
(FEATURE EQUIDISTANT OFFSET)

[SBC Cycle]

Ok, here's the Mach post modified. I added lines 698-704, these lines setup the variables that are used when you call output_tool_list. Then I changed line 110 to use these variables. You can see in your old post that "S1" was hard coded in. Now it is a variable and the system should automatically put the right one in depending on what the tool shape is (1: Flat 2: Ball, etc.)

The code you posted here doesn't appear to match what is in the mach post file. The mach post has 3AXVMILL.MCH in the header area and the code you posted has 4AXVMILL.MCH (also the sample code says you are using the HAAS post) I used the new mach post on one of my part files and here is the header that I got:

(BEGIN PREDATOR NC HEADER)
(MACH_FILE=3AXVMILL.MCH)
( MTOOL T1 S2 D.5 H2.625 A0. C0. DIAM_OFFSET 1 = .25)
( MTOOL T2 S1 D2. H2.25 A0. C0. DIAM_OFFSET 2 = 1.)
(SBOX X0. Y-1.9685 Z-1.9685 L2.7559 W1.9685 H1.9685)
(END PREDATOR NC HEADER)

%
O100
(PROGRAM NUMBER)
(PROGRAM NAME - XX-XXXX-064.NC)
(POST -  MACH 3 MILL)
(DATE - TUE. 08/11/2009)
(TIME - 09:19AM)

N01 G20 G40 G49 G57 G80 G90 G91.1
N02 G53 Z0.

Anyway, if you are using multiple posts always make sure they have lines 698-704. These came from the Bird over on the BobCAD site. On a final note, you may want to go back through your post and make sure that all the lines are in numerical order. It really doesn't effect the way the post works but there are some circumstances where there are duplicate lines in the post. It's easier to track them down if they are all in order. Good luck.

[rwestbr]

I loaded up the modified post and all I can say is THANK YOU SO MUCH for your outstanding help!!!I am not sure how I ended up with that screwy post?
yours works flawlessly!!!
U R the MAN!!!

Robert

[SBC Cycle]

Thank you. I will now take this time to thank the Bird and user Allen and Burr on the BobCAD forum (they're here too). They pointed me in the right direction.

[rwestbr]

I would also like to thank them..........THANK YOU GUYS!!!!

Robert

[Ed from NY]

It's very cool eh! Dont forget "FSTL" for fixtures too. Very handy.

I tried out the stock STL file and that is very cool indeed.

Can you elaborate a bit more on how to use FSTL?

How do you go about it? You draw your fixture and save it someplace as an stl file I suppose... then you tell predator to pick it up somehow? Once you manage to do that, how do you position the stock in relation to the fixture? Do you get to pick different colors for stock and fixture?

What is the best way to represent clamps and other obstacles?

This is cool!

Thanks!!!

[BurrMan]

Hi Ed, The fixture STL will work the same as the stock. When defined, it will appear "Yellow" in the backplot and the stock will be blue.

The way you position it is in BobCad. You draw the fixture with the part in it. So if you have a table with to clamps that hold a "dohickydyfod", then draw the table and the clamps and the dohickey all in place. Also draw geometry that represents the stock, then save them out individually as the STL into the Predator common files stock folder. THen produce a toolpath on the part that you have and post it. Edit the NC file with Editor and add the lines in.

The easiest way to do that would be after you have your entire drawing with everything included, open a new drawing and copy the fixture geometry with Ctrl+C and then switch to the new window and Ctrl+V it in. Save the STL. Do the same for the Stock. Then in the header, put an SSTL Yourstock.STL and an FSTL yourfixture.STL on seperate lines and it will use them.

Does that make sense?

[BurrMan]

Here is a file in its simplist form. Seperated by layers to illustrate. THe fixture can be as elaborate as you need with clamps and bolts and chicken wire or whatever. COpy and paste that geometry into a new window and save that stl. Same with the geometry that is on the stock layer. THen hide those 2 layers and toolpath the CAD layer which would be your part you want to cut.

Then do the backplot and define the FSTL and SSTL.

This file was done with the latest build, 1463, so you will need that patch to open it.

[Ed from NY]

It works!