turn off autosave, it is a well known Sketchup crasher. I have Sketchup 8, 2013/2014/2015/2016 and 2017 installed and they all benefit from having autosave turned off, I have not had a crash in a long time.
I do find it ironic that auto-save causes my Sektchup crashes, but then I am glad it auto-saved when I open the auto-saved file after the crash.
I imported a dxf file into sketch to run sketchucam for the g-codes. I am trying to enter the outside and inside cut tools, but am having problems. This is all new to me, I was wondering if there are any tutorials around. I have viewed a few and learnt somethings, but would like better documentation especially for working on imported dxf files. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.
how to import dxf and generate gcode from it and the official howto videos as a playlist.. you should also read the manual, just click the big blue question mark in the toolbar
I've done install sketchucam on SU 2017 for mac sierra and it works fine, but by the time i've draw project and go to g code plotter do not want to work, is there any solution? I look file : Gplot.exe , not support for Mac iOS
You can use UGS or bCNC on Mac, both will display the gcode for you but you have to start them outside of sketchup.
Hi, not sure this is the right place, but i am unable to install it, (sketchucam) after selecting the sketchup-stl-2.1.4.rbz file (in my download folder) in install extension nothing happens. I am expecting some kind of "are you sure" message. but nothing. zero, zilch, nada etc. Loading policy is set to unrestricted. i run 17.2.2555 64-bit any ideas appreciated. /Fredrik
well, the file to load would be 'SketchUcam-1_4d-80c0152.rbz' rather than what you mentioned above (-:
argh.. I have two different download folders on my pc.. never even checked if it was the correct file, as it was the only one.. Now i now better. It worked. thanks. and sorry, what a stupid mistake. wasted a couple of hours, could have just read the filename to know it was the incorrect one. I even copy pasted it in here! /fredrik (can we just delete these posts? pretend it never happened?)
I am at wits end with Sketchup/Sketchucam crashes...... It is really causing a lot of time wasting having to re-open and try again. I only have crashes when trying to apply pockets to the design. I have switched off Auto save, and even then it was pocketing operations that would trigger the crash when auto save was being invoked, the crashes always relate to when I am using the pocketing tool no matter what, I have never had crashes at any other time. All I am trying to do is a bunch of circular pockets 19 in total, ranging from 8mm to 18mm. Any Ideas or is it just time to move on to a different program, I do like Sketchucam and appreciate the fact it is completely free and do not want to be disrespectful to the author but I am thinking that maybe I should start investigating other applications that may be more stable, there is definitely issues either with Sketchup or Sketchucam I am not sure which. I am unable to move to the absolute latest 2017 Version cause they have only released it on 64BIt and Will have to reload my system entirely to do so. I am using Versions: Sketchup 16.1.1450 32Bit Sketchucam 1.4d-80c0152
Hi Glenn Please post your Sketchup file here for me to try. What is your bit size? Have you tried using the plunge hole tool instead of the pocket tool for round holes? They can be any size and any depth, and there are options for exactly how the hole gets cut like 'diameter first' or 'depth first'. Just be sure to mark the centers of your holes and then delete the circle you have drawn before adding the plunge holes. I draw a little triangle to the left and down from the center point. This ensures it does not interfere with the plunge hole.
Hi David, Thankyou for the reply.... I have not tried the plunge hole tool, I did not even think to try that. I am after a round pocket 30% deep so the pocket tool was the natural thing to go for. I am using a 3.175mm (1/8") Bit. File is attached. Cheers Glenn.
Well, I am not getting any crashes at all.... hard to diagnose when that happens (-: I have attached what I did. First I selected the whole drawing , right click,, phlatboyz, phlatten This makes sure all the lines are coplanar on Z=0 I set the top left 3 holes as plunge holes. My hole feature setting is 'diameter first'. This means it will first spiral bore the center of the hole, then it will do each layer from the center outward, obeying the stepover% setting. This is the best way to cut aluminum. I set the plunge rate to the same as the cut rate. Generally, plunging is much harder for milling bits to do so the feed is slower than normal cutting. BUT, I also turned on 'ramping' since this greatly eases the work of getting into the material, it also ensures that plunge holes that are larger than the bit diameter NEVER plunge straight down. The ramp moves are at 'plunge rate'. (note that this file still generates some plunge moves since some starting segments are too short to ramp.) Now, I know it is a bit of a chore to place many 30% deep holes, at first glance. But there are quick ways to do it a - lock the large hole size and just adjust the depth for each hole. b - place all the holes at 100% deep, then set the material thickness to the depth you want to cut. c - place a hole pattern. if your holes are evenly spaced you can do this directly, or you can just do a patch of enough holes for your purpose and then move them into place. Since they are all the same size and depth this is quite quick. I have also attached my .NC file for you to try, just in case your system cannot generate gcode from my file. I placed all the pockets by first selecting the pocket tool and making sure the settings are what I want. Then I used the select tool, holding CTRL, to select all the faces I want pocketed. Then I selected the pocket tool again. When you do this it instantly pockets all the selected faces. This isnot only a handy way to pocket a lot of stuff at once, but also gets you away from the constant redrawing as you roll over the various faces. That is something that can cause crashes if the shapes are complicated or broken in some way.
Thankyou David for taking the time with such detailed assistance, I will certainly give these suggestions a go. Very Much appreciated. Cheers Glenn.
Hello, I am new here and only here due to searching to download Sketchucam which I believe will help me convert dxf files to gcode to be sent to a cnc engraver. I have used your above link but it took me to "PhlatPrinter MK3" and I could find no download info for SketchUcam. I'm a total 'newby' to cnc but if my assumptions about the usefulness of SketchUcam are correct, could someone on here please kindly guide me to a dowload and or an add-on to SketchupMake. Many thanks for any possible help Dave
It may be that English is not your main language. It says in the post in the link you quoted that the download link is in the bottom OF THE POST, not the page, if that is what you happen to do. Scroll down to the end of the post and you'll find the link for the file. There are two options, one is clicking on the 'Download Link' and one is the file itself.
Hello to all. New to this forum, just joined, first post/question here. Built my own cnc in 2016, 2'x4' cutting size. 4" cutting height. Mainly made of wood, designed to cut wood. My toolchain. SketchUp, sketchucam, USG, arduino grbl. Not sure of the version. Everything works, cutting 2.5d. no complaints. Done many projects with it. Except for one annoying part that maybe experts here can help me. The gcode that sketchucam make, has these lines. M3 S0 in it. If I don't remove this line at the beginning of the code, the cnc will only function with x and y movement. The z does not work. So I always remove this line, and everything will work. Question. Is there a way to remove this without me editing the gcode file? Thanks.
You must have set your spindle speed to zero in your Parameters. I do mine manually, but in the Parameters I left it at the default of 15000 rpm. I changed mine to zero and made a quick drawin in Sketchucam. When I generated the Gcode I got the M3 S0 like you mention. % (Generated by SketchUcam V1.4d-80c0152) (Bit diameter: 3.175000mm) (Feed rate: 2540.000000mm/min) (Material Thickness: 6.350000mm) (Material length: 1270.000000mm X width: 665.0) (00000mm) (Overhead Gantry: true) (Plunge Depth first) (Optimization is ON) (www.PhlatBoyz.com) G90 G21 G49 G17 F2540 M3 S0 G00 Z3.175 X32.151 Y54.853 G00 Z0.500 G01 Z-6.350 F2540 X104.307 Y158.220 X32.151 Y54.853 G00 Z3.175 G00 X0 Y0 (home) M05 M30 % Here it is with default 15000 rpm: % (Generated by SketchUcam V1.4d-80c0152) (Bit diameter: 3.175000mm) (Feed rate: 2540.000000mm/min) (Material Thickness: 6.350000mm) (Material length: 1270.000000mm X width: 665.0) (00000mm) (Overhead Gantry: true) (Plunge Depth first) (Optimization is ON) (www.PhlatBoyz.com) G90 G21 G49 G17 F2540 M3 S15000 G00 Z3.175 X32.151 Y54.853 G00 Z0.500 G01 Z-6.350 F2540 X104.307 Y158.220 X32.151 Y54.853 G00 Z3.175 G00 X0 Y0 (home) M05 M30 % My guess is that UGS will not lower a spindle into the work area if it thinks it is not turning. That is only my guess since I do not use UGS, but it would make sense. Give it a try and see if it works..
Hello to all, new to this forum I have been using Sketchup to trace and draw model plane parts and it is great because it is simple to use. Sketchucam is also great, very simple to use and process parts, however, I have run into a problem in that when I run the code on my router the X-axis "red axis" is offset to the rest of the drawing. What am I doing wrong, any help would be great. I have attached some files. Thank you Nicholas
You need to set a spindle speed > 0 in the SketchUcam settings. The M3 Gcode tells GRBL to turn the spindle on The Sxxx tells it how fast to run it (but you don't have a speed control connected). But S0 means 'set speed to 0' which is the same as 'spindle off' so it ignores or undoes the M3 command. Now, I have run plenty of gcode with the spindle off (through bCNC to GRBL) and GRBL obeys all Z commands so that leaves UGS being 'clever' and preventing Z move when spindle speed is 0.
There is nothing wrong with the Gcode you posted. This means that there is something wrong with the machine. maybe a sticky spot causing lost steps in X, or a loose pulley or belt. BTW: What controller do you have and what software is driving the controller? If you are using UGS then check that it is not ignoring any lines of Gcode.
Hi I have tried setting spindle to 0 did not change anything. Probably should have stated this first I am using Mach3 on a win7 pc, the router is 1200x2000 c-beam belt driven on X and Y. Z is a lead screw. I don't think that I am losing steps, the sizes are all correct. Can't find any sticky spots, I have tried at different parts of the table with the same result. I have loaded some pics and files, I tried to load a .tap file but was prevented from doing that. the pic shows the result of different files that I ran, one of which was generated by Lazycam and that one works. The dimensions are all correct, but the internal tool paths are offset on the X-axis, the Y-axis is correct. The Lazycam dimensions are different because the free version can only do centreline cutting, no offset feature. Is this Mach3 not reading something or maybe I need to add something in to make Mach3 happy.
