Hi Peter - new query - is it possible to create a pocket (eg square) with text inside it that is left proud (ie it pockets the space between the square and the text outline) ?
Certainly yes. Select inside and outside lines both, then create pocket. Clipper algorithm will exclude inner shapes from outside shapes to calculate the pocket (odd/even algorithm finds shapes inside shapes and alternates which to assume inside and which outside - very clever see below, pocketed around the A but also clever enough to know to pocket the inside of the A in that case (;
Magic, thanks again for the very quick response. I was getting some interesting results - I hadn't realised I needed to select "merge geometry" and I had to experiment with stepover - but looking good now
Another question, Peter - can't seem to go smaller than 20mm height text, can I change these settings ? Got to make some labels for a friend's boat switch panel.
Could it be that you can't go smaller because of the bit diameter that you use? Maybe a smaller bit diameter will let you make smaller letters?
I can't find a mechanism - the bit diameter's set after inserting the text, text size starts at 20mm. I'm using a bit diameter of 3/64". I thought that previously I'd been able to set pretty much any text size. Any help much appreciated !
...it looks like the options for text size are limited to 20, 30, 40, 50, 70 - is this just a programming restriction, could the list be expanded to include some smaller (say down to 5mm height) and maybe larger sizes ? That'd be great if possible...
It could (but won't get to it in the next couple days) , but it might just be time to get your hands into some proper CAD too Try Sketchup > export to DXF using the GuitarList plugin. Or Inkscape > Convert to paths > save as SVG. More info on docs.openbuilds.com
Thanks Peter. I've been using several CAD & 3D systems and they all have their quirks that make it complicated when you're trying to do something simple. That's why OpenBuilds CAM appeals to me - it's so close to being the simple tool I need
Hey, I'm trying to generate some gcode for a DIY pen plotter I built from some old 3D printer parts, and so far openbuilds cam is the closest I can get to work. Its running Marlin 2.0 with a servo for the pen lift and I'm having some issues generating gcode properly. I generated some gcode using the Plotter settings then went through and replaced all the M3Sxx commands with the appropriate M280 commands to control my servo but I'm having an issue where it lowers the pen before a travel move as well as a plotting move, so I'm getting lines on travel moves as well as where its meant to be drawing. Has anyone used this tool to control a servo directly, or know of some settings I can look into to get it to work with my setup? Any help/point in the right direction is appreciated.
Did you replace the pen-up M3S??? With yours too? There are pen down and pen up commands. Make sure to replace the relevant commands. Also may need to add some G4 Dwells to give servo time to move to new position
Yeah, I replaced pen up and down M3 codes with my positions for my servo. Maybe I'll regenerate the code and try replacing it again, I tried so many things its possible I messed it up. I just thought it was strange that it would move to its next position lift and lower the pen then draw where it was meant to draw and carry on drawing during the travel.
Looks like it was my board processing the M280 codes before it had completed its last move. Adding a M400 right before the M280 seems to have fixed it for now.
Hi Peter, One more for the list - it’d be great to have a single line font (or one with very close lines) for engraving. Cheers Rich
We use Google Fonts: Google Fonts can't include all of them, but if you find a font that you are looking for there and it makes sense to add it overall I'd be happy to.
I have recently finished my Acro machine and have successfully completed the hello world example provided, however when it comes to doing the first job I realize I have no idea how the tool paths work or how to set them up. Glad of some help thanks
Select vectors with the mouse. Click Add under toolpaths to add a Toolpath. Setup parameters. Apply. When all toolpaths are set up, click Generate Gcode
Hi Peter, quick question about optimizing travel moves.. starting up with CNC, so not done too much, but the 2-3 previous cuts all seemed to also take strangely long travel moves, but this cut I need to do now really shows the problem... 40 holes, and it looks like a spaghetti plate! why does CAM not make the optimized travel moves, to make the job the shortest possible.. I haven't bothered to measure the runs, but I'd estimate that it is doing at least 4-5 times more travel than necessary, and maybe quite a bit more...: Maybe I'm missing something about how to set up the dxf? or is there something in CAM that I can indicate take the shortest route... as the feed cut rate and travel rate are the same, travel is SLOW!!!
Instead of selecting all and adding to one toolpath, you are in control add them each to their own toolpaths in orders that you want the machining to happen in
OK! will do that, although having CAM do it with all 40 holes would be a lot faster, IMHO ;-) Any idea what logic CAM uses to decide travel moves? If there is something "behind the scenes" that I can take advantage of during the design stage, I would surely use it... I have no idea right now of the order I made those holes in the design, but if for example, somehow the creation order is important, then I could quickly make a new layer and copy one by one to the new layer in the order I want... I'm sure it would still be a lot faster than 40 separate tool paths in CAM!
OK, so without knowing what that means, does that mean that in a DXF file, there is an order of creation? So the suggestion I made before of copying to a new layer may work? Or is this info stored with the actual polyline and therefore even if I copy in the order I want to a new layer, there will be info in the file that indicates the original creation order and therefore will still follow this original creation order? In which case, creating the lines again in a new layer, not copying & pasting, (drawing on top of existing geometry), should make a new set of polylines that will follow in the new order of creation? Sorry so specific, just trying to get my head around how the source file works, I had no idea that it actually stored the order of creation!! Thanks again ;-)
Can't say for sure, that depends how your CAD application writes the file. We just read the DXF from top to bottom. In the order that the DXF has all the entities described. Whether that equates to drawing order or some other would depend on your CAD application. Alternatively, upgrade : Vectric Products - OpenBuilds Part Store for more automation
