basic step for tube development with SW

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Smims
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 1:12 am

basic step for tube development with SW

Post by Smims »

Hi, I don't own Sheetcam + rotary yet but i'm wondering how complex it is to create G code from a square tube drawn on Solidworks 2014 (this version does not include unfold surface) so I suppose I have to segment(split) the tube in a corner's midpoint then convert to sheetmetal with K factor of 1? to avoid outer surface stretch? then unfold the part, export as dfx in sheetcam rotary. Set tube dimensions in SC and manually target features to cut (are there auto cut feature?). Is it correct? How long does it take to code from SW a simple square tube with both end cuts with few holes in it(when you know what're doing)?

Wondering if Les could let me try rotary plug in demo, I doubt it come with SC demo avalable on his website

Thanks a lot for precision, could not find any subjects with theses basic informations
jim1108
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Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:19 pm
Location: New Mexico, USA

Re: basic step for tube development with SW

Post by jim1108 »

I have not worked with square tubing or Solid Works, but the rotary plug-in has 3 settings: round pipe, square pipe, and flat sheet. I use the round pipe feature from time to time milling extra material around a boss or lug along the circumference of the part. First, the features to be milled are drawn flat in CAD, accounting for the circumference of the work diameter. I use DraftSight myself. Then import the dxf into SC and go from there. I had a trial version of rotary and when it's time was up, I bought it. I takes some time to figure out how to set it up because there is no documentation on it, but it works well when you get the hang of it.
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Les Newell
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Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 8:12 pm

Re: basic step for tube development with SW

Post by Les Newell »

Yes, I'm afraid you will have to split the tube. It is best to split it half way around one of the corners.

I'll send you an evaluation license by email.
Smims
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 1:12 am

Re: basic step for tube development with SW

Post by Smims »

Ok Thanks to Les to let me try this demo. This work very well. The way it works is as I described on my first post.

With some tutorials I followed, I've see several CNC in action and multiple times I see the torch making a contact (crash) into the part, then retract and pierce (plasma). Are there a reason to do this or it's a bug the guy have with post processor? *ok that was probably a floating head but the head was bending

Also I'm questionning about integration with mach3. Are step motor hard to configure(#step for a complete turn?)? Questionning because I saw a video and the guy had to change step count to every diameter tube he cope(I think he has swapped Y axis for rotation=round tube). That's something I would not go into. I just hope mach3 convert "A180.00" to #step for half rotation, not more complicated than this. I would not flail my diy project because it get over complicated when it come to make this runnning!
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Les Newell
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Re: basic step for tube development with SW

Post by Les Newell »

Smims wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 1:13 amWith some tutorials I followed, I've see several CNC in action and multiple times I see the torch making a contact (crash) into the part, then retract and pierce (plasma). Are there a reason to do this or it's a bug the guy have with post processor? *ok that was probably a floating head but the head was bending
This is deliberate. The torch is mounted on it's own slide. Once the torch hits the work it moves up the slide until it operates a switch. From that the controller can work out the exact height of the top of the sheet. Steel sheet is seldom perfectly flat so this is needed to take any variatins in heigth into account.
Also I'm questioning about integration with mach3. Are step motor hard to configure(#step for a complete turn?)? Questionning because I saw a video and the guy had to change step count to every diameter tube he cope(I think he has swapped Y axis for rotation=round tube). That's something I would not go into. I just hope mach3 convert "A180.00" to #step for half rotation, not more complicated than this. I would not flail my diy project because it get over complicated when it come to make this running!
The rotary plugin does this automatically. You just tell it the diameter of the tube and it then does the calculations needed to output the tube angles. Work out how many steps are needed for one complete revolution and enter that in the steps per unit box in Mach3's motor tuning. In SheetCam edit your post processor and set unitsPerRev to 1.
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