Trouble with Toolpath in Visual Mill 5.0

[johnnieb47]

Having trouble with a project. We normally use artcam insignia for the majority of our projects because it is so easy to use on most of the basics shapes, cuts and parts that we have been making. Recently, someone broke into our shop and stole our laptop with our artcam program, saves and the all important dongle.

So, we designed the next 6 parts we needed to make in Rhino 4. Since we do not have rhinocam, we exported the files as DXF files into Visual Mill 5.0. We created the toolpath and ran a successful simulation within Visual Mill. We post processed our work into a shopbot file. When we run this post file in Shopbot, we have several errors in the tool path starting almost immediately. None of the command lines include M3 for movement direction. I have compared the posted file with another working file and found a lot of differences in the command lines.

Has anyone had problems with post process files from visual mill. If so could you explain the problems you are having and maybe how to fix our problems.

I have included one of the parts as a DXF file. I am trying to create a toolpath for this part using a .25" end mill bit. Our material is .75" thick and 96" by 48" piece of plywood. We were going to make three passes in the material stepping down .25" per cut. I can also send the vmp file from visual mill and the post processed shopbot file if it helps.

I am looking for someone that can explain why we are having this problem and I am willing to pay someone for their time and effort to convert this file to a workable toolpath for my shopbot machine.

Thanks for any help and let me know what kind of compensation you would need to help make a toolpath that we can use.:D

[dana_swift]

John, I dont know anything about Visual Mill, but I opened your file in Aspire and it indicated you had open vectors. I suspect Visual Mill requires closed vectors the same as Aspire.

Look to see what facility they have to fix open vectors. There is a menu option in Aspire for that.

Not having closed vectors makes the concepts of "inside" and "outside" undefined. So asking the tool to cut around the shape makes no sense to the software. It looks right to a human, but that is not good enough.

Hope that helps-

D

[ken_rychlik]

I don't agree with Dana. I believe if it had open vectors that it would not toolpath and simulate it.

The post is going to be the issue.

You did know that the shopbot will accept G code didn't you?

[Mike Windsor]

I had to tweak the post processoer for VM 5 when I used to use it . --I think the problem I had was that the speed was put out in inches per minute instead of IPS . also check the file in shopbot part editor and make sure that there is not a C5 tool number on the 2nd command line . --if there is you can just delete the line of put a ' in front of it . I've been using VM 6 for the past two years and have no problem with the Post in it .---- thats all I can remember about VM 5 . --I use Aspire for all of my 2 D toolpaths , and VM for the 3d ones . I like the extra toolpath strategies that VM has for 3d , but aspire is a lot easier to use for 2 d , and does a better job at healing imperfect vectors .

[johnnieb47]

Dana, Kenneth and Mike, thanks for looking at our file. I sent the file to MecSoft support and they post processed the file in VisualMill 6 and didnt have any problems running the program. I tried their file on the shopbot and the machine wouldnt run the file.

Have since forwarded the file to frank in shopbot support for reviewing. I did post the file in G-code as well and had the same issues but this was in visual mill 5 not visual mill 6. I have talked to others and it seems the problem may lie in VisualMill 5. Apparently VisualMill 6 doesnt seem to have these issues. I also tweaked the code and removing some unnecessary lines. Even with the tweaks, the shopbot was not able to run the program. So long and short, I am still unable to run my program.

I will be looking at Aspire as an alternative today and will post any updates or progress.

Thanks for everyone's help and please post if you have any other suggestions.

[ken_rychlik]

If your parts are basic 2d parts, Vcarve pro will do. Aspire has 3d if you need that, but otherwise it is the same program.

[lcolburn]

We have VisualMill 6.0 as well as RhinoCAM, and I've used them a few times to run our ShopBot. I had to do some pretty extensive editing to the provided ShopBot post before it would work with our machine, but once I got it running I haven't had any problems.

Most of this can be done in the post editor in VisualMill 6.0- I had to change the feed rate scale factor and a few other things, and I still have to manually edit the posted file to get the spindle RPM in the right place.

Also I haven't been able to get VisualMill to post files with the .spb extension, but the ShopBot software seems happy to read files with a .txt extension as well.

Not sure if it's all pertinent, but just thought I'd share my experience in getting VM to run the Bot. It can be done and it's great where simple raster-based 3D strategies won't work.

[johnnieb47]

lcolburn and ken_rychlik, thanks for your posts. I did start editing some of the files in the shopbot editor. there were quite a bit of difference in a shopbot file that works and the post process by visual mill 5.0. visual mill tech support said that 6.0 worked much better than 5.0 but editing was still necessary.

going ahead and replacing the stolen artcam insignia software with artcam express and will grab the add ons as needed. fairly low entry level program that we have used for a year or so considering the alternatives. Base price is $149. Let me know if you know of any alternatives to artcam express in the same price range. do have rhino 4 and have started to do more part design in rhino but post processor add on, rhinocam is $1000 and artcam insignia is $750 for upgrade.

thanks again for your input, have a great week.

j

[ken_rychlik]

If you are looking for basic 2d cutting, vectric has a program called cut2d. I think it is 149.00

You can download it free and look at it. vectric.com

[johnnieb47]

Thanks Kenneth, looking for some basic 3d cutting as well and artcam express will handle it. Appreciate the input and will take a look at it.

j