programming angles

[chuckster]

I am really wanting to learn how to program angles into a peice of material. For instance, a 10" high x 40" wide peice of material with an 8 degree angle starting from the top and going towards the bottom of the material. I am currently using PartWorks V2. Any ideas?

[Gary Campbell]

Chuck...
Open Polyline tool
Enter start point x,y click add
Enter angle in degrees
enter length
click add.

You may have to practice this a few times to get the angle you want. the 8 degree line you want could be 8, -8, 98, or 82, etc. Play a little and you will figure it out. There is a better explanation in the help section.

[tlempicke]

There is most likely a reason, but it has always seemed to me that the folks who write the programs we use have gone out of their way to make this job difficult. IMHOP 12 O'clock should be 0 - 360 and then proceed in a clockwise direction But NOOOOO in many programs 3 O'clock is zero and angles are measured in an anti clockwise direction.

C'mon! It's a computer!

[dana_swift]

There are two main conventions for angles.. the one from "math class" which defines the X axis as zero and positive angles increasing counter-clockwise.

The other definition is used in mapping and navigation where North is zero degrees (or the Y axis) and increasing positive angels increase clockwise. East is 90 degrees.

Some programs use one convention and some use the other. Then there is nothing to stop someone from switching the cw-ccw rule either.

This is hardly the only place in using math where conventions between daily use (maps) conflicts with the version taught in algebra and geometry.

Sigh..

D

[Brady Watson]

There is most likely a reason, but it has always seemed to me that the folks who write the programs we use have gone out of their way to make this job difficult. IMHOP 12 O'clock should be 0 - 360 and then proceed in a clockwise direction But NOOOOO in many programs 3 O'clock is zero and angles are measured in an anti clockwise direction.

C'mon! It's a computer!

Just clock your monitor 90 degrees...Problem solved! :D

-B

[Gary Campbell]

Tom...
Those Vectric guys are in England...... need I say more??? :D

[fozzyber]

don't joke, intergraph had the first rotated display back in the early 70's, It was a regular monitor on a gimble that you could grab and rotate by hand.


Just clock your monitor 90 degrees...Problem solved! :D

-B

[chiloquinruss]

But all my clocks just have NUMBERS on them so which way is CLOCKWISE! :) :) Russ

[bleeth]

I think he is trying to program a ramp in the piece not an angled vector.
That's a 3 d operation unless he just supports the piece at the right angle and planes it flat at the top.
Whichever he want's now he has the answers!

[steve_g]

It's been over thirty years since I was teaching High School Shop (yes we called it shop then), but I'm sure today's kids (and some adults) still have problems visualizing whether "clockwise" is from their perspective or the clock's perspective!:rolleyes:

Steve

[Brady Watson]

I think he is trying to program a ramp in the piece not an angled vector.
That's a 3 d operation unless he just supports the piece at the right angle and planes it flat at the top.
Whichever he want's now he has the answers!

The easiest way to do this is with the 'Fluting' toolpath in PWorks or Aspire. You may have to do some math to get the correct angle, or use the software to visually resolve the angle for you, by drawing the rise & run and then check angle on hypotenuse.

-B

[curtiss]

You can also just draw a horizontal line and then rotate it 8 degrees with the rotate tool...

sort of a clunky way to do it, but I still do all my math in Roman numerals.

[chuckster]

Dave, you are correct....I am wanting to cut basically a ramp. I do a lot of these parts for a military contractor and pay a friend to program them for me. It can't be too difficult to do and I really want to learn how to do it. Brady, I should have paid attention in math class! I have thought about buying Artcam Express, would that help ease my difficulty in learning to program?

[Gary Campbell]

Chuck...
If you want to make a stab at it by the math method, the run to rise/fall ratio for 8 degrees is:

for 10" travel (run) in x or y, the z would need to rise or fall by 1.4054"

any proportional value of both would remain at 8 degree pitch.

for example: (length of cut)/10 *1.4054=Z or .14054 per inch of travel

If you use PWks, Aspire or VCPro to toolpath, a ramped path can be set at a predetermined angle.

[adrianm]

There are threads on the Vectric forum covering people creating ramps using the fluting toolpath.

[bleeth]

If I were doing this I would build a ramped cradle for my stock and then just area clear it with a flat bit using Paco's board planing program. Using a planing bit (as in table surfacer) would be a heck of a lot quicker than having the part flat on the table and doing a 3-d cut with a ball nose.
This is the KISS system adapted from the old scarfing jigs I used to build to scarf boards for boat ribs with a circular saw and scarfing wider boards with an angled router cradle. I could do a heck of a lot of boards in a couple hours.