arraying/copying tool paths?

[Kyle S. Cross]

Hello everyone. New to the forum. My company recently purchased a SB and I was asked to be the opperator:cool:. Anyway, a lot of my work will be creating signs ( some simple, some intricate ) that I will be archiving to be cut out numerous times in the future. If I want to cut out multiples on one part file, I would like to copy the toolpaths and lay them out according to the size of my material.
Example: I just created an 8"x8" No Smoking sign with toolpaths. I want to cut 28 of them out of a 4'x8'x1/2" sheet of plywood. I want to array the toolpath but all that arrays are the vectors. Is there a way to do this?:confused:

Thanks,
-K

[steve_g]

Kyle

Select all vectors and recalculate your tool path after creating your new array.

You will have to create new tool paths for different material shapes.

An alternative would be to reduce the stock to "strips" and do a step and repeat. An opening variable would ask "how many"

Steve

[curtiss]

Before the array, place the linework for each toolpath on a separate layer...say end mill layer v bit layer

do the array.. and then as you assign toolpaths, select all the lines on the a given layer to be cut at once.

[garyb]

It all depends on which software you are using to toolpath
eg in Artcam you toolpath one, select your toolpath and do a copy/block copy to fill your sheet
you can select the order of cut then output to your sbp cut file
Gary

[Kyle S. Cross]

thanks for your assistance guys. Steve's suggestion was the ticket. I attempted this before but failed to select all the vectors before selecting recalculate toolpaths.

[bleeth]

You can also just create the one and have a shopbot subroutine recut it offset from the previous. Look into your original manual in the programming section. The basic idea is the subroutine runs your program, moves to the new location, resets x and y ) there, and then cuts the file over again.

[adrianm]

Depending on the software you're using Toolpath Templates can make this sort of operation a breeze.

One click and all your toolpaths are calculated for the arrayed copies regardless of how many toolpaths are in the single design.