VisualMill 4 axis

[mgilley]

I imported a file from Rhino into VisualMilll and wrote a toolpath for it. Using the ShopbotGcode.spm. How do I convert this into a sbp file to cut on the shopbot. I am using the indexer. I give it a sbp extension but it won't run.
Thanks,
Mike

[Mike Windsor]

try using the " shopbot " post from the post processor list in visual mill ,you have to remove lines 5 and 6 from the cutting file
(&Tool = 4
C5,)
Save the file Then run it directly from the shopbot .

[mgilley]

Mike,
I don't see tool= 4. Here is a sample of the code generated with the gcode in visualmill.
G90
G80
(MOP NAME: 4th Axis Parallel Finishing)
M06 T1
M03
G01X-7.6748Y0.Z1.8819F 1
A0.F1.5
Z0.9682A0.
X-7.3623Z0.9679A0.
X-7.3467Z0.9655A0.
X-7.3311Z0.961A0.
X-7.3154Z0.9542A0.
X-7.2998Z0.9445A0.
X-7.2842Z0.931A0.
The shopbot won't run this file.

This is what I get with the shopbot post
SA
'MOP NAME: 4th Axis Parallel Finishing
MS,1,1
M3,-7.6748,0.0000,1.8819
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0.
MA,0
There are no x moves
Thanks,
Mike

[Mike Windsor]

Looks likea G code file to me . --- From the list of post processors on the drop down list in visual mill select the one that says "SHOPBOT " ----not "shopbotGcode" --

[Mike Windsor]

Hi Mike , I just looked at your post again , and realized that you had two files . The line M3,-7.6748,0.0000,1.8819 is an X move of -7.6748 . ----not sure why the A axis isn't moving ? I haven't used the 4th axis , but have you defined the axis in the part in rhino and in VM ?

[mgilley]

Mike,
I used the 4 axis milling in vm. I enve saved it as .NC and .GCC and when I convert these to shopbot the a axis all go to 0. but in the g code the a axis seemed to be ok. Somehow the shopbot isn't translating the a axis properly.
Thanks,
Mike

[Mike Windsor]

I just tried the flashlight tutorial model in VM to do a quick test post processing with the shopbot post processor , and here is what I got ( first few lines :
SA
'4th Axis Parallel Finishing
MS,0.3,0.2
JS,0.3,0.2
&Tool = 1
C5,
M3,0.0000,0.0000,-31677488277175126000000000000000000000000000000000
MA0.
M3,-2.8714,0.0000,0.3178
MA0.
M3,-2.8714,0.0000,-0.2430
MS,1.7,0.8
MA0.
M3,-2.8698,0.0000,-0.2324
MA0.
M3,-2.8643,0.0000,-0.2182
MA0.
M3,-2.8495,0.0000,-0.2005
MA-0.0544
M3,-2.8495,-0.0521,-0.2006
MA-0.0905
M3,-2.8495,-0.0864,-0.2006
MA-0.1264
M3,-2.8495,-0.1202,-0.2006
MA-0.1622
M3,-2.8495,-0.1535,-0.2006
MA-0.1979
I would have edited out the "&Tool = 1
C5," lines and the first huge A move , ---but the rest of the file looks O.K. ----try downloading the shopbot post processor from the VM website and running it again . ----Are you using VM full ? or VM basic ? ---don't think that the basic has 4 axis enabled ?

[artisan]

Hi Guys...I think Mike W has probably nailed it. 4th axis is an add-on module in VM Basic ($650.00}. Otherwise your file looks like it should work....D