gerald_d
03-28-2003, 12:52 PM
HOW TO USE VECTOR FOR "BREAD-SLICING" OF ELLIPSES
(a layman's guide)
This topic is posted as a result of a discussion posted here (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/29/1451.html?1048570272) and here (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/1038/1458.html?1048704837).
1. Make sure that your Vector is properly installed - with the correct licence codes and processor for Shopbot code.
2. For starters, use your current CAD program to draw the sheet of plywood plus the outlines of the ellipses. Preferably draw in a color clearly diferent to red, all on a single layer and with the 0,0 at the correct place relative to the plywood sheet. Export as a DXF file - if you have a choice of DXF formats, go for the lowest level possible.
3. Open the .dxf file in Vector. If your Autocad is still open on that file, Vector will give an error message - close the AutoCad file first. Sometimes Vector will refuse to open a .dxf unless you first open a new file. In other words, go File > New and then accept the highlighted Normal - then go File > Open, change type to .dxf and browse till you find your file. Open.
4. Your plywood sheet, with ellipses, should now be in full view:
4545
If you do not see this screen, press the letter V on the keyboard (it is for View > View All)
5. Press down the Shift key and see how the cursor arrow changes shape.
6. With the Shift key pressed down, move the cursor to the start point of the first cut that you want to do. Click the left mouse button when you are on (or very close to) your first plunge point. You will see a whole lot of red arrows appear, each indicating a tiny straight line move of the SB. The arrow direction is the cutting direction. (the direction of cutting an ellipse from a sheet is not critical, so I will not explain how to reverse the direction here)
4546
7. With the shift key down all the time, move the cursor to the plunge point on the next ellipse and Left Click. Carry on doing one click per ellipse, in the sequence that you want the SB to cut. This is what your screen will look like after clicking 8 times on 8 ellipses:
4547
8. Carry on until all the ellipses are selected. (If you want to change your mind and start again, just click once far away from any line and your whole selection is cleared - there are better ways, but this is enough for beginners}. Your screen now looks like this:
4548
By this stage, you have already selected sequence, plunge point and direction, now we need only set the safe vertical movements and then write the .sbp code.
9. Go to Draw > Other Curves > Connect at Z:
4549
and then fill in the Line Connect at Z-level box as follows:
4550
The settings above are to start 2" above the table, plunge each part 1" and finish after whole sheet at 2" above table. During the plunge, it will be jog speed to within 0.5" of the table and the rest will be move speed. Ignore all the bumf in the second and third column. Press OK and you will see all the jogs - amazingly going from your one selected plunge point to the next!:
4551
(a layman's guide)
This topic is posted as a result of a discussion posted here (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/29/1451.html?1048570272) and here (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/1038/1458.html?1048704837).
1. Make sure that your Vector is properly installed - with the correct licence codes and processor for Shopbot code.
2. For starters, use your current CAD program to draw the sheet of plywood plus the outlines of the ellipses. Preferably draw in a color clearly diferent to red, all on a single layer and with the 0,0 at the correct place relative to the plywood sheet. Export as a DXF file - if you have a choice of DXF formats, go for the lowest level possible.
3. Open the .dxf file in Vector. If your Autocad is still open on that file, Vector will give an error message - close the AutoCad file first. Sometimes Vector will refuse to open a .dxf unless you first open a new file. In other words, go File > New and then accept the highlighted Normal - then go File > Open, change type to .dxf and browse till you find your file. Open.
4. Your plywood sheet, with ellipses, should now be in full view:
4545
If you do not see this screen, press the letter V on the keyboard (it is for View > View All)
5. Press down the Shift key and see how the cursor arrow changes shape.
6. With the Shift key pressed down, move the cursor to the start point of the first cut that you want to do. Click the left mouse button when you are on (or very close to) your first plunge point. You will see a whole lot of red arrows appear, each indicating a tiny straight line move of the SB. The arrow direction is the cutting direction. (the direction of cutting an ellipse from a sheet is not critical, so I will not explain how to reverse the direction here)
4546
7. With the shift key down all the time, move the cursor to the plunge point on the next ellipse and Left Click. Carry on doing one click per ellipse, in the sequence that you want the SB to cut. This is what your screen will look like after clicking 8 times on 8 ellipses:
4547
8. Carry on until all the ellipses are selected. (If you want to change your mind and start again, just click once far away from any line and your whole selection is cleared - there are better ways, but this is enough for beginners}. Your screen now looks like this:
4548
By this stage, you have already selected sequence, plunge point and direction, now we need only set the safe vertical movements and then write the .sbp code.
9. Go to Draw > Other Curves > Connect at Z:
4549
and then fill in the Line Connect at Z-level box as follows:
4550
The settings above are to start 2" above the table, plunge each part 1" and finish after whole sheet at 2" above table. During the plunge, it will be jog speed to within 0.5" of the table and the rest will be move speed. Ignore all the bumf in the second and third column. Press OK and you will see all the jogs - amazingly going from your one selected plunge point to the next!:
4551