Multiple Copies of Cut files.......

[wayneo]

Hi,
I have a cut file (from ArtCam). I would like to shrink the file to about 50% and 25%, then reposition the zero point and cut out 4 pieces (smaller duplicates of the original).

First question is what is the best way to "resize" a cut file (to 50% or 25%). Do this in ArtCam or in the shopbot software? I would like to avoid the redundant work of tool pathing if possible.

Second question is how can I re-cut a part file in several different locations. Do I have to move to a new location and re-zero the axis?

Third question: Is it possible to rotate a part file by 90 degrees in the Shop bot software (simply) or does this have to be done in Artcam.

Thanks for your help......... Guess I am just lazy!

Wayneo

[mikejohn]

First answer: Do it in ArtCam. Shopbot seem in predictable where it positions a re-sized file.

Second answer: You need a file like this:-
J3,0,0,25
FP,D:\adan3a,,,,,2
J2,0,184
FP,D:\adan3b,,,,,2
J2,0,368
FP,D:\bis28a,,,,,2
J2,0,552
FP,D:\bis28b,,,,,2
J2,0,736
FP,D:\plev1a,,,,,2

In this case it is different files, it could just as well be the same one. Each of the individual files starts at 0,0 so the J2,0,736, for instance, becomes the new 0,0

Third answer: I know of no way of rotating a file 90º in the shopbot software.
If it is the same part that you want to cut from the same sheet, 90º to other parts, rotate it in ArtCam and save it with a different file name. You could have 4 files at 0º, 90º, 180º and 270º if you wanted. (you could have 360 files at 1 º increments, in fact any variation you want).
It is possible to nest a sheet with similar parts 'interlocking', with each orientated to a precise angle, but this is a little more complicated. I have done it for some parts I cut frequently.

................Mike

[frank_hav]

If your in Part Wizard, Rotate is in the "Transform" Icon.

Frank

[btk]

Wayne,

You can Scale Down (or Up) an .sbp file using the "proportion" options in the FP command.
However the only issue is that you will have to also scale down the diameter of your cutting tools to correspond to each change in proportion.

Brian

[beacon14]

Scaling in SB works best for files that start at (or have a corner at) 0,0. The corner at 0,0 will stay put and the rest of the part will "stretch" away from 0,0.

If the reference corner is not at 0,0, the distance from 0,0 to the closet corner will be scaled along with the rest of the part, i.e. if the part is toolpathed with the lower left corner at 10,10 and you use a scale factor of .5, the part will be cut at half-size with the lower left corner at 5,5

[mikejohn]

Thanks for that David
I wondered why some of my ad hoc parts were, when scaled, being cut where I least expected !!

.........Mike

[wayneo]

OK, thanks guys for the helpful hints. I found the FP command and have been playing with it in the previewer. I also found the part about offsetting the file, so I figured I could just move to the new location after cutting the first file and then run the file again. I actually programmed this into a "master" file kind-of like Mike John suggested. It seems to work great in the previewer.

Have yet to actually make the cut......... so we'll see how it cuts in the real world. Added benefit is getting me into doing some programming in this "language". Does anyone know what LANGUAGE this really is. Looks like it might be some variant of Visual Basic or something similar.

So.... Cut On!

Thanks Guys

Wayneo

[bill.young]

Hi Wayne,

You're right, the ShopBot programming commands are a subset of the BASIC language with a few "Visual" features added for things like messages. We keep hoping to get time to add more programming commands...the programming capabilities make the ShopBot language pretty powerful.

FYI, the upcoming Bill's Corner article is on using Offset mode and creating Master Files, followed by articles on using variables and getting User Inputs, IF-THEN loops and tests, and reading and writing files from within part files. Keep your eyes open.

Bill

[beacon14]

Write faster please, Bill!