End job at view position - Feature request (resolved)

[jaspinall]

Could we please, pretty please, with cream and cherries on top, have a check box alongside the "output toolpaths" button, an option to send the machine to it's "view posistion" at the end of a job?

I understand it's easy enough to modify the PP files and add the command to the footer, however, I'd really like to see this as a per-job option. Machining parts on my Roland MDX-540, I continually have to wind the y-axis out to get at my job *after* the machine comes out of it's enforced BUSY state at the end of the job, which takes 30 seconds. I'd much prefer to use that time looking at the part on the table at the front of the machine, than twiddling my thumbs...

Anyone else want/need this?

Thanks for listening

[jaspinall]

Also, as a second feature request from me, could we also get some more grip/control points as selectable origins on the Set Size anchors? Currently we have them in the centre as well as NW,NE,SW & SE points. It would be extremely help to see them at N,S, E & W point too, save using any of the existing controls then having to move the object later.

[tamathumper]

Jason,

I have a stupid question.

Can you program a zero-depth tool maneuver at, for example, Y-30 to get your axis to move automatically at the end of the job, or is the tool automatically moving to "Home" after each job, which brings up the option of maybe setting Home for each job to Y-30?

Allen

[jaspinall]

Maybe so, yes. Far easier to execute the "move to view" command at the end however

What you're suggesting is adding pretend elements each and every job that goes through cut2d (and in my position as cad engineer here, that's an awful lot of prototyping jobs I tell thee) which is a major PITA.

[John S]

It's already in.

Try putting a position in the home boxes in Setup Material on the toolpath page that is clear of the work.
When the job is cut it will bugger off home and be clear of the work.

John S.

[tamathumper]

Agreed Jason. PITA and PITY.

I haven't pored through the G-Code that's generated by Cut2D to find out, but I'm wondering if it uses absolute coordinates to go to "Home" or if it uses the G-Code command (G28?) Setting Home off the workpiece would be the only other work-around I could think of.

Allen

[tamathumper]

Oops, looks like John S. got to you between screen refreshes.

I was too busy watching my stocks (continue to) dig a hole today to refresh the forum screen!

[jaspinall]

It's already in.

Try putting a position in the home boxes in Setup Material on the toolpath page that is clear of the work.
When the job is cut it will bugger off home and be clear of the work.

John S.

Home boxes in setup material?!?!

I can specify width, height, thickness, zero (top/bottom), xy original (point around a square), use an offset original (with x,y dims), center vectors in material, and finally specify metric or imperial. Can't see a home position

When I create new jobs, I specify the material size, zero from top face, xy origin position in centre, use origin offset of 0,0, with metric dims, that's it.

I'm also using Cut2D 1.100 (Software OpenGL <spit>), Built 13th March 2008.

Any ideas where I'm going wrong?

[CRFultz]

It's already in.

Try putting a position in the home boxes in Setup Material on the toolpath page that is clear of the work.
When the job is cut it will bugger off home and be clear of the work.

John S.

Home boxes in setup material?!?!

I can specify width, height, thickness, zero (top/bottom), xy original (point around a square), use an offset original (with x,y dims), center vectors in material, and finally specify metric or imperial. Can't see a home position

When I create new jobs, I specify the material size, zero from top face, xy origin position in centre, use origin offset of 0,0, with metric dims, that's it.

I'm also using Cut2D 1.100 (Software OpenGL <spit>), Built 13th March 2008.

Any ideas where I'm going wrong?

I can't answer your question with regards to a Roland, but, I would think that a go home or Zero axis should be there some where. In Mach I just click Reference and the z goes up and the x and y go to the back left corner. Other then being in the PP of a Vectric product, I can't think of a way to move everything out of the way because every machine would be different.
Modifying the PP is a fairly simple task to include commands that would be present no matter what job you run. Mine has commands to shut down the spindle when the job is complete but it had to be added into the PP file and then saved into the Post directory. I believe any text editor can modify a PP file.

Chuck

[tamathumper]

It's not in the "Material Size" dialog, but in the "Material Setup" dialog... (You're thinking about "Material Size" which is accessed from the Edit menu, but you want the "Material Setup" dialog that is accessed by clicking the "Setup Material" button (the top and leftmost button that looks like the corner of a board) that appears on the Toolpaths pane.)

Select a toolpath, say the last one to be cut in your job. Click the "Setup Material" button. You'll get a small dialog that shows the thickness of the material, the zero position (top or bottom of the material), the rapid clearance gap, and then the X,Y,Z of the home position.

I'll have to hit the user manual again to explain it any further than that.

[CRFultz]

I never used that before......

I'll have to give that a try...

Wait a minute...wouldn't that be home in relation to your model being cut?

[John S]

It's already in.

Try putting a position in the home boxes in Setup Material on the toolpath page that is clear of the work.
When the job is cut it will bugger off home and be clear of the work.

John S.

Home boxes in setup material?!?!

I can specify width, height, thickness, zero (top/bottom), xy original (point around a square), use an offset original (with x,y dims), center vectors in material, and finally specify metric or imperial. Can't see a home position

When I create new jobs, I specify the material size, zero from top face, xy origin position in centre, use origin offset of 0,0, with metric dims, that's it.

I'm also using Cut2D 1.100 (Software OpenGL <spit>), Built 13th March 2008.

Any ideas where I'm going wrong?

Not the drawing side but the right hand tool path side.



Setup box, top left is highlighted.



This is where you can put your home position that's machine related.

John S.

[CRFultz]

I'm going to have to go give this a try. I guess I'm not understanding how the machine will automatically know where home will be unless you tell it. If I import a G Code file and zero my axis at my home position (home can be anywhere on the machine) then how will the machine know to move out away from the work piece? Won't it just go to the home position that you previously gave it? I'm confused.

[tamathumper]

Per the online help:

Home Position - This is the absolute position that the tool will start moving from and where the tool can be programmed to return to at the end of cutting the job.

Now, where did you get the Model parameters??? I don't have anything like that on my screen... You must be importing 3D models from Cut3D, PhotoVCarve or Vector Art?

[CRFultz]

Per the online help:

Home Position - This is the absolute position that the tool will start moving from and where the tool can be programmed to return to at the end of cutting the job.

Now, where did you get the Model parameters??? I don't have anything like that on my screen... You must be importing 3D models from Cut3D, PhotoVCarve or Vector Art?

I tried it on my machine, it was simply a position away from where I entered as home. It worked no matter where I started from. I can understand how one would use this on a machine where you always place the material in the same place. I just click reference home and the machine jogs all three axis toward the home position until the Home prox's pick up then it jogs in the opposite direction till it clears them. At that point it is back out of my way.
This movement has nothing to do with the g-code file that may or may not be loaded.

The screen shot I posted is from Aspire.

Chuck