"add tabs" - only in 2D or 3d Roughing ?

[mihai]

Hi,

I have an STL 3DModel.
I did an vector around of model.
Using this vector I am able to add tabs around of the model.
Also I am able to add tabs if I use 3d Roughing.
Unfortunately the 3DFinish machining process did the finish machining but remove the tabs too.

What can I do to keep the tabs during the 3DFinish Roughing ?

Thank you,

Mihai

[Ms Wolffie]

I am no expert but don't you finish the roughing just above the bottom of the piece then add the tabs to the finishing toolpath and cut through the piece?
That was my understanding.
Cheers
Wolffie

[esteeme1]

I can't be sure of your exact situation without a file but you need to create a 3D tab in the same location that you create the tab you use in the profile cut.

[mihai]

My model have the thickness of material (the material it could be higher, but the
bottom side of part is mandatory to be on the bottom side of material)

Mihai

[kilrabit]

Be sure when you make the tabs, that the "Create 3D tabs" is checked in the box supplied.




Roy

[esteeme1]

If you post a file I'm sure we could help you much better. I'm not quite sure where you are going but it sounds like you are concerned with the part thickness. In that case you should set Z reference to the bottom of the material block in the material setup tab and establish the model height. Then create your 3D tabs so they don't protrude over the models edge. Again if you post a file or even a screen shot…….

[tmerrill]

Mahai,

There are two types of tabs you can create.

The most common type is associated with the 2D Profile Toolpath and they are tabs created by the Profile Toolpath. They always start at the bottom of the toolpath and extend upwards by the Tab Thickness you have set. There are two different shapes that can be created, a flat topped version and a triangular shaped top. The triangular shaped type is called a "3D Tab" but it has NOTHING to do with a 3D component. It only describes the shape of the top and for most CNC machines they can machine a shape like this more smoothly and faster than the flat topped design.

If you are working with 3D models, like your .stl model, and want both the 3D Roughing and 3D Finish toolpaths to observe tabs, you need to create true 3D tabs, which are actual 3D shapes. The easiest way to do this in Aspire is to create rectangular shape, postion them where you need them around the model, and then use the Create Shape tool to make 3D models. If the Combine Mode is set to Merge, they will smoothly merge with the .stl model and neither the Roughing or Finish toolpaths will cut through them.

Hopefully this helps. If not, I can do a quick example for you.

Tim

[esteeme1]

Thanks Tim I should have said model not tab in my first post. Sorry for the confusion.

[Jason Jones]

Here's an example of a couple component tabs I added to an Elk (3D Vector Art file).

Tab with generic component...then tab the 2D profile cutout path. Works great.

[tmerrill]

Here is a technique I use all the time and it eliminates the need to create 3D component tabs and the need to "coordinate" tabs.

Create a rectangle larger than your 3D model.

Use this rectangle with the Create Shape tool to create a very thin planar (flat) 3D component and Merge this with your model.

Both the 3D Roughing and 3D Finish toolpaths will observe this flat surface as a machining boundary and the Finish toolpath will not cut past it to the machine bed. Since the 3D Finish toolpath isn't removing much material, there is not a lot of lateral force being created so it does not take a real thick shape to hold everything in place. This is typically called leaving an onion skin when setting up a 2D toolpath.

When done with the 3D Finish toolpath, set up a quick Profile-outside toolpath to cut the project out and now you can easily add tabs from the Profile toolpath setup form in a matter of seconds. Again, since you are only cutting this thin layer of material there isn't a lot of force being created and the tabs can be small and few in number.

Tim

[nicolas espinasse]

Thank you for these tab tips guys, you saved my day

[martin54]

Thank you for these tab tips guys, you saved my day

What problems were you having? This thread is from 2012 & a lot has changed in the software since then, don't know for sure but from reading through what has been written it doesn't look like the 3d clipart tabs existed when this was written for a start

Doesn't mean that this thread is not relevant anymore but there might be a better way now to help with any problems you may be having

[Old Gaffer]

I came onto the forum tonight looking for an answer to just this problem with tabs, in V9. I am doing two sided models so need to leave tabs in the middle of the material. And I can't stop the finishing toolpath from taking them out. When I was doing one sided models, just setting up the profile toolpath with tabs worked fine. Has V9 changed that function somehow?

[dealguy11]

No, v9 didn't change the tab function. If you're carving a 3d model, it doesn't know anything about the 2d tabs in the profile toolpath. You need to create small 3d components (as is actually described in this thread!!) wherever the 2d profile tabs go so that the 3d toolpath won't carve the tabs away.

[martin54]

The software has 3D tabs already so no need to create them now, if there isn't a 3D tab folder in the list of models already then then check your customer portal or try a search because they are downloadable from somewhere if I remember correctly. I have them from running Vcarve Pro, they were included with that because you can't create components with Vcarve
You need to size the 3D tabs & add them to your 3D model, have a look at this tutorial as it explains the use of 3D tabs when doing 2 sided work

http://support.vectric.com/tutorials/V9 ... ideo_id=51