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Thread: Sb control software

  1. #1
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    Creative Solids, Fairfield Glade Tennessee
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    Default Sb control software

    Has anyone used the indexer programs on the shopbot software? There are the choices to turn blank to finish size, turn traditional fute, spiral, ring, carve the blank into shape using profile, turn blank into polygone, wrap text on 3d file.
    am about to do my first on home-made indexer and wondering simplest start - sb software or aspire

  2. #2
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    Don,
    Yes...I've used both and others in conjunction with the indexer. The routines in SB3 are pretty rudimentary. They do work - however they don't give you the level of control and visual feedback that you'd get in Aspire.

    Back when I bought my first Bot, the information available was like nil...There were like 5 guys scattered around the country that knew how to use it with ArtCAM for 3D rotary stuff. There was a single page included with the indexer that showed you what a cove & bead were and how to set the dip switches in the control box for degrees...this doc was a major improvement - but still is pretty lame. There's more info these days via Vectric and SBDocs.

    Stick with Aspire and do a few projects before messing with the canned routines in SB3. Aspire basically takes a flat plane and wraps it around a cylinder...so it's pretty easy to understand what is going on, like any other flat 2D or 3D relief you have worked with in the past. Be sure to properly rough out before 3D finish machining...and mind the chuck and tailstock!

    Keep an eye on your cut and jog speeds for the indexer. You can change the rotary speeds via the VS command. Rather than spending an hour trying to get your square blank round, you can also manually knock down the corners. Move the B axis to where the corner is pointing up, then use the arrow keys to flatten it down. You can zero the B axis there (ZB) then MB,90 to do the next corner, MB,180 and MB,270. It's pretty easy once you get going.

    Give yourself plenty of time to machine your rotary project....they have a way of taking WAY longer than you thought they should!

    -B
    High Definition 3D Laser Scanning Services - Advanced ShopBot CNC Training and Consultation - Vectric Custom Video Training IBILD.com

  3. #3
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    Default

    Brady, a briliant suggestion to begin manually - my first effort is to turn the square into round, so manually really is the right way to go. Much thanks, don

  4. #4
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    Ok, the indexer is up and running - no pics yet, but it works. And the manual operation was the key to testing it out.
    a question: seems my indexer works on channel A not B. Can i i re-assign it to B, if so how or do i need to move the controller in the box? It works fine, just creates a problem with software code

  5. #5
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    What machine model are you running? DT, BT, PRSAlpha, PRSStandard, PRTAlpha, PRT4G, PRT3G...?

    -B
    High Definition 3D Laser Scanning Services - Advanced ShopBot CNC Training and Consultation - Vectric Custom Video Training IBILD.com

  6. #6
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    Default

    I think it is a prsstandard - purchased it way back in 2000 and did the control box upgrade a few years ago

  7. #7
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    Make sure that the indexer is physically plugged into the 5th slot on the board. (XXYZAB) and then VI and make sure Driver Channel 5 = B. This will give you the least amount of agg going forward...you can swap A for B in software, but there are some caveats.

    -B
    High Definition 3D Laser Scanning Services - Advanced ShopBot CNC Training and Consultation - Vectric Custom Video Training IBILD.com

  8. #8
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    Default

    Will not know until i open the case, but i bet i just put it into the next available slot - manually works fine in A, but a real pain with the software. Thanks

  9. #9
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    If you're not sure, take a pic of the inside of the control box and post it. We'll get you sorted.

    -B
    High Definition 3D Laser Scanning Services - Advanced ShopBot CNC Training and Consultation - Vectric Custom Video Training IBILD.com

  10. #10
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    Will do, but right now i am running a program that i wrote to make a rolling pin with tapered handles - an indexer is the cat’s meow! (Just how old in Don??). Then i need to break for Christmas. So opening the case is next week.
    Mr Brady you have an absolutely wonderful Christmas! And may 2018 be a happy healthy one for your and yours.
    sincerely, Don

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