Another new shop bot user with a programing question

[JimMetully]

Hello everyone. I am completely new at this. I have been messing around with basic movements of my shop bot. I cut a small circle. A few squares. Zeroed the machine a couple of times as well as sending the machine head back to home at a safe height etc.

I purchased Cabinet Vision Software ultimate with the screen to machine. In order to link my shop bot to the Cabinet vision, I need to provide the Cabinet vision integration people with a string of code for the following part.

20925

This might be easy for someone who knows how these machines work, but for me it is overwhelming at this point.

The other thing I am struggling with is figuring out how to tell the machine that I am using a 5mm bit (compression bit) to cut my parts.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Take care
Jim

[srwtlc]

I'd draw the part and toolpath it in PartWorks using a 5mm tool for each toolpath. A profile outside cut around the part, the circle and rectangle cut inside/outside/on shouldn't matter, and then a drilling routine for the 5mm holes (since they're only 0.25 deep, no need for a peck drill setting, but might be needed at some time). I think what they are mainly looking for is code format/structure.

[zeykr]

I'm assuming you don't have a automatic tool changer, in which case you don't need to tell the shopbot which tool you are using - you'll set that in your CAM software - partworks or cabinet vision.

Here are the files I think you need: The .sbp file is the one they are looking for, but all files are included so you can open them in partworks and learn.

What I did was draw the part they provided the info for using Aspire which is an enhanced version of the partworks software (same as Vectric vcarve pro) that should have come with your machine. Then again using Aspire, created a drill toolpath for the 5mm line bore, a pocket toolpath for the circle and square, and a profile toolpath to cut around the perimeter of the part. Since all were created using a single 5mm bit, they can be saved to a single part file (.sbp). This .sbp file is what you would load on your machine to run the part.

The file was setup to have x and y zeroed at the lower left corner of the material and Z on the top surface. To test you can do an air cut. Use C3 to home your machine, use the keypad to raise the bit an inch off the table, then do a ZZ to zero the z axis. Since the bit is zeroed an inch off the table, and the cuts are a max or 1/4" deep, when you run the file in the sb3 software, the machine SHOULD cut only air. But you can see that it cuts the expected operations.

This kind of drawing, toolpathing is all covered in the basic tutorials that come with Vcarve/partworks or can be downloaded from the Vectric website.

Hopefully this helps some. It can seem complicated at first, but you'll get the hang of it.

[zeykr]

Here is the .crv file which you can open in partworks to see the part drawing and toolpathing.

Can't upload a .crv file directly, so you'll need to download this file and unzip.

[JimMetully]

I am going to do a test run on these in the morning. That was very generous of you to take the time to do that. I will let you know how it goes.

Take good care
Jim

[JimMetully]

I have been playing with those three files that you sent me with every drop of my free time since you made them for me. It was giving me an error message that there was a problem on line 14. Turns out the program that you made was for a router that has an automatic router turn on (mine is a 2004 alpha prt that I manually flip a light switch (house type) to turn it on). This morning I deleted the three lines of code that said...

'Turning router ON
SO, 1,1
Pause 2

It ran the program in the air like you suggested after the three lines were gone.

Do you think it is safe to send this modified file over to the cabinet vision integration people, or should I get one that is out of a design program without me messing with it?

20941

Thanks again
Jim

[JimMetully]

I just deleted the part of code that said to turn off the router also.

'Turning router off
SO,1,0

That seems ok.

This program will run on my machine, but it is giving the following error message......

When I first try to run the program, it says

"Failed to start virtual tool"

Then I click ok, and it bores all of the holes

Then it says "failed to start virtual tool" again

I say ok again

Then it does the circle and square cuts

Then it says "failed to start virtual tool" again

I click ok

Then it cuts out the rectangle with the arch in one corner.

Can I assume that this is because you have a more advanced drawing program with a virtual tool, and my older machine doesn't know what that is?

20942

Here is modification 2 to that file (I just removed the turning router on and turning router off code in this one). I am going to see if I can find and delete the virtual tool code.

Thanks again
Jim

[zeykr]

Jim, I sent you a PM with contact info.

The SO commands should not cause you a problem even if you don't have your router hooked up to a relay. I'm also not sure where the virtual tool error is coming from. Maybe someone else will chime in.

[zeykr]

What version of sb3.exe are you running (the shopbot control software)? If you are running older software, the TR command may be causing the error. Don't think the SO commands should be a problem. Used them on my original PR unit years ago.

Need to check your control bd version and see what latest software you can run is:
http://shopbottools.com/mSupport/control_card_Version.htm

http://shopbottools.com/mSupport/controlsoftware.htm

Updating the control card to be able to run the latest versions is a possibility also.