Converting dxf to sbp -- "depth for color 1"

[flyboy]

What is the feature I heard about setting depth values for different colors? It always comes up in the 2D conversion but that's all I know of it and what I heard a lond time ago. I didn't find ay reference to be able to use it effectively yet. Can I put in 5 or six colors?

[hammerhead]

tom, what happens is when you open your dxf file using FC command you first enter 2 for 2d type of file then the program will ask you the depth of cut for every color it finds in your file. if you make 5 different colrs you will be asked for 5 different depths. you need to look in the manual for the color to number reference chart. example: the program will ask the depth of color #3 see the chart to see what color 3 is. it is very easy once you do it a few times. blue is always a certain number and green is always another number. the chart says it all. hope this helps. merry christmas

[Wdyasq@yahoo.com]

Gee Tom,

The ShopBot Converter asks what "Pull-up" one wants the 'Z' and then prompts for depth of color. Most CAD programs assign different colors to different numbers so..........If I gave you a color and number my information would probably be wrong.

What "I do" or I should say did, is do my drawing and write down the depths of the colors and the depths I want those particular colors. I also draw a geometric design for the converter to translate with the same colors and convert it first. I use radial lines representing a clock face.

With the clock face drawing 'in hand' I run the 'clock face' dial in the 'cut file by line' mode in the preview screen(FG). I use the depths shown by the 'Z Gauge on the right hand side of the screen to correlate which colors match the numbers of the program. With the information I got from my 'test cut' I set the depths on the file I want to cut. BTW _ keep this information - you will need it again.

I have been through several CAD programs and am now using VECTOR for file conversion. I don't have to play the "Color Game" any more.....

Ron Brown - wdyasq@yahoo.com (mailto:wdyasq@yahoo.com)

If Stupidity got us into this mess,
then why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

[Wdyasq@yahoo.com]

Addendum to my message. I think I could ask for 'object information' in the CAD program and get color numbers. Now that I think about it.........thinking really does help - at times.

Ron

[gerald_d]

Tom, what are you using to create your DXF's?

We also played the 2D color game in the early days of our ShopBot, but later found it much more efficient to use a 3D CAD program and Vector.

[flyboy]

Well, I'm in those early days still I guess.... lol. I really am. I've been using bobcad for years but because I don't have a lot of free time to play around I havn't been using the g-code converter. I tried a while ago ad it didn;t recognize it. I also have not figured out Vector. It doesn't seem obvious to me... I know I just have to spend time with it, I just don't have any. I will try the color game thing next..

thanks for the input everyone.

Merry Christmas

[gerald_d]

Hi Tom, Now remember that you have CAM (and g-code) experience. Maybe the following is worth investigating for you?:

Use Bobcad to draw all your toolpaths in full 3D - i.e. use the real z(depth) values in your drawing. Make a DXF file. Feed DXF to shopbot, but tell it that you have a 3D file. (Then the color/depth issue is a non-issue.)

ShopBot will take a solid line at "move" speed, and a dotted line at "jog" speed when it reads a DXF.

But, I don't know if ShopBot will read a 3D Bobcad DXF . . . . . .

Merry Christmas to you too. Now the missus has banned us from the Internet for the next few days until 2002!