Possible feature suggestion- DXF chain to code

NCPlot questions or comments

Possible feature suggestion- DXF chain to code

Postby SD » Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:46 am

Scott

Was just looking at my limited useage of BobCAD and had a thought.
What I do is draw my 2D parts in ACAD, and then draw the EXACT toolpath chain just as I want the tool to move. I draw my lead-ins, outs, inside/outside radiuses etc etc. I then export the chain geometry as DXF into BobCAD, where the only thing I do is a cut-chain. BobCAD fills in the appropriate G01, G02, and G03-s, and that's it. No Z-rapids, spindle, coolant, cutter comp... nothing. All it does is fills in the appropriate motion codes and enters the coordinate values.
I then take the resulted blocks and edit them to put in toolcjange, speed/feed values, moves in Z, cutter comps, G04-s etc etc etc.
Now, here is the thing. With BobCAD being an inline, one-way generator only, it is very very easy to get out of sync with the code to graphics relation, and graphics to code relation just doesn't exist.
IOW if you disturb the code with the backspace and delete keys, you're forever lost the association without any reasonable possibility to resync the two.
Here is the thing. NCplot already has the reliable backplotting capability, and it does re-establish the exact code to graphics relation.
It also has the DXF to code converting feature, so it can work with a DXF entities to get motion commands. The only thing is that as it stands it does the conversion automatically, and turns all entities into code.

Question: Would it be possible to add the ability to select the beginning and the end of the chain, and as long as the entities are valid and meet endpoint to endpoint, NcPlot could connect them and give a proper motion output?

Please do not misunderstand, I'm not asking you to turn NcPlot into a CAM software. I am not concerned about ramps, speeds, feeds, tools or any other features at all. I can do that by hand just fine. ALso, there is no need for CAD features like line or fillet, as that's done in the DXF. All I'm looking for is an accurate typing of the proper G-code ( one of only 3 ) and the coordinate value for the chain and only the chain I select.

See, I often take simple parts and create a quick code in this way. Say milling a hex onto a turned part. Other times I take the output from FeatureCAM and touch it up or add some extra motions.
Also, for lathe work this is the only means of programming I do, (and that is by my choice as it works great)

Again, not sure what it would take but seems like you've already done most of the heavy lifting and NcPlot has the ability to do the 2 way conversion from geometry to code as well as code to geometry.
SD
 
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