Autosketch>ACE>TCNC toolpath efficiency question

Pleased to announce I finally got my router doing it's thing. Now taking on the challenge of learning about controlling it. Naturally, before spending money on software I wanted to learn more using the freebies available, and so I have a situation I need help with.

I'm using Autosketch 5.01 for my drawings, convert to G-Code using ACE then TurboCNC to run things. The most complicated thing I've cut so far is a router mount, but after my previous first cuts, square and circle, I knew I would have to edit the code to improve the efficiency of movement.

With regards to the GCode conversion of a square or multiple lines where there's a straight cut, a change of direction followed by another straight cut the code sends the tool to cut at the prescribed cut depth then instead of continuing at that depth with a change in direction it wants to go back to that line to cut to the next depth etc. until final depth is reached. Then the code sends it to the next section where it'll do the next line at the first cut depth. Circles are working okay but arcs are the same as lines... one depth, back to beginning, next depth and so on.

I figured out the programming enough to make multiple line cutting work better, simple but tedious, so now instead of cutting one line at a time returning to the beginning at each depth change, it'll cut a series of lines in one direction, change depth then cut in the other direction etc. Haven't decided how to address arcs yet though.

So I'm thinking "this can't be right".

Autosketch allows me to save R12/LT2 DXF or R14/LT97 DXF, I've been using R14 (higher number... must be better).

I understand that I'm getting what I paid for but I hope ya'll can share with me the way low-end software packages handle G-Code generation and offer suggestions to my code quirks.

Do they offer editing features with graphic toolpath displays that update as the user edits the code?

Are my Autosketch file types adequate?

Am I missing something in the drawing stage (snaps, joins, explodes, etc.)?

I'm most specifically interested in Mach or Vectric products at the moment, have the Mach demos but haven't played with them.

Also, in the end, I wish to be able to cut out animal shapes, imagine a head-on shot of a frog, are the Vectric and Mach products equal in such a task?

Thanks,
Curtis

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Originally Posted by CurtisU

With regards to the GCode conversion of a square or multiple lines where there's a straight cut, a change of direction followed by another straight cut the code sends the tool to cut at the prescribed cut depth then instead of continuing at that depth with a change in direction it wants to go back to that line to cut to the next depth etc. until final depth is reached. Then the code sends it to the next section where it'll do the next line at the first cut depth.

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Check the optimize box and it should fix that. I was playing with it the other day and noticed that with a simple square.

Also, v12 is better than 14. Usually more compatible.

Post you're dxf's with explanations of the problems if you need more help.

At a glance, it looks like you hit the nail on the head, I should've caught that, thanks.

Conversion looks much better, even to my novice eye. Hope to run it on the machine tomorrow.

Boy, I'm so happy the days will be much longer after this weekend.

Curtis

Works much better thanks.

Here's one for you all.

Again using the same software setup, Autosketch to G-code results in what appears to be a mirrored representation of the drawing.

In picturing my cutter following the drawing I must imagine viewing from the opposite side of the blank.

Thoughts?

Sounds like 1 axis of your machine is set up backwards. What type of machine configuration do you have? Is this a router? If it's a moving gantry, X+ should be to your right and Y+ should move away from you.

Correct again Gerry, loadsa thanks.

Curtis