[kevinro]

I am using SprutCam to mill a part on 4 sides. I usually just create 4 seperate programs for this sort of thing. However, I was interested in trying to use the local coordinate systems. I was able to define 4 local CS's, and it works great in the SprutCAM simulator. However, when loaded on my Tormach, the X offset is just wrong.

Does anyone else have experience trying to mill 4 sides in the same program? I have attached my sprutcam file.

Thanks
Kevin

[kevinro]

Here is what I am cutting

[Steve Seebold]

You could leave extra material on the bottom of it, machine the top and all around the sides, then flip it over and cut the extra material off the bottom.

Then, you could make a soft jaw to hold the part to do what looks like 2 steps on the back side.

You could also make a fixture to hold several parts to cut the steps in the back side.

I do a similar part exactly that way. I made 30 pieces the first time, now I'm preparing to run 300.

[btu44]

I only know Mastercam so I can't give specifics about SprutCam.
My guess is:
Was there a different fixture offset assigned to each of the CS's. G54 to CS1, G55 to CS2, etc. I've had this happen in MasterCAM and not realized it before posting. The results were simular to what you described.

[kevinro]

I only know Mastercam so I can't give specifics about SprutCam.
My guess is:
Was there a different fixture offset assigned to each of the CS's. G54 to CS1, G55 to CS2, etc. I've had this happen in MasterCAM and not realized it before posting. The results were simular to what you described.

Thanks for that idea. That does give me something to check into. In theory, the fixture offsets were to be calculated from my changing the zero locations for the CS's. In reality, it is like the part was shifted. The documentation for this part of the program is pretty poor. Or, rather I should say this section of the documentation barely exists.

My other trick is to just make 4 different programs using the same base file, but flipping the origin for each side. I know how to do that, and it works great. However, when doing it that way it doesn't take previous milling operations into account and attempts to cut away material that is already missing from another file.

[Steve Seebold]

I only use GibbsCam, but another idea is you should be able to switch coordinate systems.

You have drawn you part in an XY coordinate system. Now you should be able to define a XZ or a YZ coordinate system and rotate tha part any way you want. I can do that easily in about 5 keystrokes in my GibbsCam.

[kevinro]

I only use GibbsCam, but another idea is you should be able to switch coordinate systems.

You have drawn you part in an XY coordinate system. Now you should be able to define a XZ or a YZ coordinate system and rotate tha part any way you want. I can do that easily in about 5 keystrokes in my GibbsCam.

this is basically what I am doing, but for some reason when I put it on to the machine the x coordinate for the second coordinate system is shifted by the width of the work piece. I am sure it is just the setting somewhere in the program that I need to modify. Figure out which 1 of the parameters I need to modify is going to be the big trick.

[Steve Seebold]

OK, when you rotate your part, don't rotate it around the end of the part, rotate it around the center of the part.

You should be in the XZ coordinate system. There has to be a menu that says 2D rotate. If there is, it should come up with a box where you can put some dimensions. In that box, type in half your X dimension and half of your Z dimension. and tell it you want to rotate 180 degrees. Select all and do it or whatever command you need to tell your particular CAM system.

It's that easy.

[Steve Seebold]

Are you programming 4 parts, or are you drawing one part and telling your post processor you're making 4 parts?

[davidperry3]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBd8OHyH4JE]SprutCAM America - Beginning Tutorial #11 - Flipping the Part - YouTube[/ame]

[Steve Seebold]

That takes about 5 times more keystrokes than my GibbsCam.

Sorry guys, but SprutCam is more cumbersome than MasterCam, and I think that is a nightmare.

[kevinro]

SprutCAM America - Beginning Tutorial #11 - Flipping the Part - YouTube

Thanks for the pointer to the video. I was using the older video, but the steps he outlined were basically the same. Unfortunately for me, it isn't actually working!

The simulation works great and does what I would have expected. The real cut is doing something that the sim does not. Specifically, after my first flip, X is offset so that the tool comes down at X + width of my material.

[IMT]

Are you rotating about the Y axis?
Where does the G5X origin show up in your second operation?

I use a different method than the video (I self taught myself SprutCam 2.5 years ago, or more accurately I have been self teaching myself for the last 2.5 years). My method is:
1) Create the new op.
2) Select "workpiece setup" from the setup menu.
3) Select "Global CS" from the pulldown. This ungrays the rotate and translate functions.
4) Use the "Rotate" functions to rotate about the desired axis. Select OK.
5) Select "Workpiece CS" from the setup menu.
6) Select "Select (global coordinates)" from the pulldown.
7) Adjust the coordinate values to move the G5X origin to the desired corner of the part.
8) Verify that the G5X origin is where you XYZ0 will be in the fixture.

Hope this helps.

Dan

[Gerry Sweetland]

That takes about 5 times more keystrokes than my GibbsCam.

Sorry guys, but SprutCam is more cumbersome than MasterCam, and I think that is a nightmare.

Yes, but your GibbsCam costs about 5 times more than SprutCam :tired:
Your always mentioning that your Tormach doesn't cost 75K but can do the same thing as your Hass or whatever you had, albeit a little bit slower. Can't you maintain the same relationship from one argument to the other

I'm sure if you were used to SprutCam and had to start using Gibbs you would have the same attitude towards Gibbs.
Gerry

[Steve Seebold]

Yes, but your GibbsCam costs about 5 times more than SprutCam :tired:
Your always mentioning that your Tormach doesn't cost 75K but can do the same thing as your Hass or whatever you had, albeit a little bit slower. Can't you maintain the same relationship from one argument to the other

I'm sure if you were used to SprutCam and had to start using Gibbs you would have the same attitude towards Gibbs.
Gerry

Gerry, I'm affraid I have to disagree with you on one point, and agree with you on your second.

Point 1: My GibbsCam was not 5 times the price of SprutCam. It was more like 15 times the price of SprutCam. I have a little over $18,000.00 invested in my GibbsCam. BUT, I can do 2 1/2 axis, full 3 axis, 4 and 5 axis, multitasking, and wire EDM. I have no intention of ever using 5 axis, multitasking or wire EDM again.

My GibbsCam is a carryover from my shop. When I sold the place the new owners didn't want it so I brought it home with me. Had I owned a seat of MasterCam, it would have sold along with the business.

Point 2: If I had started with SprutCam I would probably be talking up the good points and expressing my satisfaction with it the way I do with my GibbsCam, but when I bought my first seat of GibbsCam, there was no SprutCam.

I have never said SprutCam is a bad program, nor will I ever. When I bought my machine, there was no good documentation or instructional videos on it so I decided to stay with my GibbsCam. In fact, the Sprutcam videos at the time were more like horror stories. Eric Anderson from Tormach has put a lot of time and energy into making some good training videos, and has done a great job in doing so. My hat's off to Eric. I am dyslexic, and I have to learn by doing. I can watch a video, but if I can't do it along with the video, I have a real hard time. Because of my dyslexia, I didn't finish college until I was 55 years old.

When I bought Gibbs, I went to several others and I told the sales person I wanted them to stand behind me and tell me what to do. What buttons to puch and so on. I did the same thing when I bought my first CNC machine.

[nitewatchman]

This thread name should be changed from - "Help with flipping a part" to "Help with a flipping part"

nitewatchman