[kevincnc]

Hi all,
I have been a member for a while but haven't posted for a long time. I have had V21 for a couple of years, but am just now starting to really use it. I have gone through the training videos, but am not seeing answers to a few questions.
1) Is there a way to specify a toolchange location?
2) My default z-height between operations is .1" above the part. How do I change it? The "Rapid Plane" in approach and entry only seems to apply to the current operation.
3) When I right click on milling stock and "verify", I just get a tan window and the buttons at the bottom do nothing.

Thanks if anyone can help, and Merry Christmas if anyone is reading this on the 25th

[moldmker]

I was getting ready to start answering your questions when I realised they didn't pertain to v21.

Maybe a newer version?

[kevincnc]

I was getting ready to start answering your questions when I realised they didn't pertain to v21.

Maybe a newer version?

Sorry, it's V22.

[The Engine Guy]

Hi all,
I have been a member for a while but haven't posted for a long time. I have had V21 for a couple of years, but am just now starting to really use it. I have gone through the training videos, but am not seeing answers to a few questions.
1) Is there a way to specify a toolchange location?
2) My default z-height between operations is .1" above the part. How do I change it? The "Rapid Plane" in approach and entry only seems to apply to the current operation.
3) When I right click on milling stock and "verify", I just get a tan window and the buttons at the bottom do nothing.

Thanks if anyone can help, and Merry Christmas if anyone is reading this on the 25th

1) You can set a toolchange location in the Post Processor by "Hard Coding" X,Y and Z coordinates, however most machine controls only require the M06 command as they usually have the toolchange position written into the machine control software so check out your MTB manual.
2) You can set your "default rapid" under the "Stock" setup dialog.
3) If your stock is set correctly then it should show up in the Verify window, draw the shape of the stock you need and right click the "Stock Geometry" and then left click "Re/Select" and then hold down the "shift" key on your keyboard and select the geometry, keep the shift key down and then anywhere in the CAD window right click and then left click "OK" in the list that appears.
If you don`t want to do all that then just leave it to BobCAD as the software will automatically generate a piece of stock big enough for your drawing.
Also the buttons at the bottom in V22 often didn`t work right so right click and use the ones in the list.

See attached images.

Hope that`s of some help to you.

Regards
Rob
:rainfro:

[polaraligned]

Thanks Rob.
Your answer helped me out also.
I am currently learning V23.
Spent a long day figuring out how to get toolpaths posted, and every bit of extra info helps.

Scott

[dicksonhof]

you purchased Bobcad Good luck

[polaraligned]

you purchased Bobcad Good luck

Yeah, I purchased it about a year ago and have put off learning it until now. I honestly was going to look into other CAM software because of all the bad things I heard about BobCAD. After a day of learning, I was creating 2-1/2d toolpaths with BobCAD. I still have some questions and issues. If I can figure them out then I will be very happy with BC considering the price I paid. I do all my CAD in AutoCad and only really want the CAM offered by BobCAD. I find BC's cam to be quite primitive.

Scott

[The Engine Guy]

Yeah, I purchased it about a year ago and have put off learning it until now. I honestly was going to look into other CAM software because of all the bad things I heard about BobCAD. After a day of learning, I was creating 2-1/2d toolpaths with BobCAD. I still have some questions and issues. If I can figure them out then I will be very happy with BC considering the price I paid. I do all my CAD in AutoCad and only really want the CAM offered by BobCAD. I find BC's cam to be quite primitive.

Scott

Hi Scott

The old V2007 and then V22 did have issues but the current "Build" of V23 is stable and powerful.

If you purchased your software about a year ago then if you haven`t already done so I recommend you download and install the latest update (Build 1493), here is the link to the BobCAD update area on their website

http://www.bobcad.com/updates/

The instructions are also there on how to check the Build you currently have and how to download and install the latest update.

Regards
Rob

.

[kevincnc]

1) You can set a toolchange location in the Post Processor by "Hard Coding" X,Y and Z coordinates, however most machine controls only require the M06 command as they usually have the toolchange position written into the machine control software so check out your MTB manual.
2) You can set your "default rapid" under the "Stock" setup dialog.
3) If your stock is set correctly then it should show up in the Verify window, draw the shape of the stock you need and right click the "Stock Geometry" and then left click "Re/Select" and then hold down the "shift" key on your keyboard and select the geometry, keep the shift key down and then anywhere in the CAD window right click and then left click "OK" in the list that appears.
If you don`t want to do all that then just leave it to BobCAD as the software will automatically generate a piece of stock big enough for your drawing.
Also the buttons at the bottom in V22 often didn`t work right so right click and use the ones in the list.

See attached images.

Hope that`s of some help to you.

Regards
Rob
:rainfro:

Thanks Rob. I'll figure out the toolchange. Now I see the Default Rapid. I guess it would help if I had the manual. I did a different, almost identical part and the Verify works- I can't see anything I did different. Now on another simple rectangular profile, I can't get the path to go counterclockwise, even though I pick the segments in that order. I see what you mean about v22 having "issues". I guess I would have to pay for the upgrade to V23, which probably isn't worth it to me since it's just a hobby machine. I'll probably put the money into upgrading my old DOS Centroid controller to Linux so I can transfer files easier (currently have to use a floppy.) Besides that I don't want them to have my phone number again and harass me every week to buy something else. Thanks again for the help.
Kevin

[BurrMan]

I can't get the path to go counterclockwise, even though I pick the segments in that order

You can control direction with the "contour" command. Look on the other menu item.

[kevincnc]

You can control direction with the "contour" command. Look on the other menu item.

I don't see it, which "other" menu item?

[The Engine Guy]

I don't see it, which "other" menu item?

.

[BurrMan]

I made a mistake. I forgot the thread was in relation to V21!

Maybe someone with V21 can direct here.

[The Engine Guy]

V21 method

[kevincnc]

Thanks guys, and it is V22, I got the thread title wrong. I was using the Offset icon instead of the one on the Other menu, but it seems to work the same. My understanding was that the path should go in the direction that you pick the segments. I was trying to do two rectangular profiles, both going clockwise. On the right side it works, but on the left side it will only go CCW, and the arrow shows up smaller. That must also mean something. Any ideas?

[The Engine Guy]

Thanks guys, and it is V22, I got the thread title wrong. I was using the Offset icon instead of the one on the Other menu, but it seems to work the same. My understanding was that the path should go in the direction that you pick the segments. I was trying to do two rectangular profiles, both going clockwise. On the right side it works, but on the left side it will only go CCW, and the arrow shows up smaller. That must also mean something. Any ideas?

.
Do what is in one of the images (Clockwise??) and then create your Profile Feature.

[SBC Cycle]

Thanks guys, and it is V22, I got the thread title wrong. I was using the Offset icon instead of the one on the Other menu, but it seems to work the same. My understanding was that the path should go in the direction that you pick the segments. I was trying to do two rectangular profiles, both going clockwise. On the right side it works, but on the left side it will only go CCW, and the arrow shows up smaller. That must also mean something. Any ideas?

I never understood why this would be but depending on the total length of the chain, the "arrows" change size.

Regarding contours, there are ways to get the contour to always go the right direction but none is easier than letting the software choose it's own direction, then use the "Reverse Contour" function on the ones that don't agree with you. Under "Utilities" if I recall.

If you draw a line starting 0,0 and ending at 5,0 you can see that this line already has some sense of direction. So if you go to contour and click on this line (anywhere) and hit OK, the contour will always start at the "start point" of the line and end at the "end point" of the line.

However, if you shift + click the line at the left end (0,0) this will force BobCAD to ignore the line's start\end points and it will create the contour going from right (5,0) to left (0,0). If you have multiple entities, shift + clicking on the last entity tells BobCAD "This is the end of the contour". Any other selection method will try to reconcile the contour with the underlying geometry.

Of course there are other rules to this. If your geometry is closed, like a pocket, the CCW and CW buttons now come into play. No matter how you select a closed chain, it will use the buttons to determine direction.

So really, if you consider the fact that a contour can only go one of two directions I have found it much easier to simply reverse the ones I don't like. All this is just observations from my experience, open to correction if I have something wrong. Also, I only used V22 for a month or so before I upgraded to V23 so some functionality may have changed. Play with it to confirm.

[kevincnc]

Thanks again for the help guys, your time and detailed answers are much appreciated. After trying to upgrade to the latest build (didn't work,) I uninstalled and re-installed the full version. Now profile direction works correctly, as does the reverse contour that I didn't know about. Verify also works on files that it didn't work on before. I'm happy for now, more questions surely to come :cheers: