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CNC Utilities

This topic has 50 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 18 May 2017 at 17:02 by SillyOldDuffer.

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5 November 2013 at 14:42 #15024
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
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5 November 2013 at 14:42 #134670
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
I have uploaded a few CNC utilities to my website for free download if anyone is interested. They are:
1. Internal & External thread milling.
2. Lithophane Generator.
3. G Code Wrapper to wrap an XY plane toolpath around the A axis.
The last program (the wrapper one) is my response to not really understanding 'CNCWrapper', all its options & editing functions, and is a very simple program to use.

To download the programs go here: **LINK**

If you can think of any improvements or suggest any utilities you may like, then please contact me & I'll see what I can do.

Regards,

Richard.

Edited By Richard Williams 7 on 05/11/2013 14:44:00
5 November 2013 at 15:21 #134677
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Thanks, Richard

I've just had a quick look at your site; and will certainly be exploring it further.

For those interested in Lithophanes … this is good.

MichaelG.
5 November 2013 at 15:51 #134683
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
The Blaire museum is nice, unfortunately the website only gives a tantalising subset of what the museum offers. It's a bit far to nip over for the day, too.

Regards,

Richard
5 November 2013 at 22:18 #134721
John McNamara
Participant
@johnmcnamara74883
Thank You Richard

Very Useful tools. I have bookmarked your page.
The Z deletion tool in particular caught my eye.

Do you program in VB?

Regards
John
6 November 2013 at 08:16 #134737
Styx
Participant
@styx
Hi Richard,

Your Spherical Turning Program looks very interesing and a lot easier to use than the Ball Radius Tables I have used in the past. Unfortunatley when I clicked the download link it took me to the knurling program. Is it possible to sort this out as I would like to use the program to generate a ball for a tool post handle I am making.

Many thanks for sharing your utilities.

Steve….
6 November 2013 at 08:17 #134738
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
John,

I program in C++ using the very out of date Borland C++ Builder 4 Pro which I received in 1999 when a gentleman I knew gave up programming in C++ in favour of Java. Since then I have taught myself C++ and slowly learnt the libraries, and now feel relatively comfortable with the package. I dread the point when it becomes unusable due to 32 bit programs no longer being supported by the OS. I suspect I'll have to go to C#, which in itself isn't a problem, it's just the libraries will have to be re-learnt again and that's what takes the time.

Regards,

Richard.
6 November 2013 at 08:22 #134739
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
Steve: Oops….

Error is now corrected.

Regards,

Richard
6 November 2013 at 09:00 #134743
Styx
Participant
@styx
Hi Richard,

Just tried downloading the spherical program again but it still takes me to the knurling download.

Sorry to be a pain.

Steve….
6 November 2013 at 09:19 #134744
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
Steve,

I think it must be your machine storing the old version of the page in a cashe. If you go to the page and do a 'refresh', that should load the modified page. Alternatively click on this link: **LINK** to go direct to the zip file for the program.

Regards,

Richard

Edited By richardandtracy on 06/11/2013 09:21:04
6 November 2013 at 09:54 #134751
Styx
Participant
@styx
Richard,

All sorted now.

Thank you.

Steve….
6 November 2013 at 15:07 #134771
mick
Participant
@mick65121
Being a G code man I always thought that CNCwrapper was a hip hop singer!
6 November 2013 at 15:39 #134773
John Stevenson 1
Participant
@johnstevenson1
Just like a geriatric is a German fast bowler ?
6 November 2013 at 16:04 #134775
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
Groan…
7 November 2013 at 08:13 #134809
Styx
Participant
@styx
Richard,

I made a tool post handle using your spherical turning utility and was really pleased with the result. I have posted a couple of pictures in my albums.

From a personal point of view an improvement to the utility would be to have just 2 columns of movemements showing. The X (Z) axis incements and the Y axis shown as a diameter. I only suggest this as I have a digital readout on my lathe and the Y axis is set to diameter.

Thanks for a great program and I will certainly be using it again.

Steve….
7 November 2013 at 09:17 #134814
Emgee
Participant
@emgee
Hi Richard

I like your site and thanks for allowing me to download some useful programs.

Emgee
7 November 2013 at 09:58 #134817
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
I took another look at CNCWrapper last night.

What a cop out!

Only wrapping straight lines (G0/G1 codes) and not arcs (G2 & G3)?!?!

That really isn't good enough, as it requires an intermediate step to convert arcs to lines or an extra process to go through in the CAM package to ensure only lines are written. Not impressed at all.

OK, having moaned, what about doing something about it? Well, it so happens that while writing my G Code Wrapper program, I created a standalone 'G Code Arcs to Lines' program intended as one of 2 program stages to wrap toolpaths (this was before I figured out how to do it in one stage). Well, I still have the intermediate program, and thought it was possible it might be useful to users of CNCWrapper.

Once again it's available on my Chestnut Pens Downloads page (second program down at the moment). **LINK**

I have also come up with an idea that will allow me to convert arcs in the XZ/YZ planes into straight lines, and do away with the restriction on the toolpath being in the XY Plane only. I think it will probably take a couple of weeks to implement. It may not be very useful, but I'd be happier if the wrapper program didn't simply discard XZ/YZ plane toolpaths.

Regards,

Richard
7 November 2013 at 10:07 #134818
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
Steve,

I'm glad you found it useful. Thinking about what you say, I could possibly put in a whole lot of tick boxes that would govern whether a column is printed or not. Would that meet your requirement?

Regards,

Richard.
7 November 2013 at 10:16 #134819
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
Emgee,

I'm glad you find them useful. Can I suggest you also peruse Marv Klotz's site where Marv has been offering useful little utilities for many years: **LINK** . It's a useful site even though it doesn't look spectacular. I see Marv is still offering my DOS version of my Boltload program (though I still think the windows one is easier to use [on my site – Marv hates Windoze], even though the DOS version runs twice as fast for 1/10th the program size). Good to see it's still up after 10 years or so.

Regards,

Richard
7 November 2013 at 10:16 #134820
blowlamp
Participant
@blowlamp
Richard.

For most people it will be an option within their CAM program to output arcs or only straight line moves.

I think there are various ways to output arcs into G-code that you'll need to allow for in your program and it may have to be intelligent enough to sense which is being used.

Martin.
7 November 2013 at 10:47 #134826
Styx
Participant
@styx
Richard,

Tick boxes sounds like a great idea.

Steve…
7 November 2013 at 10:53 #134827
richardandtracy
Participant
@richardandtracy
Martin,

I'm not sure I follow.

The code for an arc is G2 or G3. Are there others? If so, I can't see them in the write-ups I have looked at. I confess I have explicitly excluded all canned cycles from my conversion (G12, G13, G73, G80-89) on the grounds that different programs & machines seem to interpret them slightly differently.

Straight lines seem to be G0 & G1, they will pass through the Arcs to Lines program unaffected.

In the 'readme' with each program I do explicitly state what it converts. The converted code listing for the arcs to lines program is:

(Comment)
F[Feed Rate]
G0 + A, B, C, X, Y, Z qualifiers
G1 + A, B, C, X, Y, Z, F, G53 qualifiers
G2 + A, B, C, I, J, K, X, Y, Z, F, G53 qualifiers. Up to 360 degrees per arc.
G3 + A, B, C, I, J, K, X, Y, Z, F, G53 qualifiers. Up to 360 degrees per arc.
G4 + P qualifier
G17-19
G20, but converts all the new file to mm.
G21
G40
G41 + D, P qualifiers
G42 + D, P qualifiers
G43 + H qualifier
G44 + H qualifier
G49
G50
G51 + A, B, C, X, Y, Z qualifiers
G52 + A, B, C, X, Y, Z qualifiers
G54 – 58
G59 + P qualifier
G61
G64
G68 + A, B, R, I qualifiers
G69
G70, but converts all the new file to mm.
G71
G90
G90.1
G91
G91.1
G92
G93
G94
G98 + R qualifier
G99 + R qualifier
M0 – 9
M30
M47
M48
M49
M60
N[Line No]
O[Label]
P[Time]
R[Distance]
S[Spindle Speed]
T[Tool No]

That covers every code (and a few extra) I have seen in the output I have encountered from CamBam and the Mach3 macros – with the exception of the canned cycles already mentioned. If I have missed anything significant, please let me know, I'd appreciate it.

Regards,

Richard.
7 November 2013 at 12:06 #134832
John McNamara
Participant
@johnmcnamara74883
Hi All

I found this Wiki that covers G codes rather well.

**LINK**

Regards
John
7 November 2013 at 12:39 #134834
John Stevenson 1
Participant
@johnstevenson1
Richard,

Just a suggestion if you are feeling bored

What about a program to cross clock wheels out ? I'm sure there is a demand for it as when we used to do shows and demo the Sieg KX1 and KX3 machines , this was a question we were asked all the while.

I know Mach has Wizards but there isn't a wizard for this and Ron Ginger who is responsible for the wizards isn't interested.

I personally don't need one as i don't make clocks, only waste time and I have a copy of Gearotic which does a very good job on spokes.

However not everyone will want to fork out for a Gearotic license just to do the crossing out operation.

John S.
7 November 2013 at 13:03 #134835
Phil L
Participant
@phill
Hi all

If you want a list of G codes and M codes work shop safe they are listed in the newer zeus book metric revision back 3 or four pages.

phil
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