Monday 1 April 2013

DeskProto JWX - Minitech wizard convert

Hey all, still a WIP but getting great results already :)

I had some time on my hands (easter weekend) and me mate Joe had an idea.. lets re-script the Deskproto JWX wizard to work for our Minitechs....

Firstly this is info on how that script works.. its a LONG video, so executive summary is

1: Take geometry, port to DeskProto
2: Run JWX wizard which automatically offsets for all fixtures
3: Wizard sets up and calculates AutoFlip + Rotary.

Really a fast way to do mundane pathing. Here is that video for original JWX. Great work Lex!




Those of us with Mach2/3 mills with decent Omron switches dont have to jump through all those hoops the Roland device has to.. we simply setup G54 after a physical tram and software "dial" so the basis of this wizard works VERY well for us!

The translation of the details was been mildly tedious because it requires quite a bit of coding, but its been relatively hassle free because Lex documents his wizards very well!

As it stands the wizard has been altered to work "normally" ie: no fixtures and no fixed X offsets for the rotary paths, X has been set to 0 so it will work with whatever fixture offset you have for your own arbour. (in my case Brants) and it works PERFECTLY, first test cuts done!

More info on upcoming fixture below :)

This is the wizard at 95% done, a few tweak left to get it looking neat, an exchange of graphics and some final tweaking of pathing values.

Changes:

1: Changed arbor geometry and cutouts to represent "Brants arbour"
2: Entire job but with one cutter, including hub hole
3: Roughing on flips changed from linear to radial (much faster)
4: Null code to operations 1:5 1:6 1:7 (using to cutoff supports, next change)
5: Removed all X offsets for rotary passes (see point 11)
6: Changed code to reflect that X offset as a variable for the before/after code throughout
7: Changed the chaining orders since we using one cutter right around
8: Changed rotary final method to skip total ambient
9: Reduced minumum width from 8 to 6mm for Brants arbour
10: Lots and lots and lots of tweaks like changing the hardcoded Roland mm/sec to mm/min
11: (in my video I use a g54, my X offset is not required but will re add)

The pathing section


and the cuts in order

Flip Cut

Rotary in process

and DOne!

So essentially that is a practical working carcass.. a few niceties like I said, some graphics etc..

Joe and myself are working on a strapon fixture similar to few already on the market and then refinishing this wizard to suit it, the fixture has a base plate thta fits to your table, this base gets shimmed and trammed to suit your machine then the fixture couples to it, and a OldHam coupling will fix it to your rotary to eliminate and runout..




Basically after that put it on, take it off, do what you like it will stay true..






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