NativeCAM is Features renamed

orpheus wrote:

Hi Fern,

I just recently upgraded NativeCAM, and noticed this limit. When I wrote the thread-milling module, one of the first things I used it for was thread-milling Hastelloy c276, which I would most definitely not want to cut at more than 0.5mm a pass. I'm just curious why you set this minimum value in the configuration?

I suppose Hastelloy c276 is a hard material and you want to cut less than 0.5mm. I has been changed for anything larger than 0.0 and will be available on the next update.

In the meantime, you may use the method noted in the previous post to change it then save as custom default. New type and new value will be saved and used anytime you want to use it. Or maybe you have already changed the default thread-milling.cfg file.

You can also save the edited thread-milling.cfg file to my-stuff directory, then edit menu.xml to use it instead of the default one.

Fern

Hi Fern!

Hi Fern!
Please could you give me a hand to understand how does the facing operation works?
I can not lower the facing cutter in 0.1mm passes, maybe I missed some option.



Thanks,
Floris

eFalegname wrote:

Hi Fern!
Please could you give me a hand to understand how does the facing operation works?
I can not lower the facing cutter in 0.1mm passes, maybe I missed some option.

Hi Floris,

Since surface finishing is different than any other type of cut, I updated the subroutine and it will not need a tool change before. I used it quite a few times last week and I have a few minor changes to make. There will be an example.

In the meantime, since the value you want to change is of float type you can change it to use gcode. Just right click on the param you want to change (It could be 'Tool Change->Step down' or 'Facing->Cut down to') and select the 'Change to g-code' option then enter the value you want.

Here are a few changes you will find in the next update :

• Because Tool Change is confusing with all it's option, it has been replaced with 3 new subroutine :
  1. End Mill Change
  2. Drill Change
  3. Threadmill Change
• Rectangular array and Drill array will now follow this path : X +[1..n], Y +1, X -[n..1], Y +1, ...
• Virtual Key Board is being updated to be a calculator (still under development)
• New surface finishing subroutine

It should be ready for update this week

Fern

Fern thank you very much for your always prompt reply.
I am very happy that the update is so close, in the meantime I'm using the input fields in "g code mode" as a calculator with/without variables (closing the operation between brackets, ex: [49 / 2 - #<wp_width>])
I'm using NativeCam in daily basis and I have to say that it has changed my way of working, I'm becoming more productive. I really appreciate your efforts. Thank you so much!
Floris

(Fern I note that my block skip safety feature doesn't work properly.)

Hi Floris

Have you had success with the new version ?

Fern

Hi Fern, I'm back...
Sometimes I need to face the part along the perpendicular axis in a bidirectional way too and add a finish cut, to avoid soft pieces springing back; here is the video to show you the point that I think it would be awesome to develope the facing operation:




Could you please add in the probe menu a touch off operation to auto zero Z axis, just like the one used to find the work surface before starting the program.
One last thing, could you please show the name of the open project?
Thank you so much!
Cheers
Floris

Video not working, private??

eFalegname wrote:

... Sometimes I need to face the part along the perpendicular axis in a bidirectional way too

You can face the part along X or Y axis, either uni or bi-directional, anything else you need ?

eFalegname wrote:

...and add a finish cut ...

Nice suggestion

eFalegname wrote:

...Could you please add in the probe menu a touch off operation to auto zero Z axis

Nice suggestion too, it will probe the Z position first then X and Y and finally move above the place you selected to end and set X and Y to 0. (Setting Z to 0 is not usefull if the probe is mounted in a drill chuck)

eFalegname wrote:

One last thing, could you please show the name of the open project?

I do not think I can have it displayed in the lcnc bar which would be the best place but I could have it displayed in the project menu like Projects->Save 'project name'. Or add an extra label for it ? Not sure I would.

Easiest way would be creating a 'Project Desription' subroutine with the first field being 'Project Name' (read-only and displaying the new name when changed) and a 'Comment' field. However you would have to select this subroutine to read the name.
You could add this to your default template.

Fern

You can face the part along X or Y axis, either uni or bi-directional, anything else you need ?

I want to face the part along the x and then along the y axis in both cases bidirectional, but right now that's not possible.
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Setting Z to 0 is not usefull if the probe is mounted in a drill chuck

I think that it would be useful to put a field for the Z axis value overwritting (maybe an offset).
-

it will probe the Z position first then X and Y and finally move above the place you selected to end and set X and Y to 0

I thought about this too, however a macro only for autozero Z would be really useful.
-

Easiest way would be creating a 'Project Desription' subroutine with the first field being 'Project Name'

I'll try to rename the comment label to get the name of the project visible.

Fern and remember please that the block skip safety feature "/" doesn't work as expected.

Cheers
Floris