Plasma GUI Design
01 May 2019 22:44 #132464
by BigJohnT
Plasma GUI Design was created by BigJohnT
I've been using Axis on my plasma table but now with QtPyVCP you can make whatever GUI you want pretty easy. You can start with a blank slate and build it like you want.
I'm wondering what ngcgui type of things might be handy on a plasma? I'm usually cutting from a G code file but I do trim the sheets and have the occasion to cut a circle or ring or a square or rectangle.
Hmm I wonder if a nesting type of thing where you can set the XY offset for each part and how many to make in a grid pattern, that might be a useful thing to make. I'm guessing that wrapping the G code program for the part in a subroutine then a position move cut the part then the next position move etc.
In my mill GUI I can spot drill, drill, ream, chamfer, rigid tap and thread mill with as many locations as you like and in any order you like but better not tap before drilling lol. It's pretty quick to set up the hole ops and build the G code file, then you can load it into LinuxCNC and/or save it to a file. Don't get me wrong I loved using Axis and ngcgui but both are so limiting in some ways I'm really happy to have a free hand to make what I need.
Just thinking out loud so if you have any ideas let me know.
I'm wondering what ngcgui type of things might be handy on a plasma? I'm usually cutting from a G code file but I do trim the sheets and have the occasion to cut a circle or ring or a square or rectangle.
Hmm I wonder if a nesting type of thing where you can set the XY offset for each part and how many to make in a grid pattern, that might be a useful thing to make. I'm guessing that wrapping the G code program for the part in a subroutine then a position move cut the part then the next position move etc.
In my mill GUI I can spot drill, drill, ream, chamfer, rigid tap and thread mill with as many locations as you like and in any order you like but better not tap before drilling lol. It's pretty quick to set up the hole ops and build the G code file, then you can load it into LinuxCNC and/or save it to a file. Don't get me wrong I loved using Axis and ngcgui but both are so limiting in some ways I'm really happy to have a free hand to make what I need.
Just thinking out loud so if you have any ideas let me know.
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02 May 2019 05:42 #132484
by pl7i92
Replied by pl7i92 on topic Plasma GUI Design
with Qcad Librecad and sheetcam in place (Non Cost Versions)
you can make pretty fast good parts
for Me here as a long Time Plasma Men it is the best workset
you can make pretty fast good parts
for Me here as a long Time Plasma Men it is the best workset
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- islander261
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02 May 2019 15:34 #132543
by islander261
Replied by islander261 on topic Plasma GUI Design
JT
When I first started doing plasma cutting it was using a proprietary controller that had the ability to import .dxf files. The problem was it produced crap Gcode because it couldn't cope with arcs and they all became many short linear segments == crappy cuts. So I moved up in the world to using Inkscape and Gcodetools. Big improvement in cut quality because Gcode arcs where used plus the Gcodetools Bezier curve to circular arc conversion works well. I never could get Inkscape to do nesting reliably, I know others have but I could never get to the works every time point. I then discovered that you can use all manor of conditional coding in Gcode files, great simple rectilinear nesting using Gcode subroutines from Inkscape! Well in theory at least, the problem is if you have a cutting mishap and need to start over again in the middle of a file you can't do it. The run from line functions in most machine controllers don't keep track of the machine modal condition or Gcode variables as you skip ahead preventing you from restarting in the middle of a file. So no looping or condition execution if you ever want to start over in the middle of the file. I did find by using hard coded offsets I could simply nest by hand and reliably restart almost anyplace in the file. My mill is sooo much simpler to run.
John
When I first started doing plasma cutting it was using a proprietary controller that had the ability to import .dxf files. The problem was it produced crap Gcode because it couldn't cope with arcs and they all became many short linear segments == crappy cuts. So I moved up in the world to using Inkscape and Gcodetools. Big improvement in cut quality because Gcode arcs where used plus the Gcodetools Bezier curve to circular arc conversion works well. I never could get Inkscape to do nesting reliably, I know others have but I could never get to the works every time point. I then discovered that you can use all manor of conditional coding in Gcode files, great simple rectilinear nesting using Gcode subroutines from Inkscape! Well in theory at least, the problem is if you have a cutting mishap and need to start over again in the middle of a file you can't do it. The run from line functions in most machine controllers don't keep track of the machine modal condition or Gcode variables as you skip ahead preventing you from restarting in the middle of a file. So no looping or condition execution if you ever want to start over in the middle of the file. I did find by using hard coded offsets I could simply nest by hand and reliably restart almost anyplace in the file. My mill is sooo much simpler to run.
John
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02 May 2019 18:43 #132555
by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Plasma GUI Design
I actually coded a dxf to G code generator a while back in Go Language, never got around to coding a way to pick a start point, it just starts at the first line or arc it finds in the dxf file.. The free Sheetcam version usually is good enough for me, I think it's limited to 200 lines or so.I really don't care for that interface much but it's free and works for me. I've never tried Inkscape and Gcodetools, well I used Inkscape once to make an emblem.
I think nesting will be fairly straight forward, define a start point, XY grid pattern and how many per row and how many columns. A long time ago a buddy wanted to develop nesting software for torch cutouts and man it can get complicated trying to fit parts in all sorts of ways to get the least scrap.
JT
I think nesting will be fairly straight forward, define a start point, XY grid pattern and how many per row and how many columns. A long time ago a buddy wanted to develop nesting software for torch cutouts and man it can get complicated trying to fit parts in all sorts of ways to get the least scrap.
JT
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04 May 2019 15:42 - 04 May 2019 15:47 #132744
by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Plasma GUI Design
I did a little work on nesting this morning and sorted out part rotation and nesting in the X direction. Here is a short video showing how I pick a part and nest it. As usual it does look better when viewed at putube.
The parts are in a subroutine format and % and any program end is stripped out and the resulting subroutine is placed in a temp file with the added calls and other g code to position for each part. The subroutine call is made to the first o<something> sub so nested subroutines will still work.
JT
The parts are in a subroutine format and % and any program end is stripped out and the resulting subroutine is placed in a temp file with the added calls and other g code to position for each part. The subroutine call is made to the first o<something> sub so nested subroutines will still work.
JT
Last edit: 04 May 2019 15:47 by BigJohnT.
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04 May 2019 21:19 #132772
by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Plasma GUI Design
Nesting part 2
JT
JT
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04 May 2019 21:38 #132774
by rodw
Replied by rodw on topic Plasma GUI Design
Very cool John. Who is going to tell PhillC he has more work to do in Plasmac?
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04 May 2019 22:18 #132781
by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Plasma GUI Design
Not me lol, but he can copy my code if he wants... I added an even row offset so parts can be nested better.
JT
JT
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06 May 2019 01:42 #132894
by phillc54
Cheers, Phill.
Replied by phillc54 on topic Plasma GUI Design
vice versa would suit me...BigJohnT wrote:
Not me lol, but he can copy my code if he wants...
Cheers, Phill.
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