"Egyptian pyramid style" CNC (software telling me how to turn handles)

Crossposted to wrong group.

Ok, so now you have to find yourself a CNC mill to replace the manual one. Perhaps sell me the manual one to upgrade mine.

Pete C.

I like what you did, however you may want to consider learning a bit about spreadsheets. You can do this sort of thing on a spredsheet with much better control ( resolution and such ) and a whole lot easier.

JMHO

Jim

I would, indeed, be interested to know. Note though that I can easily change the step (resolution) of the process with my script, all I need is to change variable $phi_step. The more resolution, the more manual work (and more accuracy).

The key word is "easier". If you a halfway good perl programmer it may be "easier" for you to change the perl code that fuss with a clumsy spreadsheet.

I am at least a half decent perl programmer.

I am going to try to expand these scripts to perform arbitrary compound curve calculations (figure out where the center of an endmill should go to produce a certain curve, taking the curve as a parameter).

Note that not all curves can be made with a round endmill of a given diameter. Think about a heart shape cut from outside.

I also plan to add some features to address the backlash issue. Whenever X or Y feed direction changes, I have to print a reminder to the operator to fix backlash (ie lock the table, turn the handle in the other direction to eat all backlash, then adjust the dial to be at previous position, then unlock the table).

I also want to do something so that I do not have to use the printer

-- that is, being my Linux laptop closer to the mill.

Scripts are more flexible than spreadsheets.

Forgot to add. Depending on the curvature, iteration step and whether X movements are performed before or after Y movements, an adjustment should be also made, or else the curve wil be a little different. This is all high school math, mostly, just needs to be done correctly.

Retrofit your Bridgeport for CNC. I recently completed a retrofit on my Chinese Bridgeport clone. I did not change to ball screws (too expensive). I am using steppers, Gecko 203V drivers and Mach3 software. The cost was about $1,500. Let me know if you want more details. BTW, this was my third CNC mill conversion.

I am definitely interested. One page I saw was Richard Kinch's bridgeport conversion. I would like to know more about it. I think that software can compensate for backlash of regular screws, perhaps with the exception of when the endmill grabs material etc.

Let me know what you did, thanks. Maybe you have some photos? Did you use a stock kit or did you put it all together yourself?

Spend some time at

Thanks Pete, I will add it to my daily reading list. I think that I am registered there already.

Sheeeit, Ig, you coulda just gotten yer handle positions from Excel, same formulas.

Seems like your a perl scripter who's looking for a script to write. Even though your script looks like its miles long, its actually very compact. Not a fan of strict or my, but that doesn't add much. What you need is a purpose for your scripts. And screw the guys saying use excel or spreadsheets, they work just fine, but perl is better. You can get to things excel wont do, but you will never get to something perl cant do. Im not interested in cutting a circle on a bridgeport, but your thinking in the right direction. Keep posting your programs please. One suggestion, make it more user friendly for those who dont program, have it prompt you for input such as degrees, endmill size, etc... Then make it an executable using perl2exe.

kickass man.

yes

Especially once you want to go further (complex curves, step computed automatically to allow for a given accuracy/finish etc).

What I think I want is to eventually write a script that would read config lines. Every line will say what shape to cut (assuming X-Y only).

Example:

outside arc R=2 x0=1.4 y0=3.6 angle1=43 angle2=68 depth=1.14

That would mean cut an arc from the outside radius 2, center in (1.4,3.6), starting angle 43, ending angle 68. Mill depth 1.14".

(I would have a library of curves adding as needed).

It would output instructions like in my original post, saying

- move to point such and such (using a DRO)

- lower quill to 1.14"

- set dials to such and such

- and then many instructions to turn the dials.

So all I would have to do is position the part, do exactly as the script says, with looking at the part completely optional. ;)

I want it to read a config file, I think.

I may make it into a module on CPAN, I already have my Net::eBay module available on CPAN.

The nice thing here is that I can experiment all I want at low cost (no cost).

I have no understanding of CNC hardware and doing the above, may get me a little more understanding of the process (and would let me make any parts I want, though slowly).

The boss wanted our haas mill to probe an electrode, and then send to the edm the distance in x-y-z it was off location, PERL!!!! Using the haas print, my perl script was able to get that data, and convert it to the format the edm needed, then saved it on the edm using the network in whats called a measurement file.. It worked great...but nobody would use it, the owner is still pissed a year or two later. (I just lead the horse to water, I dont hold his head under water till he drinks) But who cares, it was good training. And now i can say I connected a haas directly to an agie edm.(useless skill for the moment). But go try to buy something to do that?

Very interesting. Note also that for many shapes, round endmills smooth out the resulting curve, even if X and Y movements are not completely synchronized. The removed material is the union of all circles that occurred on the way.

Vinny, very nice to see perl used for such amazing things. I am most impressed.

Not sure about the validity of that story. Think more likely jobs were done with rotary tables and whatnot.

Somewhere I either read or was told this is how NC was started. Some Aerospace company was milling complex curves and was using a manual machine with 3 machinists, one on the X hand wheel, one on the Y hand wheel and one reading movements off a printout. Each hand wheel guy would try to move his increment in the same amount of time the other guy did. One might move .003 the other .001 For accuracy, speed or both it then went from the "computer" just printing out the moves to actually making the moves.

Thank You, Randy

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