I just received a new book on the CNC programming. While I have gotten by by using the TurboCAD/CAM software, I felt it was time to delve deeper into the programming of my router. The CAM plug-in does not utilize the "G52" command, well I have a project to take a 12 x 12 x .250 piece of black delrin & cut out as many dime sized parts from it. With the CAM software I will need to "program" each instance I want cut out. I have decided to do some studying on the subject & how to manually program parts of this particular project. BTW, the book CNC Programming Handbook, Third Edition comes with a CD & tutorials.

Hey Ken

The book appears  to be interesting.I was playing around with your project for fun but didn't finish with it.But this is what i came up with in the enclosed png. file.


W.D.

Hey Ken

The book appears  to be interesting.I was playing around with your project for fun but didn't finish with it.But this is what i came up with in the enclosed jpeg.


W.D.

Thanks WD. The problem is not in creating all of the tool paths in the CAM plug-in, but the time it takes to program each entity. Also it is a bit more complex than cutting out a circle. I just do not want to program each one. I will write a sub-routine that looks at the first part, moves to the next set of coordinates to re-run the original & just keeps on repeating itself .

I know what you mean about subroutines If you do accomplish it do share.I don't think the software capable in the traditional way but I'm sure there is some work around.I used them on the lathe to do washers,and it could only six at a time then a had to pull the stock out of the chuck and restart the cycle.There is a section about copying tool paths that comes close to what your after for doing multiple able parts. I'm sure your aware of.Might be on page 5-6.It depends on manual you got but I'm sure its in some where.

W.D.

WD, I read the section on copying tool paths, and what a small section it was. I applied the procedureto my project & it worked. The only thing I did not like was the ineffiency of the code. it turned out to be 5822 lines of code. Thes knowledge I will gain from this manual, I should be able to drastically reduce that number by 80%. Just thought I would drop in & let you know that the procedure in the manual does work.

Great glad  to hear you pulled it off.I have use lathe with several programing methods,cam,manual programming ,and semi-automatic which means one can run the lathe in manual and automatic by manually moving the x,z handles.The cam had capabilities to do subroutines.I had to contact the machine makers application engineer to learn the task.

As suggestion might want to contact Mac they may have a better game plan.This quite bit of code you must have large memory in your PC.My program in earlier post had around 36 lines of code but I didn't use the multiplier copying steps in the book.I draw a 12x12 square in 2d.

 Made 3/4 circles,then fit array command,then second circle with the offset command and .188  larger and used path milling procedure and did two .125 depth cuts.And use a 3/8 tool bit.But you have to select each circle for the cutter path which takes little time.

What you see above took me around  1/2 hour or 45 minutes to do and would have been longer if I finish,Oh forgot to mention with using the tool path milling you do get direct plunge in the material at finish depth 1/4 inch.

It might be easier to do it in the cnc lathe or swiss machine than the mill,router,etc.but outsourcing is also an option also.Thanks for the follow up.

W.D.