"Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

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JoshM
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by JoshM »

It’s a nice improvement and will be appreciated. I ask because milling tools cost money, are only available in certain sizes, and even if available requires shipping time, so I would hate to see a user unable to tailor their job to their existing tools.

Keep up the good work!
spanner888
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by spanner888 »

Below is a simple demonstration of using the Feeds and speeds calculator.
1. Showing ToolController empty Feeds and speeds
2. Feeds and speeds calculator open, with tool Cotroller, ToolBit and default values.
3. User has changed some input values
4. Calculated outputs placed back into ToolController

Would be great if we could have some more testers and feedback. Instructions and download are here https://github.com/dubstar-04/FeedsAndSpeeds
demonstration
demonstration
Feeds and Speeds.gif (140.54 KiB) Viewed 4010 times
phil from seattle
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by phil from seattle »

I am a FC newbie though time CNCer and developer of several Breakout Boards for grblHAL (32 bit version of Grbl - think LinuxCNC capabilities with Grbl simplicity). I am excited to try your F &S plugin. But, I am showing my FC_newbieness. I put the zip file in C:/Program Files/FreeCAD 0.19/Mod, restarted FC and opened Tools/Addon Manager. Lots of stuff shows up but no FeedsandSpeeds. Probably a boneheaded mistake but could some kind soul show me the error of my ways?

By the way, I will be happy to add any helpful hints to the wiki for others like me.
florian1991
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by florian1991 »

phil from seattle wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:37 pm I put the zip file in C:/Program Files/FreeCAD 0.19/Mod, restarted FC and opened Tools/Addon Manager.
Almost correct.
You have to unzip the archive.
After a restart of FreeCAD you will find the Addon in the Path Menu
2021-07-30 22_16_20-FreeCAD.png
2021-07-30 22_16_20-FreeCAD.png (311.55 KiB) Viewed 3682 times
spanner888
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by spanner888 »

phil from seattle wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:37 pm I put the zip file in C:/Program Files/FreeCAD 0.19/Mod
Placing the file there will at some stage disappear during an upgrade, it is much better to place it in your own "user" mod directory, see https://wiki.freecadweb.org/How_to_inst ... orkbenches
phil from seattle wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:37 pm By the way, I will be happy to add any helpful hints to the wiki for others like me.
You most welcome to help out with FreeCAD or this addon.

After the Feed and Speed Calculator addon has some wider testing, feedback and refinement, it will most likely be added to the FreeCAD Addon manager.
phil from seattle
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by phil from seattle »

Thanks to both of you. I will probably be back after stumbling into every possible rabbit hole there is!
LHC
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by LHC »

phil from seattle wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:39 pm Thanks to both of you. I will probably be back after stumbling into every possible rabbit hole there is!
You've got a ways to go to catch up to me in that regard :lol:
phil from seattle
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by phil from seattle »

I got it installed but when I tried to run it (Path/Path Addons/Feeds and Speeds), I get this in report view:
19:48:25 Traceback (most recent call last):
19:48:25 File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.19\Mod\FeedsAndSpeeds-master\PathFeedsAndSpeedsGui.py", line 186, in Show
19:48:25 panel = FeedSpeedPanel()
19:48:25 File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.19\Mod\FeedsAndSpeeds-master\PathFeedsAndSpeedsGui.py", line 24, in __init__
19:48:25 self.setup_ui()
19:48:25 File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.19\Mod\FeedsAndSpeeds-master\PathFeedsAndSpeedsGui.py", line 57, in setup_ui
19:48:25 self.load_tool_properties()
19:48:25 File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.19\Mod\FeedsAndSpeeds-master\PathFeedsAndSpeedsGui.py", line 97, in load_tool_properties
19:48:25 flutes = tool.Flutes
19:48:25 AttributeError: 'Path.Tool' object has no attribute 'Flutes'
I think it is because the default tool is incorrectly defined with no flutes. Default tool was preinstalled. I deleted it and was able to get F&S to run. Maybe F&S should handle this situation and at least put a message about how to deal with the issue? Since I am a poster child for clueless newbies right now, I kind of feel their pain...

Some initial thoughts. I am very happy to have this available, thank you for your efforts.
- Overall, it looks reasonable. Pretty much what I would expect.
- Since a lot of bits don't have any F&S info, it might be good to have a way of guessing reasonable values or perhaps some simple defaults?
- It would be nice to have some additional materials: MDF, Baltic Birch, Acrylic/Plexiglass, Polycarbonate/Lexan. Even if they just mapped into a more generic material (MDF to Softwood), it would add a level of comfort to newbies.

To Make it easier for a total noob like me, I made a few minor edits to the readme.md. Since I don't have edit privs (and not asking, btw), here are the changes:

Code: Select all

# Installation
1. Use git clone or download the .zip file of this repo and extract the FeedsAndSpeeds-master directory into your FreeCAD Mod/ directory.
2. Restart FreeCAD

To use Feeds and Speeds, load a document and go to Path/Path Addons/Feeds and Speeds.
phil from seattle
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by phil from seattle »

I added a surfacing cutter - Whiteside 6210 - for surfacing the MDF spoilboard of my Avid Pro4848. (Yes, I really should get a bigger cutter.) There is no chip load info available from Whiteside. The default chip load is .020 which seems way low to me. Looking at other surfacing bits (like the Amana RC-2254), I see a range of .15 to .18. Plugging in .15 chip load and overriding the spindle speed to 8000, I get 3600 mm/min with a 1 mm stepdown. This yields a 24 minute operation which seems reasonable compared to what I have seen others doing.

Anyway, other than the low default chip load, this works really well. I like the power calculation that lets me see how hard I'll be pushing the machine.
spanner888
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Re: "Feed and Speed Calculator addon" integration & update including scripted creation of ToolControllers

Post by spanner888 »

phil from seattle wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:25 am I got it installed but when I tried to run it (Path/Path Addons/Feeds and Speeds), I get this in report view:
Thanks for bug report, issue is logged: https://github.com/dubstar-04/FeedsAndSpeeds/issues/14
phil from seattle wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:25 am Some initial thoughts. ....

....few minor edits to the readme.md.
Thanks for the feedback and edits. Have added them to my todo queue & will submit changes in a week or so, unless someone beats me to it.
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