PathCopy, PathArray, PathCompound broken

[roivai]

looks verry good, only one suggestion to the 2D Array: Is it possible to reduce the "no work pathes"?
In your example the tool goes back to the left side after compleating one line (works each line from left to right). If the secound line works from right to left, you will save the time for going back to left.

After we chatted on IRC, I tried out conditionally enabling properties again and it seems to be working fine. If you want to do that, the script in the thread you referred to works perfectly. Assuming this doesn't have a task panel, that's all there is to it. If you build a panel, you'll have to conditionally enable the controls there too.

Great points. Both are done. The Properties panel looks much nicer now.

2017-06-04-224004_3840x1200_scrot.png (75.17 KiB) Viewed 900 times

[herbk]

perfect

[rainharvester]

Was the fix for "Array Path" and "non-parametric copy" ever added?

It still looks broken. Maybe it regressed? I submitted a bug.

I also use HerbK's usage scenario : cutting multiple parts with a reduced workflow (no need to create/update lots of tool operations for a lot of parts if you change the Sketch for the part. By copying the tool-path you get every part cut one-by-one instead of doing all the holes for every part then all the contours for every part. It just creates lots of unnecessary moves of the CNC machine. If you try to fix this (by hand, so that you do the holes for a single part, then the profile for that single part. Then repeat that entire part 100s of times), you end up modifying each path for every part being cut out (which could be 100's of parts).

[herbk]

Hi.
i can't confirm...
I used path array several times the last weeks and allway i got short traveling moves.
Here a pick with a quick test:

path_array.jpg (20.57 KiB) Viewed 738 times

Only at the start of the operation the pic shows some red lines which are seemingly unneeded. But that realy seems only... It shows the way of the tool from X0 Y0 Z0 to the first "place of work". But thats only shown at the screen, the exported Gcode don't have this "moves to 0". The tool allways starts from the Point where it is.


OS: "openSUSE Leap 42.3"
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.18.15188 (Git) AppImage
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: de074ec4f37ee8baf4c268a3bc528f4bddf8ac15
Python version: 2.7.6
Qt version: 4.8.6
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.3.0
Locale: German/Germany (de_DE)

[rainharvester]

That image/models does not have 18 holes in each part. Results will vary for different shapes and whatever travel planner is used.

Regardless, the bug has less to do with optimized paths . More with user workflow reduction.

Thanks for responding. I'm glad to have found this community!

[rainharvester]

Just to be clear...

Path Array:
Array works fine, for making an array of a single path. But if you want to cut an entire part at a time with holes ( drill holes, then Cut out the part), you can't use array.

With array, you can drill all the holes for 100 parts, then move all over your workpiece to go back and cut every part out). In the shop, this means that if the machine loses a step or crashes etc, then you lost all your material. You also can't inspect (start to polish etc) any single part until all the holes are drilled. The tool path also gets much longer than it needs to be.

But if you cut one entire part at a time, you can inspect a part for flaws, start to polish etc. You can also use any material that hasn't been touched by a bad cut (losing a bit, machine crash etc.). The job's total "rapid moves" time is shorter too.

It would be really useful for Array to be able to copy multiple paths (interleave the paths as the originals).
I think this is a feature request.


The non-parametric copy:
Placement doesn't seem to work on the gcode (just the display). I read a lot of docs about the "Use Placement" button, to affect the actual gcode, but I don't see that button anywhere).
I think this is a bug.

[sliptonic]

Path now has a pretty good collection of different tools and tricks to do multiple copies of parts. We should probably think about a dedicated wiki page listing them all.

It would be really useful for Array to be able to copy multiple paths (interleave the paths as the originals).
I think this is a feature request.

This is what fixtures are good for. Of course, it's up to the operator to set up the fixture offsets on the machine but then interleaving the operations is a snap. My fixture code hasn't been merged yet (and won't until 0.18 is out) but the branch on my repo can be used if you build FreeCAD from source.

The non-parametric copy:
Placement doesn't seem to work on the gcode (just the display). I read a lot of docs about the "Use Placement" button, to affect the actual gcode, but I don't see that button anywhere).
I think this is a bug.

Non-parametric copy basically just copies the path commands into a custom. Placement does nothing except display. This is by design.

[rainharvester]

I guess the wiki docs need to be fixed then. "Path compound" button is described but missing in the app:
https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/Path_Compound

[herbk]

Hi,

With array, you can drill all the holes for 100 parts, then move all over your workpiece to go back and cut every part out). In the shop, this means that if the machine loses a step or crashes etc, then you lost all your material. You also can't inspect (start to polish etc) any single part until all the holes are drilled.

Sorry, but this sounds inconclusive to me...
If you want to make a serie of parts like you described you have to do a toolchange between drilling and milling, rawing and finish milling. If you do that 20 times (for 20 parts) you are losing some more more time.
If your machine loses steps, you have to aprove your machine setup and if the machine chrashes the few bucks for the material are usualy the smallest problem. But on both is the problem the machine, not the path.
Inspecting or taking out a part of a still running machine, sorry again, bat that's only stupid... Especially if your machine is reliable as you described above.

Edit: But i'm with you: For "one tool work" it would be nice if it were possible copy or array to apply to operations...

[rainharvester]

Hi Herbk,

Let's not get off track on differences in machines or shop etiquette. I gave some reasons that may not apply to you, but have nothing to do with freecad.

For the feature request, we agree:
"But i'm with you: For "one tool work" it would be nice if it were possible copy or array to apply to operations... "