Few remarks about Path/CAM real-life usage

[plaes]

I have successfully managed to go through the full Path/CAM workbench, but ran into few bumps during the journey:

• FreeCAD should warn about missing feed rates when doing the final post-processing step (using LinuxCNC). It seems that you need to set both Hor/Ver feed and spindle speed for each tool.
• Properly invalidate and notify user about outdated CNC operations. I'm not 100% sure whether it really happened this way, but after I had set up all the work operations, I reoriented my target body and also redid the stock sizes. This resulted in invalid TagDressup setup which (fortunately?) was not included in the final gcode. (Of course, I should have spotted this during simulation run, but I did not...)
• I can see following line in exported gcode (machine should be LinuxCNC, but it isn't):
  (machine: not set, mm/min)

[herbk]

Hi plaes,

I have successfully managed to go through the full Path/CAM workbench, but ran into few bumps during the journey:

FreeCAD should warn about missing feed rates when doing the final post-processing step (using LinuxCNC). It seems that you need to set both Hor/Ver feed and spindle speed for each tool.

A little warning about missing feedrates would not be bad... on the other side: after 3 times going back from the machine to the PC you'l remenber that feedrates are needed (i did)
Spindle speed i don't need at LinuxCNC, - at least at my setup.

Properly invalidate and notify user about outdated CNC operations. I'm not 100% sure whether it really happened this way, but after I had set up all the work operations, I reoriented my target body and also redid the stock sizes. This resulted in invalid TagDressup setup which (fortunately?) was not included in the final gcode. (Of course, I should have spotted this during simulation run, but I did not...)

Path Job makes a own copy of the base object, so if you move the base object itself, path dosn't notice that there is some different.
Changing the stock size changed the pathes (incl. TagDressup) here to, - maybe there is the need of a recompute, don't remember exactly...

I can see following line in exported gcode (machine should be LinuxCNC, but it isn't):
(machine: not set, mm/min)

Machine Settings are not included in FreeCAD atm. - and: LinuxCNC isn't a machine, it's a machine controller. You can own a bunch of mills, each controlled by LinuxCNC...
Typicall parameters for the machine setp would be lenght of moving way of each axis, wich axis are there, which spindle speed is possible...

[reox]

Spindle speed i don't need at LinuxCNC, - at least at my setup.

Maybe this could be an option to set: "Machine can set S command [yes] [no]". We had on our CNC a Kress spindle, where you would set the speed directly at the spindle. Now we upgraded to a HF spindle and can set the speed via Gcode.
Have FreeCAD warn you about missing settings / nonsense settings would be a very nice feature!

Typicall parameters for the machine setp would be lenght of moving way of each axis, wich axis are there, which spindle speed is possible...

Get warning for this as well would be also very nice.
I think other CAD/CAM solutions also allow you to enter a machine profile.

[sliptonic]

I have successfully managed to go through the full Path/CAM workbench, but ran into few bumps during the journey:

• FreeCAD should warn about missing feed rates when doing the final post-processing step (using LinuxCNC). It seems that you need to set both Hor/Ver feed and spindle speed for each tool.

This is possible right now. If you enable the experimental features and use the Path Sanity button, you'll get output like this is in the report window:

Code: Select all

PathSanity.INFO: Checking: Job.Default Tool
Tool Controller: Default Tool has a 0 value for the Horizontal feed rate
Tool Controller: Default Tool has a 0 value for the Vertical feed rate
Tool Controller: Default Tool has a 0 value for the spindle speed
PathSanity.INFO: Checking: Job.Contour

Path Sanity is still very basic but this is exactly what it was intended for -- simple sanity checks of the configuration.

[*] Properly invalidate and notify user about outdated CNC operations. I'm not 100% sure whether it really happened this way, but after I had set up all the work operations, I reoriented my target body and also redid the stock sizes. This resulted in invalid TagDressup setup which (fortunately?) was not included in the final gcode. (Of course, I should have spotted this during simulation run, but I did not...)

Hard to say without a reproducible error. Very possible that one or more operations isn't updating when the base object or job config changes.

[*] I can see following line in exported gcode (machine should be LinuxCNC, but it isn't):
(machine: not set, mm/min)
[/list]

This is just a comment coming from from some old obsolete code in the post processor. It should be removed. I'll look into it.

[hobbieman10]

I have successfully managed to go through the full Path/CAM workbench, but ran into few bumps during the journey:


[*] I can see following line in exported gcode (machine should be LinuxCNC, but it isn't):
(machine: not set, mm/min)
[/list]

I was wondering if you were able to fix this part yet. Mine is doing the same thing. units= in./lb. US Customary, Post processor is LinuxCNC. check GCode and G21 is there and all subsequent coding is in mm. I haven't tried it on the LinuxCNC on my Milling machine yet. Thank you. Jack B.

[chrisb]

Hi hobbieman10, welcome to the forum. Currently this is only a comment and should not affect your GCodes.

If you get the GCodes in mm please check if you have set '--inches' as additional argument to linux_cnc. If you have done so and still get wrong GCodes please upload your file.

[hobbieman10]

Hi hobbieman10, welcome to the forum. Currently this is only a comment and should not affect your GCodes.

If you get the GCodes in mm please check if you have set '--inches' as additional argument to linux_cnc. If you have done so and still get wrong GCodes please upload your file.

Thank you, I had never read that you should do that. But, I just did an export of a part I designed and used LinuxCNC (postprocessor) and put the '--inches' and WHAMO it works. Thank You Thank You and all that have made this what it is.
Jack B.
Panama City, FL. (That's in Merica)

[chrisb]

Thank You Thank You and all that have made this what it is.

sliptonic and mlampert deserve these thanks.

[Petert]

<snip>

[*] I can see following line in exported gcode (machine should be LinuxCNC, but it isn't):
(machine: not set, mm/min)
[/list]

This is just a comment coming from from some old obsolete code in the post processor. It should be removed. I'll look into it.

It's still there.....