Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

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Russ4262
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Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Russ4262 »

Good evening fellow FreeCAD users and CNC builders.

Great news for you all: 4th-axis has arrived to the Path Profile Faces op - just not committed to FC/master. We need some testing.

Because the PathProfileFaces op relies on the PathAreaOp script, like the PathPocketShape op, you will need to install BOTH the PathAreaOp and PathProfileFaces scripts. I will update the PathAreaOp script over at Path Pocket Shape: 4th-axis Integration.

PathProfileFaces.py is attached below.
PathAreaOp.py is at the topic linked above.

Don't get dizzy with all these rotations! :lol: :)

Information:
  • There is an "Inverse Angle" property. Chances are high that you will have to toggle this to get correct paths for some of your faces!
  • You must set "Enable Rotation" to other than 'Off' in order to profile faces perpendicularly that are not normal to Z-axis.
  • This is a testing version. Bugs may exist.
  • This feature does not handle complex rotations: those involving X and Y simultaneously.
  • Backward compatibility beyond 0.19.16502, or thereabouts, is not guaranteed.
  • Thank you for your feedback and testing.
  • Actual UI integration of 4th-axis rotational settings is in the works... Or shall I say, in my 4th_axis GH branch...
Usage:
  • Select the face(s) for the operation as normal
  • Click on the Path Profile Faces icon to start the operation
  • Change your settings as desired
  • Click OK to run the operation
  • In the properties list for the new operation, change the "Enable Rotation" setting as needed for the face(s)
  • Recompute the operation
  • Adjust start/final depths as needed. Final depth is coded to NOT go beyond the selected face used for the profile.
  • OPTIONAL: Toggle the "Inverse Angle" property if the path approach appears off a little bit and recompute the operation.
  • OPTIONAL: Toggle the "Reverse Direction" property if the path appears to be off by 180 degrees.
Installation of the script is the same as the other 4th-axis scripts posted. See the 3D Surface: 4th-axis Integration and more... topic for instructions.

UPDATE: 2019-06-11 Updated PathProfileFaces.py script attached to version 2f-testing. Simplified code related to 4th-axis. Required PathAreaOp script is updated at link above. Fixed model repositioning issue. Same version as PR #2231.
UPDATE: 2019-06-13 Updated PathProfileFaces.py script attached to version 2g-testing. Made some fixes pointed out by the involved and active @RatonLaveur. Additional cleaning of code and other feature tweaks.


Russell
Attachments
PathProfileFaces_2g-testing.py
PathProfileFaces_2g-testing.py
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PathProfileFaces 4th-axis sample
PathProfileFaces 4th-axis sample
PathProfileFaces-4th-axis_A.png (172.48 KiB) Viewed 7900 times
Last edited by Russ4262 on Thu Jun 13, 2019 6:01 am, edited 4 times in total.
Erich Schulz
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Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Erich Schulz »

this is very exciting Russ!

I am a complete FreeCAD noob - but I just bought a 4 axis CNC machine which will hopefully arrive in September.

I will be very keen to help test this!
Erich Schulz
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Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Erich Schulz »

Russ,

I'm flicking through some of the posts and seeing all the work and discussion that has gone on which is quite daunting.

Is there a wiki page that is dedicated to 4th axis so the current status can be summarised?

I'd be happy to dedicate an hour or two to summarise things as i go from zero to wannabe.
Russ4262
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Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Russ4262 »

Mr. Schulz,
Welcome to the the forums, Sir. In regard to your question about 4th-axis integration and usage, thank you for your interest and volunteerism for the FreeCAD project.
Erich Schulz wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:01 am Russ,

I'm flicking through some of the posts and seeing all the work and discussion that has gone on which is quite daunting.

Is there a wiki page that is dedicated to 4th axis so the current status can be summarised?

I'd be happy to dedicate an hour or two to summarise things as i go from zero to wannabe.
That I am aware of, we have not wiki page dedicated to the 4th-axis concept or availability or usage - currently. I have been working on the code side of 4th-axis development and not much on the documentation side. I only recently was granted wiki editing permissions by following instructions at How to get wiki editing permissions. I am certain the FC community would appreciate any additional or improved documentation on the subject as it relates to FreeCAD.

Another, perhaps more influential, reason for the lack of documentation is because 4th-axis integration is QUITE new to FreeCAD. What is available is within the pre_0.19 version, not the newly released Version 0.18 (.1 or .2). Features are still being developed, implemented, and de-bugged. I have been providing stand-alone files in 4th-axis labeled topics for users to install manually to non-0.19 versions along with some basic information.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Congrats on the pending delivery of your new CNC.

Russell
Erich Schulz
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Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Erich Schulz »

Thanks - I'm expecting delivery around September so that should give me some time to play with software.

I figure my status as a noob might be helpful for attacking documents.

I do a bit of python coding so one day I might even try to have a look at code!
Erich Schulz
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Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Erich Schulz »

Just confirming that I need to install ocl too?
E
herbk
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Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by herbk »

Hi Erich,
Erich Schulz wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:18 am Just confirming that I need to install ocl too?
E
not for the 4th-axis Ops.
Gruß Herbert
Russ4262
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Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Russ4262 »

Morning.
Erich Schulz wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:18 am Just confirming that I need to install ocl too?
E
Most of the operations in PathWB do not require OCL. Currently, the only operation requiring it is the 3D Surface op within the experimental features, if enabled.

Russ
Russ4262
Posts: 941
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 3:22 pm
Location: Oklahoma
Contact:

Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Russ4262 »

Morning.
Erich Schulz wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:18 am Just confirming that I need to install ocl too?
E
Most of the operations in PathWB do not require OCL.

Currently, the only operation requiring it is the 3D Surface op within the experimental features, if enabled.

Russ
Erich Schulz
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 10:50 pm
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Path Profile Faces: 4th-axis integration

Post by Erich Schulz »

thanks for the clarification

I am wondering how well your code will cope with complex shape.

Eg I have this bird I downloaded from thingyverse - I'd like to mill this from a wooden off-cuts....

what are my chances??

(In other developments, starting a wiki page for the fourth axis is on my todo list, along with upgrading to the bleeding edge freecad 0.19.etc,

and I am wondering if your extension code should have a git repo??)
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