Milling simple slots into a commercial enclosure

[sjb]

I have a batch of 4mm die-cast aluminium enclosures which need a slot and some holes machining out of them (on the top and bottom faces).
These are simple holes/slots/apertures with no draft angle or anything.

From looking at this forum, it might be that I need to understand "Path Workbench", giving a ".gcode" file, although the firm I contacted mentioned DXF and DWG (?)

I'm wondering how much use the manufacturer's CAD files will be to me here. The STL file is flat, and I can't make Freecad lock onto any of the lines or faces.

I also have PDF, DXF and DWG files for the enclosure. I don't know how these relate to the various faces and / or the 3d shape?
I'm wondering if it is possible to add machining data to the existing files, or whether the existing data would also be seen as machining data.

Trying to open the DWG yields
"QCAD error".

Opening the DXF yields
09:37:14 This function is deprecated. Do not use this function directly.
09:37:14 Use one of 'make_linear_dimension', or 'make_linear_dimension_obj'.
09:37:14 Illegal storage access...
09:37:14 Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.20\Mod\Draft\draftmake\make_dimension.py", line 176, in makeDimension
return make_dimension(p1, p2, p3, p4)
File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.20\Mod\Draft\draftmake\make_dimension.py", line 84, in make_dimension
ViewProviderLinearDimension(new_obj.ViewObject)
File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.20\Mod\Draft\draftviewproviders\view_dimension.py", line 350, in __init__
super(ViewProviderLinearDimension, self).__init__(vobj)
File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.20\Mod\Draft\draftviewproviders\view_dimension.py", line 117, in __init__
super(ViewProviderDimensionBase, self).__init__(vobj)
File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.20\Mod\Draft\draftviewproviders\view_draft_annotation.py", line 65, in __init__
vobj.Proxy = self
<class 'OSError'>: Illegal storage access! Please save your work under a new file name and restart the application!
09:37:14 Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
File "C:\Program Files\FreeCAD 0.20\Mod\Draft\importDXF.py", line 2796, in open
Import.readDXF(filename)
<class 'RuntimeError'>: Illegal storage access! Please save your work under a new file name and restart the application!

Code: Select all

OS: Windows 7 Version 6.1 (Build 7601: SP 1)
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.20.1.29410 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: releases/FreeCAD-0-20
Hash: f5d13554ecc7a456fb6e970568ae5c74ba727563
Python 3.8.10, Qt 5.15.2, Coin 4.0.1, Vtk 8.2.0, OCC 7.6.3
Locale: English/United Kingdom (en_GB)
Installed mods: 
  * A2plus 0.4.59
  * Manipulator 1.4.9

[chrisb]

The Step file is the best to start with.

- Create a job for box_as
- it has the wrong orientation, turn the model inside of the job into XY plane. I recommend to use the incremental Placement dialog
- to demonstrate I have added a profile operation for the upper lip. To show it better I have changed the default transparecy and marked the tool path using the inspection tool:

Bildschirmfoto 2022-09-23 um 11.51.42.png (50.79 KiB) Viewed 507 times

[papyblaise]

it is not easy to create a file from visual data, you will have to recreate the contour values to be able to transmit them to the contractor, in the current situation I can draw my requirements, but not position them in relation to the reference of the cover (for example)

[Shalmeneser]

[pathfinder]

From looking at this forum, it might be that I need to understand "Path Workbench", giving a ".gcode" file, although the firm I contacted mentioned DXF and DWG (?)

If you're interacting with a company that is going to cut the holes for you, you shouldn't need to provide gcode. Gcode is highly dependent on their specific setup and, if it's not set up properly, can damage the machine and/or people. No sane company would let "outsiders" who are not trained professionals generate gcode for their machines.

So there's no need for you to worry about Path workbench.

DXF and DWG are two dimensional file formats. I personally would use Inkscape for this, because it's more geared towards two dimensional vector works, although it is not a technical drawing program, so you'll have to triplecheck dimensions!

Open the file, maybe clean it up a bit if Inkscape did something weird, draw the slots in and save it as a DXF again. Don't forget to pecify the cutting depth (and width I guess) somewhere.