Reusable Nameplate Drawing

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micksulley
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Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by micksulley »

I have created a drawing of a very simple nameplate with some text "Test Text". I then use the Path workbench to generate g-code to run on my router. This works.

I would like to use this to create other nameplates with different text, and text size/position.

If I edit the ShapeString where I defined the text I can change both the text and it's font size and after recompute everything the engraving shows this change. Changing the position of the text in ShapeString changes it on the drawing, but simulation shows that the position has not changed for the engraving.

I notice that the position of the engraving is 0, 0, 0 but I'm not sure what that means. I feel that there is something here which I don't understand.

How do I change the position of my text? Is there a better way to achieve all this?

Thanks
Mick
chrisb
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by chrisb »

micksulley wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 3:17 pm Changing the position of the text in ShapeString changes it on the drawing, but simulation shows that the position has not changed for the engraving.
It works here without problems. You can try a recompute before the simulation. Did you have a look at the gcode with inspect gcode? Then you would know if it is the simulation tool or the gcode generation.

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micksulley
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by micksulley »

I have attached my file.
What I did was to create the ShapeString with 'Test Text' at font 6 roughly centred both ways, and created the job and the engrave operation. Simulated and it looked fine.
I then edited ShapeString to read 'More Text' at font 10, moved it left so the larger text would be centred and towards the bottom of the plate.
I recomputed everything and now see it as expected, however when I simulate I can see the tool start where the original text started, seems to engrave the new text and font size, but that now the larger text takes it right to the right hand edge and it is still centred vertically, not towards the bottom of the plate as it should be.

I'm afraid my current knowledge of g-code doesn't allow be to deduce much from that, but I have just run it on my router and it is as I say, new text and size but old position.

Could you have a look please? It is more than possible that I have done something wrong, but I don't know what.

Thanks
Mick
Attachments
TestText_v1_problem.fcstd
(62.08 KiB) Downloaded 75 times
chrisb
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by chrisb »

micksulley wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 9:27 pm It is more than possible that I have done something wrong, but I don't know what.
Please attach your FreeCAD info as described in the help forum's IMPORTANT banner.
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chrisb
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by chrisb »

I had a hard time moving your ShapeString at all, because you used Expressions on the Placement; why did you do so?

Finally I found the reason for the described behaviour - and it works as designed!

On Job creation a clone is generated. That is helpful e.g. if you want to turn the original to another side for further machining. Clones follow allmost all changes of their master - except placement.
If you create the job with the ShapeString as its base object, you would have to move the clone and not the ShapeString itself. If you want to have a ShapeString moving together with its path you better attach it to the body and make the body the job's base object. Then you can move the ShapeString in the body and in the clone the ShapeString will move as well and thus the path will move as well.

Alas, I don't know how to get rid of the "Part::FeaturePython: Links go out of the allowed scope" messages.
Attachments
shapeString_cb.fcstd
(60.96 KiB) Downloaded 46 times
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chrisb
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by chrisb »

Here is a solution without the "Links go out of the allowed scope" warnings:
- leave the ShapeString outside the body
- use the Body as BaseObject for the Job
- select the ShapeString
- create the engraving operation
Attachments
shapeString_cb2.fcstd
(59.45 KiB) Downloaded 74 times
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micksulley
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by micksulley »

Many thanks for your detailed reply, much appreciated!

A couple of questions -
You said I used Expressions on the Placement, sorry I don't understand, I set it to 11, 10, 10
"Part::FeaturePython: Links go out of the allowed scope" messages. I didn't see any of these, did I miss them?

I have looked at the files you provided, v2 looks perfect for what I wanted, I need to go through it in more detail to understand it better. I am finding FreeCAD a steep learning curve, but I guess with all of the features and capabilities there is a lot to learn. It is a very impressive package.

Thanks
Mick
chrisb
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by chrisb »

micksulley wrote: Wed Jun 13, 2018 2:11 pm Many thanks for your detailed reply, much appreciated!
You're welcome.

You said I used Expressions on the Placement, sorry I don't understand, I set it to 11, 10, 10
Did you use the Placement panel, available by clicking the three dots at the right of the Placement entry after you select it?
If you open the placement in the Data tab you see the following:
Bildschirmfoto 2018-06-13 um 19.09.02.png
Bildschirmfoto 2018-06-13 um 19.09.02.png (14.14 KiB) Viewed 2082 times
Behind the values for x and y there are the same values in brackets, which are in fact constant Expressions. Clicking on one of the values yields
Bildschirmfoto 2018-06-13 um 19.12.29.png
Bildschirmfoto 2018-06-13 um 19.12.29.png (11.02 KiB) Viewed 2082 times
with a dark blue f(x) symbol at the right. It seems you have clicked there and entered the values there.
I am working mostly on a Mac and the FreeCAD version shows a very annoying behaviour: I cannot discard Expressions to return to normal so I was a rather unhappy with these expressions.
"Part::FeaturePython: Links go out of the allowed scope" messages. I didn't see any of these, did I miss them?
I had them in the first file I uploaded

I have looked at the files you provided, v2 looks perfect for what I wanted, I need to go through it in more detail to understand it better. I am finding FreeCAD a steep learning curve, but I guess with all of the features and capabilities there is a lot to learn. It is a very impressive package.
A steep learning curve means that you have to go only a few steps to reach a higher level :D .
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cahlfors
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by cahlfors »

chrisb wrote: Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:17 pmA steep learning curve means that you have to go only a few steps to reach a higher level :D .
Ha ha - good point! :lol:
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micksulley
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Re: Reusable Nameplate Drawing

Post by micksulley »

Sorry to go on about this but if I take your shapeString_cb2 file it looks good and I can simulate as expected, however if I just change the text in ShapeString, mark all and recompile, the simulator no longer works, the tool lifts up a fraction and it is instantly complete. I have also tried just changing position and the same thing happens

Any ideas?
Mick

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