Author Topic: Slotter - a new MOP type  (Read 36985 times)

Offline GeoffreyGRoy

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Slotter - a new MOP type
« on: April 01, 2017, 07:45:15 am »
It introduces a new MOP type to assist with the cutting of horizontal slots around a profiled edge of the stock. It assumes the use of a slot cutter bit.  

I am also attaching two photos showing the slot cutter in action and a small sampler showing a number of cut slots.

I would welcome feedback and bug reports and any suggestions for improvement.

thanks

Geoff

I am attaching version 1.0.1 that includes:
* an update to prevent the toolbar icon appearing twice when CAMToolbar plugin is installed
* the removal of the first toolpath that simply followed the profiled edge - this seems unnecessary if the edge has been machined, and this is most probably the case.

Version 1.0.2 now attached:
* adds warning if cutter width is greater than slot height
* updates to user guide.

Version 1.0.3 now attached:
* allows an overlap for depth increments (Z direction)

Version 1.0.4 attached - fixes problems with cut/paste (thanks to "JK")

Version 1.0.4 has bugs - not all parameters are correctly copied/pasted - Version 1.0.5 should fix this.  Please advise if further bugs are found



Geoff
« Last Edit: September 02, 2018, 00:29:57 am by GeoffreyGRoy »

Offline sibianul

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2017, 08:41:50 am »
I will check this plugin next time I need to mill similar parts, from time to time I'm using a T type endmill to make some exterior slots, and have to manually calculate the depth of each pass so the slot height is what I want, usually the cutting part of the endmill I use is 5mm tall, 20mm diameter and I need to make 6 or 6.5mm slots, so I need 2 passes  with different target depth. I always use tangent lead in and lead out. In the photos bellow I have 2 passes but with Roughing clearance of 1mm.

I'll post back when I will use your plugin for the first time.

Thank you for making it.


Offline Bubba

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2017, 12:13:16 pm »
Geoff,
Awesome idea. Although I haven't tried this plugin yet I must say It would help alot when cutting internal grove for o-ring, lock ring , etc.. Thanks for that. 
 
My 2¢

Win11, CB(1.0)rc 1(64 bit) Mach3, ESS, G540, 4th Axis, Endurance Laser.

Offline jk

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2017, 11:22:17 am »
Never done such a slotting, by definitely give it a try in case of the slotting job )

Offline Bubba

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2017, 17:07:27 pm »
Tried the plugin today and find that I have two slotter icons showing but only one instance of slotter.dll in Cb plugins folder.. ???
My 2¢

Win11, CB(1.0)rc 1(64 bit) Mach3, ESS, G540, 4th Axis, Endurance Laser.

Offline jk

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2017, 18:14:33 pm »
Must be the 'Custom CAMToolbar plugin' tricks again )
It copies all non-internal mops from the Machining menu to toolbar.

Offline GeoffreyGRoy

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2017, 23:08:01 pm »
I am not using the "Custom CAMToolbar plugin" and the icon appears only once.  This is because I explicitly add the icon (and the event handler) to the CAMToolbar.  I would expect that this is the correct approach, and that other plugins should add the icon if it is required.  I could remove the icon, but that would assume that the "Custom CAMToolbar plugin" was always installed!!

I am open to suggestions.

Geoff

Online dh42

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2017, 23:18:30 pm »
Hello

maybe you can test if the camtoolbar.dll is present in the plugin folder and, in this case, you do not add the icon ?

++
David

Offline jk

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2017, 07:04:46 am »
I am not using the "Custom CAMToolbar plugin" and the icon appears only once.  This is because I explicitly add the icon (and the event handler) to the CAMToolbar.  I would expect that this is the correct approach, and that other plugins should add the icon if it is required.  I could remove the icon, but that would assume that the "Custom CAMToolbar plugin" was always installed!!

I am open to suggestions.

Looks like a lot of people are using custom cam toolbar. I've decided to work around it in my plugins by deferring
icon attachment to the moment of first window display (vs the time of plugin init), and skipping attachment if icon already present.

see https://github.com/jkmnt/matmill/blob/master/plug.cs if interested in this approach


Offline GeoffreyGRoy

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2017, 06:36:59 am »
OK, I now see how to avoid the duplication of icons in the toolbar, I will fix this in the next release.

Geoff

Online dh42

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2017, 17:31:31 pm »
Hello Geoffrey

I've just finished translating the doc and of course, I also play with the plugin  ;D ; nice addition, thanks for this  :D

some remarks

* It seems that when the tool enter laterally in the groves, it use the same feed rate as for cutting ; maybe it can be a good idea to use the one set for the plunge feed rate ?

* Changing the start point in the mop seems to have no effect

* The toolpath filter (ctrl F) is not working with this mop

* same for the cut width display

* the plugin return no warning if the groves height is smaller that the tool thickness (tool width)

++
David
« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 17:37:09 pm by dh42 »

Offline GeoffreyGRoy

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2017, 06:26:10 am »
Dear David

Many thank for your feedback and comments.  Some thoughts:

Quote
* It seems that when the tool enter laterally in the groves, it use the same feed rate as for cutting ; maybe it can be a good idea to use the one set for the plunge feed rate ?

(1) I had thought about this, but decided not to do it it.  For this type of cutter the "plunge" is really the same type of cut as the actual cut path (as distinct from a profile or pocket where the the plunge is an end cut and the path is essentially a side cut) 

Quote
Changing the start point in the mop seems to have no effect

(2) I have noted that in CamBam the start point can be set for closed polylines but not for open polylines.  I am not sure we should encourage changing the start point given that the first plunge needs to be clear of the stock profile.

Quote
* The toolpath filter (ctrl F) is not working with this mop

* same for the cut width display

(3) I decided not to show the Cut Widths as these seem to be confusing (if just using the cutter diameter). Maybe it is possible to show the cut widths based on the slot width.  The toolpath filter seems to work for me.

Quote
* the plugin return no warning if the groves height is smaller that the tool thickness (tool width)

(4)  I will include this in the next release.

Geoff

Offline kvom

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2017, 11:31:36 am »
In a lateral entry the tool engagement angle is twice that when cutting.  For that reason a different feed rate is useful. 

Online dh42

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #13 on: April 16, 2017, 17:04:06 pm »
Hello

Quote
I have noted that in CamBam the start point can be set for closed polylines but not for open polylines.  I am not sure we should encourage changing the start point given that the first plunge needs to be clear of the stock profile.

Yes on open polyline, the start point is always at one end, but on closed one it can be set anywhere (the start point of the polyline itself)

I can change the machining start point by changing the start point of the (closed) polyline itself, but that do not work by changing the MOP start point (the small red circle)

Quote
The toolpath filter seems to work for me.

I just retry on both 0.98 and V1.0, and it is not working for me. (win XP SP3) .. I'll have a look on 7 when time permit.

Edit: and I just see that we can't select the machining direction (but maybe we can do it by reversing the polyline ?)

++
David
« Last Edit: April 16, 2017, 17:06:06 pm by dh42 »

Offline GeoffreyGRoy

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Re: Slotter - a new MOP type
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2017, 08:24:54 am »
OK, I now see that the ToolPath filter is not working, apart from setting the depth and offset index in the toolpath what else is required?

thanks

Geoff