Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] 4-AXIS FOAM CUTTER

In a message dated 6/8/01 4:44:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
vandersandtc@... writes:

Sorry for the late reply but I have been away for a few days. Let me first
say before responding that I have built two of these "stinking ;-)" machines.
Each one used a different electronic package (one with the L297/298 bipolar
driver and the other with a L/R system). Currently I am using the "old"
Argentine(?) software, but am upgrading/retrofiting to the French software.

> I hope someone can help me, I have built several toys using steppers
> and stepper controllers (L297/298). However, my 2D cnc foam cutter
> has been upgraded to independant 4-axis control. I have used
> shareware (stepster) that I have changed a bit to send S&D signals
> via the par. port.
>
> My question : Can I use Stepster for 4-axis control, and what would I
>

Simple answer is NO! I worked with Kevin (before his death) on this issue.
Stepster is strictly 2D (or maybe 3D depending how you define 3D).


I know that there is the wing cutting

> software available but I would like to cut from dxf drawings of any
>

The trick is the coordinates. If the "cross-section" is a "known" airfoil
such as SD7037, CLARK-Y, etc., then the coordinates are available from
Michael Selig at UIUC. The software adjusts for chord, skin thickness, wire
kerf, etc.

I have done "custom" airfoils which are "fairly" easy to deal with. I have
used a drawing and run it through a scanner, "normalize" to a percentage and
go (takes about 30 minutes if no mistakes). Another way is to "read" the
vertices of the polylines, making sure that you normalize before.
Coordinates are specified in terms of a percentage of y-to-x.

The commercial software available in our country

> (South Africa) is unaffordable due to our poor exchange rate.
>

Commerical software is more general and the difficulty comes in the
programming of the x/y and u/v as has been noted in other replies. I looked
at "medium" cost Wire-EDM software (which is what foam cutting really amounts
to, just different "cutter") and found it way too general.

I can setup and cut a panel in about 5 minutes, not counting time to "block"
cut the foam using "known" airfoils.

Hope this helps.....

In His Service+



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