Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] CAD Questions

jcc3inc wrote:

>
> Gentlemen:
> 3. I haven't yet tried the Ace Conveter; how should one set start and
> direction of cut?
> Thanks in advance,
> Jack C.

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Hello Jack,

You really cannot choose starting point or direction with ACE. ACE has a
choice of CW or CCW but it does not do anything predictable that I have
found. Furthermore, paths are broken in some places with some chains
going one way and other chains going the opposite way.

The broken chains are probably a bug but I have no idea if anybody is
trying to fix it.

I have gotten some use out of ACE for odd shapes with manny points but
some planning and some text editing are required.

For first point and last point I usually have an arc leading into the
first point and an arc leading out of the last point. The two ends are
connectable with a straight line but I do not connect them in the
drawing. I do that, in whatever manner I wish, in the Gcode.

If not for the broken chains, the output of ACE would be in correct
sequence or reverse sequence but at least complete. If in reverse
sequence then use a text editor to reverse the order of the Gcode.

Normally the chains are broken with some in preferred order and some in
reverse order. You can pick out the breaks in the chain by looking for Z
motion. Find the first point of your shape and reverse the chain if it
is on the wrong end. Then find a match for the last point in that chain.
Reverse the second chain if necessary. Then move that chain so that it
immedialtely follows the first chain.

After concatenating all of the chains in correct order and removing the
z moves you can decide what you are going to do with the complete chain.

This sounds a bit tedious but it is not too hard to do and the software
is free so fixes occur when somebody is willing and able to do it.

Tom Hubin
thubin@...