ESTLCAM

Ok that makes a lot of sense now. The only other problem is that when I run a file the cnc cuts the first few letters and the the next sets of letter show up deeper. This is also letters in the same font and word even. It is visible that the first 3 or for letters are close to half the depth. Ill have to upload photos of this.

I am having an issue with my machine starting. I 3D printed a 1" cube on my Robo and want to use that as my starting point. When I set the clearance plane to 1" it starts by moving up and then to the workspace, and then plunges to about a half inch above the surface. I have tried starting at clearance plane, clearance plane to origin, origin to clearance plane, and above origin. I am stumped and don’t quite understand why despite me setting the clearance plane it continues to offset itself by some mystery distance.

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What is your depth of cut set at? Maybe a screenshot of your tool settings might help.

here you are

2015-12-04.png

Sorry I was wrong I’ll look again in a few

When you move your tool to what you want as home-0,0,0 Does its position read 0,0,0 on the screen? If you move it manually you need to reset the zero points before you start. I usually get it where I want it and reset it real quick. Or you can just reset home with the lcd or the gcode sent through marlin.

Using repeteir after I set it I reset everything to zero

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That looks right without double checking everything.

Your plunge rate is too high, but that should cause your problem. Max z rate is 8.7mm/s, working speed is much slower (2-4mm/s) unless you are using my beta firmware.

Can you cut and paste your first 30 or so lines of the gcode.

All of your other movements are the correct distance?
Are you using the the hardware bought from here? If not, what board, drivers, step rate, pulley size?

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Are these your first cuts?

No. I have done a lot of cuts. 90% fails due to mechanical errors. Unfortunately I won’t be able to get you that Gcode. I left my garage for about 20 minutes and the machine kamakazied into the build platform and melted the lower eng of my dewalt. It seems okay but I need to reprint some stuff.

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Bummer.

I would never walk away from the mill as it is cutting. I feel I have a very good handle on how everything works and I still screw things up. I worked in a large shop and you could never leave anything alone. We almost lost the waterjet nozzle to a cut out piece that didn’t fall through, and had an end mill come out of the Hass collet and almost took out the whole machine. Another guy walked away and drilled 80 holes into the $60,000 XY table on the Hass.

Let me know when your up and running again if you have questions

@Simon,
Urgh, sorry about the machine kamakazi. Any idea what caused it?

I have used the eval version of Estl cam for awhile, but I just can not reccomend it beyond a basic basic starter program.

The issue I have is that it introduces random errors in the job ruining parts. At forst I thought it was mechanical, but when the same error repeats itself running the job a second time, I know it is in the software.

It will cut dxf files ok for the most part. However any complicated mesh stl file ends having the machine plow thru the material in unwanted places.

I have attempted to machine a Karambit knife using Estl cam several times without success, however the same file will convert and run using other programs.

I mounted the DW660 so that it was rubbing on the bolts, this was causing it to struggle every time it retracted from the table resulting in further plunging… I set up a webcam on the machine now so I can watch it remotely. I almost have everything fixed. I’ll probably be cutting by tomorrow.

I mounted the DW660 so that it was rubbing on the bolts, this was causing it to struggle every time it retracted from the table resulting in further plunging… I set up a webcam on the machine now so I can watch it remotely. I almost have everything fixed. I’ll probably be cutting by tomorrow. I think I might cut down the hex end of the bolts.

I have made a lot of projects and have had little issues with EstlCam. I strongly recommend it and I will continue to use it and support Christian as much as possible.
Curt

Of course I highly reccomend it. I have used several cam packages most of which I could never afford and this is by far the easiest to use. And the price is insane.

I reccomend always using a visualizer, like move preview in repetier. I have actually tested my gcode on high desity foam as a test run several times. I don’t like breaking things and running the cut on foam first lets you make settings adjustments before cutting the real piece.

@autox3d:

Could you please send me the files that cut wrong to christian@estlcam.de so I can see what happened? (CNC program / STL would be helpful)
There have been issues with quite old versions - but cutting through material should not happen with any recent version.

Christian

I have addressed the issue and it was entirely mechanical. It was consistent because I could not figure it out. I simply mounted the Dewalt at an angle that it was rubbing against the hex and of the bolts in the rollers. ESTL Cam is a great easy to use software. As far as making signs and 2.5 D carves its great, and cutting 3D images couldn’t be easier.

I realized this and I have purchased ultra cheap chip board which simulates pine and plywood quite well. 10$ a sheet and I get 12 16" by 24" workpieces.