Im after a Gcode that i can use in Vcarve, that outlines the material block in air (very high Z), then come back home until i press proceed.
The idea is to get an idea of the work area and if material is in a suitable position?
I suppose i could just add a toolpath of the material. But i was hoping to have this automated in its post processor.
This would be a nice feature to have. It would have saved me some stock. Unfortunately, I don’t see an easy way to make it happen. For you, it would need to be a built-in feature of either VCarve CAM or the VCarve post-processor.
If you have any programming skills, you could write script/program to postprocess the g-code file to add this functionality. How easy or hard that would be would depend on what you get in your g-code file. And you would have to somehow add this step to your software pipeline.
For example, the MPCNC Fusion 360 post processor outputs these lines as part of the g-code file:
; Ranges Table: ; X: Min=-136.609 Max=134.704 Size=271.313 ; Y: Min=-134.704 Max=134.704 Size=269.408 ; Z: Min=-18 Max=15 Size=33
It would be relatively easy for a programmer to parse this information out and add the outlining g-code to the g-code file. If comments like this don’t exist in the VCarge-generated g-code file, then the programmer would need to parse all the g-code G0, G1, G2, G3 commands to derive the limits relative to the origin of the job in order to detect the cutting limits.
Personally, it would be somewhat better for me if the functionality outlined the bounds of the cut areas, not the outline of the stock. I tend to reuse stock, and it would be beneficial to know if the area I’ve selected amongst the Swiss cheese of the stock is big enough for my next job.
Universal Gcode Sender has this as a built-in function. But only worked with it in GRBL. I have not tryied it with fluidnc yet
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The other thing I have seen some people do is have the CNC carve/draw (if you have a pen) an outline in the spoilboard of where to place the stock. Food for thought.
As for your specific request I agree with what Robert said on coding in your own
Create a second gcode path with just the set up gcode in it.
I do the same thing with my laser. I run a gcode of the outline of the part at 2% power to help align oddly shaped designs.
This would have to be manually put in on every project?
I was thinking of something that would automatically pickup the project area and then outline the project via gcode on every project?
What I’m after is a similar function to the “lightburn” laser software of framing, where you can frame either material or the project. But for the CNC instead.
Was hoping it was just a matter of getting gcode from the projects in aspire and implementing it into the Post Processor so it is automated and unique for every project by getting the details of the project into PP.
Yes. It’d have to be done manually. You could get the Xmin/max Ymin/max from your design and just copy/paste this at the top of your gcode, or something like it.
G0 Z15
G0 X(min) Y(min)
G0 X(min) Y(max)
G0 X(max) Y(max)
G0 X(max) Y(min)
G0 X(min) Y(min)
I need to go turn on my laser, but I believe CNC.js has the ability to use MaxY and MaxX as values in a macro. I believe that can be used to do a perimeter.
Ah… looks like we’ve been down a similar path before: