Using Easel to Generate Code for MPCNC

Im using the Rambo v1.4 board

That’s going to make it a lot easier for the people here to troubleshoot for sure.

I’m super new to all of this. I tried to do the GRBL thing years ago and couldn’t make it work. :slight_smile:

Yeah, love the machine but cant seem to make it work!

RH is built for 3D printing. There will be a lot of noise about it, but you just ignore it. In Repetier host, the cnc moves show up as travel moves. There is a setting to show or hide travel moves.

Before we get to your gcode, check the machije out and check out your process by using the test crown. That will definitely work and any problems you have with that will be problems we can work through before dealing with easel.

As for the gcode. The most likely issue for 10 mins vs 14 hours is that only metric units are supported in Marlin. The units need to be mm/min, so there will be lines like F600 for 10mm/s cuts. If it is inches or mm/sec, then it will be way slow.

If you post a file here, I can look at it. I don’t know if there is any way to customize easel, but most likely, there needs to be a Marlin Post Processor to get Easel to work.

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I tried Easel, but decided It wasn’t for me. I’m not using Marlin, but I’ve cut a couple of things with Easel Generated Gcode. The only generic output it supports is “Other (GRBL)”, but I think the resulting Gcode might work with Marlin. If you set the units to mm (bottom left corner of the Easel interface) it will generate mm/min feed speeds in the Gcode. The feed speeds can be set in the “Cut Settings” dialog (top right) by choosing “Custom”. Finally by going into the “Machine” tab (Top Center) and clicking the “advaced” link you can download the Gcode file.

That’s pretty much the limit of the available customization. Here’s a gcode file for consideration. The M7,M8, and M3 codes at the beginning of the file are optional and were generated because I checked the “spindle control” and “accessory control” boxes. M9 and M5 codes at the end of file as well.DogHeart.gcode (68.8 KB)

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These are my settings. Do you have an example of a Marlin Post Processor?

It has been a long time since I used RH myself. Maybe someone else can cone along and show you the right setting. Have you tried closing that window and turning off the easy mode?

The dog heart gcode looks fine. But if you want to paste your gcode here, I will take a look.

What are you using instead of RH @jeffeb3?

I use pronterface to do the initial tests and set up. Then I attach a v1pi. Don’t just do what I do though, I prefer the command line and I use Linux as my desktop.

No, more for curiosity sake than anything.

In addition I’m going to spend a bunch of time with Fusion360 videos over the next few days because I am making myself learn it properly.

Just following up to this old conversation to say I really appreciate the tips and pointers. I ended up writing a script to add tweak the Easel exported .NC files (to speed up relocations and add some calibration/initialization code up front) and save it as GCODE on my OctoPi. Workflow is so easy now and Easel makes design work much less complicated.

Not sure how to share the PowerShell script (if anyone needs it). But if you’re interested just reply.

First cut with new workflow from Easel:

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I’ll take a copy of the script, I’m about to write a python script to convert easel(grbl) to merlin. What does your octopi run?

In hindsite I should probably write it in powershell for everyone else as well. I’ll add it to my list.

I have been hoping something like repl.it will make handing out python scripts a lot easier.

Sorry slow to reply. Here is the link to the power shell script.

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That sounds like what I would like to do. Can you please share the script with me?

What changes to the gcode are you making in the script? I’d like to to do this but I can’t get the script to run I get a lot of errors running the power shell script.

I tested running Easel scrips unmodified on the MPCNC, and it works fine. There are some limitations. It assumes you are starting to cut in the lower left corner of the stock, and there is no prompting to turn on the spindle, so you have to turn the spindle/router on before executing the code. As for the power shell script, it is in plain text. This is the comment at the top of the file concerning what it does:

# What the script does: This script prompts you to open an NC file exported by Easel (like "Untiled.nc"
# in the Downloads folder). Then it confirms the file units are set to mm. It asks the user for a 
# "safe height" to start. Then it adds a short set of GCODEs to the file's beginning to:
#    1) turn on absolute positioning, 
#    2) set the bit's current position to {0,0,[height of z-probe plate defined below as $zProbeOffset]}
#    3) raises the bit the safeheight defined below as $defaultSafeHeight or input by the user
#    4) pauses the machine waiting for an LCD button press at the front panel (to allow turning 
#       on the spindle and getting it the right speed).

If you want to add the functionality that is inserted by this script, there are usually easy ways to prepend a bit of g-code to the front of a g-code file. If you are using Repetier-Host for example, you can use a start script.

Bob- I don’t check in often enough. Sorry if you are still looking for some help. If you run windows you have to follow these instructions (these instructions from a NOTE in the GitHub link above for the script). If you don’t do this you’ll get a bunch of errors. Hope this helps:

NOTE: For most Windows machines you have to run the script bypassing file security policy to allow it to open and modify the GCODE file. To do that:

   -Create a shortcut to the script on your desktop (or somewhere you can find it).
   -Right-click the shortcut and click Properties.
   -Click the Shortcut tab.
   -Edit the "Target" field to add "powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File" in front of the file
    (e.g.,  "powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File D:\3D Objects\CNC Parts\Easel to CNC script.ps1")