'Simulate with CAMotics' plugin

[jk]

Bob, there is a mop time estimations in your screenshot. Is it some plugin or native feature ? Want it too )

[Bob La Londe]

Bob, there is a mop time estimations in your screenshot. Is it some plugin or native feature ? Want it too )

In the diagnostic messages of CamBam?  Just turn up your diagnostic level in the settings.  I haven't found it to be particularly accurate, but I like the higher level of messages so I can see what the progress is when CB is calculating tool paths.  

[jk]

Thank you, never changed this setting. Set it to the maximum, will see if cambam would be too chatty.

[SteveT]

Hi, Just tried the plugin and it work great first go, it will save some time as I use Camotics before machining.
Thanks for your effort.

Running on Ubuntu 16.04

Steve

[Bob La Londe]

I have to say again.  This is a really useful plug-in.  It has saved me several destroyed parts by doing a simulation first.  Even at cost for materials and machine time its probably saved me thousands.  Certainly lots of hundreds. 

Is there (this is probably a reach) a way to specify in advance what resolution to render at instead of having to render the part twice if you want a higher resolution?  I know higher res takes more time, but its still faster to cut a part right the first time than to cut it twice. 

[jk]

Nice to hear it so useful )

Resolution may be specified in plugin config.
Open cb2cm.config from system folder (Tools->Browse system folder) with text editor and change line

Code: [Select]

<sim_resolution>MEDIUM</sim_resolution>
to the one of LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, VERY_HIGH

[grzgrz]

Hi jk,

Camotics doesn't actually animate the removal of the material, does it? What I see is in fact a cutter moving over a workpiece that is already machined. Am I doing something wrong or is it just the way it works? 

Grzegorz

[dh42]

Hello

Camotics doesn't actually animate the removal of the material, does it?

No, you can only see the result of the cut for a given position of the position cursor (then hit the 'run' toolbar icon)

Only the path is simulated in real time

++
David

[Bob La Londe]

FYI:  Camotics does not show regular drill operations.  This can cause you issues if you have a drill operation placed incorrectly. 

It does show spiral mill drilling operations. 

[dh42]

Hello

I've a pb with camotics because I usually works with Z zero on the table and camotics always starts the simulation with the tool at Z = 0, so the first movement, or the movement just after the toolchange does a mark in the part. On cutviewer the Z position for tool start can be set (I set it to Z = 100) , but I can't find how to do the same with camotics.

if someone know the trick ?

++
David

[grzgrz]

Just when I thought I finally knew how to get Camotics to work, I gave it one more try and it only displayed the workpiece without the machined area... I even made sure to use a tool from a tool library.

Is there any procedure I should follow in CamBam to ensure proper simulation of my MOPs in Camotics?

That there are three places for defining tool parameters in CamBam (Machining, Part and MOP) sure is confusing...

Grzegorz

[EddyCurrent]

That there are three places for defining tool parameters in CamBam (Machining, Part and MOP) sure is confusing...

Grzegorz

We've heard this mentioned in another thread recently  

CamBam works with a hierarchy of;

Machining
   Part
      MOP(s)

If you set the tool number in Machining, then all Machining Operations (MOPs) you add will inherit that tool
If you set a tool number in Part, then any MOPs in that Part will inherit that tool
If you set a tool number in a MOP, then only that MOP will use that tool

So that means if you only want to use one tool for all MOPs it only has to specified once in Machining
And if you have multiple MOPs in each Part that use the same tool it only has to be specified once in the Part
And if all or some of your MOPs use different tools then these tools can be specified in each MOP

Create a new CamBam file and try it out for yourself, the only way to learn is to do it.

[grzgrz]

Eddy,

Thanks for your explanation. But shouldn't Camotics render my machined workpiece properly regardless of where (i.e. in which section) the tool was defined and whether or not it is a library item? Depending on a project, sometimes the simulation works and sometimes it doesn't and I don't know why.

Take #1: I've just tried again, chose a 'Mach3+CutViewer' postprocessor, defined stock, selected tool #1 from library (in Part), and Camotics still only displays the uncut workpiece (its dimensions and offset, as well as the tool type and diameter, are fine).

Take #2: Started from scratch with the same imported model. Same postprocessor. Same stock. Same cutter type and diameter, this time entered manually in MOP. Got a warning in CamBam '3DSurface1 has tool diameter overridden. Sim results may be wrong', yet this time everything seems fine in Camotics.

Any thoughts?

Grzegorz

[EddyCurrent]

Grzegorz,

My post about tools was just to explain that aspect, I don't use Camotics much myself but I'll try to have a look today to see if I can duplicate your problems.

Edit:

Everything seemed to work okay except V tools did not leave a cut path in the stock surface even though the tool geometry was picked up correctly by Camotics.
It did show the toolpaths in wireframe view but nothing in stock view. Other tools appeared to work as expected.

Grzegorz, the best way forward here is for you to attach a cb file that does not work so that others can run it and try to reproduce the problem with a view to solving it.

 

[dh42]

Hello,

Same cutter type and diameter, this time entered manually in MOP. Got a warning in CamBam '3DSurface1 has tool diameter overridden. Sim results may be wrong', yet this time everything seems fine in Camotics.

With the plugin, you must use the CB tool library, the tool Ø is read for the tool number of the current tool library, unfortunately, if you set the tool diameter directly in the mop, the plugin don't use it.

(PS: as Eddy, I'm not a Camotics user, except when I need a STL of the machining result)

If you set the tool number in Machining, then all Machining Operations (MOPs) you add will inherit that tool

Only if tool number is set to Auto in the mops

++
David