This menu allows you to set some of the CNC output features. (Figure 12)
Figure 12
a) Distance Above Surface
The distance the bit will travel above the material when it is moving between shapes.
b) Prefix
This is a list of commands to be placed at the beginning of the CNC file. (Example: M3 – Spindle On).
c) Suffix
This is a list of commands to be placed at the end of the CNC file. (Example: M5 – Spindle Off).
1.1.1 Previous Files List
This is a list of the last four files used by TPCWin.
1.1.2 Exit
This allows you to close TPCWin. When TPCWin is closed, any automatic downloading of files to the machine is suspended.
1.2 Edit
This drop down menu has options that deal with creating a toolpath for the currently loaded design file. (Figure 13)
Figure 13
1.2.1 Undo
Allows you to undo the previous selection.
1.2.2 Redo
Allows you to redo the previous undone selection.
1.2.3 Analysis
In order to create a toolpath that will operate properly on the router table and cut the part in a desired fashion, three aspects need to be taken into account. (1) Normally all toolpaths are closed. (2) Inside shapes need to be cut before the outside shape. (3) It is highly recommended inside shapes are cut clockwise while outside shapes are cut counter-clockwise. This is because the compensation is measured from the right side of the cut, and the quality of the cut is best when cut in these directions. (Figure 14)
Figure 14
a) Plot Errors and Warnings
TPCWin will pick up any errors or mistakes related to the three aspects of analyzing a toolpath in the current design file. To fix these errors and warnings, simply click on ‘Close Shapes’ or ‘Fix Errors’.
b) Tool Path Analysis
Optimizing a toolpath will allow TPCWin to select a cutting sequence with the shortest travel distance.
1.2.4 Layout
The Layout feature allows you to tell TPCWin the size and depth of the material, the position of the part on the material, and other options such as mirroring, rotating, and arraying. (Figure 15)
Figure 15
a) Job Size / Scaling
The default values are determined by the size of the design job that is loaded into TPCWin. If you want to change the size of the job (Re-Scale the job), you can enter the desired value of the X or Y. TPCWin will calculate the opposite value. You may then have to click the ‘Minimum’ button to re-size the material, depending on whether or not the job size has been increased or decreased.
b) Material Size
This is the size and thickness of the material you will be cutting. Selecting ‘Minimum’ will determine the minimum size of material needed to cut the currently loaded design.
c) Job Layout
The origin of the job can be positioned anywhere on the material. These are the options for positioning the job.
Left
(Default) The job will be positioned to the lower left corner of the material.
Right
The job will be positioned to the lower right corner of the material.
Center
The job will be positioned in the center of the material.
CAD Origin
The (0,0) coordinate from the original CAD drawing will be considered the lower left corner of the material and all other coordinates will be relative to the CAD origin. NOTE: The ‘Automatic (Bottom Left)’ setting in the CNC, DXF, or HPGL format menu must NOT be checked when using the CAD Origin option. If checked, the CAD Origin will not change from X=0, Y=0. In addition, if ‘Automatic (Bottom Left)’ is changed from ‘checked’ to ‘not checked’, the ‘Revert to Original’ option needs to be selected before a change will occur.
Pick
You may also enter the X and Y coordinates you wish you use as the origin.
d) Rotation
The job may be rotated 90, 180, or 270 degrees from its current position.
e) Mirroring
The job may be mirrored along the X-axis or the Y-axis. However, the direction of the cutting is also mirrored.
f) Arrays
If you wish to cut a number of pieces out of a single piece of material, you may repeat the job in rows and columns. The number of rows and
columns can be entered into TPCWin. Alternatively, the ‘Fill’ option may be used to automatically fit as many pieces onto the material as possible. The spacing used between the pieces you are cutting should not be smaller than the diameter of your tool.
1.2.5 Splitting
The splitting option allows you to cut a piece of material that is too large for the table. To split a job into multiple parts, click on ‘Add’, and then click the position of the job where you wish to split it (Must be on the 2D view). A job can be split into as many parts as you would like and can be moved by dragging it with the mouse. To delete a split, click on its position in the ‘Splitting’ menu, once highlighted, click on delete. Once the job has been transmitted to the table, the CMC controller will know to pause after a section is done. The message ‘Page Material x.xx”’ will appear on the subconsole. Once the material has been moved the required distance,
press the ‘START’ button and the controller will continue to the next section. (Figure 16)
Figure 16
1.2.6 Shapes
This menu allows you to edit the properties (direction, starting point, etc.) of each shape. (Figure 17)
Figure 17
a) Arrow Buttons
You can move through the shapes in either direction one at a time or ten at a time.
b) Delete
Removes a shape from the sequence of shapes to be cut. NOTE: Once a shape has been deleted, you must select ‘Revert to Original’ in order to be able to use that shape again.
c) Reverse
Switches the shape from an inside cut to an outside cut and vise-a-versa. In addition, by reversing the cut, you are reversing the side of the cutter compensation and the direction of the cut.
d) Move Start Point
The start point of a shape can be moved to any corner on the shape. The arrow buttons can be used to move the start point around the shape. Alternatively ‘Start Mouse’ can be turned on and the starting point is selected using the mouse (and the 2D-view drawing).
e) Change Group
The group number of each shape can also be selected. To move a shape from one group to another, click on the direction arrow and the group number of the shape will increase or decrease by one.
1.2.7 Groups
Groups are used to arrange shapes by the tool needed to cut them, bit size, depth, etc. There can be an unlimited number of groups in a TPCWin job. Groups 1-11 are each designated their own group color. Groups 12 and up are all given the color black. (Figure 18) NOTE: To edit the properties of a group, you can click on the group using this menu or on the group number icon along the right-hand side of the screen. The editing properties of a group are explained in the Group Status Bar section 8 of this manual.
Figure 18
a) Add/Delete
This allows you to add and delete groups.
1.2.8 Sequence
The sequence menu allows you to change the actual cutting order of all the shapes in a design. The shapes usually default to inside shapes cut before outside shapes, then to the order they were drawn in. (Figure 19)
Figure 19
a) Arrow Buttons
You can move through the shapes with the arrow buttons in the sequence menu. The shape currently highlighted is the selected shape. The single arrow button will move you one shape ahead; the double arrow button moves you ten shapes ahead.
b) + / - Buttons
The ‘+’ and ‘-‘ buttons will move the current shape selected one forward or one back in the sequence.
c) Assign
You can also directly assign the currently selected shape a specific number. Enter the sequence number desired for the shape and click ‘Assign’. The ‘Assign’ number will automatically increase by one every time a shape is assigned a number. NOTE: Every shape does not need to be assigned a number in the sequence. If the user does not assign a sequence number to a shape, it simply remains at its default number.
d) Lock Traversal and Sequencing to Shapes Using the Current Tool
When this option is checked as you move through the shapes to re-sequence them, only shapes using the same tool as the original shape (shape first selected) will be allowed to be chosen.
When not checked, TPCWin will move through the shapes regardless of the tool being used.
NOTE: This option only affects the shapes according to the tool being used, and not the group they are in.
1.2.9 Program Settings
These settings affect the way TPCWin will handle certain file management questions.
a) General
The units setting allow you to change the units TPCWin will operate in. The default is inches, but may be changed to mm or cm. This units setting also affects the setting the table will operate in.
b) Dialog Defaults
Dialog defaults to commonly asked file management questions. The following three questions can be enabled to look at the default rather than asking the user to answer the question. A default of ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ can then be selected for each question. (Figure 20) Dialog defaults available are:
Figure 20
File Already Exists On Controller. Overwrite?
File Already Exists In Complete Directory. Overwrite?
Press ‘OK’ to Delete the Plot File, or ‘Cancel’ to Stop Monitoring.
1.3 View
The view menu allows you to change the views (2D & 3D) as well as turn certain options on and off.
1.3.1 2D-View
The 2D-view menu allows the user to make a variety of changes to the 2D view. This includes enabling and disabling the toolpaths, starting points, and other features on all the shapes in the design. (Figure 21) NOTE: A full description of the actual 2D-view design is discussed in section 6. This part of the manual deals with the 2D-view menu.
http://www.cadfamily.com/html/Article/TPCWin%20Manual%20Part%20B_564_1.htm
http://www.cadfamily.com/html/Article/TPCWin%20Manual%20Part%20B_564_2.htm
http://www.cadfamily.com/html/Article/TPCWin%20Manual%20Part%20B_564_3.htm
http://www.cadfamily.com/html/Article/TPCWin%20Manual%20Part%20B_564_4.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment