Code to plunge Z gradually and then retract along length of a profile path.

[Wal]

Hi Rufe0,

You're right, I should learn some G-code..! You're also right about my G-code being a series of thousands of smaller moves (as output by Vectric's cut 2D) so adding z-variation to existing code wouldn't be as straightforward as perhaps it ought to be. Unfortunately (heh, or fortunately, rather) it's not just spirals I need to do..!

Out of interest - how would you go about adding the z-arc on the code you've used above..?

Wal.

[Rufe0]

Assuming 3mm thick with each ply being 1mm thick and the cutter just touching the surface at 0mm

G21
M6 1
M3 
G0 Z20 
G0 X10 Y10 
G0 Z0.2 
G1 Z1 F30 
G2 X20 R5 F1000 Z-1.2
G2 X11 R4.5 Z-1.4 
G2 X19 R4 Z-1.6 
G2 X12 R3.5 Z-1.8 
G2 X18 R3 Z-1.8 
G2 X13 R2.5 Z-1.6 
G2 X17 R2 Z-1.4 
G2 X14 R1.5 Z-1.2
G2 X16 R1 Z1 
G0 Z20 
M30

[Wal]

Ah - ok, so the Z's still going in manually - wouldn't doing it like this leave each G2 arc on a 'step' (as opposed to a smooth dip in and out along the entire length)..?

Wal.

[Rufe0]

It should look fairly smooth, seems to in the simulation software i'm using anyway. It's because its going smoothly in and out, if you did it in steps like this you would see it

G21
M6 1
M3 
G0 Z20 
G0 X10 Y10 
G0 Z0.2 
G1 Z1 F30 
G2 X20 R5 F1000
G1 Z-1.2
G2 X11 R4.5
G1 Z-1.4 
G2 X19 R4
G1 Z-1.6 
G2 X12 R3.5
G1 Z-1.8 
G2 X18 R3
G1 Z-1.8 
G2 X13 R2.5
G1 Z-1.6 
G2 X17 R2
G1 Z-1.4 
G2 X14 R1.5
G1 Z-1.2
G2 X16 R1
G1 Z1 
G0 Z20 
M30

[Rufe0]

Yeah I didn't explain that very well.

Say you have

G1 X10 Y10 Z0
G2 X20 R5 Z10

It will go smoothly from Z0 to Z10 along the length of the arc, so half way through it will be at Z5. Same as if you do

G1 X0 Y0
G1 X10 Y10

It won't do all the X movement and then all the Y movement, it will smoothly move between the two points.

[Wal]

Okay - I see now, the Z is 'dropping' from its previous value as it draws the arc.

Cheers Rufe0 - I'm sure that this'll come in handy, even if it's a springboard into looking at a bit more G-code, which I really ought to.

Wal.

[Rufe0]

If you must use program generated code I made this little program that might help you. Copy in only the shape you need altering. All it does is add Z depth onto the end of every line.

Download and rename the file ProgramForWal.html and open in your web browser.

[Wal]

Hey man, that's awesome. Thanks a lot for that..!

Just heading back home to have a closer look at it. Thanks again.

Wal.

[Rufe0]

Fixed a few little things and added a new feature, it's possible todo any number of down ups.

[Wal]

Fixed a few little things and added a new feature, it's possible todo any number of down ups.

Hi Rufe0,

Very cool - I'm always blown away by the skills of programmers. Just amazing. I have a couple of observations, although I'm pretty certain you'll be aware of 'em. When using the script on a rounded rectangle, there's a more pronounced drop on the 'rounded' segments due to the extra lines of Cut 2D code that are forcing extra incremental drops in the Z-axis:



The next pic shows that despite asking for a drop of 20 on this square, the Z only drops to 14.44, other shapes have dropped the specified amount, so perhaps this is an incompatibility between your script and the way Cut 2D formats it's code when dealing with different shapes..?



Hey, but seriously - I'm really impressed and very grateful to you for taking the time to help me out..!

Wal.