We just posted the first V8 beta to Carbide Create Beta Downloads
We’re got a high-level overview of the changes at Carbide Create V8 Beta
We’ve got more we’d like to do, but give it a shot in the mean time.
Two requests for V8:
Looks promising on first glance!
Some things on STL Import:
Move the object (in this case, outside of the original rectangle, but it sometimes happens even if you move it within the rectangle:
By design. Allowing the orientation to be changed as an edit would require keeping too much data in the saved file, so we only keep the original imported orientation.
We’re still working on the final implementation of the component transformation. The version in the V8 beta hasn’t really changed much since the test version we published in V7.
couple quick observations…
Still no way to change the material in Show 3D. To access it in toolpath simulation I have to create a toolpath.
The Scale to Height button in 3D Import, I think is defaulting to metric. I would expect to see the current value at the same scale as the XY scale in the chosen units. i.e. the native STL size.
If I just add to the current entry “/25.4=” it calculates to the correct scale.
Try importing a STL to an inch part.
Maybe I understand what the numbers in Scale to Height mean…can someone confirm?
My assumption is that I’m telling it how “thick” I want the piece to be (Z), so for the small tables of this project, I’m saying 1.5".
So, does the scale represent the internal conversion factor for the z value that CC is keeping internally (in metric) to the chosen system (inches)? Or is there some other value?
The Model Component List seems pretty quirky still. Had made a quick model using an STL file, then added 2 more components - one which subtracted from the STL & one which added. Saved the file like that. Came back to it later to test out the Toolpath simulations.
Decided I needed to draw a larger rectangle around the previous model to create a base slab so as not to have the 3D carving paths hit the bottom of the stock material. Tried to add a flat component to the existing model using the rectangle & the model got sort of screwed up - one of the previous components just vanished & somehow 2 instances of the new flat component shows up.
Seems like it has to do with the fact that it didn’t name the new component shape with ‘5’ & then added a new component as well as over-writing the existing ‘Shape 4’
Tried adding the rectangle shape component named as ‘Shape 5’, but it just does the same thing - takes the existing ‘Shape 4’ component & over-writes it.
I missed your post, you just earned next years sub! I am ecstatic that you have not only listened to the community but followed through on all the things I thought were going to take much much longer to get the ball rolling.
bedstruts8.stl (1.4 KB)
Hey, I know I was just singing praise but somehow this got even worse. I don’t understand it but I think it’s time too hand it over to you guys and let you take a look. No idea why a slot would do this. I thought it might be a combination of my export settings etc but in microsofts 3d builder it measure properly and in CC it’s become even smaller by a factor of more 1.5. The slot should be 1.815ish inches plus or minus for step size. (I’d say let us configure over/under in the future) and then the walls are still angled which creates the opening at 1.1024
When I created this file I made sure the everything was defined, including angles at 90DEG so I have no clue what’s up but hopefully can learn from it. (I already cut this oversize and don’t have a use for the fix but I’m sure it will help many people in the future.)
If I open the STL in NX, the size is 12.7697" x 9.2115" x 0.75", and the slot is 1.0815 square
When you import it into CC, is the scale 1.0? is your workpiece or the vector you have selected 12.7697" x 9.2115"?
Yes. The big issue here is that the walls of the slot become angled to -89.028, 89.025 on either side which is what is causing the issue to begin with.
I have been playing around with the V8 and to me I have an issue with the stl file I import into V8 and try and do a contour cut on the file and will not let me.I put the file back into V777 and yes I can do the contour with no Issue.Another possible issue would be when I do the tool path and wait for the time to cut and just sits there and says tool path empty but if I click on the white box that the time is in and immediately brings it up.Maybe its something I need to get used to.
Should have mentioned that I am on a Mac book air. M2
How are you measuring this? I do notice that the toolpath is not perfectly vertical. I don’t think it’s a problem with the STL, other than it’s not super accurate.
Which poses the question… Why are you using STL to do a part like this?
When you can just draw a 12.7697" x 9.2115" rectangle, draw another 1.0815 square and position it using midpoints. Subtract, Then use 2D toolpaths to get a more accurate part???
Graham
I notice in CC7 the silhouette vector created has the slot. In CC8 it’s just a rectangle.
Although they are not exactly the same dimensions as the native STL.
And yes, the “Tool Path Empty” message doesn’t immediately update when the path is done calculating.
I’ve experienced this also on a Intel MacBook Pro.
For the incompleat contour, please upload the file here.
I’m using the measure tool to measure the generated bounding box at a 0 height. which displays the angle as well. It’s not about using an STL to do a part like this it’s about making it function better for anyone that has a slot in their 3d file that shouldn’t need to create an additional bounding box for a pocket there. Additionally the part was more complex to begin with but I needed to reduce the factors that were causing the issue so that the good people at C3D can focus on what might be causing their bounding box to generate so strangely in both v7 and even more so in v8.
Sure thing Will doing it now
Can import project nicely to V8, but it is impossible to select anything to define toolpaths. Went well with V7 (although V7 did not import all measures properly, what V9 does). But as said V8 does not allow me to proceed with defining toolpaths.
What to do?
What toolpath are you trying to define? With what selection?
Upload your file?
A circle:
with a V carving:
works as expected:
Note that open/unclosed (indicated by being magenta) geometry may only be used with Contour toolpaths.
OK, I see it now. If you import into V7 using a scale of 1.000, the outer boundary is the right size (within 0.001"), but the square cutout that should be 1.0815 on all 4 sides is…
V8 doesn’t draw the outline of the slot, only the outer rectangle.
My point was, in the context of 3D machining and the Carbide Create software, STL was not intended to do high tolerance prismatic parts. It was intended to do sculptured carvings.
STL is an approximation of a mathematically defined solid model. It’s tolerance based so it can be very close, but it’s rarely perfect. When you import the STL to CC, it converts the height of the facets to greyscale pixels. I’m not sure how the resolution gets resolved, but as an example your part is 12.7697" wide. at a resolution of 300 dpi, each pixel is 0.0033" wide. Your part is 0.750" thick. Each pixel has 256 possible values, so each of those values is 0.003" tall. So at the very best I would expect my dimensions to be off by up to 0.006" (0.003" on both sides of a feature.)
Add in another anomaly… when you use a 3D finish path to machine across the slot, the X value at the top of the slot & bottom of the slot differ by up to 0.014". (~1°)
The crux of the biscuit… If you want the slot square & vertical, don’t use 3D toolpaths.
