If you make sure to use the version of Carbide Copper at http://copperbeta.carbide3d.com/ there is an option to save just the toolpaths at the end, which will create a zip containing an engrave file, a drill file, and a board cutout file as separate files.
However, and this is a big however, during the gcode generation it will ask you for the cutout file to cut the board from the stock, do not confuse this with the “contour” file it produces, otherwise you’ll then end up using a flat endmill to cut out your board but it will then start the engrave process again.
Contour to me means the end operation where you remove the workpiece from the stock, but in Carbide Copper this is the actual PCB etching file. Abuse of a known standard name, but that’s for another forum.
The end result of this 20 minute job that took over an hour was a beautiful PCB which then had a 1/8 endmill dragged through it, a broken drill bit, and a LOT of frustration (which to be fair seems to be the default when using Carbide Motion, so I should have known better).
I don’t want everything automated, I’m happy to do things manually, but when a piece of software doesn’t give you the basic CNC options but calls itself CNC software, it’s kinda sad. In my case, having the current bit 1/4 inch from the workpiece and the software saying “now change to the next tool”…how? I don’t have enough room to even take the last tool out!
I’m not buying a drill and complaining that it doesn’t hammer in nails…I’m buying a drill and complaining because there’s no way to change the drill bit it came with.
lets say you are given the option to have the z height retract to a suitable position for changing bits…how do you intend to communicate to the machine controller the length of the new bit installed?
The same way as the old timers used to do it: manually. You could match the current retract offset with a shim, or simply measure it, lift the Z, change the tool, lower the Z to the previous offset, tighten the collet and say “Go!”
We learn very early on that stick-out is only what you need, so if I have a 1 inch bit, with a stick-out of 1/2 inch, why would any piece of software retract 1/4 inch from the material and say “Now change the bit”? I’m shy 1/4 inch just to get the old tool out.
There is no room to change it…I couldn’t even get the old bit out, and as there is no way to retract the Z, the software is asking me to defy the laws of physics.
I understand what you are saying. So a simple increase in the retract height would suffice. The owners/programmers of carbide3d are on this forum and have had threads going asking for feature requests:
The Copper Beta has an option to output a zip file with each tool in a different file to make tool changes easy. Right now it’s under the poorly-named “Toolpaths Output” button instead of the “GCode Output”.
Just a thought but why not just hand edit your Gcode to add a retract at the end of the operation before the M command to change the tool if the Z height is the issue. Can you post your Gcode?
I’m not opposed to modifying the gcode before I run it, but many people here are missing the point I’m trying to make: the operation stops at about 1/4 inch above the workpiece, and then the software ask you to replace the tool…which is impossible due to the failure for the software to retract the Z enough for you to even remove the current tool, and the failure also for it to provide a means for you to do it manually. And then for people to say “buy more product” is just ridiculous, because this is a failure in the design of the software.
Now if that damn message box wasn’t modal, and I could get to the MDI tab to be able to execute gcode, I could retract the Z axis myself, first noting it’s offset, replace the tool and then move it back to the offset, ensuring the tool stickout matched the previous tool. Not perfect, but hey…it’s an option!
As it stands right now, the tool needs to be replaced, but it cannot be, there is no access to the MDI, and the message dialog cannot even be canceled, so you have no way to stop the operation. The software plainly and simply puts you into a position where you cannot go forward and cannot go back. This is a simple software design failure…that is my entire point in a nutshell.
@robgrz Yes I noticed that right after my original post, and it did at least give me an option. Though there are still some bugs in that software, it is a nice additional tool for the Shapeoko/Nomad.
The carbide copper post was closed the day after you posted…lol
The other link is for carbide create, which I don’t use as I use Fusion 360 for most of my work. I have already mentioned early on in that post though that what we need is a common API or programming language so that we can create our own plugins. That would give the engineers of us the ability to overcome many of the issues we face, without Carbide having to bloat their software with functionality that only 10% of people use.
I wouldn’t even care what language they use, VBScript, JavaScript, C++…I’d just like to be able to interface with the software directly. Something like that would allow me to add an optional checkbox to the file loader that causes the software to force all tool changes to maximum Z retraction, for instance.
Yes, I’m fully aware of that. I’m not really sure it would make any difference though. Afterall, CM4 is simply doing what the gcode instructs it to do.
Product A from Company A produces a file of instructions.
Product B also from Company A reads those instructions, translates them and outputs machining data.
Product C, again from Company A, in its operations of that machining data, fails to allow clearance for the next operation, leaving the operator not able to complete the job.
It doesn’t matter where the issue lies, there is an issue…a very obvious issue…see the image links in the first post.
Ok well you’re a software engineer so the other option to get what you want is to just modify the postprocessor in Fusion 360 to output the specific Gcode commands you want, everytime you post process. It’s very easy and in your wheel house as a developer. To be fair to Carbide 3D there are machines that cost 40x more than a shapeoko that still require you to pay for bit setters and probes and machinist still have to hand edit Gcode and postprocessors for their machines to operate according to their specific workflow. You’re other work around is to change your retract height for your last op so that its not so close to the workpiece.
The only occasion I can think of it coming up recently was a note that installing it installs pretty much every possible DLL from Microsoft, and will fix missing DLL problems.
