OK, did my first tiling job. But decided not to use the tiling feature. I didn’t have any vectors that needed to be chopped so I created a lower & upper tool path & posted them out separately.
My stock is a 30" round piece of 1/4" acrylic. So I couldn’t use a fence.
I cut some pieces of 1/8" acrylic the same width as the slots between my table slats & 2-way taped them to the backside of the workpiece. Now the piece is centered on the table & slides in that slot.
I marked the center point with an Xacto for a nice fine line, and when I moved the part I just reset the Y position.
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Couldn’t you make your own registration shapes on a separate layer (outside the cut area) and the put corresponding shapes on the design layer with the same geometry?
Thanks to Carbide and @KevBarn14 for the video!
I have an issue with the 1/8" offset that “no one but me will see…”… I’d like to introduce you to my clients!
This is a problem…particularly a problem if it’s on a repeating pattern that spans the gap, so that this shift is repeated over and over…it creates a visual shift that the eye DOES pick up on.
For example, this pattern:
Tiled into two components…if there is even the smallest registration shift results in:
Where the cumulative effect attracts the eye in the middle:
There is a need for NEAR-PEREFECT registration. I don’t know how to do it…but if there is something that CC Pro and CM can do to enable a positive indexing that works repeatedly, it would be awseome!
Machine holes for pins to register on in the corners?
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Yes…that is the idea…but my question is, will CC help?
See:
While that is how to do it manually, the initial setup should be useful for the Tiling toolpath.
Maybe- let’s nerd-out and talk hypotheticals. What would the ideal system be for you?
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Thanks for entertaining the possibility!
I would assume we’re using 2 or more registration pins (dowels / metal rod) precisely fitted in registration holes. The location of the registration pins would have to be located so that they don’t interfere with the design, so I think that implies either a custom position per design, or something that’s declared “out of bounds” for the design - an area that maybe CC owns. (Discussed below)
Tile 1:
I’m thinking there’s no registration needed for tile 1. You’re placing the piece down on the unit and zeroing as always.
As Tile 1 is being cut, it would be necessary to cut the registration holes into the workpiece for Tile 2…this way, the tile 2 registration holes are cut relative to the zero’d position of Tile 1, precisely…and you don’t need to “seed” registration holes for Tile 1.
Tile 2 - Tile ‘n-1’:
CC now knows the zero for the current tile based on the fact that the registration pins are in the holes in a known location relative to the previous tile. It can then calculate the overlap, if provided, cut the tile as before, and then cut new registration holes in preparation for the next tile.
Tile ‘n’ - no need to cut new registration holes…You’re done.
Location of the pins:
This is probably the more complicated part. I see two possibilities:
- Use a position that’s “Out of bounds” for the design, that CC controls. A margin of sorts. It can use that space as registration hole locations. It automatically uses that space and places holes without the user needing to be active
- The user will need to locate registration holes within their design. The interface would need to allow the user to specify that the thing they’re placing in the design is, in fact, a registration hole - and not some other geometry. This way, CC can identify the registration hole and calculate the Zero for a given tile based on the location of those holes.
The trade off, of course, is cleanliness vs. available space. The margin will take up some design space. Not a problem for 99% of the designs out there…but someone is sure to complain about it.
From my perspective, option 1 is by far desirable. I don’t have to think about anything…I just tell CC I want tiling, and CC places pins. Sweet.
Size of the pins:
CC will need to know the precise size of the pins in order to calculate the tile zero. Therefore, I think it would be best for CC to have a set size for registration pins. For user flexibility, this could be a preferences setting…but the idea would be, as a user, I’m saying, put “a registration pin” here…and CC knows it’s a 1/2" round hole (or whatever size). This way, CC controls the size and position relative to the zero of the tile.
[EDIT] Location of the Registration Pins
CC Is going to need to know the absolute location of the pins. This could be automated with some kind of “probing” or “zeroing” sequence…perhaps CC can cut the holes into the spoilboard before we get started (or always keep them in the same place…which could be the case for the margin layout). The probing sequence could be done on Tile 2…for the remainder of the tiles - which would retain the freedom to place Tile 1 without registration.
If CM were to know about tiling, this gets even more powerful…if the C2D file contained info that CM could use to locate and cut registration holes, you could send the whole design as a single c2d and CM could prompt you through the movement of the tiles! How awesome would THAT be?
Additional thought regarding Registration Pin Placement:
Perhaps CC can provide a “Seed” program for your design file - which will cut the initial registration pin holes into your wasteboard - and then use those for the remainder of the tile 2+ cuts.
@GJM the third iteration, not pictured in the video due to time, solved this offset problem. That issue was a result of my learning the workflow.
Thinking out loud for Hypotheticals:
Assuming you’re doing a regular amount of 4x8 sheet work, you could drill a pair of 1/4" holes in your wasteboard to be used as regular registration locations.
Keep the location of those pins relative to the Zero Coordinates (or regular offset) of your machine, the same from file to file. Shown below in green with the Formula 1 Design.
Workflow - Post Pin Placements
- Position your stock close to where you want it
- Op 1 - Drill those Holes
- Position the stock with the pins into your wasteboard.
- Prepare workholding
- Run Tile one
- Move the stock up so the Front left Pin hole on your stock is now captured by the Upper Pin (this along with the left side guides should be enough for an 8ft plus object to locate within a 1/16" or less)
- Workhold and run tile 2.
I think I get what you’re saying, Kevin…but keeping those green dots the same for every file now falls on me…and changes based on the tile size (yes?)… [EDIT] and overlap setting?
If CC were to keep that info consistent, it could calculate those green dots based on the tile size for me and just automatically cut them in to the margin location on tile ‘x’ for tile x+1
And just to state it again…as long as the registration pin locations are known in an absolute location, you don’t need to register tile 1. Wherever you zero tile 1, the holes will be cut in the correct location for tile 2+ relative to your tile 1zeroing - even if your work piece is off line a bit (I’m trying to wrap my head around this, but I think I’m right).
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Yes, PIN 1 could be a defined distance from the Lower Left Zero Point (Which should be a known offset)
Yes, some things are up to you Gary. You can do it!!
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I know I can do it (no trouble with confidence, here)…it’s a question of how much CC can do to help out users…and how much “figuring out” everyone needs to do, when CC can do it for them. Software…you know? 
Sorry guys…but the notion that “you could do that yourself” kind of defeats the purpose of having software. I can do everything the CNC can do too…with hand tools (even if I can’t, given enough time, someone can)…but I don’t want to. The point of the software is to do things better.
Since CC is automating tiling (which we COULD do ourselves. But why?), this request fills out the whole process - and the brainstorm is to flesh out as many ideas as possible and make CC as powerful as it can be (within reason). I wouldn’t shut down ideas during a brainstorm.
Not meant to shut you down. Just meant to be amusing. That does not always translate to text. Keep up the ideas Gary.
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Thanks Gary- that’s helpful. From a purely mechanical engineering point of view, I’m not a huge fan of pins because they tend to overconstrain a design (which isn’t a problem if you cut the bore a little large, but as you mention, “someone will complain”).
I think I have another idea based on your post (the same thing in spirit, but a different implementation) that can be automated without the over-constraint problem. I’d never be able to describe it clearly so I’ll think about it overnight and try to draw something up tomorrow and post it.
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@robgrz - One way to eliminated is over constraining of a design is with slots.
The sketch below shows dowel pin tangent to the Y0 and a slot perpendicular to the guide fence for tiling the next tiling feature. The Y0 dowel is installed then never remove during the tilling process and require a little of waste along the cutting area. The second tiling locating slot, which is machine along with the first tiling profile cut, needs to be set-up with the slots upper edge tangent to the install dowel pin.
This should help with the X direction interference and created Y direction tolerance of amount .015 [0.4mm] or less depending on the machines capability and the care taken in the tiling move.