Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

Hi
I have edge 540 kit which I want to copy over a CAD software for LAser cutting. Can you guys help me doing that ?

Thanks

Sharad

Tom Verstappen

Sharad

I think the best way is that you scan the plan.
Read it in your CAD program as a raster file and draw over it with a polyline or something like that.

That is the way i should do it.

Tom

Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

But, I do not have all the formers over the plan, I have physical parts only.

Sharad

Tom Verstappen

Oh you mean that you don't have the plan?
Maybe you can draw it on a paper and scan it in then.
Or if you now what profile that is than you can find it in a airfoil program.

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

If you have access to a digitizer, you can do a full sheet of parts per file. The digitizer will go through non-metallic items up to about 1/2" (4mm) with reasonable accuracy. Then just import the digitized work sheet by sheet into CAD and smooth up or correct. Takes all of about three minutes to complete a sheet.

With a digitizer, you do not injure the original sheets of die-cut wood, other than lifting out of the box.


Wm.

Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

Is Digitizer a software? How do you scan the ply wood parts?

Can you please give me some more details of it?

Sharad

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

No, a digitizer tablet is a piece of hardware, most often hooked up to the computer by graphic artists and CAD users. Visit ********* and do a search on Calcomp or Drawingboard. These being the most popular titles in manufacturing and you will see numerous sizes and types available. A new small one is several hundred dollars, the large sized ones are more than a thousand. This may also give you a reference as to what to look for locally.

Once you get used to the tablet, it is very fast to create a CAD drawing right afterwards, as there is NO conversion.

Wm.

Tall Paul

I take parts to Kinkos™, and Xerox™ them full-scale, then trace them into CAD..
and also use my scanner to copy the parts into a paint program on my home computer, and import that into CAD to be traced.
The parts too long for the Kinko's printer or my scanner can be measured and put into the CAD program... fuselage sides etc.

Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

Dear WM,
Are you talking about the Vaccum Tablet mostlly used by graphic designers. They have a Vaccum Pen to draw or operate the Computer?

Thanks

Sharad

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

There is no vacuum to it.

A tablet is an electronic grid underneath a plastic cover. You simply tape your wooden parts to the top, then after set-up begin using a hand held puck which is wired into it, push a button, and trace all around the edges, or along the die-cut lines. The magnetic beam goes right on through the wood, and you instantly see the part being traced on your computer monitor. I save the tracing as an Autocad DWG file. You then can graphically pick up the just traced part, and move it into position within the drawing editor.

I think RCU has a censor going. I noticed my reference got bleeped somehow. If you post an e:mail address, I will forward a few JPG pictures of the most popular tablets. They have been around 30 years or more now.

Tall Paul:

Re-read comment #3 in this post again. Scanning would crush the parts.

Wm.

Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

My email ID id [email protected]

Sharad

Tall Paul

.
???
Hasn't yet, either at Kinko's™ or my scanner at home.
Here's a rib from my low-wing Kadet, scanned just minutes ago.
I don't feed the parts thru the copier, I lay them on the glass.

DanSavage

My Feedback: (5)

If you already have a kit, why do you need to laser cut parts?

Are you planning to sell copies of the kit?

Dan

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

[email protected]


Sharad:

I have sent to your address chapter seven of my old web page on how to create files for laser cut parts. This chapter deals with the digitizer tablet and shows examples of what they look like. The file is zip compressed and can be looked at using the standard Internet Explorer browser in the off-line mode. I have a couple of the Calcomp models here. The 9148 and the DB3 get used most often for copying plans and copying parts from large die-cut sheets, but last summer I had to copy a full sized Boeing Stearman rib so that laser cut copies could be made.


Wm.

Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

Thank's for posting Dan. I am in India, where importing of a kit is way to impossible. I am tracing the kit for myself only so that I do not have to repent later on.

I am laser cutting to have precision.

Sharad

Tom Verstappen

Hi Wim,

Is it possible to send it to me to?

[email protected]

Thanks
Tom

Ragz

me too coos...thanks

Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

Hi,
I have found another way to trace out parts over the computer. I traced all the parts over the paper with a sharp pencil. Now I have scanned them to an actual size.

Took the file over to the Coral Draw and would trace it their.

Laser cutters can actually use the same Corel File to do Laser cutting.

Sharad

Ragz

thats what i do sharad

Ragz

although you have to export the corel draw .cdr file to an autocad .dwg for more precise laser cutting. Laser cutters prefer dwg format.

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

Nope,

You are about 85% incorrect. Most large sized laser "cutters" (not etchers) operate in some sort of old fashioned pen plotter language, most often HP-GL or (CNC) G-code. The etchers receive HP-GL2 language. You CAD software creates the conversion, and spits it out as a plot file on the LPT or COM port. You can intercept this, and create a plot file, or ship the signal to secondary laser cutting setup software. Visit the web sites for the large laser cutting firms and read of their compatible formats.


Wm.

Ragz

You may be 100% right coos. I stated what I did based on what this particular laser cutter told me. He told me to give him files in dwg only. Maybe his system works this way.

Toucan

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Ragz and Cooz,
I visited this Laser Cutter yesterday. He has a flatbed Laser Plotter . This Guy can cut through any of the softwares Corel Draw, Illustrater or Auto Cad.

What he told me was to Import Corel Draw File to Auto Cad for Precision work. In the mean while he would be doing few sample test for me for accuracy.

Like for example I have traced out few formers of my Edge 540 and he would be Laser cutting through Corel Draw and then I would se how accurate it is .

I wish it works.

Sharad

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

I think you are confusing the software file type language, with the device command language(s). The device, in this situation a laser cutting machine, receives command language and interprets that into a variety of operation settings such as movements, heat, speed, on/off, etc. such that it represents a finished part. You do not need the manipulative software, such as the drawing or CAD software, to send a signal to the device in order to create movements.

Back when, we used to develop a file, then go to DOS and issue a command for it to print out or plot out. Anyone remember PRINT XXX.txt=LPT1 ? This system is still be used today. The technitian who tests or repairs the device, will initially use this command to see if things work as expected. Then, he will use your files.

You may be speaking to someone who has a raster image cutting machine, often called an etcher. I think Epilog and Universal receive HP-GL2 languages like as put out by CorelDraw! They seem to be about 15% of the market in small sized lasers. However, large sized laser beam cutters can work faster using basic old fashioned pen languages. The difference here is that the older language can be manipulated such that a more efficient cut is the result. With these, it is easy to tell the device in plot language which direction to cut. Besides Autocad, I have used TurboCAD, DesignCAD and KeyCad, and they have this basic feature to shorten machine time. I haven't heard of a system which can do this for devices using HP-GL2 language.

When you get a little further along, beyond creating individual parts and moreover into whole files that are set up efficiently for cutting purposes, you will then become concerned with device languages. It has taken me around ten years now to come up with some shortcuts that enable the cutter to complete the project in less time. At the beginning of July, I have drawn up more than 7000 of the little model A/C parts. You need to look into or join one of the Google or Yahoo groups, also look into the forums at Cadalog.com and Lorand.net. These guys know a whole lot more that I do, and you can learn a lot from just eavesdroping there.


Wm.

Ragz

great info coos...thanks...I will look into these forums. This is topic is of great interest to me.