2 Different offsets in single work piece?

SheetCam related questions and tips can be posted here
Post Reply
beeson1987
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:03 pm

2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by beeson1987 »

Hi, is it possible to use 2 different offsets in a single work piece? Im guessing not, but it would be handy if i could?
34by151
2.5 Star Member
2.5 Star Member
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu May 10, 2018 4:34 pm

Re: Different offset

Post by 34by151 »

G55 though G59 will do that for you
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: Different offset

Post by adbuch »

I generally use G54 for this sort of thing. As mentioned above, G55 thru G59 can be used to accomplish the same thing.

David

https://www.machinistguides.com/g54-g59-codes/
work offsets explained.jpg
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by acourtjester »

Interesting in what the OP was looking for my guess was different offsets like inside cut and outside cuts on the same part. That answer is yes, if you have a circle that will drop out. That would be cut before you cut a part with the circle inside of it.
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

Tom- you may be right. I was thinking he wanted to offset his work coordinates, but that does sound more logical that perhaps he was asking about lead-in placement. I don't use Sheetcam, but I would expect that if cutting a piece with internal features it can be set (or will automatically know) which are internal cuts and which are external cuts. Perhaps Chris will come back and let us know exactly what he is asking.

David
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by acourtjester »

In SheetCam you can select outside, inside, and on the line, and all in the same G-code/plan. I have even setup center punch dimples and then cut parts, I just put a pause so I can change the amps. :Like
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
beeson1987
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:03 pm

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by beeson1987 »

thanks for replies guys, im still learning how to use sheetcam, and the g-codes etc, so any advice you are giving me if appreciated.
i think i have sorted a file that me and david were talking about on a different post, however now i have the design, would you recommend cutting on path? as if i cut as 'outside offset' it may cut too much out on the front grille part, where as 'inside offset' will do a similar problem, and also cut the outline wrong.
sorry to sound like a noob.
Attachments
escort2.jpg
escort2.jpg (28.27 KiB) Viewed 2332 times
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

Chris,
I would recommend cutting with "inside offset" on all internal features, and "outside offset" on the outer perimeter. Assuming your kerf width is approx. 0.045" to 0.050" and the size of your piece is at least 15" to 18" or so, and you have your lead-ins set to around 0.050" in length, then this should cut fine. The idea is that with the lead-ins in the inside of the internal features, the pierce point (or most of it) will disappear when the centers fall out. If you cut "on path" with no lead-in, then you will be more likely to see a large spot somewhere along the perimeter of each internal feature where the pierce occured. If you cut using "outside offset" then all of your lead-ins (if you use them) would be visible after cutting. I would recommend that you do some trial cuts so you can see all of this for yourself.

David
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by acourtjester »

The outside shape of the car would be cut with outside offsets, any parts in the drawing you see white cut with inside offsets. They are going to fall out. Any line cut with no offset and no lead in, or outs. With thinner metal you can drop the pierce height to about 0.080" and cut about the same using fine cut consumables. The outside cut is last, some of the smaller wheel white parts may be a problem unless you go big on the whole car.
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
beeson1987
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:03 pm

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by beeson1987 »

acourtjester wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 6:09 pm The outside shape of the car would be cut with outside offsets, any parts in the drawing you see white cut with inside offsets. They are going to fall out. Any line cut with no offset and no lead in, or outs. With thinner metal you can drop the pierce height to about 0.080" and cut about the same using fine cut consumables. The outside cut is last, some of the smaller wheel white parts may be a problem unless you go big on the whole car.
It will be around 30 inches wide, so quite big, is there a wayof doing these different offsets in the same file? As i only am able to select one.
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

Both files have the same work coordinates, so load the inner cuts first with the offset of your choice and cut, then load the outer perimeter and cut with offset of your choice. It's hard for me to believe that Sheetcam does not have the capability to do inner offsets and outer offsets for a single file. How to these other guys cut brackets with holes, etc. - particularly when the holes need to be a specific size. But in any case, if you can't figure it out, this is a work around that should give you the flexibility to adjust lead ins and offsets independently for the inner and outer cuts for this particular file.

David
car inner features.dxf image.jpg
car inner features.dxf
(511.88 KiB) Downloaded 55 times
car outer perimeter.dxf image.jpg
car outer perimeter.dxf
(51.81 KiB) Downloaded 53 times
beeson1987
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:03 pm

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by beeson1987 »

Thanks david, im sure sheetcam doesnt allow users to do that. What program are you using please?
Thanks.
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

I'm not familiar with Sheetcam. If you really want to know, I would suggest asking Les Newall over at the Sheetcam forum. The files I showed above were created with Design Edge, but the same thing can be accomplished with Inkscape. You would just need to make sure they are lined up with each other when they are imported to Sheetcam.

David
car from auto trace inner from Inkscape.svg image.jpg
car from auto trace inner from Inkscape.svg
(54.13 KiB) Downloaded 59 times
car from auto trace outer from Inkscape.svg image.jpg
car from auto trace outer from Inkscape.svg
(5.29 KiB) Downloaded 61 times
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

Just as a check, I went ahead and imported both of the dxf files I posted above into Design Edge and they do line up perfectly.
car inner and outer imported to DE.jpg
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by acourtjester »

I will generate a video on how to do it, You import a DXF that is broken up. In sheetCam you can select any part of that DXF and move it to another layer. You then do your plan by selecting the layer inside and tell it inside offset then move outward to the next layer.
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by acourtjester »

here is the video about what I said above.
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

acourtjester wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:52 am I will generate a video on how to do it, You import a DXF that is broken up. In sheetCam you can select any part of that DXF and move it to another layer. You then do your plan by selecting the layer inside and tell it inside offset then move outward to the next layer.
Thanks Tom! That makes perfect sense, and I do recall there was some discussion on another thread about using layers with Sheetcam. I think it was Rokcrler who mentioned that when he had plates with holes, he would put the holes on a separate layer and use slower speeds, etc. Then cut the outer perimeters last from a different layer. I would think there are also some instructional videos and a manual for Sheetcam. Perhaps Chris just hasn't seen these yet. I generally find it very useful to read and study the manual and videos when I am trying to learn a new program or technique. A quick search shows these and more.

This is all pretty cool stuff and makes me want to learn more about Sheetcam, even though I don't really need it for plasma cutting as I already use Design Edge.

David





Also lots of useful Sheetcam tutorial videos here.
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... utube#ip=1
User avatar
djreiswig
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 1929
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:02 pm
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by djreiswig »

SheetCam is very versatile and Les is very responsive to problems and suggestions. I've had a couple of ideas that were quickly implemented. Not a lot of software companies work this way.
2014 Bulltear (StarLab) 4x8
C&CNC EtherCut
Mach3, SheetCam, Draftsight
Hypertherm PM65
Oxy/Acetylene Flame Torch
Pneumatic Plate Marker, Ohmic, 10 inch Rotary Chuck (in progress)
fnqplasma
1 Star Elite Contributing Member
1 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 2:47 am

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by fnqplasma »

Create Layers and move the different segments of the dxf to the cut offset you need. Outside, inside, holes, no offset layers ect is what I name them. This is what I do/use every day. I then create a cut for each layer for what I want, inside, outside, no offsets ect I also use a slower speed for small holes and the like, you do that for each layer and then create your g-code. Easy
fnqplasma
1 Star Elite Contributing Member
1 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 2:47 am

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by fnqplasma »

Sorry, should have mentioned that you create different layers in your cad program and then save as a dxf. You Cant create layers inside sheetcam
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

fnqplasma wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 3:48 pm Sorry, should have mentioned that you create different layers in your cad program and then save as a dxf. You Cant create layers inside sheetcam
acourtjester wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:52 am I will generate a video on how to do it, You import a DXF that is broken up. In sheetCam you can select any part of that DXF and move it to another layer. You then do your plan by selecting the layer inside and tell it inside offset then move outward to the next layer.
Conflicting information here. Tom says the layers can be created from within Sheetcam. You say you can't. Which is correct??
Thanks,
David
User avatar
djreiswig
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 1929
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:02 pm
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by djreiswig »

I believe you can move parts of a drawing to different layers that you create in SheetCam. But I usually create layers in CAD.
2014 Bulltear (StarLab) 4x8
C&CNC EtherCut
Mach3, SheetCam, Draftsight
Hypertherm PM65
Oxy/Acetylene Flame Torch
Pneumatic Plate Marker, Ohmic, 10 inch Rotary Chuck (in progress)
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by acourtjester »

I have used the SheetCam method shown in the Video many times, YES it can be done in SheetCam. Now there is nothing wrong with doing it in the CAD program. In addition using SheetCam to separate sections into layers I have also created separate G-codes doing each operation by itself. Plan what you want and run the post processor for each, delete those operations and move to the next set. Her is a video with inside cuts for center hole and curved slots inside and then outside finish cuts. this was 4 cam parts I was contracted to cut. :Like
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
beeson1987
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
2.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:03 pm

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by beeson1987 »

Thanks for all the info guys.
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8599
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: 2 Different offsets in single work piece?

Post by adbuch »

beeson1987 wrote: Sun Feb 05, 2023 5:45 pm Thanks for all the info guys.
We are happy to help as always! Let us know how my make out with your different layers and cut paths and be sure to show us the finished car when you cut it. I will be interested to see how your result turns out when you cut the internal features either on path or with your cut path on the outside of these features.

David
Post Reply

Return to “SheetCam”