5AXISMAKER Gcode generator V0.1

Following these steps will help you start in no time:

1) INTERFACE (gives you a general overview)

2) MACHINE SETUP (gets your 5axis machine ready)

3) GETTING STARTED (this step connects your geometry to the machine head and generates the gcode that needs in order to run a machine. Once this step is complete congratulations, you are ready to run your machine! And of course for customization of settings follow step 3.1 and 3.2)

3.1) TOOLPATH - DETAILED SETUP 3.2) SIMULATION - DETAILED SETUP

to get started, have ready Rhinoceros, Grasshopper and our Grasshopper script open:

1) INTERFACE (basic info on script layout)

AXIS OFFSETS:

This panel lets you set up your machine’s physical characteristics

TOOL:

This pannel lets you defi ne your tool geometry

TOOLPATH:

This panel lets you custom-ize toolpath for desired cut performance

SIMULATION:

this panel gives you control over how your tool path curve is interpreted in to gcode

GCODE:

This panel output gcode for your cut

3D VIEW:

Displays simula-tion of machine head and tool path on your model

Tool Diameter

ToolStickOut

BaxisOff set

CaxisOff set

Use these tabs to set up your machine and tool characteristics.

(Axis off sets are set up by default for 5AXISMAKER and will work with geom-etry for machine head in the template fi le.)

C axis (roatation around Z axis)

B axis (roatation around Y axis)

2) MACHINE SETUP

1. right click on “surface” tab and go to “set one brep”. This lets you select surface (A) for cuting from 3d view by clicking on it. This will generate tool path curve (B) on the surface.

2. Activating “simulation tog-gle” generates coordinate points for the cut on the tool-path curve and calculates tool positions for these points (C).

3. You can scroll through tool positions on the toolpath using “Simulation” slider.

4. The code for the cut now appears in “Gcode” panel from where you can copy and save

A. B. C.

3) GETTING STARTED (the gcode is generated, it’s done!)

Stepover is the distance between parallel segments of toolpath curve. This parameter controls the length of the cutting operation and the surface fi nish of the cut object.

You can control this distance using “Step Over Distance” slider.

10mm stepover 5mm stepover 3mm stepover 1mm stepover

3.1) TOOLPATH - STEPOVER (these are the additional settings)

It is possible to change direction of the tool path by switch-ing “U/V direction toggle”. This will align toolpath curve with either U or V direction of the surface.

V direction toolpath U direction toolpath

TOOLPATH - DIRECTION

5mm seam gap 0.25mm seam gap

“Seam gap” slider adjusts distance between start and end of toolpath curve segments.

TOOLPATH - SEAM

A. B.

When toolpath curve does not describe the surface accurately (A.) it could be because toolpath curve segments do not have enough points to resolve the geometry accurately.

To add point to toolpath curve segments use “isocurve rebuild” until toolpath accurately describes your geometry (B.).

However when adding to many points it might slow down the performance of the simulation

TOOLPATH - ISOCURVE ACURACY

100 points 1000 points 5000 points

When simulation is activated (with “Simulation toggle”) resolution of the cut can be controlled using “Resolution” slider, which adds coordinate points to the toolpath curve.

This parameter controls how accurately toolpath describes the surface of the model since machine moves in straight lines between these points.

3.2) SIMULATION - RESOLUTION

Some particular features may cause collisions between machine head and the model (A.). In such cases it might be appropriate to isolate these features to work on the separately (B.).

B.A.

SIMULATION - COLLISIONS

To avoid collisions between machine head and the model it is possible to adjust angle between the tool and the surface using “Lead/Lag angle” and “Tilt angle” sliders.

SIMULATION - LEAD/LAG AND TILT ANGLES

When tool position is calculated from the wrong side of the surface (A.) use “Flip surface” toggle to change surface face to the correct one (B.).

SIMULATION - SURFACE DIRECTION

B.A.

“Vector visibility” toggle turns on display of machine head vectors at every coordinate point on the toolpath. This can be useful to visualise envelope of the tool head motion.

SIMULATION - SHOW TOOL VECTORS

TOOLPATH - CUSTOM TOOLPATH

It is possible to create toolpath from custom curves. Right click on “Custom toolpath curve” tab and go to “set one curve” and select your curve. This will defi ne the curve to be used for your custom toolpath.

Use “custom toolpath” toggle to switch between custom toolpath and automatically generated toolpath.

A. B. C.

custom curve

TOOLPATH - CUSTOM TOOLPATH

Custom toolpath curve does not have to be on the surface of the model, it can be a curve drawn by you or any arbitrary curve.it can be a curve drawn by you or any arbitrary curve. Vectors for the tool will be calculated using normals from the closest point on the surface of the model to the points on the toolpath curve.

curve can be arbitrary

Proposed additions to 5AXISMAKER Gcode generator in V0.2:- Mesh support- Automatic collision detection- Roughing toolpath generator- Gcode output to fi le- Formating of Gcode

5AXISMAKER Gcode generator is an open source script and we welcome modifi cations and im-provements to it from the maker community.

Let’s make 5axis machining for everyone a reality!