Denford Software & Machines

Hi all,

Please bear with me as I am new to cnc machines, I do a fair amount of cad so thought I'd take the next step into milling - apologies if this is posted in the wrong place or has been asked before - I searched through but to no avail.

I've recently bought a novamill with its original controller etc running denstep and vr milling 2.3 - I have all the licence disks and have updated as much as I can however I can only put 100 lines of code in at a time. I thought this may be a licence issue but have reinstalled everything so am at a loss - surely this isn't right.

Also is there a way of smoothing the shape being cut? I drew a coin shape as a test and it came out very star shaped.

Thanks for any help, Giles

Try updating to VRMilling version 2.31 which is a free download from the Denford website.

How did you create the circle? Can you post some pictures?

I can only put 100 lines of code in at a time

There was once a version of vrmilling, which was supplied with a book about CNC, that had that limitation on it.
If you have a flash license code then install the last version (2.31) from here:
https://www.website.denford.ltd.uk/suppo ... -downloads

thanks for the replies.

I have updated to v2.31 but still only allows me 100 lines of code when linked to the mill - it has all the code in the designer. Maybe i'm copying it over wrong?

im drawing the part in solidworks, saving as an .iges and coding in minicam?- cant remember its thats the right coding program, i'll have to double check. Any way this is what i end up with - its drawn as a circle.



thanks

Are you sure you are saving the finishing file as well as the roughing. I would say you have only run the roughing program.

I definately clicked the save both bit. Would it normally save as one file or save the two passes seperately?

I can't remember Minicam but it may well save them in seperate files or have options to join them into one ?
Are you opening the files into VR Milling ? Maybe the issue is with copy and pasting.
If VR Milling can't see it, then change the file extension to .fnc

Well, I have half solved the cutting problem. It's definitely the way minicam codes it as you can simulate in minicam and it looks just as bad ( and def on finishing cut). So I need to find an alternative for the coding.

As to the limited lines of code I am still baffled. I have updated to v2.31, reinstalled, and still no joy. When I try and type more in I get a message saying the the mdi limit has been reached.

Is there any way I can check my licence or that the program recognises a licence - this is the only thing I can think why it would limit the program.

Can you post a screenshot?

If VRMilling version 2.31 opens then the licence is corrext.

In MiniCAM you need to alter the stepover for the finishing path. This is a percentage of the tool diameter.

When you say MDI - are you pasting the program into the MDI window or the editor ?
You're best renaming the file to xxx.fnc (if required) and opening from the menu in VRMilling, File > Open

When you open the VR Milling software there will be a flash screen saying who the software is licenced to. If the licence is the version with limited lines it will probably say so here. Can you take a screen shot of your splash screen as the software is loading?

You should have a screen similar to the one attached

this pic shows a few screenshots. You should be able to see its definately v.2.31, definately a .fnn file and hopefully you can out the red error message at the bottom of the mdi screen.

Im opening the file in the designer window (file>open), connecting to the machine and copying and pasting from the designer window into the mdi window.

You do not need to copy th program in to the MDI panel.

Just leave it in the editor & run it from the Auto tab.

Ahh, that works fine now for getting the code in. Easy when you know how! As I said I'm going at this completely blind and alone so trying to work it out as I go.

On another note will this always move in only one axis at a time - when cutting this circle it steps over and over in one direction. Can it cut a circle in one 'circular' movement to give a cleaner cut - I realise this might not work as it may need a shed load of code.

MiniCam will only Post Procces as a Raster cut. In order to obtain different cutting paths you would need to obtain a different 3D Post Proccessing package.

We do sell QuickCam Pro which would allow you to do this.

https://www.denford.ltd.uk/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=99