Limited lines of code

Giles · Sun 26 Feb , 2012 21:10 pm

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

Martin · Mon 27 Feb , 2012 8:38 am

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?

Mon 27 Feb , 2012 10:04 am

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

Giles · Mon 27 Feb , 2012 22:05 pm

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

Martin · Mon 27 Feb , 2012 23:44 pm

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

Giles · Tue 28 Feb , 2012 9:49 am

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

Tue 28 Feb , 2012 10:21 am

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

Giles · Thu 01 Mar , 2012 22:01 pm

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.

Martin · Thu 01 Mar , 2012 23:08 pm

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.

Fri 02 Mar , 2012 10:43 am

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

Steve · Fri 02 Mar , 2012 12:21 pm

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

Giles · Sat 03 Mar , 2012 18:55 pm

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.

Giles · Sat 03 Mar , 2012 19:06 pm

Martin · Sat 03 Mar , 2012 20:18 pm

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.

Giles · Sun 04 Mar , 2012 12:23 pm

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.

Martin · Sun 04 Mar , 2012 18:43 pm

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

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