Engraving advise

[connormac]

We do a lot of engraving. When i chain some of the letters teh spindle will raise and lower in the middle of the letter or number.( like on a 3 pick th top radius and it will rap around to the tangent point of the bottom radius. I continue on with the same move and get the small straight line that comes out. Then I have to hit the wait button and pick the bottom radius. Mastercam sees this as 2 chains so it jumps up then feeds back down at the start of the second chain.) In aluminum it works fine but the the constant feeding down in SST is where I usually break the tip. What I would like to do is do the top radius, feed out the small tip, reverse back to the tangent point of the radius and then do the lower radius without raising the spindle. can this be done?

[Fig sign]

Wanna look on your model

[connormac]

No model. Usually parts from sheet metal. just have to add part number, cage code and contract #. I just use create letters and then pick the lines.

[Steve Zirtzman]

I create notes and then break them into lines and arcs. What is your chaining tolerance set at?

 

On second thought, just take the day off and go buy your wife a nice 21st anniversary present.

[mayday]

the only way I ever was to achive this was to pains takinly chain each num. or letter forceing the chain to backtrack

[connormac]

That is what my boss wants. he doesn't like to see all the feeding in and out because we keep chipping the point and not all the operators look at every part. How do you force the chain to backtrack?

[Kevangel]

I have always had trouble chaining letters in window and then engraving...it always drops short line in the number 4 and have to go back and add some chains

[mayday]

I'll assume you using standard block type lettering

just do standard 2d chaining on each number. when it gets to a branch point just click the next line like on a 3 when you get to the end just click the opposite way and the tool will stay down

[Tim Johnson]

+1 MayDay. Contour, Partial, and walk through it all.

[doyleg]

have to chain those sections individually. i think there is a way to change the mcx font so that it can be machined in one chain but don't remember. i do know that we can change the mcx font geometry and use it as our default lettering. can't remember how tho.

[connormac]

Thanks all that worked great mayday. Just what the Dr. ordered. Might even save a little time because that down feed in stainless is so slow.

 

 

Thanks again.

 

 

Steve, I'm putting in tile and having new carpet installed. That is what she said she wanted.