custom engraving macro

[kenfromlodi]

can anyone help with a custom engraving macro?

we have one that will do the serialization and juliane info but would like to be able to add in an arc or onto a curved even surface.

 

we are willing to pay for it if someone could tell me where we should look..

 

thanks

[crazy^millman]

Let me get this straight you not only want a macro for serlizavtion(Which btw if you did a search there is a bunch of free ones already done on this forum for flat surfaces), but you want it to do any type pf a curved surface?? Wow I am just thinking aloud here, but I think that is asking a lot of any macro. Not only getting spacing right, but then taking curvature into account and keep the spacing correct on that would be some trick stuff.

 

Maybe someone has some ideas, but what a challenge for sure. Good luck.

[Dave Ball]

Yea I'm with Ron on this one, that is ALOT of heavy math, thats why people use CAM. However a macro to engrave lettering in an arc shape, on a flat surface, might be a little more realistic.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...but would like to be able to add in an arc or onto a curved even surface...

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[Guest]

I agree with all of the above, this is really something likely left to a CAM system.

 

The math involved in doing that is going to be intense at best.

[kenfromlodi]

Thanks for the input guys? I had similar concerns when I was asked to look into this. As I said we already have one that works great in a straight line and use it all the time.

We just acquired alot of new parts from a shop we merged with and alot of their engraving is arced or on a part edge and programmed in geopath. So this creates alot of work for changing these things.

Any ideas on an easy route to take with this?

[crazy^millman]

What I do is create my engraving on a level at the correct place relative to it being projected to the surface I am going to be engraving. I then project a copy of that to the surface. If the last 2 number are changing I will make levels for that. Then just have my main level with everything expect the last 2 digits. Then go through making my numbers project them to the same surface and then grab all the chains and then go from their. Seems like a lot of work, but after you do it a couple time you will see how fast it goes.

 

HTH

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Yeah, you can do a few things with subs like create a letter/number in Masterfcam in each position then increment up the Sub Calls. Of course you'd have to do it for every part that has a different shape but... it would be as close to a custom MACRO you could get... at least in a practical manner IMHO.

 

HTH

[kenfromlodi]

Changing the engraving in MC is the easy part. Not to much trouble there. The real issue is that all these programs are in geopath and we have 1 programmer who uses geopath and he is swamped (as we all are) and is constantly getting interrupted to update engraving. We are looking for something that is easily usable at the machine or on the shop floor for the average (and I do mean average) operator.

IMHO this is not an easy fix (time and resource wise, its not going to take care of itself) and will take some effort from someone with some skill to ensure that it is correct no matter what software we are using.

[Guest]

quote:

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and will take some effort from someone with some skill to ensure that it is correct no matter what software we are using.

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In short Ken, yup

[Dave Ball]

It's not the easy solution but I would look at how many & which parts could be engraved offline in a seperate process and use some modern part marking technologies to speed and simplify your whole engraving process. Here is a sample of what is available engraving