STL's acting funny

[RMagnusson]

Hello,

 

I've got 5 mill groups with a couple toolpath groups in each of them. I am verifying and saving the results as an STL as I go down through the list of ops.

 

Problem is if I change anything in the toolpaths MC has issues with verifying against a previously saved STL. The cutter is off in space somewhere and the STL remains untouched.

 

I can usually tell this is about to happen when I first open the verify screen and try to rotate the part. Instead of the part rotating from the center of my current wcs, it rotates from MC's original x0y0z0. The only fix I've found is to go back through to mill group 1, verify and save stock as an stl, load said stl into verify for mill group 2, verify and save etc. If I change anything the cutter is off in space again and I have to re-verify and re-save everything.

 

Anyone had this problem? I'm probably explaining it poorly so if you need clarification just ask.

 

Thanks,

Ryan

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Ryan,

 

A couple potential solution here...

 

First, if you already have the STL, but it isn't located in the correct spot, you could use Xform - STL to move/rotate the model into the correct spot. Sometimes this is easier said than done.

 

One rule I make for myself is to never use the "Stock View" function to initially locate my block. It works great for the initial placement of a block of material, but the STL's that are saved out of verify don't get located in the correct spot. What I do is create a solid block using my wcs, then set the "stock view" to "Top" and use the "Solid" option in the stock setup page. This always works and the STL models you save out of Verify will be located in the correct spot...

 

HTH,

[RMagnusson]

Thanks for the reply Colin

 

I'm not really having a problem locating the STL (I use a different wcs for the different ops so the stl never needs to move), it's more like the stl isn't retaining it's associativity from the previous ops and is 'losing itself,'...I don't really know how to describe it any better than that. I tried calling Rich at Cimtech and he thinks it's an internal problem here not something with MC.

[Daniel M]

Ryan,

 

Colin is right. I had the same problems. Your different WCS's mess with the orientation of the saved STL. Do this: In the stock setup in your operations manager set the stock view to TOP for all of your toolpath groups. I know it makes sense for the stock view to follow your WCS but it simply doesn't work. Make em all TOP and your STL will be right where they need to be.

 

HTH

 

Daniel

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Ryan,

 

I could probably stop by on a Friday sometime and go over this with you in person. It's actually really easy to use once you get it figured out. Your STL files never move and show up exactly where they need to be.

 

You will really notice the problem if you ever save an STL file out of Verify and then want to use that STL model in a toolpath for "leftover" or "rest" roughing...

 

Hey Dan, you up for another breakfast session this weekend?