Hi all, I am just getting my feet with with my Onefinity and using VCarve. The vector programs I use most generate a frame or an outline for the head move around the project perimeter before starting. I find this so useful and it has saved me from my stupidest mistakes more than once. Will the Onefinity do that am I’m just missing it or is there an easy way to generate it as a separate gcode?
You should be able to do profile or contour tool path in vcarve and generate gcode for that outline/frame.
I’ve used lasers that did that which is useful to see if a cut is going to fit into available space on material that’s had other stuff cut out. But for the 1F, it’s not automatic. You’d want to either use an existing contour on your design (like the final cutout) or create a new one that surrounds the project cuts. Then select that, make a Profile toolpath in VCarve and set it so the height & depth will keep it above the material. Make that the first toolpath you run and that will give you the same thing as the auto-generated frames/outlines you get with other CNC type machines.
Hi Jami - quite literally you can make the machine do anything you want, but, it (usually) doesn’t “do” anything without being told to do so explicitly. You need to develop the tool paths – if you want an air “cut” before the first real operation begins, you can certainly do that (as Jim notes).
All that said, the OF interface does show you the outline of the cut when it renders on a browser using a computer (note: it will not render on the included monitor due to limitations of the RPI driving the screen). That does give you some indication of the cut size. I would be nice if they showed the whole machine outline and where your file will be cutting, but it doesn’t do that right now.
When I have any doubt about my gcode, I preview it using Camotics (https://camotics.org) - the same software OF uses to render within the browser. The SW is a little clunky to set up and use (previous versions were easier IMHO), but it is a good secondary check. I used to preview all my gcode files prior to using Fusion 360 with the built in simulator.
Hope this helps
-Tom
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