How to create drilling tool in sheetcam

[@metalman23]

I want to create a drilling tool in sheetcam, but my post processor is obviously designed for the plasma, my plan is to have a variable speed spindle that I can use to drill holes, I'd like to use sheetcam and Mach 3 (my current setup)

I made a drilling tool in sheetcam, and I am running simulations with the plasma head to judge the feasibility. but it's trying to probe and find the z depth before starting the downward Z movement

question#1 do I have to modify the post processor to eliminate this function? Or is there a tool setting that can be used to stop it from probing for z (when I set up the drill, I will be blocking the floating head and making it rigid) I might need a different method of zeroing machine, maybe a xyz probe?


Question #2: it keeps trying to fire the torch, that's not really to big a deal, I can just unplug the plasma, but I think it would be better for it to not send that command.

I guess what I want is to be able to swap heads on my machine, and not have to load a different post processor in sheetcam every time I want to drill some holes.


Or should I be looking into writing a completely new post processor for when I'm drilling? I would need some help for that one,

[@metalman23]

Or should I just go and buy a small cnc router setup and use that for drilling holes?

[acourtjester]

when you originally setup SheetCam did you check the box for rotary machine?? Also did you create rotary tools so you have then in the tool list??
You select them for planning your operations. Also select a generic PP with no plasma operations like floating head, ect.

drilling.JPG (16.41 KiB) Viewed 316 times

drilling.JPG (16.41 KiB) Viewed 316 times

drilling 2.jpg (28.88 KiB) Viewed 316 times

drilling 2.jpg (28.88 KiB) Viewed 316 times

drilling 3.jpg (20.83 KiB) Viewed 316 times

drilling 3.jpg (20.83 KiB) Viewed 316 times

[@metalman23]

when you originally setup SheetCam did you check the box for rotary machine?? Also did you create rotary tools so you have then in the tool list??
You select them for planning your operations. Also select a generic PP with no plasma operations like floating head, ect.
drilling.JPG
drilling 2.jpg
drilling 3.jpg

I did enable the rotary tools function, and I made a drilling tool that appears in the tool list, can you choose a different PP for a specific tool?

[sheetcamCS2]

If you want to mechanical drill and plasma cut using the same pp, that is possible. Do those things that @courtjester suggested first.
For mech drilling, you'll define and use a RotaryTool of type 'Drill', and you'll create a Drill Operation to use the tool. The drill operation will map to the function OnDrill() in the pp. Code/modify your own OnDrill() function, test for toolClass == "DrillTool" and perform all your mech drilling logic contained by that condition, that way you can also still use plasma to 'peck' or pierce a centerpoint if that's ever needed. OnDrill() function is usually quite customized, you can copy a mech drilling version from a Mach3 pp and drop it into your plasma pp, with modifications of course. Reply back if you need more assistance.

[@metalman23]

If you want to mechanical drill and plasma cut using the same pp, that is possible. Do those things that @courtjester suggested first.
For mech drilling, you'll define and use a RotaryTool of type 'Drill', and you'll create a Drill Operation to use the tool. The drill operation will map to the function OnDrill() in the pp. Code/modify your own OnDrill() function, test for toolClass == "DrillTool" and perform all your mech drilling logic contained by that condition, that way you can also still use plasma to 'peck' or pierce a centerpoint if that's ever needed. OnDrill() function is usually quite customized, you can copy a mech drilling version from a Mach3 pp and drop it into your plasma pp, with modifications of course. Reply back if you need more assistance.

Illl check out my PP and see if it even has an on drill() function, it may not, thank you, I may need to ask more details about it when I start fiddling with it