mtmdesigns
New Member
set it at 150 feed 50 plunge 18000rpm to start out with. You can basically cut anything except steel on that speed with a spiral bit. If they ask you to cut steel on it tell them you need a lazer or waterjet.
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- Thread starter Garfield_Graffix
- Start date
mtmdesigns
New Member
Can u export autocadd files to .dxf? i never used autocadd, but if you can your life is going to be much better. Enroute 3 is what i run as well but i just use it for toolpathing i draw everything in flexi and export it as a dxf. Drawing in enroute in my opinion kinda sucks, but if you can get vector art into enroute 3 your golden. Do u know illustrator or anything other then autocadd?
Flame
New Member
Pro Signs & Graphix said:
I disagree. To a point. You may have misunderstood me. I don't think in a sign shop an employee needs to know EVERYTHING, but he should know more than just how to run a piece of equipment. Most guys I know that "run" the printers have a lot of design knowledge as well, and most of the "designers" can run the printer when need be. I realize that the banner guy doesn't need to know how to run a CNC machine, and a pistriper doesn't need to know how to digitally print, but I think you need to know atleast the basics of most of what the shop is cranking out.
Sounds like he isn't even in a sign shop though. And if so, screw that and forget everything I just said.
Enroute looks a pretty nice, easy to get on with bit of software which will do 3D for you. I'm still experimenting with 3D myself- not too much call for it in the UK and I hate painting 
With 3D it does take a fair bit of machining time and if you haven't got an auto tool changer it's pain to keep working down through the bit sizes.
If you know autocad then 2D design work is in the bag and shouldn't be too much sweat for you.
I work in metric but I would agree with the RPM- 18,000 is your swiss army knife and will do most of what you need. On some acrylics you may want to crank back to 16,000 to avoid weld back. Other stuff needs a bit of experimentation but start off slow and work up in small increments.
If you get hold of the material manufactures and ask em what the RPM, feed and bit recommendations are you will save loads of time messing about.
You boss shouldn't be stingy with router bits either- they do break, sometimes for no noticeable reason. If he's tight about it you'll be forced to be more cautious and less fast.
With 3D it does take a fair bit of machining time and if you haven't got an auto tool changer it's pain to keep working down through the bit sizes.If you know autocad then 2D design work is in the bag and shouldn't be too much sweat for you.
I work in metric but I would agree with the RPM- 18,000 is your swiss army knife and will do most of what you need. On some acrylics you may want to crank back to 16,000 to avoid weld back. Other stuff needs a bit of experimentation but start off slow and work up in small increments.
If you get hold of the material manufactures and ask em what the RPM, feed and bit recommendations are you will save loads of time messing about.
You boss shouldn't be stingy with router bits either- they do break, sometimes for no noticeable reason. If he's tight about it you'll be forced to be more cautious and less fast.
Garfield_Graffix
New Member
well
Well I can export DXF from AutoCAD and I can do most anything I want to do with ACAD. It remains to be seen if I can draw what they want. Question. Isnt all the actual drawing done by the graphic art people? I thought It would be more like me taking their artwork and getting the router to cut it out. Im not sure what software they use. I could sure teach'em ACAD though if it will make it easier for me
Well I can export DXF from AutoCAD and I can do most anything I want to do with ACAD. It remains to be seen if I can draw what they want. Question. Isnt all the actual drawing done by the graphic art people? I thought It would be more like me taking their artwork and getting the router to cut it out. Im not sure what software they use. I could sure teach'em ACAD though if it will make it easier for me
As far as I know DXF is the standard for CNC so you want them to export art in DXF and go from there. If they are using any sign design software they can give you the DXF to run with.
I want to get into autocad precisely because it allows you to make more precise drawings for CNC work- plus a lot of folks send me layered files and what not which corel gives up on
I want to get into autocad precisely because it allows you to make more precise drawings for CNC work- plus a lot of folks send me layered files and what not which corel gives up on
mtmdesigns
New Member
well if you can do anything with autocadd i think you should be ok... Autocadd from my experience is a hard program to learn compared to enroute.
Garfield_Graffix
New Member
Check this out. This is mine. It was all modeled in ACAD( tables and barells) the organic shapes (skull on table) were done in Ray Dream Studio, it was all imported into Bryce 5.0 where textures were applied and then rendered in Bryce5.0. I know its not ground breaking, but cool for just fooling around with software that i learned on my own( well some help from a forum, imagine that)
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mtmdesigns
New Member
Okay do u smoke anything we should be aware about?
Garfield_Graffix
New Member
Now thats a classy response. hahaha,Nah. But dont you agree that this subject matter is alot cooler than a still life of a bowl of fruit? I am a kid at heart and a geek through and through
mark in tx
New Member
I like that scene, looks like an architects revenge on a difficult client.
Now, if you can program the cuts for that onto a sheet of HDU, you could make a pretty penny in theatre and movie set designs.
Now, if you can program the cuts for that onto a sheet of HDU, you could make a pretty penny in theatre and movie set designs.
Garfield_Graffix
New Member
Id like to be able to. Can you take an image and say make it gray scale and have the machine use the color difference for the tool depth and make a scene like that out of flat material? That would be sweet aahhhh.......
Pro Signs & Graphix
New Member
Garfield -
If you know how to run AutoCad, and do 3-D, you have half the battle beat. Now all you need to do is learn how to run that aggravating machine that on ocassion seems to develop a mind of it own. Routers are cool, and so is what they put out.
Congrats on your new job.....and the long hours ahead of you!
Flame -
You are referring to cross-training, which comes down the road, and sometimes never. As for designers, traditionally, they know nothing of production equipment, and vise-versa. That is not to say that there are not any exceptions, but usually that is not the case - and has been the source of arguments for as long as I can remember.
As for all-around cross-training, as I said earlier, many of us owners can and do - out of necessity (like Op and Geary learning how to do vinyl - becasue they had to, not wanted to.).
In a perfect world that would be ideal, but most often that is not the case.
More analogies:
Service writer vs. Mechanic
Server vs. Cook
Architect vs. Contractor
etc. etc
If you know how to run AutoCad, and do 3-D, you have half the battle beat. Now all you need to do is learn how to run that aggravating machine that on ocassion seems to develop a mind of it own. Routers are cool, and so is what they put out.
Congrats on your new job.....and the long hours ahead of you!
Flame -
You are referring to cross-training, which comes down the road, and sometimes never. As for designers, traditionally, they know nothing of production equipment, and vise-versa. That is not to say that there are not any exceptions, but usually that is not the case - and has been the source of arguments for as long as I can remember.
As for all-around cross-training, as I said earlier, many of us owners can and do - out of necessity (like Op and Geary learning how to do vinyl - becasue they had to, not wanted to.).
In a perfect world that would be ideal, but most often that is not the case.
More analogies:
Service writer vs. Mechanic
Server vs. Cook
Architect vs. Contractor
etc. etc
MAB SIGNS
New Member
Garfield you could design in Autocad and send to Enroute but most shops are so sign software oriented they do it in Flexi. Enroute is where you choose passes and path and all that stuff, not like I'm an expert, I've just seen it done. remembering things like mirror image or inline/outline are usually rookie mistakes. I wish I had Autocad, I'd love to learn it, what an amazing program! Who services your Multicam? Maybe they have someone who would come give you a half day of training for a price which is what we had from the guy who set up our machine. I may have his number, I'll send if I can find it.
And Welcome to Signs101!
Mark
And Welcome to Signs101!
Mark
MAB SIGNS
New Member
how many axis is your multicam? The machine I was around wasn't capable of 3D but I know you can design and cut it with a multicam given you have a 5 axis machine I think it is. (Don't quote me.) Our machine was a 6' x 12' without a tool changer and it was a single head. Still an awesome machine though!
Garfield_Graffix
New Member
Mab_ I need to know how to tell the number of axis it has. From looking at it it seemed as though it had at least x,y and z movement. I dont believe it can hold more than one bit at a time. I say that because it didnt look like the tool head could hold more than one at a time. Do they have the ability to switch tools like a plotter picks up a different pen? I never heard them say an actual size but it seems like @6'x12' or so. Im hoping they will let me come in on the weekends and play with it. I think I mentioned earlier they only offer a few types of materials and thicknesses so the guy said they only use a couple different bits.
Does Multicam sell their machines direct or do they have middle men? Id like to find out who sold the company this machine and see if they can help with some know how.
Does Multicam sell their machines direct or do they have middle men? Id like to find out who sold the company this machine and see if they can help with some know how.
Pro Signs & Graphix
New Member
Garfield,
If you really want to make an impression, and it sounds like you do - take the ball and run with it. Just like you did with CAD, invest in some of your own training - this will show some very serious initative on your part. (Be cautious not to "give it all away" to the others there.) Call around and see what training and possibly even videos are available.
From what it sounds like, the machine has not really made the company any "true" money yet - primarily because nobody really knows what the machine is capable of, or how to do it.
If you really want to make an impression, and it sounds like you do - take the ball and run with it. Just like you did with CAD, invest in some of your own training - this will show some very serious initative on your part. (Be cautious not to "give it all away" to the others there.) Call around and see what training and possibly even videos are available.
From what it sounds like, the machine has not really made the company any "true" money yet - primarily because nobody really knows what the machine is capable of, or how to do it.
Arlo Kalon 2.0
New Member
Steve C. said:
ya sure nailed that quite succinctly Steve! i know my own knee jerk reaction is "oh mygod - another one!!!" - particularly when it's in the few miles between you an me. i wanna barf anymore when i see a guy with a cheapo plotter and who knows what software all of a sudden be bidding on jobs against me. it is an undeniable scourge in this business.
BUT... i too have noticed the unfriendly tone at work here, and i know those involved will have very applicable reasons for it. i would agree that mebbe there should be somethin' on the order of an FAQ to be read 1st by new posters, so we're not week by week seeing the same hollow questions by people who don't have a clue. ya hafta admit it is annoying to the max, and i can't blame the people who point that out.