Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

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TreestumpExhaustpipe
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Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by TreestumpExhaustpipe » Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:27 pm

This will be infinitely useful for people like me who uses QCAD for CNC work.

I do not currently see a Circuit type hatching option and just CNC'ng a hatch creates hugely inefficient gcode.
This type of circuit hatching, will make it really easy and super efficient to perforjm the usual initial flattening of a workpiece side.

At the moment I hatch the workpiece outline and then use the "cut Segment tool to create a circuit between the hatch and the outline.
See the attached image of such a surface I created a circuit hatch out of the outline and the hatch for part of a blade system.
https://i.imgur.com/qqbYcmM.png

This is extremely tedious especially if you need to use a small bit and therefore dense hatch.

It will make QCAD very useful for CNC work as flattening of surfaces are a crucial step of any CNC prepwork and most machines/CAMS do not have built-in routines for this recurrent task.

Otherwise, if Qcad already has such a hatch circuit routine, let me know.

Thanks

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Husky
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by Husky » Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:04 pm

I would recommend to contact John Hyslop - maybe he is able and willing to help you :wink:

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6944&p=31023#p31023

He developed the "Free Stand Alone Basic Hatch Pattern Tool" which is very impressive ...
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CVH
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by CVH » Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:05 pm

Hi,
Can you elaborate on this ?
I see a repetitive cross hatch but the endings aren't repetitive.
In a hatch pattern every segment is repetitive ....

I also see it taper a bit.
And in a Hatch pattern everything is repeated rather exact.

What you are requesting is more like pocketing zigzag but angled .... :?

Building this up with entities would be extremely tedious indeed. :wink:

Pocketing is on my wish list too.
My CNC driver does that for free for me with a build in tool but not angled.
Rather spiraling inward or outward.

Regards,
CVH
PS. I believe there are some PM's left to retrieve.

TreestumpExhaustpipe
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by TreestumpExhaustpipe » Mon Jan 25, 2021 1:50 am

CVH. As explained in my original, I hatched an outline of, what is in this case a blade (That obviously tapers, and therefore the hatching will taper) .
I then have the outline and the blade visible in a single layer.
I then remove the sections from the outline (with "Break Out Segment" ) in order to create a circuit out of the single line hatches. The result is what you see in my Qcad DXF screenshot. The lines that connects the straight hatch lines to complete a circuit are the alternating outline sections.

That's all. It works perfectly as it is and flattens the stock, but if I want to use a finer process, then there are to many lines to manually "Break Out Segment". It becomes tedious as hell.

The point of the post is to request a new hatching that is a circuit. aka a single line filling the closed outline.
It will really make Qcad very CNC friendly.
Last edited by TreestumpExhaustpipe on Mon Jan 25, 2021 2:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

TreestumpExhaustpipe
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by TreestumpExhaustpipe » Mon Jan 25, 2021 2:00 am

Husky;

I looked at the thread and what I am not sure of is how this can be integrated into QCAD. Seems like separate program. I am working on Linux, so the Win only or wine emulator is not going to be productive.

This really should be a hatching option in your Hatch selection window.

CNC users will thank you for a circuit hatch.

It is completely brutal to just try and CNC a line hatch as the CNC spend half of it's time in the air.

My Manual circuit hatch creation in QCAD works like a charm, but I have to use quite a large bit, which creates too much torques on the workpiece.
I need to use a much smaller bit and therefore way way more dense lines and therefore endless amounts of segments of the outline I have to remove as segments in order to get a circuit hatch. Very time consuming.

This is really something that should be available in Qcad.

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Husky
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by Husky » Mon Jan 25, 2021 6:15 am

TreestumpExhaustpipe wrote:
Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:27 pm
This is extremely tedious especially if you need to use a small bit and therefore dense hatch.
Yep - tell me.
Question: Why has it to be under a 45 degree angle?

BTW: QCAD provides already a solution for limited cases. Maybe a little step in the right direction?

Not tapered, not under an 45 degree angle, took me less than 30 seconds ....

Husky-2021.01.24-04.png
Husky-2021.01.24-04.png (12.77 KiB) Viewed 11343 times

... 45 degree, 4-5 minutes max

Husky-2021.01.24-05.png
Husky-2021.01.24-05.png (22.83 KiB) Viewed 11343 times
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TreestumpExhaustpipe
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by TreestumpExhaustpipe » Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:17 am

How did you do that ?
By the same method I described namely removing segments ?

As for your question, It doesnt have to be at 45 degree angle.

Also it has top be tapered as the object is tapered.
But if only rectangular outlines are allowed then the more inefficient way of just creating a rectangular outline that covers the irregular object and hashing it, then removing segments. The CNC is going to spend a lot of time routing air, but it would be entirely workable if the Circuit is created automatically.
It is the removal of segments that is tedious, when you have to use a 3mm bit on a large workpiece.
As an example; for a 3mm bit you need 3mm/1.2mm= 2.5mm hatch spacing. That will be a LOOOT of segments to remove to create a circuit hatch.

any way to automate the segment removals ?
Last edited by TreestumpExhaustpipe on Tue Jan 26, 2021 7:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

CVH
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by CVH » Tue Jan 26, 2021 6:16 am

Hi
TreestumpExhaustpipe

If you read your PM's ...

QCAD: Made dxf at 30°
CNC: Proccessed it stepping 0.5 ZigZag
NPP: Removed the finish pass
QCAM trial: Imported - Angled back - Save - Done (in under 5min)

I can do that with any number of areas, any shape, any stepsize.
In my field, think about cutters in the sub mm range.
Face milling is pocketing at zero depth.

Regards,
CNC
TSEP_test_pocket.png
TSEP_test_pocket.png (24.85 KiB) Viewed 11266 times
Attachments
TSEP_test_pocket_rev.cnc.dxf
(1.71 MiB) Downloaded 528 times
TSEP_test.dxf
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TreestumpExhaustpipe
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by TreestumpExhaustpipe » Tue Jan 26, 2021 7:35 am

That is all fine,
but you still did not answer me how you obtained the circuit route.
Did you use "Delete Segment" Yes or No.

Then if No, where or how was this done automatuicaly to obtain a circuit route ?

Do you do the pocketing routine on your CNC CAM software or GCode program ?

I cannot view PM's. I see the message titles but I cannot open them.
Must be something that blocks it here.

CVH
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by CVH » Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:33 am

TreestumpExhaustpipe wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 7:35 am
Did you use "Delete Segment" Yes or No.
In under 5 minutes? Surely NOT at all.
I used:
-Paid for QCAD PRO (to draw)
-Free cnc driver (all details are in the PM as it is OFF TOPIC)
-Free NPP (edit Gcode)
-Trial QCAD/CAM (Cast back)
TreestumpExhaustpipe wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 7:35 am
I cannot view PM's. I see the message titles but I cannot open them.
Must be something that blocks it here.
Wow, OK ... Did they really blocked me?
Thanks fellows.
CVH

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andrew
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by andrew » Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:53 am

CVH wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:33 am
Wow, OK ... Did they really blocked me?
Absolutely not. We don't block anyone from posting PMs (expect spammers who have their account removed anyway).

CVH
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by CVH » Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:06 am

Then read
viewtopic.php?t=7415

And contact Bert Eding for the non proprietary, no longer sustained C++ sources of EasyCAM !!!
One gives it dxf entities, settings and it gives back Gcode.
CVH

(10 post from my final goal, I make then count)

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Husky
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by Husky » Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:15 am

@TreestumpExhaustpipe,
TreestumpExhaustpipe wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:17 am
By the same method I described namely removing segments ?
No!
TreestumpExhaustpipe wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:17 am
any way to automate the segment removals ?
With this tool a segment removal is only for one or two segments necessary ...
TreestumpExhaustpipe wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:17 am
How did you do that ?
Menu / Misc / Draw / Box Joint from 2 Points

Circuit-Type Hatching.gif
Circuit-Type Hatching.gif (2.18 MiB) Viewed 11044 times

Circuit-Type Hatching coordinate.gif
Circuit-Type Hatching coordinate.gif (7.7 MiB) Viewed 11044 times
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TreestumpExhaustpipe
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by TreestumpExhaustpipe » Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:46 pm

Husky wrote:
Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:15 am
@TreestumpExhaustpipe,

Absolutely FANTASTIC thanks!!
Exactly what I am looking for .
Now I dont have to spend hours editing out parts of the outline on a hatch.
Nobody seems to know this even exists !
Clever use of box joints.
I poured over the manual and couldnt figure that this is even possible.

Thanks to Husky & CVH.
Really enormous help !

The only drawback is that I cannot do this inside non-rectangular objects such as pentagons or triangles etc.
Is it not possible to use an intersection method?
It would entail drawing a rectangle around the object, then using the method above to create circuit hatch in the rectangle, then followed by some intersection edit which will remove everything that is not inside or touching the irregular shape. This will result in a circuit Hatch inside the irregular object as required.
Last edited by TreestumpExhaustpipe on Thu Jan 28, 2021 9:21 am, edited 2 times in total.

TreestumpExhaustpipe
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Re: Feature Request. Circuit-Type Hatching.

Post by TreestumpExhaustpipe » Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:44 am

Possible Bug:

I do the following:
Misc => Draw => BoxJointFrom2Points

I then click on a point in the canvas, and the box joint appears.
N ow, I go to the "Finger Width" Box and enter nothing. Just a clear box.

Qcad then Hangs in perpetuity.
Can someone try and replicate this ?

I know that nothing or zero would mean infinitely small box joints, which will crash a program as it is incalculable and cannot be displayed, but Qcad code should have a default smallest value, e.g. minimum resolution it defaults to in the case that a User enters 0 or leave the box blank.

To me it is definitely a bug as software always need to catch infinity or divide by zero interface entries by substituting the entry with the minimum resolution or similar finite value.

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