Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

ShawnM wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:23 pm What PP are you using in Vectric? The file of yours that Keith opened and shared is using all G1 moves for circles and this is not correct. Can you share the actual Vcarve file so I can open it in my software and use my PP? Change the name just like you did for your motor files. You should be using the stock Centroid_Arcs_inch PP in the Vectric software and then you can later modify it to work better with your work flow.

Shawn, I'll get that for you tomorrow when I'm at the shop. The PP was Centroid (inch), something to that effect, but there was definitely no arcs in the PP name. In the meantime, do me a flavor and look at the circtest file I posted - I believe it used proper g2/g3 arc commands.... here is a sample from that file:
N0330 G0 X7.5532 Y7.5084 Z0.2000
N0340 G1 Z-0.1250 F20
N0350 G3 X7.9907 Y7.0709 I0.4375 J0.0000 F300
N0360 G3 X8.4282 Y7.5084 I0.0000 J0.4375
N0370 G3 X7.9907 Y7.9459 I-0.4375 J0.0000
N0380 G3 X7.5532 Y7.5084 I0.0000 J-0.4375
N0390 G0 Z0.2000
N0400 G0 X7.9907 Y11.0709
N0410 G1 Z-0.1250 F20
N0420 G3 X8.4282 Y11.5084 I0.0000 J0.4375 F300
N0430 G3 X7.9907 Y11.9459 I-0.4375 J0.0000
N0440 G3 X7.5532 Y11.5084 I0.0000 J-0.4375
N0450 G3 X7.9907 Y11.0709 I0.4375 J0.0000
N0460 G0 Z0.2000
N0470 G0 Y15.0709
N0480 G1 Z-0.1250 F20
N0490 G3 X8.4282 Y15.5084 I0.0000 J0.4375 F300
N0500 G3 X7.9907 Y15.9459 I-0.4375 J0.0000
N0510 G3 X7.5532 Y15.5084 I0.0000 J-0.4375
N0520 G3 X7.9907 Y15.0709 I0.4375 J0.0000
N0530 G0 Z0.2000
N0540 G0 Y19.0709
N0550 G1 Z-0.1250 F20
N0560 G3 X8.4282 Y19.5084 I0.0000 J0.4375 F300
N0570 G3 X7.9907 Y19.9459 I-0.4375 J0.0000
N0580 G3 X7.5532 Y19.5084 I0.0000 J-0.4375
N0590 G3 X7.9907 Y19.0709 I0.4375 J0.0000
N0600 G0 Z0.2000
N0610 G0 Y23.0709
N0620 G1 Z-0.1250 F20
N0630 G3 X8.4282 Y23.5084 I0.0000 J0.4375 F300
N0640 G3 X7.9907 Y23.9459 I-0.4375 J0.0000
N0650 G3 X7.5532 Y23.5084 I0.0000 J-0.4375
N0660 G3 X7.9907 Y23.0709 I0.4375 J0.0000

Which I think shows that each circle is 4 arcs.... again, not an expert so I could absolutely be wrong....

If you saved both files with the same post, then that post is putting out arcs. You can check by opening the pp and looking to see if it has the variables for arcs and also the begin arc statements.

If you bring a .dxf into VCarve from another program, it can be segmented. Sometimes a circle or arc can be a bezier but look like it's an arc. Bezeirs will output as many segments. Beziers will have handles for node editing and arcs won't. How was that second shape created? Post the VCarve file as well.

You don't happen to have smoothing off and exact stop enabled as well.

Sword wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:36 pm If you saved both files with the same post, then that post is putting out arcs. You can check by opening the pp and looking to see if it has the variables for arcs and also the begin arc statements.

If you bring a .dxf into VCarve from another program, it can be segmented. Sometimes a circle or arc can be a bezier but look like it's an arc. Bezeirs will output as many segments. Beziers will have handles for node editing and arcs won't. How was that second shape created? Post the VCarve file as well.

You don't happen to have smoothing off and exact stop enabled as well.

They were both done with the same PP. When I went into node edit mode, they looked like the arcs example you posted. I’ll try posting the .crv files tomorrow, can I add those as attachments here?

I do have smoothing off. Where do I check exact stop?

Thanks for your input!
Mike

F8 Smoothing Setup

I'll check on that when I have a minute to fire up the machine.

Sword wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:36 pm If you saved both files with the same post, then that post is putting out arcs. You can check by opening the pp and looking to see if it has the variables for arcs and also the begin arc statements.

If you bring a .dxf into VCarve from another program, it can be segmented. Sometimes a circle or arc can be a bezier but look like it's an arc. Bezeirs will output as many segments. Beziers will have handles for node editing and arcs won't. How was that second shape created? Post the VCarve file as well.

You don't happen to have smoothing off and exact stop enabled as well.

Hi Scott, I just checked and smoothing is off, exact stop is on.

Hi All,
So I turned on smoothing to "Precision Router", and holy cow, what a difference. Like night and day. So I wrote a simple circle code, no nonsense. I posted it below. That same code comes out choppy on exact stop, and smooth with smoothing turned on. I was trying to eliminate the possibility of extraneous code movements via Vectric. What is all of your interpretation of this?

Yep, that's what Exact Stop does. Your file on my machine with Exact Stop runs terribly jerky/rough. On my table router, I always run Precision Router, along with a couple of custom smoothing presets for 3D relief and V-carve. See sections 12.22 and 12.23 in the manual for some definition.

Strange thing is that it's stopping/starting all the way around the circle, not just after each line of code, as it would do with straight motion.

For more smooting info, see this manual... https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf

...and my post on smoothing testing. https://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic. ... 541#p22541

Sword wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 2:54 pm Yep, that's what Exact Stop does. Your file on my machine with Exact Stop runs terribly jerky/rough. On my table router, I always run Precision Router, along with a couple of custom smoothing presets for 3D relief and V-carve. See sections 12.22 and 12.23 in the manual for some definition.

Strange thing is that it's stopping/starting all the way around the circle, not just after each line of code, as it would do with straight motion.

It's a pretty stark difference, I have to say.

I saw your posts about using smoothing with your carvings, they look incredible - very nice work.

So I am leaning toward not having Teknic spend time re-tuning the motors... it is very helpful to know that it runs the same way on your machine Shawn. Thank you for sharing that.

Set it on Precision Router and cut some test parts to check for accuracy and possible rounded corners. Mine are always spot on, but the faster you feed, the more chance of rounding there might be on sharp corners (below 90º).