Script for batch relocate the starting point of polylines?

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Dacicusan
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Script for batch relocate the starting point of polylines?

Post by Dacicusan » Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:34 am

Almost all the files that I generate in Qcad I need to prepare them to be cut on a CNC router and I need to manually relocate the starting point of all the closed shapes to be at 5mm (approx.) to the right from the top-left corner. This is extremely important for me because the vaccum vill hold much better the peaces on the bed if the cuts begun from that position point.

It is possible to create a script that can do this tedious work automatically for me?
StartPoint_initial.dxf
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StartPoint_DesiredPosition.dxf
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Husky
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Re: Script for batch relocate the starting point of polylines?

Post by Husky » Sat Oct 14, 2017 7:12 am

Dacicusan wrote:This is extremely important for me because the vaccum vill hold much better the peaces on the bed if the cuts begun from that position point.
What kind of vacuum table is picky about the startpoint? Please elaborate why.[/quote]
Dacicusan wrote:It is possible to create a script that can do this tedious work automatically for me?
I'm not a programmer but I think that could be possible. Maybe you like to ask the developer for an scripting offer.
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Dacicusan
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Re: Script for batch relocate the starting point of polylines?

Post by Dacicusan » Sat Oct 14, 2017 10:01 am

Husky wrote:What kind of vacuum table is picky about the startpoint? Please elaborate why.
A lot of times I need to mechanize small nested shapes (strips) like 10x100mm or 15x500mm using a MultiCam machine with a quite big bed (3500x1500). The vaccum suction has the strongest point on the bottom-left corner of the bed, there it is where I’m locating the smallest pieces. By using as starting point for the cut of every piece 5mm Right from the Top-Left corner and a Conventional/Right Direction for cutting I’m ensuring that the piece will have enough vuccum suction to be hold in place, as the top part of the piece will be all the time connected to the board. Hopefully you can understand my explanation.

Also I’m choosing as order of cutting for pieces always from Left-Bottom to Top-Right order. So I begin to cut first the Left-Bottom one, progressing gradually to Top-Right, where I cut the last remaining pieces. To have also this feature maybe will be good to start a new forum thread with more details.

For now I’m doing manually all the CAM setup part in ArtCAM but I don’t really like that software (being bought by Autodesk) and I want to switch to QcadCAM which as I see don’t use any kind or proprietary format, just the classic DXF files which ensores-me that I wont be locked into some vendor-locked ecosystem in future.

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Husky
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Re: Script for batch relocate the starting point of polylines?

Post by Husky » Sun Oct 15, 2017 8:42 am

Dacicusan wrote:
Husky wrote:What kind of vacuum table is picky about the startpoint? Please elaborate why.
A lot of times I need to mechanize small nested shapes (strips) like 10x100mm or 15x500mm using a MultiCam machine with a quite big bed (3500x1500). The vaccum suction has the strongest point on the bottom-left corner of the bed, there it is where I’m locating the smallest pieces. By using as starting point for the cut of every piece 5mm Right from the Top-Left corner and a Conventional/Right Direction for cutting I’m ensuring that the piece will have enough vuccum suction to be hold in place, as the top part of the piece will be all the time connected to the board. Hopefully you can understand my explanation.
Thanks for explanation. Just to be on the same page: With the relocation of the starting point you will create a holding tab, correct?
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Dacicusan
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Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2017 1:44 am

Re: Script for batch relocate the starting point of polylines?

Post by Dacicusan » Sun Oct 15, 2017 10:00 am

Husky wrote:Thanks for explanation. Just to be on the same page: With the relocation of the starting point you will create a holding tab, correct?
Actually no. And for this reason I need all the suction that I can get. The workflow described above seems to work the best without the need of any tabs. Usually I'm cutting in two or three passes, the last pass it's only 2mm deep up to Z-1, so this way I can cut without to loose the suction power. I have only occasionally wrong cuted pieces, usually when not respecting this principles! I'm using tabs only occasionally for some more intricate pieces. Right now I need to readjust the starting point and the order of the cuts for every single piece. We are using ArtCAM but personally I'm looking to QcadCAM as a possible replacement but for that I need to get quicker and better results from QcadCAM that I have right now from ArtCAM. I don't need the fancy things that ArtCAM it's offering as 95% of the time I have only straight cuts and drilling holes, occasionally some V-bit cuts for folding ACP boards or for mittred joints. I think will be possible in future to use QcadCAM as gcode processor but needs some work on refining the sharp edges. :)

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