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===Creating a design in Carbide Create=== | ===Creating a design in Carbide Create=== | ||
- | At the time of writing the latest version of Carbide Create is V7 build 764. | + | At the time of writing the latest version of Carbide Create is V8 build 813. |
The is just a basic How-To guide to get you started. There are links at the bottom of the page to a series of videos from Carbide 3D as well as their full written manual. | The is just a basic How-To guide to get you started. There are links at the bottom of the page to a series of videos from Carbide 3D as well as their full written manual. | ||
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Hovering your mouse over any of the buttons brings up a tooltip with a brief description of what it does. | Hovering your mouse over any of the buttons brings up a tooltip with a brief description of what it does. | ||
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=== Stock and machine settings === | === Stock and machine settings === | ||
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The first step is to enter your stock and machine settings. | The first step is to enter your stock and machine settings. | ||
- | Click on the settings | + | Click on the 'Job Setup' |
{{: | {{: | ||
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This brings up the 'Job Setup' box. | This brings up the 'Job Setup' box. | ||
{{: | {{: | ||
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Enter the width and height of your material(stock). Once applied this will also update the grid on the design screen to match. | Enter the width and height of your material(stock). Once applied this will also update the grid on the design screen to match. | ||
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Enter the stock thickness, if you are cutting all the way through it then it's very important to get this correct. | Enter the stock thickness, if you are cutting all the way through it then it's very important to get this correct. | ||
- | The ' | + | The next two options refer to what is called the ' |
- | The Toolpath Zero drop down allows you to select where in relation to your design you are going to set the zero point on the machine. This might sound complicated but it should become clear when we cover setting the workspace zero point on the machine. | + | For this example we will be setting |
Under the ' | Under the ' | ||
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Once you have finished click ' | Once you have finished click ' | ||
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=== Creating a basic design === | === Creating a basic design === | ||
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{{: | {{: | ||
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For this example we are going to draw a square 150mm X 150mm which will be the outer edge of our design. | For this example we are going to draw a square 150mm X 150mm which will be the outer edge of our design. | ||
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{{: | {{: | ||
- | In the ' | + | \\ |
- | The ' | + | In the ' |
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+ | The ' | ||
The ' | The ' | ||
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{{: | {{: | ||
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The Anchor point selection allows you to choose what point on the shape to use for the measurements. The Position shows the location of the selected point in relation to the bottom left corner. X is how far the shape is away left to right and Y is the distance bottom to top. By selecting the anchor point in the lower left and specifying 10mm in both the X and Y boxes the square is moved 10mm away from both the lower and left edge of my stock. | The Anchor point selection allows you to choose what point on the shape to use for the measurements. The Position shows the location of the selected point in relation to the bottom left corner. X is how far the shape is away left to right and Y is the distance bottom to top. By selecting the anchor point in the lower left and specifying 10mm in both the X and Y boxes the square is moved 10mm away from both the lower and left edge of my stock. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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For the sake of simplicity I will not be covering any of the other ' | For the sake of simplicity I will not be covering any of the other ' | ||
- | == Edit Tabs == | + | \\ |
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+ | === Edit Tabs === | ||
In the ' | In the ' | ||
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+ | {{: | ||
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If you are cutting a part out from a larger piece of stock that it clamped in place it is important that your part doesn' | If you are cutting a part out from a larger piece of stock that it clamped in place it is important that your part doesn' | ||
- | The easiest way to ensure a part you want to fully cut out doesn' | + | The easiest way to ensure a part you want to fully cut out doesn' |
- | Selecting the 'Edit Tabs' option will allow you to click anywhere along a vector line to place a tab. You can also click the 'Clear all tabs' button to delete all the tabs. I will click roughly on the midpoint of each line of the square to add a tab, we will specify the physical sizes in a later step. | + | Selecting the 'Edit Tabs' option will allow you to click anywhere along a vector line to place a tab. You can also click the 'Clear all tabs' button to delete all the tabs. I will click roughly on the midpoint of each line of the square to add a tab, we will specify the physical sizes when copnfiguring the tool paths later. |
Tabs added to the square. | Tabs added to the square. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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+ | === Importing designs === | ||
+ | On the main design screen, just below the Create Vector section is the Import section. If you don't see this section make sure you don't have and vectors selected on the design screen. | ||
- | == Importing designs == | + | {{equipment: |
- | On the main design screen, just below the Create Vector section is the Import section. | + | |
- | {{: | + | \\ |
As the title suggest, this allows you to import designs. The ' | As the title suggest, this allows you to import designs. The ' | ||
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For this design I am going to import the Hackspace logo the adjust its size and position to centre it within the square. Select ' | For this design I am going to import the Hackspace logo the adjust its size and position to centre it within the square. Select ' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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Something to note is because this file contains two vector drawings and both are selected another section becomes visible in the left hand tool bar. | Something to note is because this file contains two vector drawings and both are selected another section becomes visible in the left hand tool bar. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
- | The Boolean section has tools to combine separate vector drawings | + | |
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+ | The Boolean section has tools to combine | ||
For this particular design I want the cog outline but not the big H inside it, so I will click on an empty space to deselect the two vectors then click on the H to select just the H and hit Delete on my keyboard to delete it. | For this particular design I want the cog outline but not the big H inside it, so I will click on an empty space to deselect the two vectors then click on the H to select just the H and hit Delete on my keyboard to delete it. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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I can now click on the cog outline to select it and use the ' | I can now click on the cog outline to select it and use the ' | ||
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To align it with the square I could use the move tool and work out the position relative to the stock bottom left corner but the easier way is to use the align tool. | To align it with the square I could use the move tool and work out the position relative to the stock bottom left corner but the easier way is to use the align tool. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
- | This can work in a couple of ways. If one vector is selected then it can align it to the stock, if two vectors are selected you can align one vector with another. The last vector to be selected is the vector that the other are aligned to. In our case we want to align the cog with the square so I will select the cog first and the square last. | + | |
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+ | This can work in a couple of ways. If one vector is selected then it can align it to the stock, if two vectors are selected you can align one vector with another. The last vector to be selected is the vector that the others | ||
Click on the cog first then hold the Shift key and click on the square so both are now selected. | Click on the cog first then hold the Shift key and click on the square so both are now selected. | ||
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Click on the Align tool button and the 'Align / Space' tool bar will show. | Click on the Align tool button and the 'Align / Space' tool bar will show. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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The 'Align Reference' | The 'Align Reference' | ||
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We want to align the centres so we are going to select the middle button in the 'Align Centres' | We want to align the centres so we are going to select the middle button in the 'Align Centres' | ||
- | The cog is not aligned with the outer square. | + | The cog is now aligned with the outer square. |
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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The last thing we are going to do it add some text inside the cog. In the ' | The last thing we are going to do it add some text inside the cog. In the ' | ||
- | This opens the Create | + | This opens the Create |
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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You can then use the tools on the left to input the text you want, select font size and spacing, change the alignment of the text change it from straight text to arcing text. For my design I am going to use the parameters below. | You can then use the tools on the left to input the text you want, select font size and spacing, change the alignment of the text change it from straight text to arcing text. For my design I am going to use the parameters below. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
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I can then use the same steps from above to align the test with the centre of the cog or square. | I can then use the same steps from above to align the test with the centre of the cog or square. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
- | For this How-To the design is not complete. The next step is to generate the toolpaths for the machine. | + | \\ |
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+ | For this How-To the design is now complete. The next step is to generate the toolpaths for the machine. | ||
Don't forget to save your work by clicking on File - Save. | Don't forget to save your work by clicking on File - Save. | ||
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===Generating toolpaths in Carbide Create=== | ===Generating toolpaths in Carbide Create=== | ||
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Select the ' | Select the ' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
There are a number of different 2D toolpaths available, for our design we will be using the Contour, Pocket and VCarve toolpaths. | There are a number of different 2D toolpaths available, for our design we will be using the Contour, Pocket and VCarve toolpaths. | ||
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You will now see the Pocket toolpath parameters. | You will now see the Pocket toolpath parameters. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
The first step is to select the tool/bit you are using. Carbide Create has a tool library where each bit is already configured with the recommended Speeds & Feeds for that particular bit used with a particular material type. The Hackspace provides a small selection of bits that are equivalent to the some of the bits in the tool library. We recommend you stick to using this bits until you are more confident with using the machine. | The first step is to select the tool/bit you are using. Carbide Create has a tool library where each bit is already configured with the recommended Speeds & Feeds for that particular bit used with a particular material type. The Hackspace provides a small selection of bits that are equivalent to the some of the bits in the tool library. We recommend you stick to using this bits until you are more confident with using the machine. | ||
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To select your tool click on the ' | To select your tool click on the ' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
In this window you can override some of the default setting for the tool, we are going to use all the default settings for our design. | In this window you can override some of the default setting for the tool, we are going to use all the default settings for our design. | ||
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The top section allows you to change the selected tool by clicking the the ' | The top section allows you to change the selected tool by clicking the the ' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
The tools are separated into different categories based on the material you will be cutting. Again please note that even though there is a Aluminium category cutting metal on this CNC is not permitted. | The tools are separated into different categories based on the material you will be cutting. Again please note that even though there is a Aluminium category cutting metal on this CNC is not permitted. | ||
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Once you are happy with your chosen parameters click ' | Once you are happy with your chosen parameters click ' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
The next step is the text VCarve. Like before we are going to select the vector we want to work with, the text " | The next step is the text VCarve. Like before we are going to select the vector we want to work with, the text " | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
Like before we can click on ' | Like before we can click on ' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
We now need to make a change to the cutting depth. As we are VCarving on the bottom of a pocket cut-out we need to change the start depth to the same depth that we cut the pocket to. So in this instance our start depth needs to be 10mm. We then need to change the Max Depth. The way VCarving works in Carbide Create is that regardless of what the Max Depth is set to the V bit will only go as deep as it needs to carve out the width of the text. The one cavate to this is if Max Depth is set to is set to a shallower depth the bit will only cut to the set shallower depth. For this design I will set the Max Depth to 15mm meaning the tip of the V bit will either cut to 5mm depth or until the width of the V bit fills the width of the text, whichever comes first. | We now need to make a change to the cutting depth. As we are VCarving on the bottom of a pocket cut-out we need to change the start depth to the same depth that we cut the pocket to. So in this instance our start depth needs to be 10mm. We then need to change the Max Depth. The way VCarving works in Carbide Create is that regardless of what the Max Depth is set to the V bit will only go as deep as it needs to carve out the width of the text. The one cavate to this is if Max Depth is set to is set to a shallower depth the bit will only cut to the set shallower depth. For this design I will set the Max Depth to 15mm meaning the tip of the V bit will either cut to 5mm depth or until the width of the V bit fills the width of the text, whichever comes first. | ||
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The Contour Toolpath parameters are very similar to what we have already seen but with a couple more options. | The Contour Toolpath parameters are very similar to what we have already seen but with a couple more options. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
In the tool section we are going to click Edit then Select Tool and select the tool #102 End Mill (1/8") from the same Hardwood section we have used before. | In the tool section we are going to click Edit then Select Tool and select the tool #102 End Mill (1/8") from the same Hardwood section we have used before. | ||
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The toolbar should now list the three job we have configured as shown below. | The toolbar should now list the three job we have configured as shown below. | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
Below the list is the ' | Below the list is the ' | ||
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Clicking on 'Show Simulation' | Clicking on 'Show Simulation' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
You can use the left mouse button to rotate the view and the right mouse button to drag the view. If you rotate it you will be able to see the toolpath preview showing the pocket and contour being cut with several passes at slightly different depths. | You can use the left mouse button to rotate the view and the right mouse button to drag the view. If you rotate it you will be able to see the toolpath preview showing the pocket and contour being cut with several passes at slightly different depths. | ||
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To get a better view of what your part will look like you can use the checkboxes on the ' | To get a better view of what your part will look like you can use the checkboxes on the ' | ||
- | {{:equipment: | + | {{equipment: |
We are now finished designing out part and configuring all the toolpaths. | We are now finished designing out part and configuring all the toolpaths. |