To be honest, I am trying to make an automated pumpkin carving machine. The mechanism would be a custom built rotary stage and a horizontal arm mounted on a vertical post. (Custom built because I don't want pumpkin goo all over my metal mills). Obviously all pumpkins come in different shapes and sizes and they also have ridges. I would like to use existing software to convert images and patterns into g-code. A small program to post process the g-code before it is run would be easy for me to write. The idea of a cutting tool who's depth is controllable being held in place by a spring loaded "follower" or "leader" might work out as well. I suppose the resolution of the pattern might make a difference. I think the way to look at the problem is 2 1/2 axis or 3 axis. Treat rotation as x, the vertical axis as y and the cutter as z. Thanks for all of the suggestions, they are quite helpful. - Mike
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Craig Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 11:10 AM To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Is there an easy way to work with an irregularsurface? What kind of constrainst would be acceptable to make things easier? examples: each cut in y-z plane -- all cuts are in z and a rotary axis about x or y. This would allow probing in front of the cutter. How irregualr is the pre cut surface? The concern her is: if one were to make a rolling or sliding hieght sensor, what kind of bad things might it encounter? A sensor to roll or slide over surface in front of the cuttong tool could be cheaper to implement. craig ScottV wrote: >>I would like to automate the cutting of objects found in nature that are >>roughly spherical and vary in radius. What seems to make sense is to >>issue a G code command to make the cutting head move until a limit >>switch is triggered on the surface of the object; disable the limit >>switch; use relative motion commands; repeat. Has anyone encountered >>anything like this? Is there a way to do what I'm attempting without >>scanning the entire object first? >> >> > >I was trying to imagine what kind of cuts and figured they'd be grooves of >a particular depth that followed the contours of the surface. > >If so; >Change the Z axis control into a spring loaded linear sensor that is >mounted on a collar around the spindle that places the sensor in the >direction of the cut? You'd need another axis to control the collar and >would have to manually start the cut to get it to the proper depth. But >then it would follow the varying Z of the surface as long as the sensor >didn't get hung up. > >Okay - not easy but the "in the box" ideas were all ready posted. > >ScottV > > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- -- >Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT >Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your >opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys - and earn cash >http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVD EV >_______________________________________________ >Emc-users mailing list >Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net >https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys - and earn cash http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDE V _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys - and earn cash http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
