Gene Heskett wrote: > On Sunday 13 April 2008, Jesse Gordon wrote: > > :) Yes, but a utility to extract, and make gcode out of the copper pattern > removal, would be a very useful utility.
I thought about that, but it's far above my math skills. -Jesse > Even if we have to edit the output > to insert the scale factors and other housekeeping functions a gcode file > should contain, we would be a long way down the road to automating the > process. For my own machine, an HF Micromill, it would be slow indeed as my > max spindle speed is 2500 rpm. Depth of cut control when changing tools is > also a major problem because tool projection depends on how tightly the > collet is pulled. > > This, for pcb carving work, would demand we take it someplace where the tool > can be measured by setting it down on a homing switch and rezeroing the Z > axis before continuing. But the outline cutting, done with a 10 mill bit or > smaller, would be code very similar to running the copper pattern through > potrace. > > I have seen boards where the copper wasn't disturbed except for the removal > of > the outline, which of course leaves large areas of copper that isn't > connected to anything, and which may not be what the circuit needs because of > stray capacitance. There are no doubt other considerations, but they are > only more lines in the software. And this way is chemistry free. > > _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list geda-user@moria.seul.org http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
