Anyone already using the digitizing features of the cnc12?
I need to replicate something in a few weeks…what is the process?
Attached is what I am trying to probe.
Attached is what I am trying to probe.
Tnx.
For the process I use you’d need the CNC12 Ultimate (I think) license that allows digitization, and the probe of course. You will also need the CSV to 2D vectors lua for Vectric Aspire (more below).
Bone up on Chapters 8 (digitization) and 9 (probing) in the CNC12 manual.
Probe the outside of your part with wall following using the precision you require. Recognize the diameter of your probe will limit the ultimate probing resolution you can get.
In CNC12 you’d use “Digi to Cad” at the end of of the probing routine. At that point you’d could machine directly from that file in CNC12. This will create, I’m told, a point cloud file. And after a lot of study I came to understand that is WAY too complicated for me to understand.
So I export the file to a CSV file (as I recall) using the export function in CNC12. All of what I’ve described above is in Chapter 8, Digitizing.
Next, I open the saved file in Excel and trim it from the X, Y, Z format it has been saved as to a 2D X, Y file and save it as a CSV file.
Okay, to get it into Vectric you need the CSV to 2D Vectors gadget. The guy who created it died and it’s no longer supported. You need the CSV to 2D vectors.lua file installed in Vectric to run that gadget. I don’t know the legalities of sharing that file publicly, but let’s just say it is available if you ask the right people. Install the lua (described in Vectric documentation) and you’ll have the Gadget available in Vectric when you open it.
Run the CSV to 2D Vectors gadget and choose the CSV file you’ve saved. You’ll get some admonition about the file having some sort of limits, but you will then see the vector file. You can then use that to create cut paths or 3D models.
The attached picture is a 3D model of a peppermill I created by probing an existing mill and creating the model in Aspire. I know this is complicated, but I have not been able to find a more direct or simple way to do it.
Scott
This is definitely something you can do with CNC12. I’ve done parts similar to that before.
Several years ago I used the “wall following” method to recreate some complex interior car panels.
There’s a lot of great info on how to do that here: CNC Digitizing for Milling machines,CENTROID Digitizing touch probe reproduces parts that would be impossible any other way.
For probes Centroid just came out with the KP1:
They have an Avid cable option you can get too. That makes the wiring a bit easier.
We posted at nearly the same time. To get your point clouds into CAD I recommend GCODE Ripper. It’s used in this video: https://youtu.be/O_As7BfY-cY