area doesn't fill correctly

[tecdroid]

hi,

first to say, i'm using inkscape 0.48 and gcodetools 1.7

I tried to make some small nameplates where the area around the letters is milled away.
I started writing the text and drawing a surrounding box. after, I turned both into paths(CTRL-Shift-C) and combined them (CTRL-K)
After, i choosed gcodetools -> area.
After filling the area, some pieces are filled that must not be and others, who'd have to, aren't.
have a look at the pic i attached and you'll see what i mean.

Is this a software defect or rather human misbehaviour?

[narvf]

I this it will be better if you will add text, convert to path, ungrounp text and combine it (ctrl + k) and then select text and surrounding box and press ctrl + - (path -> difference. i think its called). After this adding "area" should not make problems.

[tecdroid]

okay.. looks bit better but still some error..

[narvf]

Can you post your svg file?
What option to you use to fill area?

[tecdroid]

uff.. i think, i changed nothing to the standard settings but area tool overlap to 0.1..

[narvf]

File made by me in attachement.

I had to create new file, in yours something was not working good.

[tecdroid]

well, this did it. thanks.
but i got another problem now.. it doesn't do multiple passes.. got two bits broken.. only some chinese ones left..
so i need to do anything slooooow or in multiple passes.. but it doesn't pass multiple times..

[narvf]

"So if you set for example z-Depth (when adding orientation points) to -6mm, now you have to set "depth step" to "2" in tool options i.e. in this greeen recatangle on tool that you added. This will make 3 passess each for 2 mm. Hope that helps"
You should try to first simulate your gcode, in openscam or linuxcnc and if everything is ok do real machining.

[tecdroid]

funny, i installed openscam today
well, my depth is [0,0,0][0,0,-4.0] and depth is 1.
It always mills only 1mm in depth.. even height by color works only between 0 and 1 mm. I "fixed" this by z scaling with 4.0000...
How ever, it never did more than one pass..

[narvf]

Past here your file, i will check

[tecdroid]

okay, here it is.
i used path to gcode with following parameters:
biarc 1.0
max splitting depth 4
depth function c
z scale 1.0
z offset 0.0
minimum arc radius 0.050
z safe height 5mm
post processor fast pre penetrate

[narvf]

Check this file.
I've added second layer. for engraving
First one is for cutting contour
Test in openscam first

[tecdroid]

Okay, this seems to work but i have no clue why.. any height has to get it's own layer?

[narvf]

Yes, genereally if you want different heights in your project, you should make different orientation points in each layer.

[Nick]

some times shit happens and area does not work... most powerful way to fix it - change machining angle (i.e. 0.5 degree)

[narvf]

Btw how to make those paths genereted by area connected like in tecdroid's image?
is it possible in not regulat shapes - not rectangles?
Actually i would like to speedup my code - so if this could go down, and up only when going above letters and the just go around without going up?

[Nick]

How do you want to "connect" them?
these are two separate areas...

[narvf]

I don't want to connect 2 areas, just in one area,.
In tecroids image for exmaple path goes down, right, up, right, down, right and so on except for letters so on. On my example with are fill, on shape is created, go up then down and another path, and up and down and another path.

It's hard to explain in english

[tecdroid]

well.. it starts to become a bit boring if it goes to safe position after any line in the area. isn't there any option "don't get safe until area is done" ?

Btw, here is my result.

additionally, i found out that openscam can't operate partial circles correctly.. however.. linuxcnc does..

[narvf]

Looks good! What whaterial is it?

As far as I know ther is no such option, but you can save file without exporting gcode in inkscape, to DXF and try dxf2gcode. I used this only for cutting, not engraving but should work. In dxf2gcode tool will not go up after each path, and then go down.