Nice! I would suggest you work from a CSV file rather than a spreadsheet. CSV is closer to lowest common denominator.
Is chip load a per flute value or per bit?
The chipload attribute doesn’t drive anything in the shape file. The Feed and Speed addon reads it to calculate feed rates. AFAIK, chipload should always be interpreted as ‘feed per tooth’ ( distance moved forward for each tooth as it rotates.)
I added a vendor attribute to the bit file … what is the process for this?
Open the project file for the tool shape. In the tree is the body for the shape. Nested underneath is the propertybag. Double click it and there’s an editor for adding properties.
You should not add any properties to the shape group unless they drive constraints in the sketch. But data properties can be added to the attributes group.
The shape files… rather than create them, should they be down loaded and from where?
The shape file is a template. All regular endmills in the world will share the same shapefile if they have the same shape.
You should only be creating toolbits unless you have a class of tool for which we don’t already have a shapefile.
If you want to modify the standard shape files to have additional attributes, then we need to discuss. For example, I think adding something like
‘Manufacturers part number’ would be fine by adding ‘Whiteside Part number’ would be wrong.
Can you talk about a minimum set of attributes that you need?
I only convert 3 types of bits endmill/ballend/V bit
Ok, then you should not need to create any shapefiles at all.
Need more bit manufactures, currently just Whiteside bits … thinking of Bit&Bits… who else do you think would be interested in working with me?
No idea if the manufacturers will work with you but Lakeshore carbide and Harvey tools are big manufacturers for metal working tools and also seem popular with the hobby crowd.
I choose spreadsheet with the idea that vendors are not necessarily software folks … converting from spreadsheet to CSV is usually a “Save as” function.
I believe then that Whitesides statement of “Chipload per flute” is equivalent to your ‘feed per tooth’ . I am a mechanical engineer but I am unfamiliar with units and terms.
to address: “The shape file is a template. All regular endmills in the world will share the same shapefile if they have the same shape.
You should only be creating toolbits unless you have a class of tool for which we don’t already have a shapefile.
If you want to modify the standard shape files to have additional attributes, then we need to discuss. For example, I think adding something like
‘Manufacturers part number’ would be fine by adding ‘Whiteside Part number’ would be wrong.
Can you talk about a minimum set of attributes that you need?”
The headings of the spreadsheet were:
Vendor
Part Number
Shape
Chipload PER FLUTE
Cutting Edge Height
Diameter
Flutes
Length
Material
Shank Diameter
Cutting Edge Angle
From that I created a “bit name” of: “Part Number”_shape
So this row in the spreadsheet:
Vendor Part Number Shape Chipload PER FLUTE Cutting Edge Height Diameter Flutes Length Material Shank Diameter Cutting Edge Angle
Whiteside RU1600 Endmill 0.003 0.5 0.125 2 2 SC 0.25
produced a bit file of: RD1600_endmill.ftcb
and a library entry of:
{
“nr=”:1,
“path=”: “RU1600_endmill.ftcb”
},
Adding the vendor attribute to the JSON was done because well … I confess, I might break a bit and need to replace it. Knowing where it came from is usually a good thing. Since I am creating the file from nothing, ie not using a GUI, and the attribute segment of the data nugget was empty I assumed it was a no harm/no foul situation.
As needed I guess I can chip in and make shape files, but shape files seemed out of scope for importing bits from manufactures.
I will reach out to Lakeshore carbide and Harvey tools to see if they are willing to supply data. (Yes I run a small CNC, a OneFinity in fact…but in a pre-retirement life got a chance to play with the big boys… they machined my compressor blade surfaces on a 5 axis from stainless bar stock, it was fun to watch)
Right. That’s why you’re better off targeting csv. If someone needs to go from spreadsheet (or json or other csv) to csv, it’s easy. But if they have to produce a spreadsheet from one of those formats it takes work. Also, spreadsheet is a binary format.
Trust me. If you want your tool to be used, make the input format simple and human-readable.
The headings of the spreadsheet were:
Vendor
Part Number
Shape
Chipload PER FLUTE
Cutting Edge Height
Diameter
Flutes
Length
Material
Shank Diameter
Cutting Edge Angle
Ok. Makes sense.
Most are either shape properties or covered by existing attributes.
Vendor and part number make sense. If available, I’d look for an url as well.
Material is interesting. Does that mean ‘coating’? Do manufacturers distinguish between coating and base material in their description?