First Project - Tutorial PIPEFIT. Automated Plasma Pipe Cutting

Transcription

1 First Project - Tutorial PIPEFIT Automated Plasma Pipe Cutting PipeFit for SheetCAM TNG is a 2D pipe joint design and cutting plug-in that allows you to define and edit simple or complex pipe joints of several different types, and to instantly see those joints rendered in 3D. Making changes to the design instantly changes both the 2D and 3D view. Designs can be saved as PROJECTS and projects can be reloaded, edited and saved as a new project. This First Project is a tutorial on how to define, build and process a simple single pipe joint at a 45 deg angle and cut the main pipe (header) and the branch pipe (branch) with the proper opening. CandCNC Page: 1

2 First Project - Tutorial STEP ONE. At this point you should have the PC loaded with SheetCAM TNG stable ver or higher and the PipeFit plugin for SheetCAM installed and the Demo license installed so you have the PIpefit 2D and 3D tools on the top tool bar. If you do not you need to refer back to the InitialLoad-Demo.pdf on how to accomplish those steps. STEP TWO. Open SheetCAM to an empty JOB and use the default black color scheme. This part of the tutorial will take you though the sections of the screen that are related to using PipeFit as a design and layout tool. It is not the intent of this tutorial to teach you how to use SheetCAM TNG. If you are new to SheetCAM we recommend you take advantage of the tutorial that comes with SheetCAM and the excellent video training available from Top Toolbar PipeFit 2d selection Tool PipeFit 3d selection Tool Clicking 2D PipeFit tool will open the Pipefit Workspace. Details on next page Part (empty) Tools (toolset) use Toolsets provided by CandCNC if possible PipeFit Workspace (pane) default location on RIGHT SIDE of screen Operations (empty) not used during Pipe Joint Design phase SheetCAM workspace (2D) for showing joints as they are defined. CandCNC Page: 2

3 First Project - Tutorial PipeFit Project Tools: New Project ; Open Project ; Save Project ; Save As (rename) Layer: Layer Pipe Joints (default) Joint Type (selection box) Allows you to select what kind of joint you want (Bracnh is shown) and the Cut type you are working on (Header) in this case. The Header defines the cut on a branch based on how it enters the header. You can only define and cut one side at a time but you can have as many brances as you want and tuurn each one into a new Project. Pop-up HELP window for each type of joint will show you the joint with the parts and parameters labeled. CandCNC Page: 3

4 PipeFit Work Panel View: Chooses view in the SheetCAM work area. 2D view shows the header or branch looking down at 90 degress and rolled out in 2D. See the detailed explanation of the 2D view and the Reference Lines. The Button lists the view NOT showing. Clicking it will change the view and the button text Show Branches. This only applys to 3D views and turns on/off the branches on a Header so you can see the actual cut lines Show Reference Lines. This is for toggling on/off the display in 2D view of the Reference Lines. If you decide to swtich over to a conventional JOB file with PipeFit open it can put Reference lines on the drawing in the SheetCAM Work Space taht can be confusing. This allows them to be toggled off Material Being Cut. Listing of the piece as the piece to be cut Header in this case and input boxes to define the length, OD and wall thickness of the piece Joints Tab lists all the joints defined in this Project and details about each joint. More detail about adding, deleteing or editing joints is on the next page Information List box shows information about PipeFit ( in this case the status of the Demo license) and about project details. Add to SheetCAM button. this button turns the design sowing in the 2D or 3D views into CONTOURS that are used in SheetCAM to do the toolpath. You cannot reverse this action. This is the same as importing a Drawing/Part into SheetCAM CandCNC Page: 4

5 PipeFit Work Panel...2D View Left side Reference line shows center back of pipe as it is unrolled and out flat. It shows where the cut will relation to the actual pipe. Center line of the pipe. Torch is centered above the line Right side Reference line shows center back of pipe as it is unrolled and out flat. It shows where the cut will relation to the actual pipe. Over-Cut Zone 1. This wraps back into Zone Over-Cut Zone 4. This wraps back into Zone 2 Actual cut for pipe joint. BLUE. Varies with the type and position of the joint or joints on the Header. Actual Pipe Size 2X Material Width To better display a continuous cut the materiualis shown with Over-Cut zones. A cut that would overlap between zone 3 to 2 (like on the back side of the pipe) is displayed as a complete object extending past the zone3 that it starts on, and into the zone 4 overlap area rather than splitting an showing on Zone 2. It keeps from having to break the cut up visually and wrap it back. It is just a continuation of the cut around the pipe that is actually done on Zone 2 as it rotates around. It s easier to see the cuts on the 3D model but the 2D model will put the cuts around the pipe in the right place. So Zone 4 is actually Zone 2 and Zone 1 is actually Zone 3 when it is cutting CandCNC Page: 5

6 PipeFit Work Panel...3D View 3D view with Branch shown and highlighted 3D of pipe with Branch invisible to show actual cut lines to match 2D view It is easier to design the joints in 3D using the Joints tab and Joint Details and then move to 2D view to check the actual cuts in relation to the center line. The 0, 0 of the drawing is at Y zero and offset from the pipe centerline exactly 2X the pipe radius (1X the pipe diameter) Because the pipe is round everything ends up in the right place but the pipe may rotate more then 360 degrees based on where the cuts start and ends CandCNC Page: 6

7 First Project - First Joint Starting a Joint: first define the Header parameters then add in a joint by pressing the Add New Joint Button. You will see the first Branch appear and the Joint Detail Tab will show the details of that joint. It retains the values of the last joint you defined. You cannot join a Branch that is larger in diameter than the Header. In this case we have defined a joint from the same materail as the Header. You will note that the the Rotation, X offset and Y offset are all at zero and the center of the pipe is the datum (zero point) of the object. Over the next few pages we are going to edit the Branch parameters by changing the parameters in the Joint Detail. You will note that the changes are done in real time so the view always reflects the current values CandCNC Page: 7

8 First Project - First Joint NOTE: To rotate the 3D view in space use the center mouse button (or the SHIFT key with the left mouse button held down) and move the mouse side to side or up and down. The joint we are working on is Highlighted dark in the 3D view. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE PIPE OD IS ACCURATE OR THE CUTS WILL BE OFF AND NOT THE RIGHT SHAPE AND SIZE. Pipes can vary. The only change made was to move the Y offset (up the pipe) by 3 inches In this edit we have rotated the pipe more and changed the Branch entry to 45 deg CandCNC Page: 8

9 First Project - First Joint 2D View First Joint The only change made was to move the Y offset (up the pipe) by 3 inches In this edit we have rotated the pipe more and changed the Branch entry to 45 deg CandCNC Page: 9

10 First Project - Second Joint Adding more Joints New Joint retains characteristics of first joint (OD, Wall thickness and Branch Ends but is placed at X and Y zero and highlighted. In this edit we have rotated the pipe more and changed the Branch entry to 45 deg CandCNC Page: 10

11 First Project - Second Joint Adding more Joints 180 deg Front +135 (- 45) Branch Angle Settings Y 90 deg deg Rear Rotational Angle Settings Second Joint changed to oppostie end of the pipe (offset 20 in) and at a reverse angle (135). Any other parameters could have been changed or the Branch rotated around the Header Remember that at this point although we are placing Branch pipes the cut (2D ) file will be of the header and the matching holes. The next section will take you through turning a Branch into a new project and to cut it. We can elect to SAVE (or SAVE AS) this design as a PROJECT. It can then be used again and brought in as a template and edited to make other Projects. A Project is NOT a part or a SheetCAM JOB. It is a Design (drawing) stored in a PipeFit format. 270 (-90) CandCNC Page: 11

12 First Project - Branch cut Adding more Joints To turn one of the Branch pipes into a Project that you can then add as a part in SheetCAM, you must first select the specific joint. It will highlight on the view and then hit the New Project From Joint button. You will be prompted if you wish to SAVE the current (header) Project before it opens a new one. You do not need to do that again if you do not wish to keep that Header Project. You will note that PipeFit automatically makes the new Project Cut Type as Branch and uses the pipe parameters set for that branch. It places the cut with no offsets so part of it is off the end of the pipe. CandCNC Page: 12

13 First Project - Branch Cut Adding more Joints In the above example the X offset has been changed to move the cut back on the pipe. It is difficult to cut up to an edge with plasma so it is better to make the cut back away from the end (0,0) of the pipe. If it needs to be a precise length or you need a cut on the opposite end you can move the cuts slightly in the SheetCAM part and toolpath part of the design. Once a design has been turned into a SheetCAM Part by using the Add to SheetCAM Part you can move the entire part around on the material in either X or Y. In the sample the The INVERT JOINT (checked) is to make the joint on the near end of the Branch Pipe and with it off (unchecked) for the far end of the pipe CandCNC Page: 13

14 First Project - Branch Cut Moving a cut in SheetCAM using the nesting tool Design from PipeFit Design converted to PART in SheetCAM and moved in X and Y using Nesting Tool This will cut with the low end of the cut on centerline In the above example the X offset has been changed to move the cut back on the pipe. It is difficult to cut up to an edge with plasma so it is better to make the cut back away from the end (0,0) of the pipe. If it needs to be a precise length or you need a cut on the opposite end you can move the cuts slightly in the SheetCAM part and toolpath part of the design. Once a design has been turned into a SheetCAM Part by using the Add to SheetCAM Part you can move the entire part around on the material in either X or Y. In the sample the This will cut with the high end of the cut over the centerline CandCNC Page: 14