I’ve been in the CNC world for decades and the ‘toolpathing’ has come a long way. Except for lasers.
Anyone in Lightburn working on an Adaptive Toolpath option?
On my phone now but I can add an example from my laptop for support if they need it.
Hello Joe
Please do add examples of Adaptive ToolPaths so we all can understand what you are referring to, please.
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The best roughing toolpath to use is Adaptive, which is an intelligent toolpath that ensures the forces (load) on the tool remain constant . This allows you to remove material quickly without breaking the end mill.
I fail to see how this can apply to a laser, plasma cutter, or Cricut machine.
Yes, considering you had to look it up, I’m sure you would fail to see how it would apply. Read below.
Hi Gil,
So I was making something today and watching all the wasted movements of the laser and instantly thought this needs adaptive machining!
I’m hoping I can attach the image of what I was burning, I’m still new here and not sure if I can upload.
Gonna try now and will reply in another post if needed.
Ok, I can upload.
So if you look at the pic, the size is 9.5"x11.5".
The laser would do a pass from the bottom to the top.
Once it gets past the bottom part, the laser was firing 2 per pass. Once for the left “upright” and again for the right one. With all that wasted traveling in between them. WHY?
How about if it did the whole bottom part, then just did the left upright, completed the top part, then finished with the right upright. Would cut travel (therefore time) by a lot.
Adaptive tooling is all about efficiency. Wasted movements is not efficient.
Make sense?
What you’re asking for is called flood fill. You enable it in the advanced tab of the Cut Settings Editor. Use the preview window with traversal moves showing to see it’s effect.
With flood fill enabled. Note the estimated time difference as well. Use the play button to see how it progresses.
Without flood fill.
Ok, thanks for the info.
Weird name for it and I can’t see how that would, or should, be called flood fill but I’ll try it out. If it does what you say, who cares what they call it!
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Of course I looked it up. I wanted to make sure we were talking about the same thing. There is often wasted conversations because both persons are not using the same terminology. I call what I did Adaptive Thinking.
I would expect the average milling cutter is about 1/2 inch (don’t bother correcting me on this, I don’t care). My laser beam is about .002 inches. This means my laser has to make 250 passes to equal 1 pass with that cutter. That means the Adaptive Path calculations will be about 250 times more complex with a laser. I am amazed Lightburn figures it out at all. Sure, it bounces around, and you are not the first to notice, but Lightburn has settings that can dramatically reduce burn time. In a 30 minute burn, I suspect 30 seconds are lost to wasted motion. Find a product for lasers better than Lightburn and tell us about it.
When I taught customers how to use Bridgeport’s EZ-CAM in the 80’s, it had a milling cycle called Flood Fill. It was a weird name for it then, too. But they learned to use it.
Considering you’ve apparently not watched any videos nor read any documentation, I’m sure you would fail to see what their terminology is.
Lots of great information out there and readily available for anyone who wants to know the in-depth workings of this phenomenal software.
This is one of the most helpful communities present on the net. Both users and staff are always willing to assist.
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