I did Dynatorch training several years ago and used it quite a bit in the past, but haven’t used it recently. I went last night to try to cut something and ran into a problem with the model not fitting on the table when I brought it into the DynaTorch software. I think I’m doing something wrong where one of the softwares is doing a weird inch/metric conversion, but I don’t know how to fix that.
But to be honest, there may be a flaw earlier in my process, so I’m going to walk through it from start to finish to see if someone can aid me in identifying the flaw.
I design stuff in Fusion 360. In general, I use millimeters as the measurement unit in Fusion because most of these parts are intended for use on a German car in which everything else is metric, so it’s easier to just stay in that measurement system. This particular part that I was attempting to cut (photos below) is a split nut ring and a center console panel that will hold some gauges, switches, and lights. I’ll show just the gauge panel for clarity; as you can see, the part in Fusion is roughly 235mm wide, or 9.25" and roughly the same height – in other words, well within the capacity of the DynaTorch table:
So, I saved a sketch with that (and the two split nut rings) into a DXF file and brought that into SheetCam, using this process:
- Import a dxf file (svg also)
- C=choose contours
- Choose the inside lines to cut first: ctrl-click
- Move inside cuts to new layer (right-click the design)
- Select outside cuts
- Move to new layer
- Create new jet cutting op in bottom window
- Basic offset: inside offset; choose inside layer
- Change tool for appropriate material thickness
- Select reverse cut direction
- Select perpendicular cuts for lead ins & lead outs
- Lead in should be the same length as material thickness
- Lead out should be the same length as material thickness
- Can move the lead in locations to long flats by using the +S at top of screen
- Inside cuts need to be listed closest to top on the operations window
- Repeat for outside cuts on outside layer with outside contour
- Move lead out locations with the +S; cleanest cuts result from lead outs on a corner
- Use crosshair “nesting” icon to move the piece onto the material/table; the table is the red rectangle
- Implement post-processing (P icon is post processing;)
- Save resulting file .
- Click on job report and review details so you know all is good. Also shows job Time
- Close SheetCam.
When importing the dxf, I selected metric units since this design was designed in metric units – was this the error? I didn’t think so, because everything looked good at this point on the sheet and roughly the correct size, although the job report was showing that it would only take 2 seconds to run the job:
So then I attempted to swap to the DynaTorch part of the process, following this checklist:
- Pull up on e-stop to connect to table
- Turn on exhaust, hypertherm torch box if not on already
- Open DynaTorch software & connect
- Zero out machine
- Make sure torch is off in software
- File< open your saved gcode (.tap)
And this is where I ran into the problem with the software telling me that "cut path extends beyond table’.
I tried implementing the solutions suggested in this thread (Dynatorch issue), but to no avail. I noticed that somehow the DynaTorch software was expecting that my roughly 12"x9" panel and nut rings were showing up as instead being 325"x238" – which is roughly the correct numerical value in mm for the height of the panel… No wonder it was extended beyond the table!
I kind of think this has a really simple answer that I just can’t figure out and I’m going to do a “I shoulda had a V8” thing after… Like do I need to design exclusively in inches (or change the measurement unit in Fusion to inches prior to saving a drawing as a DXF) and then just make sure that everything is in inches in the SheetCam and DynaTorch software all the way through the process?
Thanks for wading through this with me…
Pat
