PDA

View Full Version : Designer 2.0



cruzeswingsandthings
07-16-2013, 11:01 AM
Hi Guys...have four machines and use them daily...I was VERY excited to take on the 2.0 download project this weekend. Had install issues but...several errors, font engine not loading, etc, etc...finally got it installed. Got the gui.exe crash constantly...couldn't get through maybe 30 seconds in the program before crashing.

Anyway...make a long story short, called carvewright support Monday morning and they fixed me up...hopefully this will save some poor bloke (like me) some time...

1. My Gui.exe crashing was caused by having too many projects on my computer (1000+) and evidentally the software was trying to create thumbnail images for each. The advice I received was either to let it crash over and over and over until all of the thumbnails were created...then it should be fine...or delete all of my projects. Well...I'm not doing either of those so ended up just putting my projects on an external HD and then unplugging. Gui.exe crashing is gone!

2. Also, concerning certain fonts not showing up (99% of my carvings were using Monotype Corsiva)...the support boys said some just won't work with 2.0...something about not being bit-map compatible or something. Unfortunately Monotype Corsiva is one of these. Sooooo...I'll just keep both 2.0 and 1.187 loaded on my computer and if I have a customer who has to have that font...I'll just do that project in 1.187. Interesting to note that Jimel from the support group said that I could use the same card...even though it will be flashed with 2.0 firmware...will still work with 1.187. I'll have to try this one out....

Hope this helps someone.

Thanks,

Chris Cruze

Digitalwoodshop
07-16-2013, 11:22 AM
Very informative... Thanks !!! I too use Monotype Corsiva on many of my projects. And I send customers a pdf with 50 font choices for the sign.... I will need to re think a quick jump to 2.0.

Too many projects, that info was priceless.... I too save everything...

AL

lawrence
07-16-2013, 11:26 AM
+1 thanks for letting us know.

Lawrence

CNC Carver
07-16-2013, 11:29 AM
Thanks for the update. We are all still learning about 2.0.

RMarkey
07-16-2013, 11:33 AM
Firmware has always been backward compatible, and still is to designer 1.116.

However, only projects created in newer designer versions can take advantage of newer firmware features - which is why we release new firmware with each new designer.

peep
10-26-2013, 06:54 PM
OK not sure where to post this so here looks fine.

I am about to start carving my next STL model in hard wood. So normally draft and normal mode are out. Wood is too hard and I will be putting undue stress on the machine.

When I bring up the same carve in version 1.187 its carve time is 33 hours in optimal. Too long. But now that I just bough version 2.02 the optimal carve time is 88 1/2 hours. What gives? Even best time is 38 hours. Is the carving in 2.02 that much better that I can select normal and still make it look like optimal in the old version? What is different? I can not take a model that will need 10 carves and one week to now carve it over a month!

Help need advice.

bergerud
10-26-2013, 07:13 PM
I just ran a test using all combinations of 1.187 and 2.002 Designer and their firmwares and got exactly the same times for my test file in all cases. Are you sure the times are different for exactly the same file? See if you can post a 1.187 file which gives different times in 2.002.

peep
10-26-2013, 09:08 PM
can you send me your email address so I can send you a file. Not sure how to post files here other than pictures.

bergerud
10-26-2013, 09:47 PM
When you reply to a post, push the "Go Advanced" button. Then scroll down and push "Manage Attachments". Then "Add Files" and then "Select Files". Browse to find the file and upload it.


Edit: I did PM you my email.

peep
10-26-2013, 10:07 PM
Hers is one slice of a 10 board model.

2.02 wants over 88 hours on top settings

bergerud
10-26-2013, 10:17 PM
The problem is the Floor Feather. In the 2.002, turn off the Floor Feather in the check box. If you turn it off for both the front and back, the times will be the same.

peep
10-26-2013, 10:36 PM
What is the floor feather, and why would i not want to use it if it's in the design.

bergerud
10-26-2013, 11:10 PM
There is a bit of a story about floor feather. In 1.186 a feature was added which helped clean up the edges of poor bitmaps. Rough edges of poor bitmaps caused rough feathers around the patterns. It was decided to automatically floor the edges of patterns. It was thought that for most users this would be a good feature. Unfortunately it reeked havoc with more complicated patterns which do not have a horizontal boundary. It forced the boundary to be horizontal by flooring it. Terry would have something to say on this. Anyway, it was decided in 2.002 to include a check box to turn it off for the more complicated patterns.

The space ship pattern you have does not need the floor feather. Further, there seems to be something else funny going on. The floor feather in 1.187 (which could not be turned off) does not do the same thing to your ship as the 2.002 floor feather. If you look closely at the pattern, you will see that the floor feather is causing carve throughs all over the ship. Hull breaches!! A closer look at the pattern might show that there are pixels in the inside of the pattern with the same depth as the edges. I think there is a bug here. I am going to use your file and report this as an insect of interest.

Edit: I believe this really is a bug to do with floor feather and 2.002.

peep
10-27-2013, 09:11 AM
I decided to carve this slice in 1.187 to simply save time. Its been running since yesterday. Did I do wrong? Will I have to redo it in 2.02? Will mixing and matching work between the programs?
Advise please. The term Hull breaches is scary!

bergerud
10-27-2013, 09:23 AM
If you uncheck Floor Feather in 2.002 all will be well. It is a small check box beside the conform check box under the button bars. Uncheck it for both sides and the carve as well as the carve time will be the same as it is in 1.187.

peep
10-27-2013, 10:01 AM
So the first carve I did starting with the largest piece (the one I showed you) should be fine in 1.187 then. The rest I will do in 2.02 as long as they match. I am using Birds-eye Grenadilla red. Very rare type of Grenadilla so do not want to wast wood. I am only able to lift 3 boards.

bergerud
10-27-2013, 10:15 AM
1.187 or 2.002 with floor feather off should be the same.

I noticed that bit optimization was not set to best. Not to worry if you have already started the carving, but if not, I would set it to best. The layer edges will line up better.

Another thing I noticed is that there are little pieces which will fall out during the carve of the second side. If the board is not on a sled, these pieces could jam and damage the x gears.

peep
10-27-2013, 10:37 AM
Very good point. the board is 14.5" x 39" so a sled is not possible. The second side is on going (last 2 hours). Hope it makes it. Will have to use more masking tape in the future.

TerryT
10-27-2013, 11:24 AM
Terry would have something to say on this.
Edit: I believe this really is a bug to do with floor feather and 2.002.

Actually I already said pretty much everything. It fell on deaf ears. Too expensive to fix this "IMPROVEMENT" I guess. I just wonder how many other 3d cnc software packages have such an obvious patch to try and make them work right.

gregsolano
10-27-2013, 11:34 AM
you can use a simple sled of just a 1/2 inch mdf board that is 14.5 inches wide and 40 inches in length. The two boards would just sandwich together with either double stick carpet tape or screws which are carefully placed. It will take you a few extra minutes to flip the board and you want your positioning to be accurate for the second side carving but you will have much more accurate carves and the parts will usually line up better and you wont have parts falling off into the belts. I would highly recommend it. Still use masking tape on the mdf sled. You also need rollers on the outfeed and infeed for boards that large.